The Richmond Flying Squirrels (12-19) rolled over the Bowie Baysox (18-16), 7-2, in the opener of a four-game set on Thursday night at Prince George’s Stadium. The Baysox committed two costly errors to allow the Squirrels to coast. Richmond won for the ninth time in their last 11 ballgames, while the Baysox dropped their fourth straight.
Bowie got on the board quickly against righty Joe Biagini. Biagini hurriedly recorded the first two outs in the first inning. However, Mike Yastrzemski blasted a two-out solo-home run to left-center field to give Bowie a 1-0 lead.
Ricky Oropesa responded for the Squirrels in the second off of right-hander Branden Kline. Oropesa crushed a towering-home run to right field. The solo-shot with one out tied the ballgame, 1-1. It was Oropesa’s team-leading fourth home run of the season.
The Squirrels took their first lead with a three-run uprising in the fifth. Oropesa opened the inning with a single laced into left-center field. Devin Harris followed and rifled a double into the left-field corner. Kline then walked Javier Herrera to load the bases with nobody out. Daniel Carbonell followed and lined what should have been a single into left field. Oropesa scored, but Harris was forced at third base, making it an RBI fielder’s choice. Kline recorded the second out, but Garabez Rosa committed a two-base throwing error on a groundball from Rando Moreno. Two additional runs scored for a 4-1 Richmond lead.
Richmond got three more with the help of a big error in the sixth. Mac Williamson opened the inning with a single, and an out later Oropesa made it two aboard with his third hit of the night. Kline then walked Harris to load the bases with one out. Herrera struck out, but Carbonell singled into left field. That scored one run. Yastrzemski overran the ball however, and two more runs scored for a 7-1 advantage.
Kline (3-3) took the loss over 5 2/3 innings. He was charged with seven runs, just three of which were earned. He walked two, struck out four and absorbed his second defeat to the Squirrels.
Sean Halton capped the scoring for the night in the seventh when he belted a solo-home run to left-center field.
Biagini (2-2) allowed just the two solo-home runs on the evening, charged with just two runs over seven innings. He earned the win, his second. He permitted five hits, walked none and struck out a season-high six.
Right-hander Tyler Rogers struck out the side in the eighth and had little trouble in the ninth as he finished the win with two scoreless innings.
Game two of the four-game series is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Friday night at Prince George’s Stadium. Richmond LHP Kelvin Marte (2-0, 1.59) will make the start against Bowie RHP Dylan Bundy (0-2, 2.25). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Fox Sports 910 and FoxSportsRichmond.com.
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