EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Flying Squirrels Game Notes: at Harrisburg

Published on June 16, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF) (33-28) vs. Harrisburg Senators (WAS) (27-36)

Wednesday, June 17th -- 12:00 PM

Metro Bank Park -- Harrisburg, PA

Game #62 - Road Game #31

Radio: Fox Sports 910 (11:30 AM) Internet: FoxSportsRichmond.com

LHP Adalberto Mejia (0-0, 2.70) vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg (MLB) (0-0, ---)

SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Squirrels pitched their third shutout of the season in the first game of this three-game set and brief road trip. RHP Joe Biagini did the heavy-lifting, matching his career-high with eight scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and established a season-high with seven strikeouts as Richmond won, 1-0. Richmond is 10-1-1 in their last 12 series, and will now have two opportunities to claim this series. The Squirrels are 11-3 in the month of June. This marks the first of three trips the Squirrels will make to Metro Bank Park this season. The two clubs met earlier this year at The Diamond (5/26-5/28), and Richmond swept Harrisburg. Richmond outscored the Senators 21-5 in those three games. That included a 12-0 victory, which tied for the most runs scored in a game this season. The Squirrels also topped the record books in that contest as they had a franchise best eight hits in one inning. These teams will meet 17 times for the rest of the regular season. Harrisburg began June with a 1-8 record, but had won five straight prior to their loss in the series-opener on Tuesday. The Senators are last in team batting average in the Eastern League (.239). The Senators are batting just .168 against Richmond pitching. LHP Adalberto Mejia will make the start, his third, against RHP Stephen Strasburg on MLB rehab.

ABOVE THE FOLD: With their win on Tuesday, the Squirrels have climbed to five games above .500 (33-28) for the first time this year. Last season, May 1st was the first time the team reached five games over .500 (15-10). They are now just a half-game behind the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore Orioles) for second place in the Western Division. They went to bed trailing the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates) by just four games for the division-lead. That's not too shabby when you factor in that the Squirrels had plummeted to a season-worst 11.5 games behind the Curve on May 3rd after dropping their 15th straight game and falling to 3-17. They are a league-best 30-11 since that day.

ACTIVE ARMS FROM THE BULLPEN: It has been a busy time for the relief pitching in the RVA. During the recent six-game homestand, Richmond relievers logged a total of 26.2 innings. This includes two lengthy appearances from individual arms. In the opener of the homestand on June 9, LHP Kelvin Marte took over for RHP Matt Cain, who was making a rehab start, and went four innings out of the bullpen. In the finale against Portland on June 11, RHP Pedro Rodriguez completed 4.1 innings of relief (second longest outing from a reliever) and gave up just two hits, no runs, and recorded five strikeouts. During the 10-game road trip that preceded the homestand, the Squirrels' bullpen tossed 29 innings, only 2.1 innings more than this homestand, which lasted just six games.

YOU GOTTA KNOW YOUR LIMITS: The good news is the Squirrels are a league-best 30-11 since May 3rd and three times during that span they have recorded six consecutive wins. The bad news is, Richmond has now failed in three attempts to match the franchise-record for consecutive wins (7), which was established in April of 2010. Most recently, the Squirrels were foiled on Wednesday night, losing a late lead to Portland and falling, 5-4. They also came up short while looking for a seventh consecutive win on May 10th, falling at home to Bowie, 2-0, and on May 30th, losing 4-3 to Reading in Baseballtown.

STRONG OPENING REMARKS: Richmond starting pitching was tremendous during the Squirrels' last road trip, which was the longest in franchise history. Richmond starters threw 58.1 innings on the trip. They collectively allowed just 10 earned runs, while on three occasions a starting pitcher lasted at least seven innings. The starters compiled a record of 5-0 on the trip, while sporting an ERA of 1.54. Due to mid-trip promotions for LHP Jack Snodgrass and RHP Chris Stratton, the Squirrels used eight different starting pitchers on the trip.

STRONG OPENING REMARKS TAKE TWO: The Squirrels have developed a habit of getting off to fast starts this season, and currently have outscored their opposition by 34 runs in the first two innings. The hold a 34-18 advantage in the first inning (+16) and a 33-15 edge (+18) in the second inning. However, the 7th inning has been the team's most prolific frame as they have scored 38 runs in that stanza. The 8th inning has been the most troublesome for Richmond as they been outscored 32-22 (-10) in the 8th inning.

SAVING THE DAY: Squirrels' closer Josh Osich has been a busy man in June. The left-hander has appeared in nine of Richmond's previous 14 games. During that span, he has tossed nine innings (one per outing), given up just three hits, one run and racked up 10 strikeouts. In four of his last five outings, he has not allowed a base runner. Osich recorded his 17th save on Tuesday against the Senators. His 17 saves are good for second in the Eastern League. 16 of his 17 saves have come since May 5th.

THE LONG ROAD: A Squirrels' starting pitcher has lasted seven innings or more in a start eight times this season. The Squirrels are 8-0 in those ballgames. Despite the pitcher-friendly confines at The Diamond, seven of those lengthy starts have come on the road. Four of those starts have come from RHP Joe Biagini, who has gone at least seven innings in each of his last three outings (3-0). In fact, Biagini has lasted six innings or more in all but two of his 11 starts and leads the club in innings (69.2).

UPCOMING HOMESTAND PROMOTIONS: (6/19) Free Shirt Fridays & Happy Hour presented by Floor & Decor. (6/20) Fireworks/Military Night/Camo Cooler Tube Giveaway presented by Budweiser. (6/21) Father's Day Grill Spatula Giveaway presented by Your Local Ford Dealers. (6/22) Mommy & Me Day at The Diamond. (6/23) Golden Girls Tribute/Betty White's 1/2 Birthday. (6/24) ZOOperstars! Appearance. (6/25) Fireworks/The Many Faces of Robin Williams Jersey Auction presented by Your Local Ford Dealers. (6/26) Free Shirt Fridays & Happy Hour presented by Coke Zero/Girl Scout Sleepover.

HARRISBURG STARTING PITCHER: Stephen Strasburg (0-0, ---)

Strasburg, 26, will pitch below the Major League level for the first time since 2011. He is attempting to return from the Disabled List, where he has been since May 30th with what was termed as a strained left trapezius muscle. Nationals' manager Matt Williams described it more succinctly as back pain. Either way, the injury had hampered the 2014 National League strikeout leader, as he had posted a 3-5 record with a 6.55 ERA over his 10 starts this season. He has also logged just 45.1 innings, including leaving his last start (5/29) after just one inning. Strasburg, the first overall pick in the 2009 draft, made five highly-publicized starts for Harrisburg in 2010 before eventually making his big league debut later that summer. He carried a lifetime Major League record of 43-30 with a 3.02 ERA into this season. The 2012 National League All-Star will be facing the Squirrels for the first time in his career and is expected to be limited to 85 pitches.

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Eastern League Stories from June 16, 2015


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