The Richmond Flying Squirrels (16-15) prevailed over the Bowie Baysox (13-17), 6-3, in a ballgame played through light rain at The Diamond on Monday night. The win marked the third straight victory for the Squirrels as they pulled back over the .500 mark.
With the rain already falling, the Squirrels jumped all over Bowie starter Devin Jones in the bottom of the first inning. Ryan Lollis singled back through the box to start the night for Richmond offensively. Joe Panik followed with a clean single into center field and Javier Herrera reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases. Andrew Susac then sent a grounder to third that Ty Kelly misplayed. The error kept the bases loaded as Lollis scored for a 1-0 lead. Jarrett Parker followed and crushed a grand slam over the right field wall. Parker’s third home run of the season – and the first grand slam for the Squirrels – stretched the lead to 5-0. Brett Krill then reached on an error on shortstop Garabez Rosa and Ehire Adrianza walked. A pair of strikeouts later, Lollis came to the plate for the second time. He collected his second single of the inning to knock in Krill, capping a 10-batter, six-run inning. Lollis was thrown out at first base to end the inning with the Squirrels out front, 6-0.
Richmond left-hander Jack Snodgrass was rolling along, having pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings. However, after retiring eight consecutive batters, he was forced from the ballgame when he tweaked his hamstring covering first base. He did not factor in the decision, allowing just a lone hit. He walked one and struck out one.
Jones (0-2) was saddled with the loss over four innings. He was charged with the six innings in the first inning, three of which were earned. He conceded six hits, walked four and struck out six. The Baysox dropped to 0-2 against the Squirrels with Jones starting the ballgame.
Right-hander Omar Javier (3-0) relieved the injured Snodgrass and was stout in relief. After brief trouble with his command in the fourth inning, Javier settled in to work 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, earning his third win of the season.
The Baysox finally broke through for the first time in the eighth inning. Right-hander Scott Shuman loaded the bases by conceding a single and walking two batters before he was relieved by Daryl Maday. Maday got the second out of the inning, but conceded a bases-clearing three-run double to Henry Urrutia that pulled the Baysox within three runs, 6-3.
Maday returned for the ninth inning, but the first two batters reached. Lefty Phil McCormick was summoned and hastily ended the threat and the ballgame, retiring the next three batters to earn his first save of the season.
Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at The Diamond on Tuesday night. Richmond LHP Ryan Bradley (0-3, 7.08) will make the start against Bowie RHP Mike Wright (3-0, 4.91). Pregame coverage begins on Sports Radio 910, SportsRadio910.com and IHeart Radio at 6:05 p.m.
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Chris Graham
