The Richmond Flying Squirrels (53-58) walked off with a 10-inning, 6-5 win over the Portland Sea Dogs (54-57) at nearly 1 a.m. on Friday morning at The Diamond. The Squirrels waited through a lengthy rain delay at the start of the ballgame before completing a three-game sweep of the Sea Dogs. The Squirrels ran their win-streak to four games.
The Squirrels won the ballgame with an unearned run in the bottom of the 10th inning off of right-hander Noe Ramirez. Ryan Lollis reached on an error with one out. Joe Panik then drew a walk to put two aboard. Javier Herrera then delivered the decisive blow, an RBI single to right-center field. Ramirez (0-1) took the loss for Portland.
After a delay of two hours and 10 minutes, the Squirrels grabbed the early lead against Portland righty Keith Couch. Mark Minicozzi sparked the inning when he led off with a single. Two outs later, Adam Duvall singled to right-center field to put runners at the corners. Tyler LaTorre then gave Richmond a 1-0 lead when he pushed a single through the hole on the left-side of the infield.
The Squirrels tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kelby Tomlinson ignited Richmond with a one-out single. He stole second base and came in on a double from Joe Panik into the left-field corner. Couch then walked Javier Herrera. Minicozzi sent a double up the third-base line for a 3-0 advantage.
Richmond left-hander Chris Gloor motored through five innings, shutting out the Sea Dogs on just two hits. He hit a snag in the sixth inning, conceding his only run of the night. Shannon Wilkerson started the inning with a single. An out later, Gloor delivered wildly on ball four Garin Cecchini. Wilkerson advanced all the way to third base. Michael Almanzar made it 3-1 when he followed with a ground out.
The Squirrels wasted no time getting the run back. Adam Duvall led off the bottom of the sixth inning and rocked a solo-home run to left field. Duvall’s third home run of the series, and 12th of the year, stretched the lead back to 4-1.
Gloor worked six innings and didn’t factor in the decision. He allowed just the lone run on three hits. He walked two and struck out six.
The ballgame turned in favor of the Sea Dogs in the top of the seventh inning. Right-hander Drew Bowlin came on in relief. Matt Spring greeted him with a solo-home run to left field on the first pitch of the frame. J.C. Linares and Ryan Dent followed with back-to-back singles. Wilkerson then laid down a bunt that was thrown away by Minicozzi. A run scored to make it a one-run ballgame. The Squirrels then elected to intentionally walk Derrick Gibson to load the bases. Lefty Josh Osich came on for Bowlin and struck out Cecchini. However, Almanzar dumped a two-run single into right field to put Portland ahead for the first time, 5-4. All four runs were charged to Bowlin. Two of the runs were unearned.
The Squirrels rallied to tie the ballgame, 5-5, in the bottom of the eighth inning. Panik singled with two outs and advanced to second when Herrera reached on catcher’s interference. Minicozzi notched his fourth hit of the night, and his single brought home Panik to square the ballgame.
Left-hander Phil McCormick (4-5) earned the win for the Squirrels. He entered to extricate the Squirrels from a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and then worked a perfect 1-2-3 10th.
The Squirrels continue their home stand as they open a three-game series with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays) at 7:05 p.m. on Friday night at The Diamond. Richmond RHP Craig Westcott (4-10, 4.28) will make the start against New Hampshire RHP Kyle Drabek (0-0, —, MLB REHAB). Richmond native Deck McGuire is expected to piggy-back the rehab start for Drabek. The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 6:35 p.m. on Sports Radio 910,SportsRadio910.com and IHeart Radio.