The Richmond Flying Squirrels were held to six hits and left nine runners stranded in a 5-0 shutout loss to the Erie SeaWolves Saturday night at The Diamond.
It was the third time the Flying Squirrels (22-27), the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, were shut out this season.
The SeaWolves (28-22), the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, moved ahead, 3-0, against Richmond starter Kai-Wei Teng (Loss, 0-3) in the top of the first inning. After a walk and two singles to load the bases, both Andrew Navigato and Julio Rodriguez worked bases-loaded walks to push Erie to a two-run lead. Gage Workman made it a three-run advantage off a sacrifice fly.
With runners at first and second in the top of the sixth, Jake Holton lifted a two-RBI double to right field and pushed the SeaWolves to a 5-0 lead.
Erie starter Sawyer Gipson-Long (Win, 5-3) took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning, but had it broken up by Carter Aldrete off a pinch-hit single. Gipson-Long held the Flying Squirrels through six innings and notched eight strikeouts.
Richmond’s best chance to score came in the seventh off three consecutive hits to load the bases. Erie reliever worked a strikeout, popout and a groundout to leave the bases loaded.
Reliever Spencer Bivens produced his fourth consecutive scoreless outing with three scoreless innings, allowing four hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Blake Rivera struck out a pair of SeaWolves over two scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth.
Carter Williams led off the bottom of the ninth with a base hit and advanced to second on an Erie throwing error. Left-handed reliever Andrew Magno answered with a groundout, a strikeout and flyout to secure the Erie victory.
The Flying Squirrels wrap up the series against the SeaWolves Sunday afternoon with a 1:35 p.m. first pitch at The Diamond. Right-hander Ryan Murphy (1-2, 6.15) will make the start for Richmond opposed by Erie right-hander Wilmer Flores (3-2, 4.57).
Sunday is Magical Unicorn Day and a Youth Unicorn Horn will be given out to the first 1,000 kids ages 14 and under presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. The day will also feature Pre-Game Catch on the Field presented by Nesquik from 12:45 p.m. to 1:05 p.m. All kids 14 and under are invited for Post-Game Kids Run the Bases presented by Richmond Flying Magazine.
Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.
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Chris Graham
