Steady pitching and a timely two-RBI hit from Shane Matheny pushed the Richmond Flying Squirrels to a 2-1 victory over the Erie SeaWolves Saturday afternoon at UPMC Park.
Five pitchers for Richmond (8-6) combined to allow four hits and seven walks but struck out 13 SeaWolves. Erie (7-7) finished 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.
In the seventh inning with two outs and runners at second and third, Matheny came off the bench as a pinch hitter and punched a two-RBI single to left that broke the scoring drought, 2-0. Matheny has collected five RBIs over nine games this season.
After a leadoff double to start the eighth inning, Eric De La Rosa lofted a sacrifice fly to right field that broke the shutout and cut the score to 2-1.
With the tying run at second base in the ninth, John Russell (Save, 1) fired back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to secure the Richmond win.
Tristan Beck struck out a season-high seven batters in his start through 5.0 scoreless innings. He has collected six or more strikeouts in each of his three starts to begin the season.
With runners at each base and one out in the sixth, Ryan Walker (Win, 3-0) checked in relief for Richmond and fired back-to-back strikeouts to leave the bases loaded. Walker struck out three of the four total batters he faced through 1.1 innings.
Erie starter A.J. Ladwig held the Flying Squirrels hitless through 4.0 innings in his season debut for Erie with two walks and three strikeouts. Nick Kuzia (Loss, 0-1) allowed two runs, three hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
The road trip concludes on Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m. Matt Frisbee (0-1, 3.38) is scheduled to start for the Flying Squirrels opposed by SeaWolves right-hander Chance Kirby (1-0, 0.00)
The Flying Squirrels next homestand will be April 26-May 1 against the Bowie Baysox. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.
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