EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Flying Squirrels Game Notes at Bowie

Published on May 24, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


Richmond Flying Squirrels (22-24) vs. Bowie Baysox (18-27)

Thursday, May 24th -- 7:05 PM

Prince George's Stadium -- Bowie, MD

Game # 47 - Road Game # 26

Radio: Sports Radio 910 AM (6:35 PM) Internet: sportsradio910.com

RHP Justin Fitzgerald (3-2, 4.25) vs. RHP Tim Bascom (3-2, 4.38)

SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Flying Squirrels will aim for their third straight win and a series victory when they take on the Bowie Baysox in the finale of a four-game series at Prince George's Stadium tonight. Last night, Richmond got three hits and three RBIs from Wendell Fairley and three hits from Chris Dominguez as well as a strong performance from starter Mike Kickham, which resulted in a 6-2 victory over the Baysox. Kickham (3-4) allowed three hits and one earned run along with three walks and a season-high seven strikeouts in five innings pitched. The southpaw earned his third win of the season and lowered his ERA to 3.76 through nine starts. Fairley posted his second three-hit game of the season and established a new season-high with three RBIs. Ryan Cavan, Daniel Mayora and Johnny Monell also drove in runs for Richmond. The Flying Squirrels went 9-16 against Bowie in 2011 including a 6-6 mark at The Diamond. Richmond is 33-34 all-time against Bowie and the club is 14-19 all-time at Prince George's Stadium. The two teams will meet 24 times in 2012, 10 times in Bowie and 14 times in Richmond. Richmond won two out of three games between the two clubs in Bowie April 9-11 and the two teams split a four-game series at The Diamond from April 30 through May 3. The Flying Squirrels won three out of four from the Baysox at The Diamond from May 10 through May 13. Following this four-game series, the two teams will meet again at Bowie's Prince George's Stadium for a three-game set July 23 through July 25.

TODAY'S PITCHERS: RHP Justin Fitzgerald vs. RHP Tim Bascom Fitzgerald: Makes his tenth start of the season for the Flying Squirrels tonight. In his last start, Fitzgerald struggled through his worst outing of the season, as he matched his career-high in hits allowed (9) and set a new career-high in earned runs allowed (8) at Akron Saturday. Additionally, he issued two walks and struck out four batters in just 3.1 innings pitched, his shortest start of the season. He took the loss in Richmond's 15-5 setback. Tonight's game will be his fifth career start against Bowie. He is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA against the Baysox. Last season, Fitzgerald went 9-9 and posted a 3.51 ERA in a team-high 27 starts with Richmond. He also led the 2011 Flying Squirrels pitching staff in innings pitched (146.1), finished second on the club in wins (9) and walks allowed (55) and third in strikeouts (111). As a result, Fitzgerald was named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star. He also posted a 1-0 mark with a 2.70 ERA in two playoff starts and earned the win in the clinching game of Richmond's sweep of Harrisburg in the Western Division Championship Series. In 2010, he posted a 10-6 record with a 3.45 ERA in 26 appearances, including 25 starts, with Advanced-A San Jose and earned a spot on the California League Mid-Season All-Star team. Fitzgerald owns a 25-19 record with a 3.64 ERA in 118 career minor league appearances, including 61 starts. The Santa Rosa, Calif. native was selected by the Giants in the 11th round of the 2008 June Draft out of UC-Davis.

Bascom: Makes his tenth start of the season tonight. In his last start, Bascom allowed five hits and one earned run along with four strikeouts and no walks in 7.0 innings pitched at Harrisburg Saturday. He earned his third win of the season in Bowie's 2-1 triumph.

The right-hander went 9-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 29 appearances, including 17 starts for the Baysox last year. As a result, he was selected as an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star and won the Jim Palmer Award as Baltimore's Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

Bascom finished third in the circuit in WHIP (1.13), fourth in ERA (3.11) and fifth in opponents' average (.230). He has a 3-2 record and a 4.47 ERA in ten career appearances, including seven starts, against the Flying Squirrels. Bascom boasts a career record of 38- 37 with a 4.29 ERA and one save in 130 appearances, including 114 starts. He was selected by the Orioles in the fourth round of the 2007 June Draft out of the University of Central Florida.

HESTO PRESTO: Chris Heston has been arguably the top pitcher in the Eastern League this season, but the right-hander has taken his game to another level in May. In four May starts, Heston has amassed a 2-0 record with a 0.00 ERA. He has allowed 20 hits and just two unearned runs while racking up 23 strikeouts and yielding just four walks in 29 innings pitched. In his last two starts, Heston has allowed just one unearned run in 16 innings pitched. He currently leads the Eastern League in ERA (0.61) and opponents' batting average (.186) and ranks second in strikeouts (48) and WHIP (0.84). The former East Carolina star posted the top ERA in the Advanced-A California League (3.16) as a member of the San Jose Giants last year.

ME GUSTA MAYORA: After going 2-for-4 and socking his first home run of the season last night, Daniel Mayora picked up his team-leading 17th multi-hit game of the season. He has two nine-game hit streaks this season, the longest of any Richmond hitter in 2012. In his first season in the Giants organization, the veteran third baseman is hitting .307 with a team-best 22 RBIs.

BEATING BOWIE: Richmond has played its best baseball against Bowie thus far in 2012. The Flying Squirrels are 9-5 against the Baysox, their best record against any Eastern League foe. Richmond is 5-3 against Bowie at The Diamond and 4-2 in Bowie. The four wins in Bowie are the most road wins Richmond has earned against any Eastern League club in 2012.

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Eastern League Stories from May 24, 2012


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