Reliable Rogers saves Squirrels third straight win

Flying Squirrels closer Tyler Rogers picked up the final five outs on Wednesday afternoon to secure a 4-3 win for Richmond (22-37) over New Hampshire (26-32) at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.

Ryder Jones collected three hits and homered for the second consecutive game to lead the Squirrels in their third straight win. Starting pitcher Matt Gage earned the win, allowing three runs on ten hits in the outing.

Ryder Jones once again got the Squirrels started with a solo home run over the right field wall in the first inning. Jones homered on Tuesday in the series opener and now has seven home runs on the year. Ricky Oropesa and Hunter Cole continued the first inning with base hits but John Anderson limited the damage to just a 1-0 contest.

The Fisher Cats threatened to respond in the first inning by loading the bases with nobody out against Squirrels starter Matt Gage. Gage then wiggled out of trouble with a strikeout of Melky Mesa and an inning-ending double play. Gage threw 18 pitches in the first inning and escaped with the 1-0 lead.

RickyOropesa pulled the Squirrels ahead 2-0 with an RBI single to left in the third inning. Christian Arroyo doubled and moved to third base via a Ryder Jones infield single. Oropesa then delivered his 25 RBI of the season with a basehit.

New Hampshire responded with a run in the bottom of the third inning. ShortstopJorge Flores led off with a base hit and advanced to second on a grounder to third base. Dwight Smith Jr. brought in Flores with a flare single to rightcenterfield to trim the Squirrels lead, 2-1.
The Squirrels continued to apply pressure with runners on base through the middle innings and extended their lead to 4-1 with a pair of runs in the fourth. Carlos Moncrief singled to begin the inning and scored on a booming double to centerfield from Angel Villalona. Ali Castillo then singled with two outs to plate Villalona and stretch the lead to three.

Gage encountered trouble in the bottom of the fifth as New Hampshire pushed across a pair of runs to pull to within one, 4-3. Jorge Flores walked to open the inning and advanced to second on a base hit. Gage then retired the next two hitters but Mellky Mesa delivered a two-strike single to leftfield and Rowdy Tellezfollowed with an RBI base hit to close within one run. Gage made it through the fifth inning and returned to pick up a 1-2-3 sixth frame. The lefty Gage earned the win as he allowed just three runs on ten hits with three strikeouts in the outing.

TylerMizenko, relieved Gage to start the seventh inning and tossed another scoreless inning Ray Black took over for Richmond in the eighth and struck out the first hitter. Black then walked Rowdy Tellez and was removed from the game due to an injury. That forced closer Tyler Rogers to enter early and pick up the final five outs to end the game. Rogers earned his eighth save in eight opportunities.