The Flying Squirrels (26-39) rolled behind a season-high eight stirkeouts from lefty Matt Gage as Richmond defeated Binghamton (27-36) 4-2 on Wednesday night at The Diamond.
Gage lasted 6 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on six hits in the winning effort. Closer Tyler Rogers was up to his old tricks as he entered in the eighth inning and recorded the final four outs to earn his tenth save in ten opportunities.
Rogers has yet to allow an earned run this season and has tossed 22 2/3 scoreless innings, setting a new franchise record.
Matt Gage set the tone for the Flying Squirrels early on in his 11th start of the season. Gage punched out the side in the first inning and picked up twomore strikeouts in the second. The lefty then picked up his sixth strikeout to start the third inning and retired the first nine batters he faced
Binghamton countered Gage with veteran righty Tyler Pill. The Squirrels managed a few base runners in the first two innings as Christian Arroyo doubled in the first and hunter Cole singled to open up the second to no avail.
Pill stumbled in the third as an error opened up a four-run third inning for Richmond. Ali Castillo opened the inning by reaching on an infield base hit and advanced to second via a sacrifice bunt. Darren for then reached on an error an error and Ryder Jones delivered a two-out, two-run double for a 2-0 lead. Ricky Oropesa and Hunter Cole also added run-scoring doubles to close out a four-run frame off Pill.
Gage was flawless through the first 10 batters of the game until Niuman Romero singled with one out in the fourth. Jayce Boyd followed with a single to put two runners on base but Gage induced a doubleplay to end the threat. Pill then picked up the pieces in the bottom of thefourth and fifth innings following the four-run outburst in the third.
The B-Mets got on the board to trim the deficit, 4-2, against Gage with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Gage walked the first two hitters and yielded a two-out, two-run base hit to Dominic Smith. Gage pitched into the seventh inning and was relived by Tyler Mizenko with one out and one on. Gage earned the win and allowed just two runs on six hits with a season-high eight strikeouts.
The Richmond bullpen of Tyler Mizenko Christian Jones and Tyler Rogers navigated the final eight outs to finish the game. Binghamton placed a pair of runners on in te seven and eighth innings but could not convert as Mizenko picked up adouble play to end the seventh and Rogers a ground out to close out eighth.Rogers earned the save, his tenth of the season, by recording the final four outs.
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Chris Graham
