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Richmond Flying Squirrels top Senators, continue playoff push

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richmond-squirrelsThe Richmond Flying Squirrels (69-67) continued their playoff push with a thrilling 4-2 win over Harrisburg (66-72) on Thursday night at Metro Bank Park.

Richmond scored a run in four consecutive innings and Derek Law managed to work around a bases loaded, no one out situation in the ninth inning to secure the win and earn the save. The victory, coupled with another loss for Altoona, moved Richmond within two games of the wild card with four games remaining in the season. Those four games will be played at The Diamond, starting on Fridayagainst Reading. Richmond RHP Joan Gregorio will make the start for the Squirrels.

Devin Harris snapped a scoreless game in the fifth inning with a solo home run off Harrisburg’s starting pitcher John Simms for a 1-0 lead. The homer was the 13th of the year for Harris and extended his hitting streak to five games. One inning later, Hunter Cole made it a 2-0 lead on a triple into right centerfield to score Myles Schroder from first base. Schroder reached on a bunt base hit and scored from first on the fourth triple of the year for Cole.

Harrisburg got even with a pair of runs against Squirrels starting pitcher Matt Gage in the bottom of the sixth. Wilmer Difo cranked his second home run of the season to left centerfield to cut the deficit, 2-1. Chris Bostick then singled with two outs and Gage walked Shawn Pleffner to end his outing. Manager Jose Alguacil brought in Pedro Rodriguez and he relinquished a single to Cutter Dykstra to tie the game, 2-2.Gage tossed 5 2/3 innings in a no decision. The lefty allowed the pair of runs on five hits with four strikeouts 9in his final start of the year.

Simms (2-3) was sharp over seven innings in the loss for the Senators. Richmond regained the lead, 3-2, in the top of the seventh on a pinch hit single by Skyler Stromsmoe to score Harris from second base. Harris doubled to open the inning, his second of three hits on the night. Simms allowed three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts in the defeat.

The Squirrels bullpen managed to work around a few shaky plays in the late innings to keep the 3-2 lead intact. Tyler Mizenko replaced Rodriguez in the seventh and pitched around a two out error from the shortstop Rando Moreno. Harris then added an insurance run for the Squirrels in the top of the eighth inning with a base hit to left field to score Juan Ciriaco from second base for a 4-2 advantage. Mizenko then returned for the bottom of the eighth and recorded the first out but then yielded an infield base hit to Chris Bostick. Phil McCormick replaced Mizenko to make his league-leading 56th appearance of the season and picked up the final two outs of the inning to keep the lead at 4-2.

Harrisburg threatened on closer Derek Law by loading the bases on a pair of infield singles in a walk to start the ninth. Law then struck out pinch hitter Drew Vettleson and finished the game with a pop up and ground out to strand the winning run on first base. It was the 12th save of the season recorded by Law.

The Squirrels return home to The Diamond on Friday night to begin the final series of the regular season. Squirrels RHP Joan Gregorio (3-2, 3.34) will make the start against Reading RHP Zack Eflin (8-6, 3.58). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 with the Pregame Warmup beginning at 6:35 PM on Fox Sports 910 and FoxSportsRichmond.com. The Squirrels return home on Friday to begin he final series of the regular season against Reading. The Remaining Squirrels promotional schedule is as follows: (9/4) Free Shirt Fridays, Happy Hour & Ladies Night. (9/5) Superblast Saturday and 20th Anniversary of Billy Madison. (9/6) Kids Club Metal Lunchbox Giveaway. (9/7) Bark In the Park #3 – Labor Day.

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