Squirrels hold off Senators late to win 7-4, pick up fourth win of series

With a career-high two home runs from Brandon Martorano, the Richmond Flying Squirrels soared to a 7-4 win over the Harrisburg Senators Saturday night at FNB Field.

Six of the seven runs the Flying Squirrels (20-12) scored were off home runs. The team has launched 10 homers over five games on the road trip.

In the sixth inning with runners at first and second, Martorano rocketed a go-ahead, three-run homer off Senators reliever Andrew Lee that propelled the Flying Squirrels to a 5-2 advantage.

The Senators (15-16) shortened the deficit to 5-4 in the seventh inning when Drew Millas smacked a two-RBI double into center field.

Simon Whiteman added an insurance run for Richmond in the eighth, working a nine-pitch walk with the bases loaded that scored Martorano from third base.

With two outs in the top of the top of the ninth, Martorano whacked a solo home run of the game to extend Richmond’s advantage to 7-4. Martorano tied a career-high four RBIs in his 2-for-3 performance and has collected nine RBIs in the series. Ryan Walker (Save, 1) entered in the bottom of the ninth with two runners on and set down two batters to secure the win.

Brett Auerbach launched the Flying Squirrels to a 2-0 lead in the third inning with a two-run homer, his fourth of the season. Auerbach’s homer was one of three hits Harrisburg starter Evan Lee (Loss, 0-2) allowed four runs over 5.2 innings with a season-high nine strikeouts.

In the bottom of the third, Jake Alu knocked an RBI single that scored Jecksson Flores from first base and moved the score to 2-1.

Harrisburg evened the score, 2-2, in the fifth inning when Wilson Garcia lined an 0-and-2 pitch into center field for an RBI single.

Richmond starter Kai-Wei Teng (Win, 1-3) allowed two runs, six hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

The series concludes on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Right-handed pitcher Bryan Brickhouse (1-1, 5.04) will make the start for the Flying Squirrels opposed by right-hander Ronald Herrera (1-2, 5.01) for the Senators.

The Flying Squirrels return home May 24-29 for a six-game series against the Hartford Yard Goats. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.