The Flying Squirrels (38-56) allowed a 2-0 lead to slip away in the sixth inning, erasing a solid outing by starter Dan Slania in a 5-2 defeat on Tuesday night at The Diamond.
Slania allowed just one run on six hits over 5 2/3 innings in the no-decision. Akron (52-45) plated three runs in the sixth inning to take the lead and added two more in the ninth to secure the win. Richmond’s Steven Duggar and Brandon Bednar finished with two hits apiece.
Bradley Zimmer opened the middle game of the series with a line drive single into centerfield against RHP Dan Slania. Catcher Jeremy Lucas popped up and Slania struck out the next two hitters to end the inning. Richmond also managed to place a few runners on in the first but not score. Steven Duggar singled and C.J. Hinojosa worked a one-out walk. Akron starter Julian Merryweather then wiggled out of trouble by inducing a groundout and strikeout.
Slania worked around a leadoff walk in the second and then retired the side on ten pitches in the third. The righty threw 44 pitches through the first three innings. Slania was eventually provided a 1-0 lead by his offense in the bottom of the third. Steven Duggar collected his second hit of the night, doubling with one out in the inning. Duggar advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when C.J. Hinojosa singled on a two-strike pitch to right.
Richmond added an additional run one inning later for a 2-0 lead. Brandon Bednar cracked a solid single to left and scored via a triple off the bat of Jeff Arnold. Arnold hit a sinking fly to center field that was missed on a diving attempt by Bradley Zimmer. The ball rolled by Zimmer, allowing Arnold to run the bases.
Slania continued his solid outing despite pitching with runners on throughout the contest. Akron put two runners on in the fourth until Joe Sever grounded into a double play to end the inning. Todd Hankins led the charge by working a 10-pitch walk in the fifth, escalating Slania’s pitch count. Ivan Castillo followed with a one-out double, but Slania once again was able to strand a pair. Slania used 91 pitches through the first five innings.
Slania returned to the mound to try and finish off six innings. He retired the first two hitters of the sixth but Jordan Smith doubled into the right field corner to end Slania’s night. Christian Jones then entered and yielded an RBI double to Joe Sever, cutting the Squirrels lead in half, 2-1. Mike Papi continued the inning by drawing a walk and Todd Hankins lifted Akron ahead, 3-2, with a triple to right center field. Slania hurled 5 2/3 innings in the no-decision. He allowed one run on six hits and walked two on 107 pitches. The run ended a stretch of 23 2/3 innings for Slania without allowing an earned run. Jones (1-4) suffered the loss for the Squirrels
Merryweather retired the final six batters he faced and was replaced by reliever Craig Stammen to begin the seventh. Merryweather (2-2) allowed two runs on five hits to earn the wn. He struck out six on 83 pitches in the outing.
Akron went up 5-2 in the ninth against Richmond’s Rodolfo Martinez. Martinez struggled with his command and relinquished an RBI single to Jeremy Lucas and run-scoring groundout to Clint Frazier.