The Richmond Flying Squirrels notched a 2-0 shutout win against the Altoona Curve on Thursday night at The Diamond.
Three Richmond pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts against the Curve (28-24), the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was the second shutout victory for the Flying Squirrels (24-29), the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, this season, and tied the franchise record for fastest game played at 1 hour and 54 minutes.
Richmond starter Mason Black fired in six strikeouts over a season-high four innings and held the Curve to only two hits.
Wil Jensen (Win, 4-0) blazed through the Altoona lineup, retiring all nine batters faced over three scoreless innings and racked up four strikeouts.
Facing a no-hitter in the seventh inning against Curve starter Jared Jones (Loss, 1-3), Brandon Martorano crushed a solo home run to left-center field and pushed Richmond ahead, 1-0. It was Martorano’s first home run of the season in his first after back after being on the injured list since April 21.
Carter Williams increased his hit streak to nine consecutive games with an infield single in the eighth. He stole second base and crossed the plate off an RBI single from Simon Whiteman to move the Flying Squirrels’ lead to 2-0.
Reliever Jose Cruz (Save, 1) worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning and fired in three looking strikeouts in the top of the ninth to wrap up the victory.
Game 4 of the homestand against the Curve will be Friday with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Kai-Wei Teng (0-3, 5.54) will make the start for Richmond opposed by right-hander Sean Sullivan (2-0, 2.89) for Altoona.
On Friday, the Flying Squirrels will celebrate Dia de Muertos en June and the first 1,000 fans ages 15 and older will go home with an Ardillas Voladoras Sugar Skull Bobblehead presented by Pepsi Zero Sugar.
Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.
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Chris Graham
