After falling behind by four runs, the Flying Squirrels pierced eight unanswered runs to take a 9-5 victory over the Akron RubberDucks Tuesday night at Canal Park.
Richmond (38-29) has won four of its last five games and have compiled four consecutive come-from-behind wins. The Flying Squirrels plated three runs in the sixth inning and four in the eighth in the comeback over Akron (38-27).
Trailing by three runs, Sandro Fabian and Frankie Tostado reached base to lead off the sixth inning. Diego Rincones belted a three-run home run to left field that evened the game, 5-5. It was the third consecutive game with a home run for Rincones and the ninth game in a row Richmond has homered.
The Flying Squirrels tacked on four more runs in the eighth inning to open a 9-5. With the bases loaded and two outs, Will Wilson smashed a two-run double. Both Simon Whiteman and Wilson scored on wild pitches in the next at-bat from third base.
Wilson finished the night with a 3-for-5 performance, the most hits he’s notched with Richmond, with a double and three RBIs. He has collected at least one RBI in two of his past three games and has scored in four consecutive games dating back to July 16.
With runners at first and third in the fourth, Tostado lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Wilson and gave Richmond an early 1-0 advantage.
Akron stormed back to a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five runs off four hits. With two outs and the bases loaded, Bo Naylor reached on catcher interference and scored Tyler Freeman which tied the game, 1-1. Chris Roller ripped a two-RBI single and Jose Fermin hit a two-RBI double in the next two at-bats to give Akron a four-run lead.
Richmond chipped the score to 5-2 in the fifth inning when Wilson lined an RBI single into center field that scored Andres Angulo from second base.
Patrick Ruotolo (Win, 1-0) worked a scoreless seventh inning, inducing two flyouts and a strikeout. Joey Marciano and Jose Marte both produced scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Michael Plassmeyer compiled 6.0 innings of work with five runs allowed (four earned) off seven hits and three strikeouts. Plassmeyer allowed one hit over his first 3.0 innings of work, retiring nine of the first 10 Akron batters.
Akron starter Juan Hillman went 4.0 innings, allowing one run off two hits and struck out six Flying Squirrels. Hillman retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced along with six strikeouts through his first 3.0 innings.
The series continues Wednesday between the Flying Squirrels and the RubberDucks. Right-handed pitcher Caleb Kilian (3-0, 2.21) will start for Richmond opposed by right-hander Cody Morris (0-0, 0.00) for Akron.
The Flying Squirrels return to The Diamond on Tuesday, July 27 for the first game of a two-week homestand against the Bowie Baysox and the Reading Fightin Phils. On July 27, Richmond celebrates all things sports with Sports Appreciation Night and the first 1,000 fans 15 and older can receive a connectable-base bobblehead of mixed nut racer John Walnut presented by Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels offices.
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Chris Graham
