Seven-run inning sinks Squirrels

The Trenton Thunder (34-22) erupted for seven runs in the fourth inning and buried the Flying Squirrels (28-26) 8-1 on Tuesday at Arm & Hammer Park. Richmond’s Dylan Davis smacked a solo home run in the second inning for the only Flying Squirrels run of the night. The Flying Squirrels road trip continues on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m., in Trenton. Richmond returns to Funnville on Friday, June 8with a Free Shirt Friday and RVA’s Best Happy Hour. Details for the next homestand can be found here

Trenton plated their first seven runs – all with two outs – in the bottom of the fourth inning. Squirrels hurler Jordan Johnson punched out the first two hitters of the inning and then allowed what seemed like a harmless base hit to Billy Flemming. The next batter Zach Zehner tied the game with a triple off the right centerfield fence. Things continued to fall apart for Richmond as Johnson hit Rey Navarro with a fastball and then Jhalan Jackson singled home Zehner for a 2-1 lead. Francisco Diaz  added an RBI single and Johnson walked the next two hitter, leading to his departure. Dan Slania entered with the bases loaded to try and stop the onslaught, however he walked the first batter he faced, forcing in a run. Ryan McBroom put the finishing touches on the inning with a two-run single, moving Trenton ahead, 7-1.

Johnson (5-5) was hit with the loss in his 11th start of the year. Johnson tossed 3.2 innings and allowed the seven runs on five hits. He walked three, hit a batter and struck out five. Johnson used 74 pitches in the effort. Slania worked 2.1 innings in relief of Johnson. Slania yielded he three inherited runners and that was all. He gave up three hits and walked one with a pair of strikeouts.

Things did not look so murky for the Squirrels at the outset. Dylan Davis elevated the Squirrels to a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Trenton’s Jonathan Loaisiga cruised through the first inning with a pair of strikeouts and was ahead in the count 0-2 on Davis to start the second. Davis fouled off a few breaking balls and then cranked a fastball over the wall in centerfield for a 1-0 Richmond lead. That homer was all that Loaisiga would allow in the contest.

Loaisiga (3-0) was sharp through five innings and earned the win for Trenton. The former San Francisco Giants farmhand struck out eight and did not walk batter. Loaisiga tossed 77 pitches and cruised after the Davis homer. The righty retired the final 12 batters he faced in the outing.

Jake McCasland tossed a pair of innings for Richmond in relief. Jackson connected on an RBI double to make it an 8-1 lead for Trenton in seventh inning.

The Flying Squirrels seven-game road trip continues Wednesday with game two of three against the Trenton Thunder at Arm & Hammer Park. LHP Garrett Williams (1-4, 6.75) will make the start for the Squirrels against Thunder RHP Trevor Stephan (0-1, 5.40). Richmond will be back in Funnville on June 8-14. Promotional details and tickets can be found here.