The Richmond Flying Squirrels (61-71) could not muster a run for the third consecutive game and dropped the series opener 7-0 against the Fightin Phils (63-68) on Monday at The Diamond. The Squirrels were limited to four hits and had their consecutive scoreless innings streak stretch to 27 innings. Richmond and Reading continue the series and the final homestand of the season tomorrow with a Tip of the Cap Tuesday. The first 1,000 fans (15+) will receive a free Cowboy Hat Giveaway. Fireworks follow the game presented by AAA.
The final homestand of the year was delayed one hour and fourteen minutes due to a rain cloud that hovered over The Diamond. Once the contest began, Readings’ Tyler Viza took control, dominating the Squirrels over seven shutout innings. Viza matched a career-high with 11 strikeouts and did not walk a batter. The Richmond offense sputtered once again and was shutdown for the third straight game. Richmond has not scored a run in 27 consecutive innings, two shy of matching the franchise record (29, 2015).
Reading took the early lead – taking advantage of a costly error – and scored four runs in the second. Richmond’s Taylor Hill picked up two quick outs to begin the inning but Jiandido Tromp disrupted his rhythm with a tripled that glanced off the glove of centerfielder Ronnie Jebavy. Hill walked the next two batters to load the bases and thought he was out of the inning when Drew Stankiewicz rolled a grounder to second base. CJ Hinojosa struggled to pick the ball up cleanly and tossed it past the first baseman Dillon Dobson. The Hinojosa error scored two runs and Austin Listi made it a 4-0 lead with a bloop single into centerfield.
Hill ended the difficult second and picked up a pair of strikeouts in the third. The veteran struck out five over the first four innings and used 64 pitches in that span.
Meanwhile, Reading’s Tyler Viza picked up where the Altoona pitching staff left off. Viza worked around singles from Ryan Howard and Dylan Davis in the first inning. The righty retired the side 1-2-3 in the second and escaped a double off the bat of Hinojosa in the third.
Hill returned for the fourth inning, however, the strikeouts and error led to a rapidly rising pitching count. Hill fanned Malquin Canelo for the first out in the inning and grounded out his counterpart Viza. Stankiewicz then singled, ending the outing for Hill at 79 pitches. Newcomer Nolan Riggs relived Hill and allowed a base hit before ending the inning to close the line on Hill (3.2IP, 5H,4R,0ER,2BB,6K).
Riggs shined in his Double-A debut and carried the game through the middle inning. The towering right-hander punched out a pair of Phils in the fifth and followed that up with three more K’s in the sixth inning. Riggs ran into trouble in the seventh and was pulled from the contest with a pair of runners on base. Reliver Sam Wolff allowed both of those runners to score – hitting one and walking in two runs – in putting Reading ahead 6-0.
Reading added the final run in the top of the ninth inning. Carlos Diaz entered to start the inning and with one-out allowed a towering solo home run to Darick Hall.
The Flying Squirrels continue the final homestand of the year with the second game of four against Reading on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. RHP Logan Webb (1-1, 2.25) is scheduled to start game two RHP Harold Arauz (9-6, 4.91). Tuesday in Funnville features a Cowboy Hat Giveaway to the first 1,000 fans (15+) for Go Western Festival Night. In-Your-Face Fireworks follow the game presented by AAA. Tickets and information can be found atwww.squirrelsbaseball.com or by calling 804-359-FUNN
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