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Squirrels, Baysox split two

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richmond flying squirrelsThe Flying Squirrels (56-62) and the Bowie Baysox (55-63) played 15 innings and wound up splitting a doubleheader on Tuesday night at Prince George’s Stadium.

Bowie blasted Richmond in the opener 10-2, while the Squirrels responded with a 8-5 win in the night cap. Game two needed an extra inning to settle the score. Richmond put up three runs in the extra frame to earn the split. The Squirrels and Baysox continue the series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Richmond in on the road until Friday, August 17 when they return for Free Shirt Friday & RVA’s Best Happy Hour at The Diamond. Friday is also Grateful Fans night at the ballpark. The first 1,500 fans (15+) will receive a free tie-dyed T-shirt presented by Virginia Commonwealth Bank.

Game Two

A long night of baseball extended into one more extra inning frame that saw the Flying Squirrels send eight men to the plate. The Squirrels snapped a 5-5 tie with three runs in the eighth. With Caleb Gindl on second base as the gifted runner (per the new MiLB rules), Jonah Arenado lined an 0-2 pitch into shallow right field to take the lead 6-5. Richmond added two more runs as a pair of errors created an 8-5 Squirrels lead.

CJ Hinojosa (3-5, 2RBI, R) and Caleb Gindl (3-4, 2RBI, R) led Richmond’s elven-hit offensive attack in game two. Dillon McNamara (2.1IP, H,0R, BB,K) picked up the win in relief.

CJ Hinojosa roped a pair of run-generating doubles to pick Richmond up off the mat after the deflating 10-2 loss in game one. Hinojosa led off the game with a double down the left field line. After Mathew Grimes struck out the next two hitters, Caleb Gindl smacked a single into left, scoring Hinojosa for a 1-0 lead.

The initial lead was brief for Richmond as Aderlin Rodriguez launched a two-run shot over the left field fence in the bottom of the first. Rodriguez’ 20th homer of the season gave Bowie a 2-1 lead.

Hinojosa struck again in the second to put Richmond back on top. With two on, Hinojosa smacked his second double of the game to left, scoring Ali Castillo and Matt Lipka for a 3-2 advantage.

Bowie responded with a three-run homer from Yusniel Diaz that cleared the scoreboard in left center field. Diaz’ second homer since coming over from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Manny Machado trade put Bowie ahead 5-3. The homer was hit off of starting pitcher Taylor Hill, who lasted four innings. Hill received a no-decision. The Squirrels managed to tie the game in the fifth on a series of infield hits and a ground out.

Game One

The Bowie Baysox utilized a pair of homers and pounded out twelve hits to take down Richmond 10-2 in game one. Left fielder Austin Hayes drilled a grand slam for Bowie in the first inning and Corban Joseph later smacked a three-run shot in the sixth. The offense was more than enough for lefty Keegan Akin, who lasted 5.2 innings to earn his league-leading 13th win of the year.

The first inning grand slam put the Baysox ser the tone for the lopsided in game on Tuesday night. Richmond starter Conner Menez was slightly erratic in the outing and hit the first batter he faced. A wild pitch advanced Ryan Mckenna to second and Ryan Mountcastle lined an RBI base hit to right for a 1-0 lead. The Baysox managed to load the bases on and Austin Hayes drilled a breaking ball over the right field fence. The Hayes grand slam made it a 5-1 contest.

Jonah Arenado added his second RBI hit in the contest for Richmond in the third. Ryan Howard cranked a double into left centerfield and with two outs, Arenado lined a base hit to right, pulling Richmond to within three, 5-2. Akin also struggled to limit the pitch count, using 63 pitches in the first three innings.

Bowie pulled away again with a pair of runs in the third. Yusneil Diaz and Hays each singled to open the inning. Anderson Feliz made it 6-2 with a single and Hays and Feliz executed a double steal of home and second for a 7-2 contest.

Menez muddled through four innings and suffered the defeat. The lefty allowed seven runs on nine hits and dealt with runners on base in each frame. Menez (5-4) walked two, struck out five and tossed 88 pitches in the effort. Garrett Williams relived Menez and tossed a pair of innings. Williams allowed al three runs on the Joseph home run. Akin locked in after the fourth and retired the last nine batters he faced to earn the win.

The four-game, three-day series continues from Prince George’s Stadium on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. The Squirrels will send RHP Jake McCasland (4-4, 3.54) will square off against Bowie LHP Brian Gonzales (6-8, 5.60) Richmond will return to Funnville on Friday, August 17 for a Free Shirt Friday & RVA’s Best Happy Hour. Friday is Grateful Fans night at the ballpark. The first 1,500fans (15+) will receive a free tie-dyed T-shirt presented by Virginia Commonwealth Bank. Tickets and information can be found atwww.squirrelsbaseball.com or by calling 804-359-FUNN

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