EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Flying Squirrels Game Notes at Harrisburg

Published on June 18, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF) (34-28) vs. Harrisburg Senators (WAS) (27-37)

Thursday, June 18th -- 7:00 PM

Metro Bank Park -- Harrisburg, PA

Game #63 - Road Game #32

Radio: Fox Sports 910 (6:30 PM) Internet: FoxSportsRichmond.com

RHP Tyler Beede (1-0, 1.38) vs. LHP Matthew Spann (1-0, 0.92)

SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Squirrels squeaked by a Stephen Strasburg rehab start and a late inning push from the Senators, 4-3, in game two of this three-game series. Harrisburg scored the last two runs of this contest in the 7th, but then left the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth. Ricky Oropesa also blasted his team leading ninth home run. With the win, Richmond has claimed this series and is now 11-1-1 in their last 13 series. Richmond grabbed game one of this series behind RHP Joe Biagini who stole the show throwing a career-high eight scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and established a season-high with seven strikeouts as Richmond won, 1-0. The Squirrels are 12-3 in the month of June, which is good for best in the Eastern League during this span. 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 15 more times for the rest of the regular season. Harrisburg began June with a 1-8 record, but had won five straight prior to these last two games with Richmond. The Squirrels are 5-0 against this Western Division club this year. The Senators are last in team batting average in the Eastern League (.240). The Senators are batting just .193 against Richmond pitching.

THE CLIMB TO THE PEAK: The top of the mountain is getting closer. The Squirrels jumped in front of the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore Orioles) for second place in the Western Division following yesterday's win. This is the first time Richmond has held second place since April 15, when the team was just 3-3. They also only trail the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates) by just 2.5 games for the division-lead. That's not too shabby at all 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 31-11 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 last homestand, the Squirrels' bullpen tossed 29 innings, only 2.1 innings more than the homestand, which lasted just six games.

YOU GUESSED IT, 4-3: After yesterday, the Squirrels have played in 22 one-run games this year and have come out on top in 12 of them. Eight of these games this season have been decided by the outcome of 4-3. Richmond has won six of them. The "4-3" final has occurred more than any other final score for the Squirrels in 2015.

YOU GOTTA KNOW YOUR LIMITS: The good news is the Squirrels are a league-best 31-11 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 10

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. That success has continued in the first two games of this trip, as Richmond starters have thrown 13 innings and allowed just one earned run.

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 39 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 10 of Richmond's previous 15 games. During that span, he has tossed 10 innings (one per outing), given up just five hits, one run and racked up 11 strikeouts. In four of his last six outings, he has not allowed a base runner. Osich recorded his 18th save on Tuesday against the Senators. His 18 saves are tied with Austin House (NBR) for the most in the Eastern League. 17 of his 18 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 (69.1).

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: LHP Matthew Spann (1-0, 0.92)

Spann will make his 11th start of the season and 4th with the Senators. The left-hander has bounced around the Nationals' farm system quite a bit in 2015. The 24-year-old made his first five starts with A(Adv) Potomac and posted a 4.65 ERA. He then got a brief promotion to AAA Syracuse, where he made just one start (6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K). Since that point, Spann has flip-flopped between Potomac and Harrisburg. In 2014, the southpaw pitched in four games for A(Full) Hagerstown before spending the rest of his time with Potomac. Matthew was originally drafted in the 25th round by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010. The Nationals acquired him in 2013 after they placed David DeJesus on waivers. Spann was taken directly out of Columbia Central High School in Columbia, Tennessee. This is the same high school that current Major Leaguer Dan Uggla attended.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from June 18, 2015


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