Streaking Squirrels win sixth straight

San Francisco Giants top pitching prospect Tyler Beede guided the Squirrels to a season-high sixth straight win on Friday night, defeating the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (46-59) 3-2 at The Diamond. Beede twirled six innings to earn his sixth win of the season. The Richmond offense collected eight hits, including a home run from Brandon Bednar in the victory. Relievers Carlos Alvarado and Chase Johnson were called upon to preserve the win over the last two innings of the game. Johnson earned his third save in as many opportunities. Richmond (44-60) will continue the four-game homestand on Saturday, July 30th with Fireworks and Militar

Richmond was off to a good start in attempting to extend their winning streak to six games. Brandon Bednar cracked a solo homer over the left field wall – a low flying missile – to give Richmond a 1-0 lead against New Hampshire’s Taylor Cole. The Squirrels added another in the bottom of the second for a 2-0 led. Tyler Horan crunched a triple, and Darren Ford brought him home with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Squirrels right-hander Tyler Beede kept the Fisher Cats at bay through the first four innings. Beede worked around a two-out walk in the first and a pair of runners in the second. The 23 year-old retired the side in order in the third inning and blew a 95-mile per hour fastball by Dwight Smith Jr. to end the inning. Beede used 62 pitches to move through the first four innings of the game.

The Fisher Cats managed to push across a run against Beede in the fifth. Christian Lopes double to left center field with two outs and Roemon Fields delivered a base hit to center, trimming the Richmond lead to 2-1. Rowdy Tellez lined out tocenter, ending the inning.

TheSquirrels retaliated with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Shortstop John Polonius roped a two-out triple into the right field corner. Steven Duggar followed and laced a double over third base to stretch the Richmond lead back to two, 3-1.

Beede finished his outing with a pair of strikeouts in the sixth. The righty allowed the one run on four hits. He walked three and struck out six batters on 91 pitches in the win.

Ray Black returned from the disabled list and took over to start the seventh. Black picked up the first two outs but walked the next two batters, putting the tying runs aboard. Tyler Mizenko was then called upon to end the threat with a ground out.

The Fisher Cats also made the move to the pen to start the bottom of the seventh. Will Browning relieved Taylor Cole after Cole hurled six solid innings. The righty Cole allowed three runs on six hits. He struck out seven and walked none in a loss.

Mizenko returned for the eighth inning, however struggled with his control. Ryan McBroom, a Fredericksburg, VA native, planted a home run off the top of the scoreboard in left center field to pull New Hampshire within a run, 3-2. Derrick Loveless followed with a base hit to right, ending the outing for Mizenko. Christian Jones was next up to try and end the threat. Jones walked the only batter he faced and Richmond turned to right-hander Carlos Alvarado. The newly-added Alvarado punched out both hitters he faced, keeping the Squirrels lead intact.

Chase Johnson retired all three batters in the ninth to earn his third save of the year. Richmond improved to 5-0 against New Hampshire on the year.