Tyler Fitzgerald provided all the offense for the Richmond Flying Squirrels with two home runs, but the team came up short in a 4-2 loss against the Altoona Curve Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
It was the ninth multi-homer game by a player for the Flying Squirrels (46-39, 6-10) this season as they dropped their second consecutive game of the road trip.
The Curve (43-42, 10-6) racked up three runs in the bottom of the first inning off back-to-back home runs from Blake Sabol and Aaron Shackelford against Richmond starter Matt Frisbee (Loss, 5-6). Frisbee closed the night with four runs allowed off nine hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
Shackelford pushed the Curve ahead 4-0 in the third inning off a solo home run to right field.
Fitzgerald broke the shutout at 4-1 in the top of the fifth with his first home run of the game.
Leading off the top of the eighth inning, Fitzgerald blasted a solo home run to left-center field and cut the deficit to 4-2. It was his 14th home run of the year and the second time this season with two home runs in a game.
Mike Gigliotti drew a four-pitch walk to start the ninth inning, but Tyler Samaniego (Save, 8) retired the next three batters off a strikeout, flyout and groundout to secure the win.
Altoona starter Luis Ortiz tossed four scoreless innings with three hits allowed and six strikeouts. Nick Dombkowski (Win, 3-1) allowed two home runs and three total hits over four innings of relief.
On Saturday, the Flying Squirrels will face the Curve for game five of the road trip at 6 p.m. Right-hander Wil Jensen will make his Double-A debut for Richmond opposed by Altoona right-hander Quinn Priester (1-1, 2.81).
The Flying Squirrels will return home on Friday, July 22, for the first of three games against the Bowie Baysox at The Diamond. On Friday, the first 1,000 fans ages 21 and older will go home with a Patriotic Beer Belt presented by Bud Light, perfect for any summer BBQ. It is also Funnville Friday Happy Hour from 5:30-7:30 p.m. where fans can enjoy two-dollar 12-ounce domestic beers at all concession stands and two-dollar sodas at the Pepsi Fountain. First pitch on Friday, July 22 is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Tickets are available at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.
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