Richmond Flying Squirrels drop series finale to Reading

The Richmond Flying Squirrels failed to score a run across the first seven innings on Thursday at The Diamond, falling to the Reading Fightin Phils, 6-1, in the final game of the series.

Richmond (15-27) finished its seven-game, eight-day homestand with three wins and four losses in that span.

Reading (24-17) plated the game’s first run against right-hander Brandon Lawson (Loss, 1-1) in the top of the first when Mickey Moniak singled and stole second and later scored on a double by Darick Hall.

The Fightin Phils doubled their lead in the fourth. With runners on first and third, Henri Lartigue singled through the right side to bring in Austin Listi to make it a 2-0 game.

Left-hander Bailey Falter (Win, 4-2) needed just 66 pitches to keep the Flying Squirrels off the scoreboard for the first five innings, at one point retiring 11 straight batters from the end of the first through the fifth. Falter ultimately tossed six shutout innings, scattering three hits and two walks while striking out eight.

Reading pulled away in the fifth with four runs on three hits. After Falter singled, Williams hit a sharp line drive to third that Jonah Arenado could not corral, putting runners on first and second. Next, Moniak doubled to left to bring in both runners. Three batters later, Listi cleared the bases with a two-run double down the left-field line to put the Fightin Phils on top 6-0.

Richmond cracked the scoreboard in the eighth. Following a one-out single from Chris Shaw, Arenado laced a single to the gap in right-center to plate the Flying Squirrels’ only run of the game.

Arenado finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI to raise his batting average to a team-best .304.

Relievers Carlos Navas – who made his Richmond debut – and Ryan Halstead each tossed two scoreless innings in the loss.

The Flying Squirrels begin a four-game series against the Akron RubberDucks at Canal Park on Friday, when left-hander Caleb Baragar (1-0, 3.38 ERA) is schedule to face left-hander Tanner Tully (3-4, 3.50 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., and coverage begins with the Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup at 6:05 on Sports Radio 910 the Fan and 105.1 FM.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Week presented by Genworth. The All-Star Week festivities begin on Sunday, July 7 with Mayor Levar Stoney’s All-Star Week Kickoff on Brown’s Island, followed by the All-Star Country Music Jam on Monday, July 8, headlined by Big & Rich with special guests Cowboy Troy and DJ Sinister at Virginia Credit Union LIVE! at Richmond Raceway. The Celebrity Home Run Derby is Tuesday, July 9 and the festivities wrap up with the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 10.

For tickets or more information, call 804-359-3866 (FUNN), visit SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets or stop by the Flying Squirrels box office.