Home Gomez goes yard twice: Squirrels win again
Sports

Gomez goes yard twice: Squirrels win again

Contributors

Miguel Gomez drilled a pair of home runs and Andrew Suarez turned in a quality start to lead Richmond (19-29) to a 3-2 win over Harrisburg (21-26) on Sunday night at FNB Field. Collin Balester (1-1) earned the win by picking up the final seven outs in the contest. Richmond will go for the series win on Monday afternoon at 12:00 p.m.

richmond flying squirrelsWith the game tied, 2-2, Miguel Gomez launched his second home run of the night to put Richmond on top. Gomez guided a high fly ball inside the foul pole, connecting off of reliever Ryan Brinley to take a 3-2 lead. It was the first multi-home run game for a Squirrels player this season and the second in the career for Gomez. Brinley (3-3) tossed the final two innings in the losing effort for the Senators.

Harrisburg opened up the scoring with a run off of Suarez in the bottom of the first inning. Suarez struck out the first batter he faced in Khayann Norfork but then walked Mario Lisson. Jose Marmolejos and Neftali Soto both followed with scratch base hits to load the bases and Drew Ward beat out a double play ball to bring home the run. Suarez escaped the inning with just the one run allowed.

Former MLB hurler Taylor Hill made the start for Harrisburg and moved through the Squirrels lineup, needing only eight pitches to retired the side in the first inning. Hill faced the minimum in the second and again in the third. He set down the first two batters in the fourth inning but hit a speed bump while facing Miguel Gomez. Gomez disrupted Hill’s rhythm by launching his fourth home run of the season to tie the game, 1-1. Myles Schroder then added a run to take the lead with a made dash around the bases. Schroder delivered a triple into the left field corner, diving into third base as the throw was entering the infield. Harrisburg’s shortstop Osvaldo Abreu tossed the ball past all the defenders, allowing Schroder to rise from the ground at third and score.

Suarez was nearly untouchable after allowing the run in the first inning. The lefty carved up Harrisburg through the next five innings, retiring 17 consecutive batters heading into the seventh. The lefty needed 77 pitches to get through the first six innings, striking out eight along the way.

The Senators were finally able to get to Suarez in the seventh inning and tie the game, 2-2. Raudy read doubled with two outs and scored on a base hit off the bat of Isaac Ballou. The single for Ballu forced Suarez from the game. Balester entered and stranded a pair of runners to keep the game tied. The veteran earned the win by tossing scoreless eighth and ninth innings. Suarez struck out a season-high eight batters and walked three in the no-decision.

The Flying Squirrels continue the seven-game road trip on Monday afternoon at FNB Field in Harrisburg. Right-hander Sam Coonrod 1-5, 4.76 is scheduled to start against Harrisburg RHP Derek Eitel (0-1, 6.75) . Flying Squirrels individual tickets, mini plans and group packages are onsale by contacting the Richmond box office at 804-359-FUNN or online at www.squirrelsbaseball.com

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.