The Richmond Flying Squirrels (7-10) and Reading Fightin’ Phils split a doubleheader at The Diamond in front of 8,407 at The Diamond on Saturday night. Reading grabbed the first game, 3-2, while the Squirrels took the second game, 4-1.
In game one, Reading’s scheduled starter, Brody Colvin, was a late scratch. The Squirrels grabbed the lead against his replacement, right-hander Hector Neris, in the second inning. Jarrett Parker roped a two-out double off the wall in right field. Ryan Lollis followed and smoked a single into right field. Parker scored for a 1-0 lead just in front of the throw of right fielder Anthony Hewitt.
The Fightins responded with a run to tie the ballgame in the top of the third inning. Albert Cartwright and Edgar Duran supplied back-to-back singles with one out in the inning. Zach Collier then knotted the ballgame with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Richmond forged back in front in the bottom of the third, mounting a two-out rally against Neris. Joe Panik sparked the uprising with a double to left-center field. Javier Herrera followed and pulled a single into left field to put the Squirrels back in front, 2-1.
An inning-opening walk from Bradley to Cartwright in the fifth inning opened the door for Reading as they grabbed their first lead of the ballgame. After a sacrifice bunt, Collier rifled a triple into the alley in right-center field to tie the ballgame, 1-1. Bradley was removed in favor of right-hander Edwin Quirarte. Jim Murphy recorded an infield-single to bring in Collier as the Fightins took the lead, 3-2.
Bradley (0-2) took the loss over 4 1/3 innings, conceding three earned runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out one as he suffered his second setback of the season.
Reading lefty Mauricio Robles (2-0) earned the win in relief, firing two scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit, walked none and struck out five as he won for the second time on the year. Right-hander Kyle Simon earned his fourth save of the season, retiring the Richmond side in order in the seventh inning.
The Fightins grabbed an early lead against Richmond righty Craig Westcott in game two, striking for a run in the first inning. Westcott issued a walk to Derrick Mitchell to start the ballgame. Duran followed with a single and Collier made it 1-0 for Reading with a fielder’s choice grounder.
The Squirrels drew even, plating a run in the bottom of the first off of Reading lefty Tom Cochran. Panik once again got the Squirrels started with an infield-single. Herrera nearly took Cochran deep to left field, but settled for an RBI double off the top of the fence that leveled the ballgame, 1-1.
Westcott and Cochran both settled in after the first inning of game two, but the Squirrels snatched the lead back and chased Cochran from the ballgame in the fifth. Cochran walked Ehire Adrianza with one out in the inning, and Joe Panik singled to left field to put two runners aboard for Herrera. He brought them both in with a two-run double just fair inside the left-field line for a 3-1 Richmond lead. Cochran (0-1) departed following Herrera’s double, doomed to the loss over 4 1/3 innings.
Richmond tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning against Reading reliever Brandon Erbe. Panik knocked in the run with an RBI single to right field. Panik collected four hits during the course of the evening, finishing the night 4-for-7. Herrera knocked in four runs on the night, including three in the nightcap.
Westcott garnered his first win of the season after a sterling 6 2/3 innings. His only blemish came in the first inning, as he permitted just one run on five hits. He walked three and struck out four. Richmond closer entered and grounded out Mitchell to third base to end the ballgame. Maday earned his third save of the year, facing just one batter.
The series finale is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. Richmond left-hander Jack Snodgrass (2-0, 2.20) will make the start against Reading right-hander David Buchanan (1-2, 5.09) coverage begins on SportsRadio 910,SportsRadio910.com and IHeart Radio at 1:35 p.m.
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