Richmond offense limited to four hits in 7-2 loss to Senators

Shane Matheny’s two home runs were the only scoring plays for the Richmond Flying Squirrels in a 7-2 loss to the Harrisburg Senators on Thursday night at FNB Field.

The Senators (15-14) piled up 13 combined strikeouts with five pitchers and allowed five total baserunners against the Flying Squirrels’ bats.

Leading off the game, Matheny launched a solo homer to right field, putting the Flying Squirrels (18-12) ahead, 1-0, in the first inning. It was the first leadoff homer for Richmond this season.

The Senators responded in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Jake Alu that evened the score, 1-1.

Wilson Garcia gave the Senators a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning with a solo home run off Richmond starter Matt Frisbee (Loss, 0-3). Frisbee allowed eight hits and six runs (four earned) in 5.1 innings while throwing a season-high six strikeouts.

The Senators added three runs in the fifth inning. Two runs came across when Jecksson Flores had a base hit with a Richmond fielding error and Alu grounded an RBI single that put Harrisburg ahead, 5-1.

Matheny blasted his second home run of the game, a solo shot, to right field in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 5-2. Matheny picked up his second two-homer game of the year and now has five home runs on the season.

Harrisburg answered back with a two-RBI double from Brady Lindsly that widened the lead to 7-2 in the sixth inning.

With Frank Rubio on the mound and runners at second and third, a passed ball scored Alu and pushed the Senators ahead, 8-2.

Cole Henry tossed four strikeouts with one run and one hit allowed in his start for the Senators. Alberto Guerrero (Win, 2-2) and Andrew Lee fired three strikeouts over a combined 3.0 innings. Matt Cronin and Matt Brill each had scoreless innings to wrap up the solid pitching performance.

The series continues Friday with a first pitch set for 7 p.m. from FNB Field. Left-handed pitcher Jake Dahlberg (2-1, 2.97) will start for Richmond opposed by right-hander Steven Fuentes (1-1, 3.24) for Harrisburg,

The Flying Squirrels return home May 24-29 for a six-game series against the Hartford Yard Goats. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.