The new Minor League Baseball rule of starting extra innings with a runner on second base allowed the Richmond Flying Squirrels (2-2) to squeak out a 3-2 win in the series finale over Trenton (2-2) on Sunday afternoon at Arm & Hammer Park.
Ryan Howard opened the top of the tenth inning as the gifted runner on second and Aramis Garcia brought him home with a double down the left field line. The Squirrels relief duo of Ryan Halstead and Ray Black managed to strand Trenton’s gifted runner at third base in the bottom of the tenth to secure the win.
Black earned his second save of the year by striking out Chace Numata and Gosuke Katoh to end the game. Halstead (1-1) earned the win with 1.1 scoreless innings. The Flying Squirrels bullpen worked five scoreless innings to back a solid start from lefty Matt Gage. Dusten Knight tossed three scoreless to lead the way.
Gage received a no-decision despite allowing just two runs over five innings of work. Gage’s only mistake was a two-run homer to Jhalen Jackson in the second inning. Jackson homered three time in the series.
A patient approach at the plate combined with an erratic start for Trenton’s Will Carter led to the only two runs in regulation for Richmond in the first inning. Ryan Howard reached with one out on an infield single and stole second base. Jerry Sands followed with an RBII double to take a 1-0 lead. Carter then walked Luigi Rodriguez, Matt Lipka and Dillon Dobson to produce the second run of the inning. With the bases still loaded, Daniel Carbonell grounded out to third to keep Carter in the game.
Carter also received a no-decision, working 4.2 innings. Lefty reliever James Reeves did not allow a run over 2.1 innings of work and Andrew Schwaab (0-1) suffered the loss with 3.0 innings.
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Chris Graham
