Squirrels slam door on Reading

Richmond and Reading went down to the wire again on Sunday afternoon as the Flying Squirrels (28-24) managed to hold on for a 4-3 win over the Fighting Phils (23-31) at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Relivers Carlos Diaz, Patrick Ruotolo and Dillon McNamara shut the door for Richmond over the final three frames. McNamara dealt a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his third save of the season. All three games in the series so far have been decided by one run, with Richmond coming out on top twice. The final game of the series will be played on Monday morning at 9:45 a.m.  Richmond returns to The Diamond on Friday, June 8 with a Free Shirt Friday and RVA’s Best Happy Hour. Details for the next homestand can be found here.

The Squirrels bullpen preserved the eighth win of the year for right-hander Cory Taylor. Taylor (8-1) lasted five innings and tossed 93 pitches in his 11th start of the season. The right-hander allowed two runs on seven hits and departed with a 4-2 lead. He walked three and struck out two.

Jerry Sands powered Richmond to a 2-0 lead in the second. Aramis Garcia opened the inning with a base hit into left field off Reading starting pitcher Harold Arauz. Sands then stepped in and smashed his eighth home run of the year – a massive shot over the left centerfield fence.

Flying Squirrels hurler Cory Taylor worked through some deep counts early and was touched up for a run int eh bottom of the second inning. Taylor walked Darick Hall to begin the second Hall advanced to third on a base hit from Deivi Gruillon. Heiker Meneses followed with a one-out single, flipped into right field, cutting the Richmond lead, 2-1. Gruillon was thrown out at second on the play due to some confusion with the lead runner and Taylor was able to limit the damage to just the one run.

Richmond forged a 4-1 lead in the top of the fourth. Dylan Davis and Aramis Garcia singled to begin the inning and Sands worked a one-out walk to load the bases. Ronnie Jebavy then careened a two-run single up the middle, giving the Squirrels a three-run lead.

Jack McCasland was the first man out of the bullpen and tossed the sixth inning. McCasland allowed a run on a pair of hits and a sacrifice fly. Left-hander Carlos Diaz faced one batter and recorded an out in the seventh Patrick Ruotolo then entered and recorded five outs, getting the ball to McNamara with a 4-3 lead in the ninth. McNamara picked up a pair of flyout and struck out Hall to end the game.

Reading’s Arauz lasted six innings and suffered the loss. Arauz (3-3) allowed four runs on seven hits.

The Flying Squirrels and Reading Fightin Phils conclude the four-game series at FirstEnergy Stadium on Monday at 9:35 a.m. Richmond RHP Shaun Anderson (5-2, 3.09) will make the start against Reading LHP JoJo Romero (3-4, 4.92). Richmond will be back in Funnville on June 9-14. Promotional details and tickets can be found here.