Lollis homers twice as Richmond grabs fourth straight from Portland

Ryan Lollis and Jack Snodgrass keyed the Richmond Flying Squirrels (56-59) as they rolled to an, 8-2, series-opening win over the Portland Sea Dogs (56-59) on Tuesday night at Hadlock Field.  Lollis homered twice in the ballgame, while Snodgrass earned his team-best ninth win of the year.  Richmond defeated the Sea Dogs for the fourth consecutive ballgame, and also claimed the season-series between the two clubs.

The Squirrels jumped on right-hander Matt Barnes to jump on top in the second inning.  Mark Minicozzi led off with a single to left field.  Adam Duvall followed and decked a double to center field to put runners at second and third with nobody out.  Jarrett Parker struck out, but Brett Krill brought in Minicozzi with a ground out.  Tyler LaTorre then doubled off the Maine Monster in left field to plate Duvall for a 2-0 advantage.

Lollis rapidly added a run to the Richmond lead in the third inning.  He led off and laced a low-flying solo-home run to right field.  His sixth of the season stretched the Squirrels’ lead to 3-0.  It marked the 11^th home run allowed on the year by Barnes.

Snodgrass was in control through the first three innings.  However, Shannon Wilkerson sparked the Sea Dogs in the third inning.  He won a 10-pitch encounter with Snodgrass and lashed a lead-off double off the left-field wall.  He moved to third on a ground out, and came across on a sacrifice fly from Christian Vazquez.

Barnes conceded an additional run to the Squirrels before he was removed in the sixth inning.  Minicozzi led off with a swinging-bunt single and moved to second base on a wild pitch.  Duvall then cracked his second double of the night to the left-field corner.  Minicozzi came in for a 4-1 Richmond lead.  Barnes struck out the next two hitters, but then retired for the evening.

Barnes (5-8) took the loss for Porland over 5 2/3 innings.  He permitted four earned runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out seven.

Snodgrass (9-4) also departed in the midst of the sixth inning.  However, he did so to the win, earning his team-leading ninth over 5 1/3 innings.  He conceded just the lone run on five hits, walked two and struck out three.

Lollis went deep for the second time in the ballgame in the seventh inning.  His second solo-home run of the night was sent to right-center field off right-hander Noe Ramirez.  It marked the first time this season that Lollis had homered twice in the same game.

Jarrett Parker led off the eighth inning against Ramirez and clubbed the third home run of the night for the Squirrels.  Parker’s solo-shot to right field extended the Squirrels’ lead to 6-1.  It marked the 13^th home run of the year for Parker.

Right-hander Edwin Quirarte turned in 2 1/3 innings of relief.  He conceded the final run of the night for Portland in the eighth inning.  Lefty Phil McCormick came on to record the final four outs of the ballgame.  McCormick earned his third save of the year.

Parker capped the scoring for the night with a two-run triple in the ninth inning.  Minicozzi and Duvall both scored on the triple, which followed two walks from lefty Eric Niesen.

Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Hadlock Field on Wednesday night.  Richmond LHP Chris Gloor (8-5, 3.44) will make the start against Portland LHP Chris Hernandez (0-0, 0.00).  The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin on Sports Radio 910, www.sportsradio910.com and IHeart Radio at 6:30 p.m.