Black's Perfect Start, Pair of Homers Drive Squirrels to Victory
July 1, 2023 - Eastern League (EL)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release
READING, Pa. - With a pair of home runs, a perfect start by Mason Black and 17 combined strikeouts, the Richmond Flying Squirrels cruised past the Reading Fightin Phils, 4-1, on Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Richmond (36-37, 3-1) collected its third win of the road trip and held Reading (29-43, 1-3) to four hits.
Black (Win, 1-4) fired five perfect innings and tied a season-high eight strikeouts, including striking out five of the final nine batters he faced. Black extended his scoreless streak to 22.2 consecutive innings and has not allowed a run over his last five starts.
Jimmy Glowenke opened the scoring in the fourth inning when he torched a two-run homer to left field, his first Double-A home run, giving Richmond a 2-0 advantage.
Facing David Parkinson (Loss, 2-4) in the fifth, Wade Meckler drove a fly ball to left field and dashed around the bases for an inside-the-park home run, pushing the Flying Squirrels to a 3-0 lead. It marked the first Double-A homer for Meckler and he has reached base in all 20 Double-A games he has played.
Meckler is the fourth player in Flying Squirrels franchise history to hit an inside-the-park homer, joining Brandon Crawford who notched one in 2010, Tyler Graham in 2014 and Tyler Fitzgerald in 2022.
Simon Whiteman padded the Richmond lead to 4-0 in the top of the sixth with an RBI double to center field.
Richmond reliver Spencer Bivens covered two scoreless frames, allowing one hit and one walk with four strikeouts. Evan Gates struck out three consecutive hitters in the bottom of the eighth.
Oliver Dunn broke the shutout in the bottom of the ninth with a two-out RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-1. Jose Cruz responded with a strikeout to close out the victory.
The Flying Squirrels continue the series against the Fightin Phils Sunday night with first pitch set for 5:15 p.m. Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (0-0, 5.91) will make the start for Richmond opposed by Reading right-hander Tyler Phillips (3-4, 5.34).
The Flying Squirrels Independence Day celebration is sold out, marking the 13th consecutive sellout on July 4 games since the franchise's first year in 2010. Tickets remain for the rest of the homestand, including Wednesday where fans can enjoy an evening of tricks, jumps and entertainment with the Dynamo Dogs. Fans can also enjoy Wine and K-9s with five-dollar glasses of wine and six-dollar wine slushies from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Plus, dogs are admitted free to every Wednesday home game. In-Your-Face fireworks will be featured after Thursday and Saturday's home games.
Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.
Eastern League Stories from July 1, 2023
- Hardman's Three Homer Thrashing Takes Down Baysox - Somerset Patriots
- Comeback Canceled out by Four Run Seventh as Bowie Falls to Somerset - Chesapeake Baysox
- Young's Defense Ends Losing Streak - Altoona Curve
- Rally Comes up Short - Harrisburg Senators
- Fisher Cats Quiet Sea Dogs on Saturday Night - Portland Sea Dogs
- Erie Blasts Three Homers in Support of Hurter - Erie SeaWolves
- Yard Goats Use Seven Extra Base Hits to Win Third in Row - Hartford Yard Goats
- Erie Homers Beat RubberDucks Again, 6-3 - Akron RubberDucks
- Black's Perfect Start, Pair of Homers Drive Squirrels to Victory - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Bats Quiet as Reading Falls to Richmond - Reading Fightin Phils
- Binghamton Drops Close Game to Hartford - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- July 1, 2023 Sea Dogs Game Notes - Portland Sea Dogs
- 2022 MLB All-Star Alek Manoah to Join Fisher Cats - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
