Flying Squirrels Game Notes Vs. Altoona
April 12, 2012 - Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release
Richmond Flying Squirrels (3-4) vs. Altoona Curve (3-2)
Thursday, April 12th -- 6:35 AM
The Diamond -- Richmond, VA
Game # 8 - Home Game # 1
Radio: Sports Radio 910 AM (6:05 PM) Internet: sportsradio910.com
LHP Jason Stevenson (0-1, 11.57) vs. RHP Mike Colla (0-0, 6.75)
SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Flying Squirrels kick off a seven-game home stand with a four-game series against the Altoona Curve, which begins tonight at The Diamond. Richmond looks to get back on the winning track after falling in the series finale at Bowie 11-6 yesterday. Chris Dominguez went 2-for-5 and drove in two runs and Daniel Mayora notched his fourth consecutive multi-hit game by going 2-for-5 with an RBI. for Richmond. Unfortunately for the Flying Squirrels, starter Craig Westcott struggled.
The right-hander gave up 13 hits and six earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched and took the loss. Now, the Flying Squirrels will shift their focus to Western Division rival Altoona. The Flying Squirrels went 9-8 against Altoona in 2011 including a 4-2 mark at The Diamond. Richmond is 19-24 all-time against the Curve and the club is 11-10 all-time in the River City. The two teams will meet 21 times in 2012, 14 times in Altoona and 7 times in Richmond. Following this four-game series, on the opening home stand, the Curve will not return to Richmond until July 16th-18th. The next meeting between the two teams will be April 19th-22nd at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona.
TODAY'S PITCHERS: LHP Jason Stevenson vs. RHP Mike Colla Stevenson: Makes his second start of the season for the Flying Squirrels tonight. In his first start, Stevenson gave up six hits and six earned runs along with one walk and six strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched at New Britain in the opening game of a doubleheader Friday. He took the loss in Richmond's 6-2 setback. Stevenson, a former Montreal/Washington farmhand returned to baseball following a five-year hiatus for personal reasons that began after the 2005 season. The 30-year-old southpaw signed with the Chico (CA) Outlaws of the independent North American League in 2011 and posted an 8-0 mark with a 1.68 ERA in 9 appearances, including 8 starts and earned a spot in the NAL All-Star Game. After signing with the Giants, Stevenson went 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his lone start with Richmond as he allowed just one earned run in seven innings pitched at Altoona on Sept. 5. He also posted a 1-0 mark with a 5.56 ERA in two starts with Triple-A Fresno. Stevenson boasts a 34-37 record with a 4.56 ERA and three saves in 152 career minor league appearances, including 62 starts. He was originally selected by the Expos in the 12th round of the 2000 June Draft out of Sacramento City College. Stevenson resides in Redding, Calif.
Colla: Makes his second start of the season tonight. In his first start, Colla allowed five hits and three earned runs in four innings pitched against Erie April 5. He received a no-decision in Altoona's 7-4 victory. The right-hander has spent parts of the past two seasons with the Curve, including the entire 2011 campaign in which he posted a 5-11 record with a 3.70 ERA in 29 appearances, including 23 starts. He finished tied 2nd in the Eastern League in home runs allowed (20), ranked fourth in opponents' average (.229) and fifth in WHIP (1.17). Colla has a no record with a 4.50 ERA (3 ER/6.0 IP) in four career appearances against the Flying Squirrels. He has a career record of 13-20 with a 4.01 ERA in 117 appearances, including 24 starts. He was selected by the Pirates in the 14th round of the 2008 June Draft out the University of Arizona.
WELCOME HOME: The Flying Squirrels have won their home opener each of the last two seasons. In 2010, the club posted a 3-0 shutout against the Reading Phillies as right-hander Daryl Maday scattered four hits over 5.2 innings to pick up the win. Catcher Jackson Williams and third baseman Conor Gillaspie each launched solo homers in the win. Last season, Richmond opened the year at home and rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to top the New Britain Rock Cats 6-4. Catcher Johnny Monell went 2-for-3 in the contest with a walk, a pair of doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Second baseman Charlie Culberson went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI in the victory. The Flying Squirrels have sold out all three home openers in franchise history, doing so 24 days before the team's inaugural home game in 2010, the day before in 2011 and three days before in 2012.
LOUISVILLE SLUGGER: Left-fielder Chris Dominguez picked up two more hits in yesterday's 11-6 loss at Bowie. The 25-year-old leads the Eastern League in total bases (20), is tied for the Eastern League lead in hits (13), RBIs (9) doubles (4), and ranks second in batting average (.481) and is tied for second in hits (11). It's not the fi rst time the University of Louisville product has had a torrid streak in the EL. He earned Eastern League Player-of-the-Week honors for 6/20 through 6/27 last season as he hit .464 (13-for-28) over a seven-game span with 11 extra-base hits, including the fi rst grand slam in franchise history and a franchise record-tying 6 RBI performance 6/27/11 against Harrisburg.
TAKING A HIT: Right-hander Craig Westcott allowed a career-high and franchise record 13 hits in his start yesterday in Bowie.
His previous career high in hits allowed was 11, which last occurred June 26, 2011 against the Stockton Ports. The Flying Squirrels previous franchise mark in hits allowed was set by right-hander David Mixon on July 26, 2010 against the Reading Phillies. The 11 runs and 18 hits given up overall by Richmond in yesterday's loss to Bowie were both season highs.
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