The Richmond Flying Squirrels rocketed four home runs to beat the Erie SeaWolves, 6-3, on Thursday night at The Diamond and moved back into sole possession of first place in the Eastern League Southwest Division.
The Flying Squirrels (31-23) have launched eight home runs over the past three games against the SeaWolves (30-24) and have won three straight games.
Richmond opened the scoring in the first inning. Mike Gigliotti scored from first off an Erie throwing error when Brett Auerbach singled. Frankie Tostado drove in Auerbach from third off a groundout and gave the Flying Squirrels a 2-0 lead.
Gigliotti extended the lead to 3-0 in the second with a solo home run, his second of the homestand.
Leading off in the third, Will Wilson blasted a solo home run against Erie starter Markus Solbach (Loss, 0-4) to make it a 4-0 Richmond advantage. Wilson has seven home runs this season and has hit homers in back-to-back games.
Erie struck back with three runs off two home runs in the fourth inning against Richmond starter Kyle Harrison and broke the shutout, closing the score to 4-3. Harrison finished the night with three runs allowed off three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Armani Smith propelled a solo home run to center field to push the Flying Squirrels lead to 5-3. It was Smith’s first Double-A home run and he finished the night 2-for-3.
Sean Roby launched a solo home run, his 15th of the year and 12th at The Diamond, in the sixth inning to increase the lead to 6-3.
Four relievers for the Flying Squirrels combined for five scoreless innings against the SeaWolves. Blake Rivera (Win, 4-1) tossed two scoreless frames for his third consecutive appearance without allowing a run. Gray Fenter pitched a scoreless seventh inning with two strikeouts and Cole Waites struck out two batters in his Double-A debut. R.J. Dabovich (Save, 5) tossed a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout for his second save of the week.
On Friday, the Flying Squirrels will become Las Ardillas Voloadoras and the first 1,000 kids ages 14 and under will go home with a Lucha Nutzy pillowcase presented by Pepsi & Aquafina. It is also Girl Scout Night where troops from around RVA will take the field for a pre-game parade and earn a Flying Squirrels scout patch. Fans can enjoy happy hour drink specials from 5:30-7:30 with two-dollar domestic beers and two-dollar fountain sodas at the Pepsi Fountain with Funnville Friday Happy Hour. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.
Left-hander Jake Dahlberg (3-1, 3.55) will make the start for the Flying Squirrels opposed by right-hander Austin Bergner (2-2, 2.59) for the SeaWolves.
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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