After two second-inning singles by the Flying Squirrels, SeaWolves pitching combined to retire to final 23 consecutive batters.
Erie starter Brant Hurter (Win, 1-0) struck out six batters over six scoreless innings, throwing 67 pitches. Andrew Magno worked the sixth and seventh before Blake Holub threw a 1-2-3 ninth.
The SeaWolves opened the scoring in the top of the fourth inning, aided by two Richmond errors. Jake Holton bounced an RBI single to plate the first run. Ben Malgeri followed with a run-scoring single and Holton came in to score on a throwing error to move Erie ahead, 3-0.
Later in the fourth against reliever Spencer Bivens, Gage Workman bounced a single off the second-base bag to extend the Erie lead to 4-0.
Richmond starter Carson Seymour (Loss, 0-1) rolled through the first three innings, striking out five and allowing one hit before four runs (one earned) scored in the fourth.
Chris Meyers hit an RBI triple in the top of the eighth inning to push the SeaWolves’ lead to 5-0.
Bivens allowed one run over 4.2 innings with three strikeouts. Nick Zwack pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out two.
The Flying Squirrels and SeaWolves play Game 2 of the best-of-three Southwest Division Series on Thursday night in Erie. Right-hander Hayden Birdsong (0-3, 5.48) will start for Richmond, opposed by Erie right-hander Ty Madden (3-4, 3.43). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at UPMC Park.
Richmond needs a win to force a decisive Game 3 on Friday night.
Tickets for the Flying Squirrels’ potential home Eastern League Championship Series games are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office. In the event that any Championship Series games are not played, fans who purchase tickets will receive a credit which can be used for tickets to a Flying Squirrels home game in 2024.
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Chris Graham
