Juan Perez provided a game-winning two-run home run as the Richmond Flying Squirrels (3-3) held off the Bowie Baysox (1-5), 5-4, on Tuesday night at Prince George’s Stadium. The win was the third straight for the Squirrels and sent Bowie to a fifth consecutive loss.
Richmond took the early lead in the second inning, tallying a run off of Bowie right-hander Tim Bascom. Johnny Monell got Richmond started with a single to right field. Perez followed with a single to the same side and Wes Hodges loaded the bases when he singled along the third-base line. Daniel Mayora put the Squirrels in front, 1-0, with a deep sacrifice-fly to right-center field.
The Squirrels padded their lead in the fifth inning as Hodges ignited the offense with a double into the left-field corner. Mayora followed with a single to put runners on the corners and Bascom walked Ryan Cavan to load the bases. Gary Brown forced Hodges at the plate, but Ehire Adrianza drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Mayora for a 2-0 lead. Tommy Joseph followed with an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-0. The RBIs for both Adrianza and Joseph were their first at the Double-A level.
Right-hander Justin Fitzgerald faced the minimum through four scoreless innings, but Bowie finally got to him in the fifth and sixth innings. With one out in the fifth inning, Fitzgerald walked Caleb Joseph. Buck Britton singled behind the walk and Robbie Widlansky put Bowie on the board with a single to score Joseph. In the sixth inning, Fitzgerald plunked L.J. Hoes with one out and started a rally that would tie the game. Manny Machado followed with a double into the right-field corner and Taylor Townsend made it a one-run game with an RBI groundout. Joseph pulled the Baysox even with an RBI single into center field and chased Fitzgerald from the ballgame.
Neither starter factored in the decision as Fitzgerald left after 5 2/3 innings and Bascom departed after six. Each allowed three earned runs on the night. Fitzgerald conceded five hits, walked three and struck out two. Bascom surrendered six hits, walked two and struck out five.
The Squirrels got the decisive runs in the ballgame in the eighth inning. Right-hander Wynn Pelzer (0-1) started the frame on the hill and allowed a one-out single to Chris Dominguez. An out and two pitchers later, right-hander Ross Wolf was on to face Perez. Perez whacked his first pitch over the wall in left field. The two-run home run was his first of the season and was the difference in the ballgame. Pelzer took the loss for Bowie.
Bowie made it interesting with a run in the eighth inning. That run was charged to left-hander Tom Vessella. However, Vessella (1-0) earned his first win of the season in the ballgame. He worked 1 1/3 innings to get it, allowing the lone run. Left-hander Chris Gloor came on and kept the Squirrels in front with a pair of strikeouts.
Right-hander Austin Fleet earned his first save of the season after working the ninth inning. He allowed the tying run to third base and winning run to second base in the inning, but nailed it down by fanning Machado to end the ballgame.
The Squirrels and Baysox complete their three-game series with an 11:35 AM scheduled first pitch on Wednesday morning at Prince George’s Stadium. RHP Craig Westcott (0-1, 6.23) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Bobby Bundy (0-1, 7.20) for Bowie.
2012 Opening Night at The Diamond presented by Erie Insurance is sold out. However, tickets are available for the remaining six games in the Squirrels first home stand of the 2012 season. For more information, call the Squirrels at (804) 359-FUNN (3866) or log on to SquirrelsBaseball.com.
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Chris Graham
