With a clutch-hitting performance from Franklin Labour and six runs over the sixth and seventh innings, the Richmond Flying Squirrels picked up an 8-4 victory over the Akron RubberDucks Thursday night at Canal Park.
Richmond (26-21) scored six of its eight runs with two outs. The Flying Squirrels have won each of their last three games and have scored 33 runs over the stretch.
After Akron reliever Manuel Alvarez (Loss, 1-3) exited the game with the bases loaded and no outs, Brandon Martorano pushed the Flying Squirrels to a one-run lead with an RBI groundout. Simon Whiteman rocketed a two-RBI double to left field to pad the Richmond lead to 5-2.
Richmond produced three more runs in the seventh inning, upping its advantage to 8-2. Armani Smith led off the inning with a triple and Diego Rincones drove him home with a sacrifice fly. Labour hammered a two-RBI double later in the inning to shoot the Flying Squirrels in front by six runs.
The RubberDucks (27-20) chipped at the deficit in the bottom of the seventh when Jonathan Engelmann drove in two runs with a double to make the score 8-4.
John Russell allowed back-to-back baserunners to start the eighth but retired the next three batters faced with a strikeout and two flyouts. R.J. Dabovich fired two strikeouts and induced a flyout on 18 pitches in a scoreless ninth inning.
The Flying Squirrels captured a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Frankie Tostado drove in a run with a triple, his first of the season.
With the bases loaded and no outs, Brayan Rocchio tied the game at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly to left field. Richmond starter Kai-Wei Teng (Win, 2-5) produced a lineout and a strikeout to prevent any further damage.
In the fourth inning, Labour blasted a double to right that scored Martorano from first base and jumped the Flying Squirrels in front, 2-1. Labour finished the night with a pair of doubles and three RBIs.
The RubberDucks evened the score again at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning off a sacrifice fly from Chris Roller.
Teng finished his start with two runs allowed (one earned) off two hits and four walks with one strikeout. Trenton Toplikar pitched a scoreless sixth inning with two strikeouts. He allowed a walk to start the seventh inning before exiting.
The Flying Squirrels and RubberDucks will play a doubleheader Friday to make up the postponed game on Wednesday. First pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. Left-hander Kyle Harrison (0-0, 3.18) will start for Richmond in Game 1 opposed by Akron left-hander Logan Allen (2-3, 4.18). Game 2 will feature right-handed pitcher Bryan Brickhouse (2-3, 5.85) for the Flying Squirrels and Xzavion Curry (3-1, 4.03) for the RubberDucks.
Following the road trip, the Flying Squirrels return to Richmond for a six-game series against the Erie SeaWolves from June 7-12. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.
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