Squirrels slide into All-Star break with W

Ryder Jones homered and drove in four runs as The Flying Squirrels (36-53) took down Trenton, 6-4, in the final game before the All-Star break on Sunday.

Richmond won the series 2-1 and finished the homestand 5-2 over the Eastern League’s two best teams. Jones’ homer off Daniel Camarena tied the game, and Jeff Arnold put Richmond ahead with a double. Reliever Tyler Mizenko earned his first win of the year by pitching a season-high 2 1/3 innings.

For the second consecutive game, the Squirrels were forced to work around defensive miscues early on. An error, as well as some soft contact, led to a 2-0 lead for Trenton against Richmond starter Matt Gage. Trenton’s Dan Fiorito reached on an infield single but was eliminated from the bases by a Dante Bichette Jr. fielder’s choice. Michael O’Neill then delivered a base hit to put runners on the corners for Mark Payton. The speedy Payton laid down a bunt base hit, plating Bichette Jr. Gage made an errant throw while attempting to get Payton out at first base, allowing O’Neill to also score on the play.

Daniel Camarena and the Thunder once again lived up to the billing as the top pitching team in the Eastern League. Camarena moved through the Squirrels lineup without much incident for the first five innings. The lefty walked Chris Shaw to begin the second and yielded a base hit to Hunter Cole but retired the next three hitters to keep the 2-0 lead intact. Camarena retired the side in order in the fourth and needed just 51 pitches through the first four innings.

Richmond managed a run in the fifth, cutting the deficit in half, 2-1. Brandon Bednar doubled into right field and scored on a soft ground ball double off the bat of Darren Ford. Ford then advanced to third base on a fly ball but was stranded there to end the fifth.

Gage managed to work around runners on base through the middle innings. An error opened the fourth inning but Gage picked up a double play to face the minimum in the frame. He pitched around a base hit and walk in the fifth but was felled again by an infield single in the sixth. Lane Adams connected on a broken bat single with one out in the sixth and moved to scoring position on a walk. Michael O’Neill then brought in Adams with a ground ball on the infield for a 3-1 Trenton advantage. Mark Payton continued the inning by drawing a walk to push Gage from the game with the bases loaded. Tyler Mizenko replaced Gage and struck out Cito Culver to end the inning. Gage went 52/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits. He walked three and struck out two in the no-decision.

Camarena slowed in the sixth as the Squirrels rallied to take the lead, 4-3. C.J.Hinojosa drew a walk to open the inning and Ryder Jones smacked a two-out, two-run homer over the right field wall, tying the game, 3-3. The next batter Bednar singled to force Camarena from the game. Caleb Smith was the first man out of the Thunder bullpen and allowed a go-ahead base hit to Jeff Arnold. Arnold doubled into right, giving Richmond a 4-3 lead. Camarena tossed 5 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on six hits in the defeat.

Mizenko (1-4) earned the win in relief. Mizenko did not allow a hit over 2 1/3 innings of work. Ryder Jones continued his hallmark afternoon and provided a pair of insurance runs in the eighth with a double down the first baseline. Jones drove home a season-high four runs for Richmond.

Rodolfo Martinez allowed a run in the ninth but collected the final three outs to earn his second save of the year.