Left-hander Adalberto Mejia set the course for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (57-40) with five scoreless innings as they breezed past the Bowie Baysox (50-47), 5-0, on Monday afternoon at Prince George’s Stadium. Mejia was the first of five hurlers used to post the sixth shutout of the year for the Squirrels. Richmond guaranteed themselves first place in the Western Division at the All-Star break, and also returned to a season-best 17 games over .500.
Richmond struck first in the top of the fourth inning against right-hander Bud Norris. jarrett parker led off and laced a triple to right-center field. Norris recorded the first two outs, but Eliezer Zambrano grounded a single back through the middle to bring in Parker for a 1-0 lead.
The Squirrels added a pair of runs and chased Norris in the fifth inning. Norris walked Skyler Stromsmoe for the third time in the ballgame with one out in the inning. He then hit Matt Duffy to put two aboard. Mario Lisson followed and drove a two-run double to right-center field to give the Squirrels a 3-0 lead.
Norris (0-1) lasted just 4 1/3 innings, surrendering three earned runs on four hits. He walked five, hit one and struck out seven. He took the loss in his first minor league outing since 2012.
Meanwhile, Mejia (5-6) was cruising. He faced just one over the minimum, turning in a brisk five scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits, walked none and struck out one. He won for the fifth time on the year.
Right-hander Austin Fleet followed Mejia with a perfect sixth inning and righty Edwin Quirarte handled the seventh.
Richmond put the game away with two more runs in the eighth inning. Right-hander Mychal Givens opened the frame on the hill and conceded a lead-off single to Myles Schroder. Schroder took second base, notching the Squirrels fourth stolen base of the day. Zambrano then knocked him in with a single to left field. Givens was replaced by right-hander Julio DePaula, who promptly permitted a single to Tyler Graham. An out later, Duffy rifled a single to left field to make it 5-0 Squirrels.
Lefty Phil McCormick strolled through the Baysox in order in the eighth inning before righty Cody Hall slammed the door in the ninth.
The Squirrels enjoy the Eastern League All-Star break on Tuesday and Wednesday. They will return to action on Thursday, July 17th at 7:05 p.m. when they welcome the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals) to The Diamond for the opener of a four-game series.
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