Chris Shaw smacked a majestic two-run homer over the right field wall to snap a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning and lead Richmond (4-5) to a 5-3 win over Reading (3-5) on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Shaw collected four RBI’s and had three hits to lead the charge and even the series. Squirrels starting pitcher Sam Coonrod received a no-decision despite nine strikeouts over six innings of work. Coonrod allowed just three runs (two earned) and walked one. First pitch for the final game of the three game set is Saturday at2:05 p.m.
Chris Shaw began his productive night by giving the Squirrels a 1-0 lead in the first inning. With two outs, Miguel Gomez drilled a double into right center field and Shaw followed with a line drive base hit to left.
Coonrod countered by making quick work of the Fightin Phils in the first inning. The righty picked up a double play to face the minimum in the second, but ran into trouble in the third. Ryan Lollis dropped a fly ball to open the third and Angelo Mora lined a single to put runners on the corners. Second baseman Scott Kingery then blasted a three-run homer over the right center field wall for a 3-1 Reading advantage.
Reading starting pitcher Drew Anderson picked up steam after the first inning snafu. The righty worked around a base hit in the second and punched out a pair of hitters to bookend the third inning. He evaded a walk to start the fourth and threw 67 pitches in the first four innings of work.
Coonrod shook off the homer and came back with a vengeance, striking out the side in the fourth and two more in the fifth. The righty collected eight strikeouts on 70 pitches through the first five innings.
Anderson returned to pitch the sixth but yielded a base hit to Brandon Bednar and an RBI double to Chris Shaw, ending his outing. Right-hander Yacksel Rios replaced Anderson and relinquished a game-tying flare single off the bat of Ryan Lollis. Anderson finished with 5 1/3 innings worked and allowed three runs on five hits in a no-decision. He struck out three and walked one.
Coonrod finished off the sixth inning and D.J. Snelton entered from the bullpen for a scoreless seventh and eighth. Snelten (2-0) picked up the win as Shaw provided the go-ahead runs with his second home run of the season in the top of the eighth inning. Reyes Moronta earned his second save of the year with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
The Flying Squirrels continue their first road trip of the season on Saturday afternoon in Reading, PA. Right-hander Cory Taylor (0-1,9.64) is scheduled to throw against Reading RHP Shane Watson (1-0, 7.20) in the final game of the three game series. The flying Squirrels return to The Diamond on Friday, April 21st against Reading. Season tickets, mini plans and group outings are available by contacting the Flying Squirrels box office at 804-359-3866 or online at www.squirrelsbaseball.com
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Chris Graham
