Flying Squirrels Game Notes - at Akron
August 28, 2015 - Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release
Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF) (64-65)
vs.
Akron RubberDucks (CLE) (68-63)
Friday, August 28th -- 7:05 PM
Canal Park-- Akron, OH
Game #130 - Road Game #63
Radio: Fox Sports 910 (6:40 PM) Internet: FoxSportsRichmond.com
RHP Tyler Beede (2-8, 5.35) vs. LHP Shawn Morimando (9-11, 3.24)
Saturday,, August 29th @AKR 7:05 PM RHP Joan Gregorio (2-2, 3.19) vs. RHP Duke von Schamann (1-1, 6.89) Fox Sports 910/FoxSportsRichmond.com
Sunday, August 30th @AKR 2:05 PM RHP Joe Biagini (9-6, 2.51) vs. RHP Mike Clevinger (8-8, 2.92) Fox Sports 910/FoxSportsRichmond.com
Monday, September 1st @HAR 7:00 PM LHP Kelvin Marte (10-5, 2.38) vs. TBD Fox Sports 910/FoxSportsRichmond.com
SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Flying Squirrels and Akron RubberDucks play game two of a four game series tonight at 7:05 PM at Canal Park in Akron, OH. This is the only trip of the season for Richmond to Northeast Ohio and they dropped the opener of the series on Thursday night by a score of 6-5. Richmond had leads of 2-0 and 5-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning but could not close out the win. Including tonight, the Squirrels have only 11 games remaining in the regular season, with four at The Diamond to end the year. The RubberDucks have now won consecutive games after snapping a seven game slide on Sunday with a 5-3 win over Trenton. Wild Card leader Altoona lost on Thursday, moving Akron to one game out of second place. The Squirrels remain four games out of second place. The win for the RubberDucks was the first in seven attempts against the Squirrels this season. Richmond had won consecutive games for just the second time in August.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY: Richmond has blown a pair of leads late this week, missing a chance to pick up two games on Wild Card leader Altoona. The Squirrels lost a 3-1 lead on Monday in the ninth inning in a 4-3 loss. It was the first time this year Richmond lost at home with a lead after eight innings. Richmond rallied in the eighth inning on Thursday in Akron to take a 5-4 lead but allowed a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to suffer the loss.
PUXATONY PHIL: It must seem like Groundhog Day for the Squirrels oft-used lefty reliever Phil McCormick. He entered with the bases loaded on Thursday in a tie game and stranded all three runners. The sidewinder was used in a closer's role on Tuesday and preserved a 2-1 Squirrels win for his second save of the season. McCormick leads the Eastern League in appearances (53) and has been amongst the league leaders in the past two seasons in the Eastern League. He was missed leading the league last year by one outing to teammate Edwin Quirarte (51). McCormick has not allowed a run since 7/30 against Binghamton, a span of 11 outings and 10.1 innings.
RICKY SMASH: Ricky Oropesa smashed his team-leading 13th home run of the season on Thursday in Akron. Oropesa collected three hits and drove in three runs in the outing. Despite leading the team in homers, it was the first long ball for Oropesa since he left the yard on 7/25 in Erie, a stretch of 26 games. Richmond has hit a combined 51 homers on they year, least amongst teams in the Eastern League. Oropesa has 25% of the team's homers .
HOLD ME CLOSER TONY DANZA: Aside from the recent late -inning mishaps , the Squirrels have been sturdy with the game on the line. Former Squirrel reliever (now with the Reds organization) Stephen Johnson leads the Eastern League in holds with 16. Rigthy Jose Casilla ranks 3rd (13) and lefty Phil McCormick ranks 4th in holds (11)
LEAST OF THE EAST: The Flying Squirrels have struggled against teams in the Eastern Division. Richmond fell to 3-9 against Eastern Division foe Trenton with the series loss this weekend and are just 22-32 against the opposite division. Despite those struggles, the Squirrels have held their own within the Western Division to stay afloat in the standings. Richmond does not have a losing record against any of the same division opponents and are 6-1 against Akron, 11-10 vs. Bowie, 10-10 vs. Altoona, and 9-7 vs. Harrisburg and 5-5 vs. Erie.
SERIES SLUMP AND ROAD SLUMP: The Squirrels won only their second series in their last nine attempts on Wednesday against Harrisburg. The only other series victory came against New Hampshire (8/4-8/6). This stretch includes a series sweep at the hands of Altoona from July 27 to July 29. It was the first time the team got swept since early May (5/1-5/3) against New Britain. The uncharted territory has caused for some drop off as well with the team recently. They have not one a road series since taking two of three at Harrisburg on from June 16-18
UPCOMING HOMESTAND PROMOTIONS: With only four home games remaining in the 2015 regular season, the Squirrels have the following promotional schedule in place: (9/4) Free Shirt Fridays, Happy Hour & Ladies Night. (9/5) Superblast Saturday and 20th Anniversary of Billy Madison. (9/6) Kids Club Metal Lunchbox Giveaway. (9/7) Bark In the Park #3 - Labor Day.
AKRON STARTING PITCHER: LHP Shawn Morimando (9-11, 3.24)
Morimando, 22, will make his 26th start of the season for the RubberDucks and his second against the Squirrels. Morimando faced off against Richmond at The Diamond on 7/21 and was tagged with the loss. Morimando allowed just one unearned run in the outing over 5.1 innings. He walked three and struckout four on 100 pitches. He has spent the entire 2015 season with Akron and has displayed some control issues. The southpaw is second in the Eastern League 59 walks, trailing League Leader Kyle Crick by four. He started 18 games with the Carolina Mudcats (A+) last season before he received a promotion to Akron (10 starts, 3.83 ERA). The Indians drafted Morimando in the 19th round in 2011 out of Ocean Lakes (VA) High School as an 18-year-old. He was listed as the #22 prospect in the Cleveland system after the 2013 season. Morimando is coming off his roughest outing of the season on Sunday against Erie. Morimando allowed a season-high 10 hits and six runs in an 8-1 defeat. Was committed to place baseball at East Carolina but signed away by the Indians for $350,00
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