Cantrelle goes deep twice to push Richmond to 7-2 win over Binghamton

Hayden Cantrelle blasted two homers and drove in four runs to help the Richmond Flying Squirrels to a 7-2 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies Wednesday night at Mirabito Stadium.

It was Cantrelle’s second multi-homer game of his career and the third time a Flying Squirrels batter has homered twice in a game this season.

Cantrelle led off the third inning with a solo home run to right field to break a scoreless tie and give the Flying Squirrels (21-19), the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, a 1-0 advantage.

With one out in the fourth, Carter Aldrete singled against Binghamton starter Mike Vasil, a UVA alum, and Andy Thomas pelted a double to put runners at second and third.

Riley Mahan plated both runners with a triple down the right-field line to push Richmond ahead by three runs. It was Mahan’s first three-bagger of the season.

Later in the inning, Cantrelle launched a two-run homer, his second round-tripper of the game, to move the Flying Squirrels to a 5-0 lead.

Binghamton (18-22), the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets, cut the deficit to 5-1 in the fourth inning with a two-out, RBI single from Hayden Senger against Richmond starter Ryan Murphy. It was the only run Murphy allowed over 3.2 innings, allowing five hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

Aldrete padded the Richmond advantage to 6-1 in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly that scored Simon Whiteman from third base.

Matt Rudick launched a solo home run in the seventh inning to draw the Rumble Ponies closer at 6-2. It was the second time Rudick has homered in the series.

With two outs and runners at the corners in the eighth inning, Cantrelle drove in Mahan from third base off a single and sent Richmond to a 7-2 lead. Cantrelle finished the night 3-for-4 with four RBIs and season-high nine total bases.

Richmond reliever Wil Jensen racked up a season-high six strikeouts over 3.1 innings, including five in a row across the fifth and sixth innings. Matt Frisbee held the Rumble Ponies scoreless over the final two innings and collected one strikeout.

The Flying Squirrels will take on the Rumble Ponies Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. from Mirabito Stadium. Right-hander Landen Roupp (0-0, 1.50) will make the start for Richmond opposed by right-hander Jose Chacin (0-2, 5.76).