The Richmond Flying Squrirels (24-25) held off the Portland Sea Dogs (22-30), 4-3, in the opener of a three-game series at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night. It marked the first meeting of the season between the two clubs.
The Squirrels got on the board first against right-hander Justin Haley in the second inning. Haley started his own issues when he walked Ricky Oropesa to start the inning. An out later, Ryan Lollis singled to center field to put two aboard. Daniel Carbonell followed and flared a single to right field. Oropesa scored for a 1-0 lead. Haley then uncorked a wild-pitch that allowed Lollis to come in and Richmond led, 2-0.
Richmond doubled their lead in the fourth. Mitch Delfino and Lollis sparked the inning with back-to-back singles. Carbonell bounced into a fielder’s choice that put runners at the corners with one out. Carbonell then broke for second and catcher Luis Martinez threw wildly into center field. Delfino scored and it was 3-0. Carbonell moved to third on the throwing-error and scored when Jackson Williams lifted a sacrifice-fly to right field.
Right-hander Joe Biagini was perfect through the first three innings, and also got the leadoff man in the fourth. However, Carlos Asuaje lined what should have been a single into right field. Devin Harris aggressively dove for the ball, and couldn’t come up with it. It rolled to the wall for a triple. Asuaje then scored when Jantzen Witte ground out.
Haley (1-7) lasted just 4 1/3 innings due to a pitch count. He was charged with four runs – three earned – on four hits. He walked three, hit another and struck out five. He suffered his seventh loss of the season.
The Sea Dogs got back into the ballgame with two runs off of Biagini in the sixth inning. Jonathan Roof led off the inning with a single. Biagini then walked Blake Tekotte to put two aboard. Marco Hernandez bunted the runners up before Asuaje brought home a run with a groundout. Witte then singled into right field to make it a one-run ballgame, 4-3.
Biagini (4-3) turned in 7 1/3 innings, his longest outing of the season. He was charged with three earned runs on four hits. He walked one, struck out six and earned his fourth victory of the season.
Lefty Phil McCormick and right-hander Stephen Johnson each recorded an out in the eighth inning. Lefty Josh Osich then nailed down the win, earning his 12th save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.
Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Hadlock Field on Wednesday night. Richmond LHP Joe Kelvin Marte (4-0, 3.82) will make the start against Portland RHP Luis Diaz (0-4, 7.53). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 910 and FoxSportsRichmond.com.
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Chris Graham
