The New Britain Rock Cats (28-30) got off to a quick start and cruised past the Richmond Flying Squirrels (31-25), 4-1, in front of 4,589 at The Diamond on Tuesday night. The loss ended the Squirrels three-game win-streak.
Things got off to a poor start for Richmond righty Craig Westcott. Danny Santana and James Beresford, the first two batters of the ballgame, each recorded singles. Westcott then committed an error on a ball that came softly back to the mound. The error loaded the bases with nobody out. A pair of groundouts brought home two runs as New Britain took a 2-0 lead.
The Rock Cats were back at it in the second inning. Reynaldo Rodgriguez yanked a double up the left-field line on the first pitch of the inning. Chris Pettit followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Mark Sobolewski followed with a sacrifice fly to right field and an out later a fielder’s choice brought in another run to stretch the New Britain lead to 4-1.
The Squirrels were quiet against New Britain right-hander D.J. Baxendale. Richmond finally got on the board with two outs in the fifth inning. Javier Herrera cranked a ball off the wall in center field. It caromed back past Pettit, the centerfielder. Herrera raced all the way around for an inside-the-park-home run. The first inside-the-park-home run since 2010 for the Squirrels pulled them within three runs, 4-1.
Each starter worked seven innings in the ballgame and each registered a decision. Bazendale (1-1) earned his first win of the year, limiting the Squirrels to one run on three hits. He walked two and struck out seven as he earned his first win at the Double-A level. Westcott (3-6) suffered his sixth loss of the season. He surrendered four runs – three earned – on eight hits. All the runs scored for New Britain in the first two innings. Westcott retired eight of the final nine batters he faced, but was doomed to the defeat. He walked one and struck out two.
The trio of Bobby Lanigan, Walter Ibarra and Matt Hauser finished the ballgame out of the New Britain bullpen. Hauser worked the ninth, earning his first save of the year.
Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday night at The Diamond. Richmond LHP Jack Snodgrass (4-1, 1.97) will make the start against New Britain LHP Pat Dean (3-5, 5.05). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup begins at 6:05 p.m. on Sports Radio 910, SportsRadio910.com and IHeart Radio.
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Chris Graham
