In a ballgame interrupted by rain for 92 minutes, the Richmond Flying Squirrels (11-7) erupted late to drub the Reading Fightin Phils (10-6), 11-5, at FirstEnergy Stadium on Tuesday night.
The rain delay occurred in the middle of the second inning, and neither starting pitcher returned after the stoppage. Reading righty Perci Garner worked two scoreless innings, while Richmond lefty Ty Blach retired all three batters that he faced in his only inning. Neither factored in the decision.
The Squirrels got started quickly after the resumption, plating three runs off of right-hander Tyler Knigge in the top of the third inning. It marked the 11th time in their 12 road games that the Squirrels had scored first in the ballgame. Blach’s replacement, Phil McCormick, sparked the offense with a single up the middle. Skyler Stromsmoe drew a walk and Matt Duffy forced him on the bases. Myles Schroder also drew a walk to load the bases. jarrett parker then pulled a two-run double up the first-base line. Angel Villalona followed and gave the Squirrels a 3-0 lead when he grounded out to score Schroder.
McCormick was stout in relief as the left-handed specialist was asked to extend to four innings. He turned aside the Fightins while facing the minimum through his first three innings. However, he issued a one-out walk to Aaron Altherr in the fifth inning. Tommy Joseph followed and cracked his second home run of the series. The two-run shot to right-center field pulled the Fightins within a run, 3-2.
Knigge worked three innings of relief and was charged with three earned runs. McCormick allowed the two runs over his four innings, conceding just two hits. He walked one and struck out two.
Right-hander Edwin Quirarte worked a scoreless sixth inning, but ran into trouble in the seventh. He hit Cam Perkins to start the inning and then issued a 13-pitch walk to Kelly Dugan. Quirarte was able to force the lead runner on a failed sacrifice-bunt attempt, and was then lifted in favor of Cody Hall. Joseph greeted him with a soft-single to right field to load the bases. Hall recovered to strike out Chris Serritella, but Edgar Duran battled to a full count before pulling a two-run single to right field to give Reading the lead, 5-4. Both runs were charged to Quirarte.
Richmond came fighting right back in the top of the eighth inning, reclaimed their lost lead and put the game away. Lefty Jay Johnson entered and walked Mario Lisson to open the floodgates. Ricky Oropesa followed with a single and Brett Krill slashed a two-run triple into right-center field. Johnson then walked Ryan Lollis before departing without retiring a batter. Johnson (0-1) was tagged with the loss. Stromsmoe then drilled a two-run double to right-center field. Parker added an RBI triple to a six-run inning that the Squirrels departed leading, 9-4. It was their most prolific offensive inning of the season. Parker finished the night with four extra-base hits (4-6, 3 2Bs, 3B).
Matt Duffy capped the Squirrels scoring for the evening with a two-run double off of lefty Austin Wright in the top of the ninth inning.
Despite surrendering the lead in the seventh inning, Hall (1-0) earned his first victory of the season. There was no save in the ballgame as lefty Bryce Bandilla worked a brief eighth inning. Right-hander Austin Fleet allowed a run in the ninth, but got the game to the finish line.
The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. Richmond RHP Clayton Blackburn (1-1, 1.76) will make the start against Reading LHP Jesse Biddle (1-2, 3.80). Pregame coverage will begin on Sports Radio 910 and SportsRadio910.com at 6:05 p.m.
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Chris Graham
