The Flying Squirrels (8-12) bullpen hurled 8 1/3 scoreless innings in come-from-behind 6-4 win over Bowie on Tuesday at Prince George’s Stadium.
Squirrels relievers Jose Casilla, Pedro Rodriguez, Tyler Rogers and Ray Black overcame a short outing from starter Adalberto Mejia and Ricky Oropesa delivered the go-ahead hit in the ninth to complete the comeback. Casilla hurled 3 1/3 innings and Rodriguez followed suite with three scoreless. Rogers (1-0) earned the win with a 1-2-3 eighth and Black earned his third save by shutting the door in the ninth. Richmond will attempt the series sweep in the final game of the series on Wednesday at 6:35 PM.
Christian Arroyo pushed the Squirrels ahead 1-0 in the first with a sacrifice fly to center. Rando Moreno opened the game with a bunt double that popped over the head of Baysox first basemen Joey Terdoslavich. Ryder Jones then connected on a single off Baysox starter Joe Gunkle, moving Moreno to third. That allowed Arroyo to deliver the run with a fly ball.
Bowie surged ahead in the bottom of the first, handing Adalberto Mejia his shortest start of his career. Bowie sent nine men to the plate in the first inning, escalating Mejia’s pitch count and forcing him from the game with two outs in the firame. The Baysox started things up in the first with two outs against Mejia. MLB rehabbing utility man Jimmy Paredes drew a walk to set the Baysox in motion. First baseman Joey Terdoslavich followed with a base hit and Quincy Latimore walked to load up the bases. Mejia went deep into most of the early counts and then yielded a two-run base hit to catcher Chris O’Brien. Adriana Marin added an RBI single and Mejia then walked second baseman Jeff Kemp to end his outing after 41 pitches. Jose Casilla entered and allowed an inherited runner to score on a base hit, giving Bowie a 4-1 lead.
Mejia threw 41 pitched in the inning and walked three. He allowed four runs on three hits in the no-decision. The short start forced the bullpen into extra duty and Casilla answered the call Casilla kept the game intact for the Squirrels and authored 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Casilla allowed just one hit and a walk in his longest outing of the season.
Richmond trimmed the deficit to 4-2 off Gunkle with an unearned run in the fifth. With one out, Christian Arroyo slammed a double to right centerfield. Arroyo moved to thirdon a fly ball and scored when Bowie thirdbaseman Parades missed a slow ground ball. Gunkle pitched into the sixth inning for the Baysox and hurled 5 2/3 innings and departed with the lead. Gunkle limited the Squirrels to two runs on eight hits while pitching with runners on base all night long. Ashur Tolliver relieved Gunkle in the sixth and worked 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
The Richmond bullpen carried the game into the later innings with stellar relief work by Casilla and then Pedro Rodriguez. Rodriguez retired all nine batters he faced, keeping Richmond down by a score of 4-2. The Squirrels inched closer with a run in the eighth against Bowie reliever Donny Hart. Hunter Cole bashed a double to left centerfield and Carlos Moncrief followed suite to score Cole and pull Richmond to within one, 4-3. The Baysox then summoned closer Jason Stoffel for a five out save. Stoffel recorded the final two outs in the eighth to stand the tying run on second.
The Squirrels did not go quietly in the ninth and tagged Stoffel for three runs to take a 6-4 lead. Tyler Horan leadoff with his third base hit of the game, a liner into left. Moreno then floated a base hit over the shortstop side and Jones was asked to laydown a sacrifice bunt. Jones obliged, pushing runners to second and third. Bowie then opted to intentionally walk Arroyo to face Ricky Oropesa with the bases loaded. Oropesa made Bowie pay with a bases-clearing double to right, giving the Squirrels a 6-4 advantage. Ray Black then came on to close out the game and earn his third save of the season.
The Flying Squirrels road trip concludes Wednesday at 6:35 PM in Bowie with RHPChase Johnson (1-1, 4.05) on the mound for the Squirrels vs. Baysox RHP David Hess (0-1, 3.38) Season tickets, mini plans, and group packages are currently available by contacting the box office at 804-359-FUNN or online at www.squirrelsbaseball.com.
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