Meeting for the first time since the 2014 ELCS, the Richmond Flying Squirrels (10-18) prevailed, 4-3, over the Binghamton Mets (18-13) in a well-fought ballgame on Monday night at The Diamond. The victory was Richmond’s seventh in its last eight ballgames.
Ricky Oropesa gave the Squirrels the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Leading off, he devastated a solo-home run to right field off of right-hander Seth Lugo. The high-arching blast, his third of the season, gave the Squirrels a 1-0 lead.
Lefty Jack Snodgrass was nearly flawless through the first five innings. He allowed just one hit, and faced just one batter over the minimum. Gavin Cecchini finally got him in the sixth to tie the game, 1-1. Cecchini led off and lifted a solo-home run to left field. His second of the year knotted the ballgame.
Snodgrass returned for the seventh inning, and walked the first two batters he faced. He was then removed from the ballgame. Right-hander Tyler Mizenko came on and Aderlin Rodriguez greeted him with an RBI single to right-center field. Xorge Carillo then grounded into a double-play, but Josh Rodriguez scored on the play to give the B-Mets a 3-2 lead.
The runs in the seventh were charged to Snodgrass. He allowed three earned runs on three hits, walked three and struck out two. He did not factor in the decision.
Richmond answered right back in the bottom of the seventh. Rando Moreno started the inning with an infield-single off of Lugo. Lugo then walked Angel Villalona, who was pinch-hitting. Binghamton went to the bullpen for righty Matt Koch. Tomlinson bunted the runners up before Javier Herrera tied the game with an RBI single chopped through the middle of a drawn-in infield. Mac Williamson then beat out the back-end of a fielder’s choice to give the Squirrels the lead back, 4-3.
Lugo (2-1) allowed four earned runs over six innings. He permitted seven hits, walked one and struck out seven. He was saddled with his first loss of the year.
Mizenko (1-0) earned the win, his first at the Double-A level. Right-hander Stephen Johnson and lefty Josh Osich tag-teamed the eighth inning. Osich recorded the final two outs of the inning. Right-hander Joan Gregorio then buzzed through the ninth inning in order to earn his first save of the season.
Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday night at The Diamond. Richmond LHP Matt Lujan (1-2, 4.05) will make the start against Binghamton RHP Rainy Lara (2-1, 3.04). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Fox Sports 910 and FoxSportsRichmond.com.
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Chris Graham
