Armani Smith delivered a game-tying, two-RBI double in the seventh inning, but the comeback was snuffed as the Richmond Flying Squirrels fell to the Reading Fightin Phils, 5-3, Thursday night at The Diamond.
The Flying Squirrels (43-35, 3-6) left five runners on base over the final three innings in their first loss against the Fightin Phils (34-44, 5-4) this week.
Sean Roby opened the scoring in the first inning when he blasted his 22nd home run of the year, a solo shot, to center field to give Richmond a 1-0 lead. It was the third consecutive game that the Flying Squirrels have scored in the first inning.
Reading evened the score, 1-1, in the top of the second off a solo home run from Wendell Rijo.
The Fightin Phils snagged a 3-1 lead in the third inning when Muzziotti launched a solo home run and Logan O’Hoppe tapped an infield single that brought a run home.
With runners at first and second with two outs in the seventh, Smith smashed a two-RBI double to center field to even the score, 3-3. Jacob Heyward scored the tying run from first base on the play, beating the throw home on a head-first slide.
Leading off the ninth inning, Rijo launched a solo home run off Solomon Bates (Loss, 4-1) to give Reading the lead. It was Rijo’s second home run of the night and his sixth of the season. Later in the inning with runners at second and third, Simon Muzziotti bounced into an RBI groundout that gave the Fightin Phils a 5-3 advantage.
Reading reliever Brian Marconi (Save, 11) fired a scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout and stranded a runner at second base to lock up the Reading win.
Kai-Wei Teng finished the night with 6.2 innings, a season high, in his start and allowed three runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Teng allowed leadoff walks in the fifth and sixth but induced double plays in both frames to hold the Fightin Phils scoreless.
Reading starter Ethan Lindow worked a career-high 6.2 innings with three runs and six hits allowed. Reliever McKinley Moore (Win, 4-2) collected a strikeout against the lone batter he faced in the eighth inning, stranding two baserunners.
On Friday, the Flying Squirrels will don their Copa la Diversion identity as Las Ardillas Voladoras and celebrate Mexico Night. The first 1,000 fans ages 21 and older will go home with an Ardillas Voladoras Wrestling Belt Tank Top presented by Michelob Ultra. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. Left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison (3-1, 3.72) will get the start for Richmond. Reading has yet to announce its starting pitcher.
Tickets are available at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.
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