The Flying Squirrels (41-40) fell, 7-6, to the Harrisburg Senators (43-40) Monday night at FNB Field. Senators catcher Taylor Gushue drove in the go-ahead and winning runs on a two-run home run in the seventh inning putting Harrisburg on top 7-5. The Squirrels drop two in a row and will decide the series tomorrow against the Senators on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. The Flying Squirrels will return to The Diamond on Wednesday, July 4 for an Independence Day weekend celebration.
With the Senators trailing by a run, Taylor Gushue smashed a two-run home run in the seventh inning to put the Senators back on top, 6-5. The home run was just the seventh home run allowed in Patrick Rutolo (0-1) and the eighth of the season for Gushue.
Harrisburg scored the first runs of the game taking a 3-0 lead after the second inning. Squirrels Menez walked two in the inning and allowed a RBI double to Adam Brett Walker and a two-run RBI single to Carter Keiboom to put Harrisburg up early. Menez struggled with the command walking three batters in the first two frames.
Senators starter Kyle McGowin retired the first seven batters he faced but ran into trouble in the third inning. Trailing 3-0, the Squirrels offense came alive for a five-hit, four-run inning to take the lead 4-3. C.J. Hinojosa, Ryan Howard, and Aramis Garcia strung together three consecutive run-scoring base hits to knock McGowin out of the game with two outs in the third inning.
Menez settled into the game keeping Harrisburg off of the board in the third and fourth innings but allowed the tying run to cross on an infield single from Drew Ward in the fifth inning. Menez finished the day allowing four earned runs on five hits tossing a career-high 109 pitches.
Senators reliever Austen Williams quieted the Squirrels bats after he entered the game in the third inning. Williams struck out the side in the fifth inning and held the Squirrels to just one hit over 3.1 innings while striking out four. Williams retired seven Squirrels in a row from the fourth through the sixth innings.
Matt Lipka gave the Squirrels the lead in the seventh inning on a solo home run over the left field fence. Lipka’s third home run of the season came against Senators reliever Bryan Harper who lasted just two-thirds of an inning before exiting. Kaleb Fleck (4-3) entered to secure the final out of the seventh inning and kept the Squirrels scoreless for an inning and a third earning the win.
Harrisburg tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a pinch-hit RBI double from Austin Davidson plating Osvaldo Abreu from first base. The Senators took a 7-5 lead into the top of the ninth inning where Roman Mendez closed it out picking up his sixth save of the year.
The Flying Squirrels wrap up their nine-game road trip – the longest off the year- with the final game of the five-game series against Harrisburg on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. RHP Chase Johnson (0-1, 1.52) makes the start for Richmond against Senators RHP Tyler Mapes (1-0, 1.50). The Flying Squirrels will return to The Diamond on Wednesday, July 4 for an Independence Day celebration. Tickets can be purchased online over the phone by calling 804-359-3866 (FUNN).
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Chris Graham
