The Richmond Flying Squirrels (8-10) held off the hard-charging Reading Fightin Phils (8-8), 4-3, in front of 6,484 at The Diamond on Sunday afternoon. The victory made it three-of-four over Reading for Richmond, as they claimed their second series win of the season.
The Squirrels opened the scoring against Reading right-hander David Buchanan in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Joe Panik sent a double down the left-field line. Javier Herrera followed with a single to right field and Ricky Oropesa plated Panik with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Reading leveled the ballgame with a run against Richmond lefty Jack Snodgrass in the top of the third inning. A one-out walk issued to Miguel Abreu opened the door for the Fightins. Buchanan bunted Abreu to second base and Albert Cartwright pulled a single through the hole on the left-side of the infield to tie the ballgame, 1-1.
Jarrett Parker put Richmond back in front in the bottom of the fourth inning. Parker blasted his second home run of the season, easily clearing the wall in right field to give the Squirrels a 2-1 advantage.
Richmond gained control of the ballgame in the bottom of the fifth inning, and once again it was Parker that punctuated the rally. Panik sparked the inning with a one-out single, and Herrera followed with his second single of the day. Oropesa then drew a walk from Buchanan to load the bases. Mark Minicozzi plated Panik with a sacrifice fly to center field and Parker knocked home Herrera with a single to right field. Buchanan departed the ballgame after five innings with Richmond leading, 4-1.
Buchanan (1-3) was saddled with the loss, conceding four runs – all earned. He permitted seven hits, walked three and struck out just one.
The Fightins got a run back in the top of the sixth inning off Snodgrass. Cartwright started trouble with a lead-off bunt-single. Edgar Duran followed and sent a hard-ground ball to third base that got through Minicozzi. The error put runners at the corners with nobody out. Zach Collier then brought home Cartwright with a sacrifice fly to right field, pulling the Fightins within two runs, 4-2.
Snodgrass (3-0) earned the win over six innings, allowed two runs – one earned – on four hits. He walked three and struck out three, claiming his third overall victory and second in as many starts at The Diamond.
The Fightins did not make the job of the Squirrels’ bullpen easy, loading the bases with one out in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, righty Jose Valdez induced a double-play ball from Cartwright to end the threat. In the eighth, Reading had already pushed a run across when Daryl Maday entered with the bases full and the tying run at third base with one out. Maday coaxed a twin-killing from Hewitt to preserve the Squirrels 4-3 lead.
Maday then returned for the ninth inning and retired the side in order to earn his fourth save of the season.
The Squirrels continue their week-long home stand as they open a three-game series with the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates) on Monday night at The Diamond. First pitch of the series lid-lifter is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. as Richmond left-hander Chris Gloor (0-0, 3.00) will make the start against Altoona right-hander Jameson Taillon (2-1, 1.00). Pregame coverage begins on SportsRadio 910, SportsRadio910.com and IHeart Radio at 6:05 p.m.
Share
Contributors
