Marte leads Richmond past Bowie for Faith Night win

The Richmond Flying Squirrels (9-17) won their sixth consecutive ballgame, 3-1, over the Bowie Baysox (17-12) in front of 9,307 at The Diamond on Saturday night.  The Squirrels have not only won six straight, they have won six straight against the first-place club in the Western Division.  They will have the chance to match the franchise-record for consecutive wins in Sunday’s series-finale.

The Baysox were gifted a run in the third inning.  With one out, lefty Kelvin Marte walked Ozzie Martinez.  Marte recorded the second out and then popped up Mike Yastrzemski to centerfield.  Javier Herrera misread the ball, breaking back initially.  He then sprinted forward and was unable to reel the ball in with a head-first dive.  The double scored Martinez for a 1-0 lead.

Richmond responded with a run to tie the game, 1-1, off of right-hander Branden Kline in the fourth.  Mac Williamson opened the inning with a double blistered up the right-field line.  He moved to third on a fly out from Mitch Delfino and scored when Ricky Oropesa lifted a sacrifice-fly to left field.

The Squirrels forged in front in the sixth.  Kelby Tomlinson started the inning with an infield-single.  Javier Herrera then laced a single to left field.  Williamson then loaded the bases with nobody out with an infield-single.  Delfino made it 2-1 Richmond when he then lined a sacrifice-fly to right field.  Kline walked Oropesa and Myles Schroder padded the Richmond-lead with a sacrifice-fly to centerfield.

Kline (3-2) worked six innings and took the loss, his second.  He permitted three earned runs on five hits, walked three and struck out three.

Marte (2-0) worked six innings plus two batters and earned the win, his second.  He was charged with just one run on three hits, walked four and struck out one.

Right-hander Jose Casilla cleaned up the seventh for Marte, and also handled the eighth.  Lefty Josh Osich then worked a perfect ninth for his third save in as many days.  It also marked his fifth of the season.  It was the first time in Osich’s career that he had pitched on three consecutive days.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. at The Diamond on Sunday night.  Richmond LHP Jack Snodgrass (2-3, 5.04) will make the start against Bowie RHP Dylan Bundy (0-2, 2.77).  The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 1:05 p.m. on Fox Sports 910 and FoxSportsRichmond.com.