The Richmond Flying Squirrels brought the tying run to second base in the top of the ninth but failed to score, falling 4-3 to the Hartford Yard Goats on Wednesday at Dunkin’ Donuts Park.
Trailing by a run in the ninth with Johneshwy Fargas representing the tying on second base and Levi Michael at first, Ben Bowden (Save, 3) struck out back-to-back batters in Ryan Howard and Jalen Miller to end the game.
The Richmond (6-5) offense struck early to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first against Hartford (6-8) left-hander Ty Culbreth (Win, 2-1). Michael led off the game with a triple to deep centerfield and scored on the very next pitch on a sacrifice fly from Howard.
However, the Yard Goats’ bats put up two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first against right-hander Logan Webb (Loss, 1-1). With two outs, Webb walked Tyler Nevin on four pitches and allowed a first-pitch singe to Vince Fernandez to put runners on first and second. Arvincent Perez doubled to right field on Webb’s next offering to bring in Nevin and tie the game at 1-1. Next, Willie Abreu singled to center to plate Fernandez to put Hartford up 2-1. Perez tried to score on the play as well, but Fargars’ throw home to catcher Hamlet Marte from centerfield was in time to cut down Perez and end the inning.
Hartford scored with two outs again in the third inning. After Webb retired the first two batters of the inning, Nevin, Fernandez and Perez collected back-to-back-to-back singles to extend the Yard Goats’ lead to 3-1.
Webb helped his own cause in the top of the fifth. After Marte doubled and moved to third on a flyout by Fargas, Webb singled to right to bring in Marte to cut the deficit to 3-2. The hit was Webb’s first of the year.
Fernandez added to Hartford’s lead in the sixth, homering to centerfield off Webb on the first pitch of the at-bat to push the Yard Goats’ advantage to 4-2.
Webb went six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking one. The right-hander is the first Richmond pitcher this season to complete six innings.
Richmond got back within a run in the eighth. After Miller walked and Howard singled to put runners on first and second, Chris Shaw delivered a pinch-hit, RBI single to bring in Miller and make it a 4-3 game.
The Flying Squirrels return to The Diamond on Thursday to begin a three-game series against the Altoona Curve. Right-hander Conner Menez (0-1, 0.00) toes the rubber for Richmond against Altoona right-hander Scooter Hightower. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., and coverage begins on Sports Radio 910 the Fan with the Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup presented by Air Force Reserve at 6:05 p.m.
Thursday is Multi-Cultural Night at The Diamond, featuring music and dance performances by groups representing countries around the world. After the game, fans can enjoy a fireworks show from In-Your-Face Fireworks. Also, students who complete the “Go Nuts for Reading” program presented by M&T Bank will receive a free General Admission ticket to their school’s designated game and get to participate in a pregame parade beginning at 5:45 p.m.
For tickets or more information, call 804-359-3866 (FUNN), visit SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets or stop by the Flying Squirrels box office.
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Chris Graham
