EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Flying Squirrels Game Notes at Bowie

Published on August 12, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF) (58-57) vs. Bowie Baysox (BAL) (66-49)

Wednesday, August 12th -- 7:05 PM

Prince George's Stadium -- Bowie, MD

Game #116 - Road Game #55

Radio: Fox Sports 910 (6:35 PM) Internet: FoxSportsRichmond.com

Richmond LHP Matt Lujan (6-5, 3.83)

Bowie RHP Gene Escat (1-3, 2.84)

Thursday, August 13th @BOW 7:05 PM Richmond RHP Tyler Beede (2-6, 4.91) vs. RHP Joe Gunkel (8-3, 2.89)

Friday, August 14th ALT 7:05 PM Richmond RHP Joan Gregorio (1-2, 3.02) vs. LHP Steven Brault (6-3, 2.80)

SERIES AT A GLANCE: On Tuesday night, all of the action transpired in the sixth inning of game two in this series. Bowie responded to Richmond's one run in the top of the inning with five runs in the bottom half to ultimately win 5-1. LHP Matt Gage took the loss, but was electric from the start for the Squirrels as he set down the first 11 batters he faced (also had eight strikeouts). Richmond posted four hits, which is the fewest total in a game on this current trip.The Flying Squirrels were on the complete wrong side of the coin as they dropped game one, 11-3, to Bowie. These 11 runs are tied for the most Richmond has absorbed in a game this season (11 runs allowed vs. Binghamton, 7/30). Squirrels starter Kelvin Marte let up a season high 11 hits and six earned runs. The offense went silent and was only 1-9 with runners in scoring position. Bowie used the field as a bandbox and blasted six doubles in the win. This is the first time these two squads have crossed paths since late May (5/22-5/25). The four Baysox starers for this series will make their first starts against the Squirrels this year. Bowie and Altoona got to know each other really well during the beginning of the season as they met 17 times from April to the end of May (most frequent opponent for the RVA). Richmond captured three of the four games in the last meeting against Bowie. Two of the Squirrels' starters in that series have since been promoted to Triple-A Sacramento (Chris Stratton, Jack Snodgrass). Richmond outscored Bowie 28-18 in the last series between the two at Prince George's Stadium (5/14-5/17). In April, they played a bizarre two-game series in Bowie and that was in the middle of the Richmond's 15-game losing streak. The two teams opened up their 2015 seasons against one another (4/9-4/12). They battled right out of the gates and experienced two 14-inning marathons. In total, the Squirrels have played five series with the Baysox and they have won the last three. They are 10-9 against the team from Bowie, MD.

DON'T FADE AWAY: The playoff push continues to get more and more interesting in the final full month of the regular season. The Squirrels have been everywhere from second all the way to fourth place in the last week. Richmond relocated down to fourth place for the first time since August 1 after Friday's loss. The club has only been in fourth place for six days (last four currently) since July 19, but it looks as though these days might increase. Richmond fell to eight games back of Bowie with the defeat yesterday. This is the furthest the team has been behind the eight ball since May 18 when they were 8.0 games back and held a 14-21 record. They were only one game back of the first place Bowie Baysox from July 21-25. Richmond has dropped 12 of their last 17 games and this includes a six game losing streak in late July.

ONE SPARK OF LUMBER: Sunday marked a much needed offensive outrage for the Squirrels. The team tallied eight runs in the 8-6 victory over Altoona. It is the most runs scored in a game for the RVA since July 21 (8-0 vs Akron). Richmond racked up 16 hits and 15 of them were singles. Myles Schroder provided the only extra base hit and it occurred in the first inning (solo home run). Hunter Cole leads the team in hitting (.319) and he as well as power hitter Ricky Oropesa did not play so it was the unexpected offense who came up huge. Juan Ciriaco had only started 11 games to this point with Richmond and he drove in a season high three runs (first multi-RBI game this year). These 16 hist the Squirrels recorded on Sunday are almost more than what the offense produced in the three games prior (18 hits). Six hitters for Richmond posted multi-hit games.

THE QUIET ROAD: Richmond has won just one road game in their last 10 attempts. Before Sunday, the Squirrels had scattered just five runs over their previous six games away from The Diamond. They have been shutout three times during this span (all to Altoona). The last time Richmond won a series away from home was in Harrisburg (6/16-6/18).

WE CAN'T DOUBLE THAT: The month of August has not been kind to the Richmond offense, but especially in the extra base hit category. Following August 1, the Squirrels have just six doubles over the course of nine games. All of these doubles have come from either Austin Slater or Hunter Cole. Slater doubled on Tuesday and that was the first one for the team in three games. 36 of the 39 hits from this road trip so far (five games) have been singles. Richmond has 171 doubles this year which is last in the league.

UPCOMING HOMESTAND PROMOTIONS: (8/14) Free Shirt Fridays, Happy Hour & Ladies Night and Grateful Dead Tribute. (8/15) Superblast Saturday and 2nd Annual Guns & Hoses. (8/16) Tribute to the Toy Hall of Fame and Nutzy Bubbles Giveaway. (8/24) Williamsburg Community Night. (8/25) Fredericksburg Community Night. (8/26) Fleece Blanket Giveaway.

BOWIE STARTING PITCHER: RHP Gene Escat (1-3, 2.84)

Escat will make just his fourth career start in what is also his 130th appearance tonight. The right-hander was drafted by the Orioles out of the 23rd round in 2012. Escat has been with Baltimore so far for his entire career. Over the past two seasons before 2015, he spent the majority of his time with the Frederick Keys (A+). He held a 5.65 ERA in 41 appearances and allowed seven home runs in 2013 with the Keys. Escat broke through to Double-A Bowie last year, but only 8.1 innings in four games. He made his first career start on May 17, 2014 with Frederick (4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K). His last two appearances (7/31, 8/7) with Bowie this year were the other starts during his professional career. Escat tossed five innings in both of these outings and only allowed one earned run total. The Hawaii native played his college ball at Fresno State and during his freshman season the school won the College World Series over Georgia.

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Eastern League Stories from August 12, 2015


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