EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Flying Squirrels Game Notes at Harrsiburg

Published on August 3, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


Richmond Flying Squirrels (56-56) vs. Harrisburg Senators (53-59)

Friday, August 3rd -- 7:00 PM

Metro Bank Park -- Harrisburg, PA

Game # 113 - Road Game # 59

Radio: Sports Radio 910 AM (6:30 PM) Internet: sportsradio910.com

RHP Justin Fitzgerald (7-7, 3.74) vs. RHP Trevor Holder (2-2, 5.66)

SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Flying Squirrels will aim for their second straight win when they take on the Harrisburg Senators in the opener of a three-game series at Metro Bank Park tonight. Last night, Mike Kickham turned in a dominant performance by tossing eight and 1/3 scoreless innings and Daniel Mayora hit his fourth home run of the season as the Flying Squirrels shut out Reading 2-0 in the finale of a three-game series at The Diamond. The victory was Richmond's Eastern League-leading 12th shutout win of the season and it enabled the Flying Squirrels to avoid a series sweep. Kickham established new career-highs in strikeouts (12) and innings pitched (8.1) in the ballgame. Mayora's home run came at the start of the bottom of the seventh and it snapped scoreless tie as Kickham and Reading starter Trevor May had matched each other pitch for pitch through the first six innings. May (8-9) was charged with the loss and Flying Squirrels closer Brett Bochy worked the final 2/3 of an inning to pick up his 14th save.

The Flying Squirrels went 13-8 against Harrisburg in 201. Richmond is 23-18 all-time against the Senators and the club is 12-8 all-time at Metro Bank Park. The two teams will meet 20 times in 2012, 10 times in Harrisburg and 10 times in Richmond. The Flying Squirrels swept Harrisburg in an abbreviated two-game series at Metro Bank Park in early May (5/7-5/9). Harrisburg won two out of three games against the Flying Squirrels at The Diamond in mid-May (5/15-17). Richmond won four out of five games when the two clubs met in Harrisburg in mid-July (7/12-15). Following this three-game series, the two teams will meet again at The Diamond for a three-game series August 7-9.

TODAY'S PITCHERS: RHP Justin Fitzgerald vs. RHP Trevor Holder Fitzgerald: Makes his twenty-third start of the season for the Flying Squirrels tonight. In his last start, Fitzgerald allowed six hits and three runs, only one which was earned, along with two walks and three strikeouts in six innings pitched at Erie Saturday. He earned his seventh win in Richmond's 6-3 triumph. Tonight's game will be Fitzgerald's seventh career start against Harrisburg. He is 4-1 with a 1.53 ERA against the Senators. He is currently tied for fourth in the Eastern League in innings pitched (125.0). 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 29-24 record with a 3.59 ERA in 131 career minor league appearances, including 74 starts. The Santa Rosa, Calif. native was selected by the Giants in the 11th round of the 2008 June Draft out of UC-Davis.

Holder: Makes his twenty-third appearance and his fourteenth start of the season tonight. Holder opened the season with Advanced-A Potomac, where he went 5-3 record with a 4.01 ERA in 18 appearances, including ten starts. Since his promotion to Harrisburg, Holder has compiled a 2-2 mark with a 5.66 ERA in four appearances, including three starts. In his last start, Holder allowed four hits and three earned runs along with one walk and five strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched against Trenton July 26. He earned his second Double-A win in Harrisburg's 7-4 triumph. Tonight's game will be Holder's second career start against Richmond.

He is 0-1 with a 37.80 ERA (7 ER/1.2 IP) against the Flying Squirrels. The right-hander split the 2011 campaign with the GCL Nationals, Washington's Instructional Rookie-Ball affiliate, and Potomac. In four appearances with the GCL Nationals, Holder went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. He posted a 3-8 mark with a 5.77 ERA in 19 appearances, including 14 starts, with Potomac. Holder boasts a career record of 21-23 with a 4.76 ERA in 83 appearances, including 64 starts. He was selected by Washington in the third round of the 2009 June Draft out of the University of Georgia.

BEARING DOWN: Flying Squirrels starting pitcher Mike Kickham turned in his best outing of the season in last night's 2-0 win over Reading. Kickham limited the R-Phils to three hits in 8.1 innings of work. He established new career-highs in strikeouts (12) and innings pitched (8.1) last night. The former Missouri State Bear now has the single-game team-high for strikeouts this season, breaking Chris Heston's mark of 11 strikeouts (5/27 vs. TRN) and he matched Justin Fitzgerald for the longest outing by a Squirrels starter in 2012 (8.1 IP).

ME GUSTA MAYORA: Daniel Mayora's seventh inning solo home run proved to be the game-winning hit last night and it extended his current hitting streak to five games, Richmond's third baseman has enjoyed a stellar season and he has fared very well against Harrisburg. In ten games against the Senators, Mayora is batting .472 (17-for-36) with a home run, four doubles, seven RBIs and eight runs scored. For the season, Mayora is batting .301 with four home runs and a team-high 53 RBIs.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from August 3, 2012


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