The Akron RubberDucks (60-40) completed a four-game sweep of the Flying Squirrels (46-52) in a 9-8 walk-off win on Sunday afternoon at Canal Park. The ‘Ducks rallied from five runs down, eventually tying the game in the ninth and winning in the tenth. It was the third walk-off win for Akron in the four-game set. Richmond built an 8-3 lead impart to a grand slam off the bat of Ryan Howard in the sixth inning. The late Akron rally negated a quality start for Daniel Camarena, who went seven innings in his Richmond debut. Richmond will attempt to snap a five-game skid as their seven-game road trip continues on Monday in Erie, PA. The Squirrels will return to The Diamond on Thursday, July 26 for Virginia Tech Night featuring Frank Beamer, driven by AAA.
Akron chipped away at the Flying Squirrels 8-3 with a run in the seventh and two more in the eighth. The Squirrels Dan Slania was one out away from securing a win until Andrew Calica worked a walk in the ninth inning. Tyler Kreiger then looped a single and Joe Sever pulled Akron within a run on a RBI base hit to left. The “Ducks loaded the bases and tied the game when Connor Marabell lined a single into center field. Akron attempted to send home the winning run on the play, but Sever was thrown out at the plate by Matt Lipka in centerfield to force extra innings.
The Squirrels failed to score with the gifted runner at second base in the top of the 10th (new MiLB rules placing a runner at second base for each extra inning). Richmond stranded Jonah Arenado at third base and Akron capitalized by scoring their gifted runner in the bottom of the 10th to win the game. With Marabell on second, Willie Castro executed a sacrifice bunt. Dan Slania fielded the bunt and attempted to throw the runner out at third base. The throw sailed down the left field line, scoring Marabell to end the game.
Slania (0-3) suffered the loss. The righty entered the game with one out in the ninth inning. He struck out one and allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits.
Richmond was in control for much of the contest despite the loss. The Squirrels took an early 3-0 lead and went up 8-3 in the sixth. Flying Squirrels infielder Ryan Howard launched a grand slam over the left field fence in the sixth inning, snapping a 3-3 stalemate. Howard’s homer – his third of the year – was his second of the four-game series
Camarena controlled the Ducks and pitched well enough to earn a win. The lefty allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits in the no-deicison. He walked one and struck out a pair on 88 pitches. Howard (2-5, HR, 4RBI), CJ Hinojosa (3-5, RBI) and Matt Lipka (2-4, RBI) each had multi-hit games in an 11-hit attack.
Things started to go awry for Richmond after Camarena departed. Reliver Sam Wolff replaced Camarena to start the bottom of the eighth inning and encountered trouble. Tyler Kreiger reached on a base hit and Wolff walked the next two hitters, leading to his premature departure. Carlos Diaz then entered and picked up a crucial double play that scored a run. Castro then doubled in a run to make it an 8-6 contest.
Richmond plated the first two runs of the game in the top of the second inning. Jonah Arenado drilled a double up the left field line to begin the frame and with two outs Matt Lipka brought him home for a 1-0 lead. Lipka took second on his flare RBI single up the right field line when Ka’ai Tom overran the ball. With Lipka in scoring position, CJ Hinojosa lashed an RBI single into centerfield for a 2-0 advantage.
The Squirrels made it a 3-0 contest with an unearned run in the top of the third as Richmond worked Whitehouse to 50 pitches over the first two innings, leading to an eventual early departure. The lefty was felled by a pair of errors and extended at bats and was knocked from the game with a runner on third base and one out in the third. Ryan Howard reached base on an error to begin the third and Dylan Davis launched a triple to deep centerfield for a 3-0 lead. Whitehouse then grounded out Luigi Rodriguez before reaching his pitch count of 58. Dominic DeMasi replaced Whitehouse and finished the inning and stranded a runner at third.
Flying Squirrels lefty Daniel Camarena cruised through his first three innings in a Squirrels uniform. Camarena retired the first four batters he faced and allowed just one hit to Connor Marabell in the first three frames.
Richmond continues their seven-game road trip with the first of three contests against the Erie SeaWolves on Monday evening at UMPC Park. RHP Jake McCasland (3-2, 3.51) is scheduled to make the start in game one of the series against Erie LHP Liarvis Breto (2-3, 3.86). The Squirrels return to Funnville on Thursday, July 26 with a celebrity appearance from former Virginia Tech football head coach Frank Beamer. Beamer joins Virginia Tech Night driven by AAA. Tickets and information can be found at www.squirrelsbaseball.com or by calling 804-359-FUNN (3884)
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