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Squirrels stunned in extra-inning defeat

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richmond flying squirrelsThe Trenton Thunder (74-42) absconded with a win in Richmond on Wednesday night, defeating the Flying Squirrels (47-69), 5-4 in ten innings. The Squirrels out-hit the Thunder 12-7, but grounded into four double plays to negate that advantage. Squirrels hurler Tyler Beede pitched well and punched out eight batters in the no-decision. Miguel Andujar delivered the game-winning hit for Trenton in the extra frame.

Tyler Beede was throwing darts in his 20th outing of the year. Beede punched out a pair of hitters in the first, second and third innings as he faced one batter over the minimum the first time through the order. Unfortunately for Beede,Trenton’s one early hit, a double in the third inning, came around to score on a ground out to second base. Mike Ford opened the second with a double and scored when Abiatal Avelino grounded the ball to second baseman Brandon Bednar. Bednar got the out at first base, but Ryder Jones attempted to get the runner Ford going from second to third on the play. Jones tossed the ball past third base, resulting in a 1-0 Trenton lead.

Richmond did not trail long as designated hitter Chris Shaw drilled his fourth triple of the year out to center field in the second. Hunter Cole then lashed a base hit up the middle to tie the game, 1-1. It was the 49th run batted in for Cole on the year and his first of two hits in the game.

Both teams added a pair of runs in the fourth inning, sending the game tied 3-3 into the fifth. Trenton picked up the two runs via a scratch double, walk and walk to load the bases. Avelino then grounded into a double play, scoring the runner from third base. Mark Payton added an RBI single, giving Trenton a brief 3-1 lead. Richmond responded with the two runs in the bottom of the inning. Hunter Cole, Ryder Jones and Brandon Bednar led off the inning with singles and Tyler Horan cracked a base hit to score a run. With two outs, Steven Duggar pushed a ground ball to third base that went through the legs of Andujar, tying the game 3-3.

Beede continued to display a premium fastball and curveball through the middle innings. The Giants top-pitching prospect picked up another pair of strikeouts in the fifth, but was dinged for a run in the sixth. Dustin Fowler led off the fifth with a double and stole third base. Beede then walked Miguel Andujar and Fowler attempted to score on a ball in the dirt and was thrown out at the plate. Another walk and a wild pitched moved Andujar to third base, allowing Trenton to take a 4-3 lead on a fielder’s choice groundout.

Once more after a Trenton run, Richmond countered with a score in the bottom half of the inning. Ryder Jones lashed a single into right and Tyler Horan cracked a run-scoring double to tie the game, 4-4. Beede finished his outing after closing out the sixth, and earned a no-decision. Beede allowed just four hits and struck out eight in the outing.

Both bullpens managed to keep the game squared through the rest of regulation. Lefty Christian Jones relieved Beede and worked the seventh, eighth and ninth on 31 pitches. Trenton’s relief corps of Eric Ruth and J.P. Feyereisen were also sharp, and Feyereisen induced a key double play with the winning run on first to end the ninth and send the game into extra innings.

Christian Jones was called upon to return for his fourth inning and was felled by a soft fly ball up the right field line that somehow dropped for a base hit. A passed ball managed to advance the go-ahead run into scoring position. With two runners aboard, Jones was replaced by Preston Claiborne to face Miguel Andujar. Claiborne got up in the count 1-2, but Andujar clocked a double to left, giving Trenton the lead and win, 5-4. Tyler Jones navigated around a pair of runners in the bottom of the tenth to earn the save and end the game.

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