The Harrisburg Senators (39-42) scored the final five runs to stun the Richmond Flying Squirrels (40-38), 5-4, in 10 innings on Fridaynight at Metro Bank Park. With the win, the Senators also claimed the series, having taken three of the four games.
Harrisburg scored the winning run off of right-hander Edwin Quirarte. Quirarte entered for the 10th inning and had his first pitch punched into left-center field for a single by Derrick Robinson. Robinson then stole second base before Quirarte hit Brian Goodwin. Quirarte then threw a wild-pitch to move up the runners before Wilmer Difo delivered a game-winning sacrifice-fly to center field. Quirarte (0-1) took the loss, his first.
Richmond lefty Matt Lujan and Harrisburg right-hander Colin Bates dueled through six scoreless innings. Lujan had retired 16 consecutive batters heading to the seventh. Once there, the Squirrels broke through in a big way. Engel Beltre sparked a two-out uprising with a single into right field. Eliezer Zambrano then successfully executed the hit-and-run, pushing his third single of the night through the left side of the infield. Lujan then aided his own cause with an RBI single to the right side of the infield. Myles Schroder followed and blasted a three-run home run to right field. Schroder’s third of the season put Richmond in front, 4-0.
Lujan carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, and recorded the first two outs without incident once there. However, Drew Vettleson broke up that bid with a single through the right side of the infield. Harrisburg then put together their own two-out rally. Shawn Pleffner followed the single with a double to right-center field. Cutter Dykstra then delivered a two-run single back through the middle to cut the Richmond lead in half, 4-2.
Bates worked seven innings and was charged with four earned runs on 10 hits. He walked one and struck out three. Lujan went 7 1/3 innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits. He issued a lone walk and struck out three. Neither factored in the decision.
Right-hander Jose Casilla cleaned up the eighth inning for Lujan, inducing a fly-ball double-play from Wilmer Difo. However, upon returning for the ninth, he hit the leadoff man Chris Bostick. Lefty Phil McCormick then entered and conceded back-to-back singles to Matt Skole and Vettleson. Vettleson’s single scored Bostick. McCormick then walked Pleffner to load the bases. Dykstra followed and grounded into a double-play. Skole scored to tie the game, 4-4.
The Squirrels return to the RVA to open a six-game homestand at The Diamond on Friday night. The Squirrels will meet the Akron RubberDucks (Cleveland Indians) and the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals) in three-game series. The opener of the Akron series is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Richmond RHP Joe Biagini (6-5, 2.01) will make the start against Akron RHP Mike Clevinger (5-3, 2.60). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 6 p.m. on Fox Sports 910 and FoxSportsRichmond.com.
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Chris Graham
