Flying Squirrels

Senators top Squirrels 4-2 in opener of three-game series

2012-05-16T01:23:00+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - A couple of defensive issues hurt Richmond in a 4-2 loss to Harrisburg on Tuesday night before 3,848 at The Diamond. The game was delayed 14 minutes with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning by a power outage.
The Squirrels (19-19) have been pretty good defensively so far this season, but shortcomings in that area cost them during Harrisburg’s two-run second inning and two-run eighth inning. Right fielder Wendell Fairley misplayed a ball that fell for a double to start the Senators’ second-inning noise, and an error by third baseman Daniel Mayora started Harrisburg’s eighth-inning rally. Mayora leads the Eastern League with 12 errors.
Those two innings ruined an otherwise strong start by Craig Westcott (7.1 innings), who had won his last three outings heading into the first game of this three-game set.
Harrisburg starter Paul Demny didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning.
There was no reason to expect this dominance from Demny, 22 and a sixth-round selection of the Nationals in 2008. The Texan came in with a 2-2 record and an ERA of 5.58. Demny faced the Squirrels on May 9 in Harrisburg and absorbed the loss, allowing five earned runs in 5.1 innings.
But Tuesday night, he needed only 63 pitches to get through five innings. He walked Ryan Cavan in the first inning, and Cavan was promptly erased on a double-play. Demny had faced the minimum until Ehire Adrianza led off with a double that went off the glove of first baseman Tim Pahuta as he reached near the line.
When Fairley hit a two-hopper to Harrisburg shortstop Jose Lozada, Adrianza broke for third, and made it safely when he was hit in the back by Lozada’s throw to third. The ball bounced away, as Adrianza scored standing up and Fairley sprinted to second.
Gary Brown tied it 2-2 with an RBI single, and Demny in about 10 minutes went from a cruising starter to guy seeing relievers quickly warming.
Harrisburg scored twice in the second inning, and the trouble started when Fairley did not get a good jump on a ball hit his way by Devin Ivany. It fell for a double, and two sacrifice bunts and an intentional walk later, Eury Perez delivered a two-out, two-run single for the Senators.
The second defensive glitch, this one by Mayora, opened the door for Harrisburg’s two-run eighth inning. The error and an infield single set up a two-run triple by Tim Pahuta that broke the 2-2 tie.

Squirrels, Senators delayed by power outage

2012-05-16T01:19:09+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Harrisburg are in a power-outage delay at The Diamond on Tuesday night.
Richmond trails 4-2 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Squirrels, Senators tied 2-2 after six innings

2012-05-16T00:17:37+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Flying Squirrels head into the last three innings Tuesday night tied with Harrisburg 2-2 before 3,848 at The Diamond.
Harrisburg starter Paul Demny didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning.
There was no reason to expect this dominance from Demny, 22 and a sixth-round selection of the Nationals in 2008. The Texan came in with a 2-2 record and an ERA of 5.58. Demny faced the Squirrels on May 9 in Harrisburg and absorbed the loss, allowing five earned runs in 5.1 innings.
But Tuesday night, he needed only 63 pitches to get through five innings. He walked Ryan Cavan in the first inning, and Cavan was promptly erased on a double-play. Demny had faced the minimum until Ehire Adrianza led off with a double that went off the glove of first baseman Tim Pahuta as he reached near the line.
When Wendell Fairley hit a two-hopper to Harrisburg shortstop Jose Lozada, Adrianza broke for third, and made it safely when he was hit in the back by Lozada’s throw to third. The ball bounced away, as Adrianza scored standing up and Fairley sprinted to second.
Gary Brown tied it 2-2 with an RBI single, and Demny in about 10 minutes went from a cruising starter to guy seeing relievers quickly warming.
Harrisburg scored twice in the second inning, and the trouble started when Squirrels’ right fielder Fairley did not get a good jump on a ball hit his way by Devin Ivany. It fell for a double, and two sacrifice bunts and an intentional walk later, Eury Perez delivered a two-out, two-run single for the Senators.

Squirrels need comeback vs. Harrisburg

2012-05-15T23:33:25+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - Harrisburg righty Paul Demny has faced the minimum through three innings and hasn’t allowed a hit as the Senators lead the Richmond Flying Squirrels 2-0 after three innings.
Harrisburg got a two-run single from Eury Perez in the second inning.
This is the first of three games at The Diamond between these clubs.

