In a back-and-forth battle, the Richmond Flying Squirrels came up short, 6-5, to the Somerset Patriots in 10 innings Thursday night at The Diamond.
It was the third one-run game of the series and the second that went to extra innings against the Patriots (40-22). The Flying Squirrels (34-29) are now 2-5 in extra-inning games.
With Andres Angulo at second base in the third inning, Simon Whiteman zipped an RBI double down the third base line and pushed the Squirrels ahead, 1-0.
Heliot Ramos added to the lead with a 448-foot solo home run to center field in the fifth inning, pushing the Flying Squirrels ahead, 2-0. It was Ramos’ ninth home run of the season.
Somerset tied the game, 2-2, in the sixth inning off a sacrifice fly from Oswaldo Cabrera and Donny Sands’ RBI single. Matt Seelinger entered for Richmond and notched a strikeout to escape the inning. Seelinger struck out three of the four total batters he faced over 1.1 innings.
In the sixth inning, Brandon Martorano laced a two-RBI single to center that scored David Villar and Vince Fernandez, bringing the lead back to Richmond at 4-2.
The Patriots evened the game, 4-4, in the eighth inning with an RBI triple from Oswald Peraza and Cabrera’s second sacrifice fly off Flying Squirrel reliever Frank Rubio.
Patrick Ruotolo struck out the side in the ninth inning on 16 pitches, but the Flying Squirrels came up empty in the bottom of the ninth and went to extras.
In the top of the 10th with Mac Marshall (Loss, 0-3) on the mound, Somerset plated two runs to take a 6-4 lead off an RBI single by Diego Castillo and Donny Sands.
In the 10th, Whiteman blasted his second double of the game to score Andy Sugilio from second and put the score at 6-5. Addison Russ (Win, 1-1) fired back-to-back flyouts to secure Somerset’s victory.
Richmond starter Caleb Kilian worked 5.2 innings, allowing two runs off four hits and one walk while striking out five.
JP Sears allowed two runs off three hits over 4.2 innings with two walks and five strikeouts in his start for Somerset.
Game four of the series between the Flying Squirrels and Patriots is Friday night. Right-hander Sean Hjelle (3-1, 3.00) is expected to start for Richmond opposed by right-hander Luis Medina (1-1, 5.21) for Somerset.
On Friday, the Flying Squirrels are kicking off the two-day celebration of the Richmond 34, and the first 1,000 fans 15 and older can receive a special End Racism t-shirt, which was a collaborative design with Richmond-based artist Noah Scalin and The Cheats Movement, presented by Capital One. It is also Friday Happy Hour from 5:30-7:30 p.m. with two-dollar 12-ounce domestic beers at all concession stands, upper concourse beer carts and The Thirsty Acorn. Two-dollar fountain sodas are also available at the Pepsi Fountain. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. from The Diamond with gates opening at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels offices.
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