Senators sack Squirrels, take series

The Flying Squirrels (51-70) were forced to use five pitchers out of the bullpen on Wednesday night’s 7-4 loss to the Harrisburg Senators (52-69) at FNB field. Both Caleb Gindl and Hunter Cole connected on homers in the defeat. Richmond and Harrisburg will wrap up the series on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Flying Squirrels center fielder Caleb Gindl started off the game with a bang, smacking the second pitch from starter Greg Ross over the right field wall for his seventh home run of the season to give the Squirrels a 1-0 lead. That homer was his fourth home run in the last six games.

However, Harrisburg’s Raudy Read would neutralize the Squirrels lead in the bottom of the first inning with a base hit through the left side plating Corban Joseph from third base to tie the game up 1-1.

The Squirrels regained the lead in the top of the third inning on a sacrifice fly to centerfield off the bat of Aramis Garcia deep enough to score Caleb Gindl from third base to give the Squirrels a 2-1 lead.

Harrisburg would strike back in the bottom of the third with two solo home runs off the bats of Corban Joseph and Raudy Read to take a 3-2 lead. Squirrels starter Dillon McNamara would exit the game with two outs in the bottom of the third inning after throwing 62 pitches. McNamara allowed three earned runs on five hits over 2.2 innings.

Vic Black would give the Squirrels 2.1 innings of work allowing two earned runs on a bases loaded single from Dan Gamache in the fourth inning to extend Harrisburg’s lead to three runs, 5-2.

Hunter Cole entered the game as a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh with a runner on first and hit a towering two-run home run to bring the Squirrels within one run of the Senators, 5-4. Ross exited the game after the home run to Cole allowing four earned runs on nine hits over 6.0 innings.

Squirrels relief pitchers Carlos Alvarado and Sam Coonrod would both throw an inning of relief each in the sixth and seventh innings respectively.

Seth Rosin entered the contest in the bottom of the eight inning and allowed the second home run of the game for Corban Joseph and the third home run of the game for the Senators. A two-run homer extended the Senators lead to 7-4 heading to the top of the ninth.

Senators closer Andrew Robinson closed the game out in the ninth inning securing his ninth save of the season.