Squirrels climb above .500 with win over Baysox

2012-05-13T20:35:16+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Flying Squirrels climbed above .500 for the second time this season with a 5-4 conquest of Bowie on Sunday before 6,813 at The Diamond.
The Squirrels (19-18), got a two-run double from third baseman Daniel Mayora and Nick Liles’ RBI on a fielder’s choice to take a 3-0 lead after an inning. Bowie (15-21) tied it in the second inning, and Richmond went ahead 5-3 in the third inning on RBI by Johnny Monell and Liles. Brandon Waring hit a sixth-inning homer for Bowie to reduce Richmond’s lead to 5-4.
Starter Justin Fitzgerald worked 5.1 innings and allowed six hits and four runs. Daryl Maday closed for Richmond, earning his sixth save in seven opportunities.
The Squirrels were last above .500 on April 15, when they were 6-5.
Richmond won three of four, and the last three, in the four-game series vs. Baltimore’s Double-A club.
The Squirrels are off on Monday, and start a three-game series at The Diamond vs. Harrisburg (Washington Nationals) on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.
San Francisco Giants’ prospect Tommy Joseph went on the disabled list due to a concussion sustained on Saturday night. Joseph, a catcher, was hit in the head by a bat when Bowie’s Manny Machado struck out in the second inning and his backswing hit Joseph.
Joseph, who was wearing a helmet, stayed in the game for three more innings before being removed. He’ll miss at least a week.

Squirrels lead Baysox 5-4 after six innings

2012-05-13T20:07:13+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - Before 6,813 on Mother’s Day, the Richmond Flying Squirrels took a 5-4 lead over Bowie heading into the final three innings.
Righty Justin Fitzgerald pitched 5.1 innings, allowing six hits and four runs, the last a homer by Brandon Waring in the sixth inning. Lefty Chris Gloor replaced Fitzgerald.

Squirrels lead Baysox 5-3 after three innings

2012-05-13T19:14:07+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - Two runs won for the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Satuday night, when they beat Bowie 2-0. It will take more on Sunday.
The Squirrels lead 5-3 after three innings at The Diamond.
Daniel Mayora knocked in two runs and scored two. Justin Fitzgerald, Richmond’s starter, failed to protect a 3-0. Bowie tied it in the second inning.
Johnny Monell’s RBI double and a bloop RBI single by Nick Liles have the Squirrels in front 5-3.

Monell homers send Squirrels to 2-0 win

2012-05-13T00:53:44+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - This way and that, Johnny Monell flexed on Saturday night.
The left-handed batter hit a sixth-inning homer to left field, and drilled another to right during his next at-bat, in the eighth inning. The Richmond Flying Squirrels rode Monell’s power display to a 2-0 win over Bowie before 8,564 at The Diamond.
Monell, a catcher playing first, hit out of the No. 8 spot in the lineup, and was batting .200.
In the third game of a four-game set, Mike Kickham and three relievers blanked the Baysox for the Squirrels’ fourth shutout of the season.
Appearance among the Eastern League leaders ordinarily suggests positive statistical deeds. That wasn’t the case for Mike Kickham heading into his seventh Double-A start.
The Squirrel ranked third in walks among all league pitchers, with 20 in 25.2 innings. Kickham, 23, took a significant developmental step. The 6-foot-4 lefty shut down Bowie through 6.1 innings, and didn’t walk a batter.
Kickham, a sixth-round selection of the San Francisco Giants in the 2010 draft, previously did not have a Squirrels’ outing in which he walked fewer than two, and he issued four or more bases on balls during three of his six starts.
Monell has hit 13 homers for the Squirrels in two years. Eleven have come at The Diamond after Saturday’s double-shot. He sent Zach Clark’s first pitch of the bottom of the sixth inning deep to left, and a gentle breeze blowing that way supplied just enough assistance to a ball that carried out of the ballpark. That was Monell’s second homer this season.
The third came in the eighth inning, and was crushed to right off Clark, giving the Squirrels a 2-0 lead.
Chris Dominguez, with a grand slam, punished Bowie with his bat in Richmond’s 6-1 victory on Friday night. He grounded the Baysox with his arm a day later. Richmond led 1-0 in the seventh and Baltimore Orioles’ prospect Manny Machado tried to score from second on Buck Britton’s two-out single to left.
Dominguez, a former third baseman, has one of the strongest arms in the Giants’ system. He charged the hit, and rapidly released a one-hop dart to Richmond catcher Joel Weeks, who applied the tag. On a very close play, Machado was called out by umpire Tom Honec, who got an earful from Machado.
Dominguez has five outfield assists.

Monell gives Squirrels 1-0 lead after six inning

2012-05-13T00:01:20+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - Left-handed-hitting Johnny Monell hit a sixth-inning homer down the left-field line off Bowie’s Zach Clark to give the Richmond Flying Squirrels a 1-0 lead after six innings on Saturday night before 8,564 at The Diamond.
Mike Kickham has allowed five hits through six innings and will continue into the seventh in the third game of a four-game set.

Squirrels, Baysox scoreless after three innings

2012-05-12T23:09:07+00:00

RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Bowie Baysox are scoreless after three innings at The Diamond on Saturday night in the third game of a four-game set.
Squirrels’ lefty Mike Kickham has allowed one hit. Richmond has yet to have a batter reach base vs. Bowie righty Zach Clark.