The surging Richmond Flying Squirrels (30-26) claimed their sixth straight win, downing the Portland Sea Dogs (23-36), 5-1, at The Diamond on Wednesday night. The Squirrels claimed the series with the victory, and have now won six straight for the third time on the season. The Squirrels are 27-9 since snapping their 15-game losing-skid on May 4th.
The Squirrels got out quickly against right-hander Luis Diaz in the first inning. Kelby Tomlinson opened the inning with a push-bunt single. An out later, Mac Williamson singled on the infield to put two aboard. Mitch Delfino followed and shoved a single into right field to load the bases. Ricky Oropesa then made it 2-0 with a well-struck two-run single through the hole on the right-side of the infield. With the two RBIs collected, Oropesa tied Williamson for the team lead (34).
Oropesa struck again as the Squirrels doubled their advantage against Diaz in the fifth. Rando Moreno sparked the inning with a one-out single to center field. Diaz then hit Williamson to put two aboard before walking Delfino to load the bases. Oropesa then delivered a carbon-copy two-run single to right field to stretch the Richmond lead to 4-0. Oropesa vaulted past Williamson for the team-lead in RBIs with 36.
Meanwhile, right-hander Joe Biagini kept the Sea Dogs at bay for the first five innings on five hits. Portland did parlay an inning-opening double from Jantzen Witte into their first run in the sixth. Witte came around on back-to-back groundouts to cut the Richmond lead to 4-1.
Diaz (0-5) called it a night after five innings, having conceded four earned runs on six hits. He walked three, hit another and struck out two. He was doomed to his fifth loss of the season.
Williamson knocked in his own run as the Squirrels capped the scoring in the bottom of the seventh. Williamson singled home Tomlinson, who had singled to start the inning.
Biagini (5-3) earned his fifth win over seven sterling innings. He allowed just the lone run on six hits, walked none and struck out five. Right-hander Jose Casilla struck out the side in order in the eighth, and righty Tyler Mizenko polished off the win with a scoreless ninth.
The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Thursday night at The Diamond. Richmond LHP Adalberto Mejia (0-0, 0.00) will make the start against Portland RHP Mike Augliera (2-9, 4.63). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 6 p.m. on Fox Sports 910 and FoxSportsRichmond.com.
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