Flying Squirrels (46-64) left-hander Andrew Suarez and outfielder Hunter Cole led the Squirrels in a 6-2 win over the Bowie Baysox (47-64) on Friday night at Prince George’s Stadium. Suarez earned the win by pitching seven solid innings and Cole helped snap the Squirrels three-game slide with a home run and four runs batted in. Ryder Jones also added a homer in the victory.
Andrew Suarez was sharp once again for Richmond over seven solid innings. The Squirrels backed Suarez with a bevy of early runs against Bowie’s right-hander Mathew Grimes. Steven Duggar opened the game with a base hit, extending his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games. Christian Arroyo followed with a single to right field, moving Duggar to third, with less then two outs. Hunter Cole then provided the run with a sacrifice fly to right, giving Richmond a 1-0 lead.
Richmond tacked on another run for a 2-0 lead to open the second inning. Ryder Jones, having missed three games with illness, returned to the lineup without missing a step. Jones homered in his first at bat, an opposite field blast for his tenth home run of the season. The Squirrels continued the assault on Grimes in the third inning and forced the righty from the game. Steven Duggar collected his second hit of the game to open the third and Christian Arroyo followed with a walk. C.J. Hinojosa then made it a 3-0 contest with a chopper double over the third baseman’s head. That set the stage for Hunter Cole, as he blasted a three-run homer over the left center field wall to go ahead 6-0. Grimes (1-3) did not make it out of the second inning. He allowed six runs, all earned, on seven hits in the loss.
The Baysox struck for a run off Andrew Suarez in the third. Veteran outfielder Julio Borbon drilled a solo home run over the right field wall, pulling Bowie to within five, 6-1. Suarez quickly moved on from the long ball and retired the next four batters to take the game into the fifth inning.
Baysox reliever Scott McGough pitcher well in an much needed relief effort. McGough entered in the second inning and kept Richmond off the board through four innings of work. Hard-throwing lefty Tanner Scott added a scoreless inning in the seventh for Bowie.
Suarez continued to forge ahead, pitching into the seventh on just 79 pitches. Quincy Latimore made it a 6-2 contest when he tagged a home run over the left field wall. The homer was the last hit allowed by Suarez, as the lefty turned in a quality start. Suarez allowed just two runs on four hits over seven innings pitched. He stuck out seven and walked three and used 93 pitches in the victory.
Jose Casilla hurled a scoreless eighth inning in relief for Richmond and Ray Black recorded a pair of outs in the ninth. Bowie managed to load the bases against Black, forcing the Squirrels to bring on closer Chase Johnson with the tying run at the plate. Johnson secured the final out and earned his fifth save in as many opportunities.
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Chris Graham
