The Flying Squirrels (45-62) could not muster a run over the last eight innings on Tuesday night, dropping the opener of the series to Altoona by a final of 5-2 at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Altoona (59-49) erased a 2-0 deficit in the third inning, en route to their 11th consecutive win over the Squirrels. The Curve forced Squirrels starter Kyle Crick from the game early, after four innings of work. Crick (3-9) suffered the loss and threw 98 pitches in the outing. Richmond’s Steven Duggar collected two hits in the defeat.
The Squirrels were hoping that the fifth time facing Altoona lefty Cody Dickson would be the charm. Steven Duggar led off the game with a base hit and Christian Arroyo followed with a walk. After C.J. Hinojosa struck out, Carlos Moncrief slapped a single into left field for a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Chris Shaw delivered another single into center, scoring Arroyo for a 2-0 advantage. Dickson eventually ended the first inning but needed 26 pitched to do so.
Richmond’s Kyle Crick also struggled with his command early on and could not hold onto the 2-0 lead. Crick pitched around an inning-opening walk in the first, but was touched up for a run in the second. Altoona outfielder Barrett Barnes double into the left center field ally and came around to score on a base hit from Justin Maffei. Maffei singled into center and Barnes slid around the tag at the plate to cut the deficit, 2-1.
The Curve pulled ahead 4-2 with a three-run third inning. Feliz got it going once more when he walked and stole second base. Erich Weiss tied the game with a soft base hit to left field and Kevin Newman kept the attack going with a walk. Crick, laboring in the frame, then battled to get the next two hitters. Crick was on the verge of escaping the inning when Barnes connected on a two-run base hit to give Altoona a 4-2 lead.
The Curve added another run in the fourth and final inning turned in by Crick on the night. Justin Maffei reached on an infield single and was bunted up to second base. Anderson Feliz then stroked a double into the gap, giving the Curve a 5-2 advantage. Crick was removed for a pinch hitter in the top of the fifth, ending his outing. Crick allowed the five runs on six hits. He walked four and struck out three on 98 pitches.
Dickson settled in despite the command issues and contributed a quality start for the Curve. The lefty pitched around a double in the second and a pair of walks in the fifth. He retired the side in order in the sixth and departed the game with a 5-2 lead. Dickson allowed two runs on five hits over six innings of work. He walked three and struck out four to earn the win.
The Richmond bullpen was able to keep things close despite the early departure for Crick. Jose Casilla was sharp through two innings of work and Ray Black tossed a scoreless seventh inning. Right-hander Carlos Alvarado picked up a pair of stirkeouts in the eighth to keep the deficit at three.
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Chris Graham
