The Richmond Flying Squirrels (43-53) defeated the Binghamton Mets (59-35), 9-3, to snap their seven-game losing streak at NYSEG Stadium on Tuesday night. The win was the first for the Squirrels on their current road trip and allowed them to avoid establishing a new franchise record for longest losing skid.
Javier Herrera led off the ballgame with a double that banged off the right-field wall against Binghamton lefty Angel Cuan. Joe Panik bunted Herrera to third and Mark Minicozzi gave the Squirrels a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to right field. It marked the first lead the Squirrels had enjoyed since the first game of the road trip in Bowie.
The Squirrels got back after Cuan in the third inning. Herrera was the catalyst, pulling a one-out single into left field. Panik followed with a single into right field to put two aboard. Minicozzi then rolled a single through the left-side of the infield. Herrera scored from second for a 2-0 lead. Angel Villalona flew out, but Andrew Susac roped a double into the left-field corner. Panik scored for a 3-0 advantage, but Minicozzi was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Richmond lefty Chris Gloor held off the B-Mets through the first three innings, conceding just a lone single. However, Binghamton cut into the Squirrels’ lead in the fourth. Justin Turner led off with a single. An out later, Allan Dykstra delivered a hit-and-run single to put runners at the corners. Cesar Puello then decked the first pitch from Gloor to the left-field corner. The double plated Turner with the first run of the ballgame for Binghamton. Gloor did buckle down to minimize the damage, exiting the inning with Richmond in front, 3-1.
The Squirrels put the game away in the seventh inning. Lefty Chase Hollingsworth came on in relief of Cuan and was greeted by a bunt-single from Ryan Lollis. Hollingsworth then walked Gloor to put two aboard. Hollingsworth got the first two outs, but Minicozzi reached on an error to load the bases. The Squirrels took full advantage of the extra out at Villalona lifted a grand slam to right field. His second Eastern League home run was also the second grand slam of the season for the Squirrels and stretched their lead to 7-1.
Gloor (7-5) returned in the seventh inning and walked the lead-off man, Travis Taijeron. Blake Forsythe followed and cranked a two-run home run to left field. Gloor departed to the win following the blast. He turned in a quality start, conceding three earned runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out six, earning his seventh win of the season.
Left-hander Josh Osich and right-hander Edwin Quirarte took it from there, working three scoreless innings of relief to finish the win. Osich finished the seventh and handled the eighth. Quirarte faced the minimum in the ninth.
Richmond capped the scoring in the eighth inning. Minicozzi drove in two more runs with a single back through the middle against righty Ryan Fraser. Minicozzi finished the night with four RBIs. He leads the Squirrels with 55 for the year.
Cuan (0-1) took the loss in his Double-A debut. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits over six innings.
The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium. Richmond RHP Craig Westcott (3-9, 3.82) will make the start against RHP Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 1.35). The Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup will begin at 12:35 p.m. on Sports Radio 910, SportsRadio910.com and IHeart Radio.
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