The Richmond Flying Squirrels scored two eighth-inning runs and held on to win, 4-3, against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Sunday at NYSEG Stadium.
Richmond (27-45, 4-1) swept the three-game series against Binghamton (36-32, 2-3) – the first sweep of the season for the Flying Squirrels – and won its fourth consecutive game. The four straight wins marked a season-best four-game winning streak.
With the game tied, 2-2, in the eighth, Gio Brusa smacked a go-ahead RBI single up the middle against Rumble Ponies reliever Joseph Shaw (Loss, 0-2). Next, Jonah Arenado lofted a sacrifice fly to bring in Zach Houchins to give the Flying Squirrels a 4-2 lead.
Brusa’s hit extended his hitting streak to a team-best nine games. In that span, Brusa is batting .367 (11-for-30) with four doubles, four home runs, 10 RBIs and nine runs scored.
The Rumble Ponies battled back in the bottom of the eighth inning when Ali Sanchez led off with a double against Dillon McNamara (Win, 1-0) and later scored on a wild pitch. Following a pitching change, Binghamton almost tied the game on a single by Jason Krizan against Raffi Vizcaino (Save, 1), but Brusa threw David Thompson out at the plate to end the inning.
The Flying Squirrels scored the first run of the game in the fourth against Rumble Ponies’ starter David Peterson. After Brusa drew a two-out walk, Arenado sliced an RBI triple down the right-field line to put Richmond up, 1-0.
Garrett Williams kept Binghamton off the board, yielding just one hit over five scoreless innings while striking out six and walking four. The Flying Squirrels rotation has combined for five consecutive starts of at least five innings-pitched and three runs or fewer allowing.
Jalen Miller doubled Richmond’s lead in the sixth, launching his team-best eighth home run of the season to make a 2-0 game. It was Miller’s first home run since May 10.
Binghamton cut into Richmond’s 2-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth when Thompson tripled and later scored on an RBI groundout.
After completing the bottom of the eighth, Vizcaino fired a perfect ninth inning to pick up his first save of the season.
The Flying Squirrels returns to The Diamond on Monday to begin a seven-game homestand, beginning with the first game of a three-game set against the Altoona Curve. Right-hander Brandon Lawson (2-3, 3.83 ERA) is scheduled to face former University of Virginia left-hander Brandon Waddell (0-0, 2.25 ERA). First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m., and coverage begins with the Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup presented by Air Force Reserve at 6:05 on Sports Radio 910 the Fan and 105.1 FM.
The first 1,000 fans 21 & older to arrive at The Diamond on Monday will receive a limited edition, custom-designed stein celebrating Scott’s Addition, presented by Daybreak IT Solutions. Gates open at 5:30 PM.
The Flying Squirrels will also wear special jerseys with Richmond’s “804” area code as part of a celebration of Scott’s Addition. Fans can show their RVA pride by bidding on original, game-worn 804 jerseys throughout the game. Proceeds from the 804 jersey auction benefit Flying Squirrels Charities and its mission to renovate youth baseball fields in the city of Richmond.
Dogs are admitted free in Funnville every Monday home game. Please request a dog-friendly seating section if accompanied by a pet (sections 101-103, 203-204 and General Admission first base side).
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.
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