Yard Goats win in extras on Sunday, earn series split with Squirrels

The Richmond Flying Squirrels could not match the Hartford Yard Goats’ extra-inning run, falling, 2-1, in 10 innings on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond.

Richmond (30-49, 7-5) and Hartford (42-37, 5-7) split the four-game series. The Flying Squirrels are 6-5 against the Yard Goats this season.

The Yard Goats took the lead in the top of the 10th inning. Alan Trejo laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the placed runner Brian Serven to third. Manny Melendez brought the go-ahead run home with an RBI fielder’s choice against Dillon McNamara (Loss, 0-1).

After Scott Griggs (Win, 1-0) tossed a scoreless ninth inning to send the game to extra innings, Jordan Foley (Save, 1) prevented the Flying Squirrels from scoring by retiring the side in order in the bottom of the 10th.

Richmond is 3-9 in extra-inning games this season.

The Flying Squirrels plated their lone run of the game in the first inning. After Bryce Johnson and Johneshwy Fargas collected back-to-back singles, a walk to Jalen Miller loaded the bases with nobody out for Zach Houchins. He lofted a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Johnson and make it a 1-0 game.

Johnson’s single extended his hitting streak to four games. Since joining Richmond, Johnson is batting .421 (8-for-19) with a home run, triple, double, six runs scored and two RBIs.

Left-hander Caleb Baragar allowed just three baserunners through four scoreless innings before yielding a run in the fifth. He hit Scott Burcham with a pitch to start the frame and later allowed an RBI single to pinch-hitter Arvicent Perez that tied the game.

Baragar allowed one run over 6.1 innings, striking out seven and walking one. The Flying Squirrels starting rotation has recorded four consecutive quality starts and posted a 1.80 ERA during the series against Hartford.

The Flying Squirrels begin a three-game series against the Harrisburg Senators on Monday when right-hander Brandon Beachy (3-3, 3.93 ERA) is slated to start opposite right-hander Mario Sanchez (5-1, 3.33 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and coverage begins with the Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup presented by Air Force Reserve at 6 p.m. on Sports Radio 910 the Fan and 105.1 FM.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Week presented by Genworth. The All-Star Week festivities begin on Sunday, July 7 with Mayor Levar Stoney’s All-Star Week Kickoff on Brown’s Island, followed by the All-Star Country Music Jam on Monday, July 8, headlined by Big & Rich with special guests Cowboy Troy and DJ Sinister at Virginia Credit Union LIVE! at Richmond Raceway. The Celebrity Home Run Derby is Tuesday, July 9 and the festivities wrap up with the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 10.

For tickets or more information, call 804-359-3866 (FUNN), visit SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets or stop by the Flying Squirrels box office.