Two-out single in the ninth gives Flying Squirrels 5-4 win in Altoona

Brett Auerbach’s timely RBI single in the top of the ninth inning sent the Richmond Flying Squirrels to a 5-4, comeback victory over the Altoona Curve Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

The Flying Squirrels (21-15) snapped their three-game losing streak and notched their ninth come-from-behind win this season.

Trailing by one run in the seventh inning, Jacob Heyward led off with a double against Altoona reliever Austin Roberts. Two batters reached with no outs to load the bases and Auerbach grounded into a double play, but it brought home the tying run to even the game, 4-4.

With Colin Selby (Loss, 0-2) pitching in the ninth inning, Simon Whiteman reached on a walk and stole second base. With two outs, Auerbach shot a base hit up the middle that scored Whiteman and propelled Richmond to a 5-4 lead.

R.J. Dabovich (Win, 3-0) pitched two scoreless innings, stranding the tying run on base in the ninth inning and fired three strikeouts to secure the win.

Brendt Citta opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning to give the Curve (16-20) a 1-0 advantage.

The Flying Squirrels claimed a 3-1 lead in the third off a trio of runs. With the bases loaded, Frankie Tostado bounced into an RBI groundout that tied the game and two runs crossed for Richmond on a play with two Altoona fielding errors.

Altoona evened the game, 3-3, in the third inning when Nick Gonzales launched a two-run homer to left field off Richmond starter Jake Dahlberg.

With runners at first and second, Connor Scott dribbled a bunt down the third-base line for a single and it brought in a run to give the Curve a 4-3 advantage.

Dahlberg tied a season-high nine strikeouts in his start, including six strikeouts to the first nine batters he faced. He allowed four runs off seven hits and two walks.

The road trip continues Friday with a 6:00 p.m. first pitch from Peoples Natural Gas Field. Right-hander Kai-Wei Teng (1-3, 4.54) will make the start for Richmond opposed by right-hander Mike Burrows (1-0, 2.35) for the Curve.

The Flying Squirrels return home May 24-29 for a six-game series against the Hartford Yard Goats. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.