Right-hander Logan Webb tied a career high with nine strikeouts, but the Richmond Flying Squirrels fell to the Reading Fightin Phils, 5-2, on Tuesday night at The Diamond in front of 7,089 fans.
Reading (8-7) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first against Webb (Loss, 1-2) when Ali Castillo singled to lead off the game and later scored on a passed ball.
From there, Webb retired 10 consecutive batters before pitching out of jams in the fourth and fifth innings. He finished his outing with his ninth strikeout, sitting down Mickey Moniak to end the fifth. Webb allowed one unearned run on four hits while walking one in five innings.
Fightin Phils starter David Parkinson (Win, 2-1), a Richmond native, did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, when Jalen Miller broke through with a single. Richmond (7-9) had a chance to tie the game in the fifth with runners on the corners and two outs, but pinch-hitter Dylan Davis struck out swinging to end the threat.
Reading added two runs in the sixth against Richmond reliever Rodolfo Martinez. With runners on second and third, Martinez uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Adam Haseley to score. Next, Henri Lartigue singled to extend Reading’s lead to 3-0.
The Flying Squirrels found the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth against Parkinson. After Miller walked with two outs, Chris Shaw singled to put runners on first and third. Then, Parkinson threw a wild pitch that allowed Miller to cross the plate to cut the deficit to 3-1. Heath Quinn followed with a RBI double to right-center field to bring Richmond within a run.
Quinn’s double was Richmond’s first hit with a runner in scoring position since Thursday. The Flying Squirrels finished the game 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, and are now 1-for-23 with runners in scoring position during the four-game losing streak.
Right-hander Chase Johnson tossed two innings in his season debut for the Flying Squirrels, allowing two runs in the ninth on an RBI single by Castillo.
Richmond put the potential tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with two outs. Right-hander Addison Russ (Save, 2) retired pinch-hitter Brandon Van Horn on a groundout to third to end the game.
The Flying Squirrels finish their series against the Fightin Phils and wrap up the homestand on Wednesday morning at The Diamond. Left-hander Bailey Falter (1-1, 3.97 ERA) starts for Reading against Richmond left-hander Conner Menez (1-1, 0.61 ERA). First pitch is at 10:35 a.m., and coverage begins with the Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup presented by Air Force Reserve at 10:05 a.m.
Wednesday is the second of two games annually designated for schoolchildren throughout Central Virginia, and will feature live music by the Bopcats, a pregame player Q&A session, demonstrations and more presented by Mary Baldwin University. Gates open at 9:30 a.m.
For tickets or more information, call 804-359-3866 (FUNN), visit SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets or stop by the Flying Squirrels box office.
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