Richmond rallies late after lengthy rain delay to walk-off Harrisburg

The Richmond Flying Squirrels (21-23) walked off the Harrisburg Senators (20-26), 3-2, in the bottom of the 10^th inning to complete a three-game sweep on Thursday night at The Diamond.  Richmond finished their homestand with a 6-1 record and are back within two games of .500 for the first time since they were 3-5.  The Squirrels have won five straight, and are 18-6 since they ended their 15-game losing skid.

Ryan Lollis triggered the game-winning uprising with a leadoff single in the 10^th inning off of right-hander Hector Ambriz.  An out later, Jose Casilla bunted Lollis to second base.  Kelby Tomlinson then played the hero, punching an RBI single into right field.  Lollis dove in with the game-winning run as the Squirrels mobbed Tomlinson near second base.

The Senators mounted a threat before rain halted the ballgame in the top of the first inning for an hour and 29 minutes.  Left-hander Kelvin Marte started the game for the Squirrels and conceded back-to-back singles to the first two hitters of the game, Derrick Robinson and Tony Renda.  Marte then walked Mario Lisson on four pitches to load the bases.  Following the walk, the game was put in a delay.  Following the delay, right-hander Edwin Quirarte took over for Marte.  He recorded the second out of the inning, but Shawn Pleffner pushed a two-run single through the left-side of the infield to give Harrisburg a 2-0 lead.

Marte was charged with those two runs in just a third of an inning.  He permitted two hits, walked one and struck out none.  He did not factor in the decision.

Following the delay, the Senators opted to scratch right-hander Joe Ross from his scheduled start.  Righty James Simmons replaced him, and pitched well.  He turned aside the Squirrels in each of the first three innings.  However, Devin Harris crushed his fourth home run of the season in the fourth inning to put Richmond on the board.  The solo-shot to left field cut the Harrisburg lead to 2-1.

Simmons worked four innings, allowing just the lone run on three hits.  He walked none and struck out three.  He did not factor in the decision.

Quirarte took the ballgame through the fifth inning.  He turned in 4 2/3 innings and was not charged with a run while allowing just two hits.  He did not issue a walk, hit one batter and struck out three.

Right-hander Paul Demny followed Simmons and delivered three scoreless innings for the Senators.  Right-hander Stephen Johnson fired three perfect innings behind Quirarte.  Harrisburg right-hander Brian Dupra worked a scoreless eighth inning for the Senators, and Casilla did likewise for Richmond.

The Squirrels finally tied the ballgame in the bottom of the ninth inning, doing so without the benefit of a hit.  Ambriz entered and issued back-to-back walks to Rando Moreno and Mac Williamson.  Harris moved Moreno to third when he forced Williamson at second.  Ricky Oropesa then tied the game, 2-2, when he lifted a sacrifice-fly to center field.

Casilla (2-2) earned the win for Richmond, working two scoreless innings.  Ambriz (1-2) was saddled with the loss for Harrisburg.

The Squirrels begin a three-city, 10-game road trip on Friday as they travel to Reading, PA, to open a four-game series with Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies) at FirstEnergy Stadium.  The opener is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. as Richmond RHP Chris Stratton (0-5, 4.50) will make the start against Reading RHP Ben Lively (4-1, 3.47).  The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 6:35 p.m. on Fox Sports 910 and FoxSportsRichmond.com.