Cavan Biggio drilled a pair of home runs and drove in five to lead the Fisher Cats (62-44) in a 14 -3 drubbing of the Flying Squirrels (50-57) on Wednesday afternoon at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. The Squirrels allowed a season-high 17 hits and a season-high tying 14 runs in the defeat. Richmond will attempt to avoid the series sweep on Thursday with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. The Squirrels six game trip then continues to Portland before they return to Funnville for a six-game homestand beginning on Tuesday, August 7.
For the second consecutive game, New Hampshire plated seven runs in an inning to down the Squirrels. The ‘Cats scored seven runs in the first inning and sent 12 men to the plate to set the tone in the contest. Andrew Guillotte doubled twice in the inning and William & Mary product Ryan Hissey looped a two-run double in the barrage.
Flying Squirrels starter Mike Connolly (3-3) suffered the loss for Richmond on Wednesday. Connolly tossed 39 pitches in the first inning and 19 in the second. The righty was removed to start the third and allowed eight runs on eight hits in the defeat. Connolly used 58 pitches and was replaced by Ryan Halstead to start the third.
The seven run first was just the beginning for the Fisher Cats attack. Cavan Biggio, son of MLB Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, hit his 22nd homer run of the year in the second inning and added his 23rd of the season in the fourth. Biggio’s first blast was a solo shot that put New Hampshire ahead 8-0. His second dinger made it a 10- gap for the Fisher Cats. Biggio also looped a two-run double up the left field line in the fifth for a five RBI game. It was the first multi-homer game of Biggio’s career.
Fisher Cats righty Jon Harris kept Richmond in check through the first five innings. Harris retired the first ten batters he faced and allowed just one hit (an infield single) over the first five frames. Richmond eventually pushed across three runs in the sixth. Jeff Arnold opened the inning with an infield single and Harris then walked Matt Lipka and Luigi Rodriguez to load the bases. Ryan Howard put the Squirrels on the board with a two-out double down the right field line and Caleb Gindl grounded in Howard for a 1-3 3 tally. Harris (9-4) escaped the sixth with the three runs allowed and returned for a scoreless seventh. The former first round pick earned the win in the seven-inning effort. He walked three and struck out six.
The Squirrels and Fisher Cats conclude the three-game set on Thursday at 7:105 p.m. LHP Conner Menez (3-3, 3.57) will make the start in the series finale against RHP Jordan Romano (10-4, 3.40). Richmond will be on the road from July 31-August 6. The Squirrels will return to Funnville for a six-game homestand on Tuesday, August 7 against thee Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Tickets and information can be found atwww.squirrelsbaseball.com or by calling 804-359-FUNN
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