EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Flying Squirrels Game Notes at Binghamton (DH)

Published on August 19, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF) (60-60) vs. Binghamton Mets (NYM) (65-54)

Wednesday, August 19th -- 5:35 PM (DH)

NYSEG Stadium -- Binghamton, NY

Game #121/122 - Road Game #57/58

Radio: Fox Sports 910 (5:05 PM) Internet: FoxSportsRichmond.com

Game 1 RVA LHP Matt Gage (2-2, 3.18) vs BING RHP Robert Gsellman (6-6, 2.91)

Game 2 RVA LHP Matt Lujan (6-5, 3.66) vs BING RHP Rainy Lara (6-4, 3.75)

TODAY'S FEED: Due to the unexpected doubleheader, there is an additional Flying Squirrels pitcher's page attached separately.

SERIES AT A GLANCE: For the first and only time during the regular season, the Flying Squirrels find NYSEG Stadium where they will take on the Binghamton Mets (New York Mets) for a three-game series. This is the second to last ballpark in the Eastern League the Squirrels have discovered with the last being Canal Park in Akron, OH (8/27-8/30). This is the third series between the B-Mets and Richmond. The two previous showdowns took place at The Diamond. The Squirrels took two out of three from the Mets in the first series (5/11-5/13). This included the finale they won thanks to a Mitch Delfino walk-off hit in the 10th inning. The Squirrels bullpen was impressive in this series with 12 scoreless innings scattered over the three contests. After almost over two months, the two clubs crossed paths again in Richmond and they split a four-game series (7/30-8/2). The Squirrels dropped game one, 11-3, and their bullpen surrendered 10 of the 11 runs. These 11 runs total are tied for the most allowed in a game this season. In all of these games, a Richmond starting pitcher failed to last at least six innings. Binghamton had a tremendous turnaround and went an Eastern League best 19-10 in July with a team ERA of 2.18 (best in the league during that month).

SERIES SLUMP AND ROAD SLUMP: The Squirrels have only won one series in their last seven attempts. The only 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 unchartered territory has caused for some dropoff as well with the team recently. They have won just four of their previous 14 road games. In the road wins, they have won in convincing fashion for the most part by outscoring their opponent 25-11 in those four contests. Richmond plays 14 of their next 17 games away from The Diamond.

OVER PAR AND NOW EVEN: Today, Richmond looks to avoid falling to below 500 for the first time since June 4th (25-26). The Squirrels were able to maintain a record above 500 from June 5th, when the club was 26-26, until Sunday. That long impressive stretch extinguished after Sunday's loss and now the team is back at 500 (60-60). Sunday marked the fourth day between June 6th and August 16 that the team sat one game above 500. Prior to Sunday, when sitting one game above 500 on these days, they managed to win the next day to avoid that 500 water mark. The club's first test was heading into June 7th at 27-26 and they won on that day 4-1 over New Hampshire. The next time they were one game above 500 was on July 16 (45-44), which was the first game out of the All-Star break. Richmond beat Altoona the next day (7/17) in game one of a doubleheader, 2-0 to again avoid the falling back to an even record. Aside from Sunday, the two other times it has occurred in this month (August 11 - 58-57, August 13 - 59-58). The Squirrels scored five runs or more on both of these days. The team has only scored five or more runs in a game four times during the month of August so far (15 games played).

FIND THE WIN: In August, a Richmond starting pitcher has only recorded a victory twice. The first one happened on August 4th when Kelvin Marte tossed seven shutout innings against New Hampshire in a 3-0 win. Joe Biagini was the last to earn a win and that was on August 9th against Altoona. Since that day, seven games have been played and Tyler Beede is the only starting hurler to last at least six innings in a start (8/13). In the last four games, Richmond starting pitchers have allowed 14 of the 20 runs from the opposition.

MORE THAN JUST COLE: Hunter Cole has not played in a game since August 8th and was later placed on the disabled list on August 12th. The Squirrels have looked elsewhere for production. Ricky Oropesa has played in seven games since Cole last played and he is just 5-25 at the plate. Mitch Delfino is four for his last 27 at the dish from August 9th until now. Delfino has just two hits in his last 23 at bats. Austin Slater has provided the bulk of the offense to fill the void temporarily left from Cole. Slater is on an eight-game hitting streak and that started immediately after Cole was first taken out of the lineup (8/9). He also has six RBI's in his last seven games while he just recorded two from July 25th to August 9th.

UPCOMING HOMESTAND PROMOTIONS: (8/24) Williamsburg Community Night. (8/25) Fredericksburg Community Night. (8/26) Fleece Blanket Giveaway. (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.

BINGHAMTON STARTING PITCHER (GAME 1): RHP Robert Gsellman (6-6, 2.91)

Gsellman will make his 22nd start on the season and 14th with the Mets. It is also his first career start against the Squirrels. The right-hander began the year with St. Lucie (A+) and posted strong numbers. He went 6-0 with 1.76 ERA in eight starts. His first career Double-A start came on May 30 and lasted only four innings (season high six earned runs and also eight hits). Gsellman has not recorded more than three strikeouts in his last seven starts. His last outing on August 12 was against Altoona (5.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R-1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K). The 22-year-old was originally drafted in the 13th round back in 2011 by the New York Mets out of Westchester (CA) High School.

BINGHAMTON STARTING PITCHER (GAME 2): RHP Rainy Lara (6-4, 3.75)

Lara, 24, will make his 21st start of the season and 16th with the Mets. He has been with the B-Mets all season with the exception of a brief promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas where he made five starts (6/16-7/8). The right-hander posted a 4.50 ERA during these outings and let up a total of four home runs. His start to forget came on July 3 where he surrendered seven earned runs through four innings. This is his third career start against the Squirrels. His first came on August 30, 2014 (5.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K). The second came recently on July 30, 2015 (5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R). He was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Mets in 2009 out of the Dominican Republic. In 2014, Lara spent the season with Binghamton (20 starts, 4.31 ERA).

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Eastern League Stories from August 19, 2015


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