Jackson Williams knocked in four runs and six bullpen arms carried the Richmond Flying Squirrels (45-41) past the Trenton Thunder (48-40), 5-4, on Saturday night at ARM & HAMMER Park. The Squirrels were covering the start of lefty Adalberto Mejia, who was pushed back to Monday. They leveled the series at a game apiece.
The Thunder struck quickly against spot-starting righty Joan Gregorio. Ali Castillo led off the ballgame with a single to left field. While Gregorio recorded the first two outs, Castillo stole both second and third base. Rob Segedin knocked him in for a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single to left field.
Richmond was stymied for the first three innings by righty Jaron Long, but mounted a two-out uprising in the fourth. Long triggered his own issues with a walk issued to Ricky Oropesa. Devin Harris then reached on an error by Brendan Ryan before Austin Slater loaded the bases with an infield-single. Williams then cleared the bases with a double sprayed into the right-field corner. All three runs were unearned against Long, but allowed Richmond to take a 3-1 lead.
Myles Schroder added to the Squirrels’ lead in the fifth. He launched a solo-home run that bounced off the top of the right-field foul pole. His fifth home run of the season extended Richmond’s lead to 4-1.
Gregorio’s night lasted just two innings. He surrendered the lone run on three hits. He struck out four and did not register a decision. Righty Stephen Johnson (2-0) followed Gregorio and delivered a tremendous performance over three innings. He allowed no runs on just one hit, walked none and struck out three. He earned his second win of the season
Long (0-1) worked six innings and was charged with four runs – one earned. He permitted six hits, walked one and struck out three. He was saddled with his first loss of the year.
Lefty Braulio Lara picked it up out of the Squirrels’ bullpen in the sixth and turned in two scoreless innings. He was aided by a line-shot double-play started by Rando Moreno that ended the seventh.
Right-hander Tyler Mizenko handled a scoreless eighth inning, and the Squirrels turned to righty Derek Law to close it out. He couldn’t however, eventually conceding a three-run home run to Eddy Rodriguez that capped the scoring for the night. Lefty Phil McCormick then rode to the rescue, bouncing out Castillo to end the ballgame. McCormick earned his first save of the season.
Game three of the four-game series is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at ARM & HAMMER Park. Richmond RHP Edwin Quirarte (0-1, 3.94) will make the start against Trenton LHP Matt Tracy (0-2, 3.55). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 910 and FoxSportsRichmond.com.
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Chris Graham
