Flying Squirrels Game Notes vs. Binghamton
Published on July 5, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release
Richmond Flying Squirrels (41-44) vs. Binghamton Mets (37-46)
Thursday, July 5th -- 7:05 PM
The Diamond -- Richmond, VA
Game # 86 - Home Game # 40
Radio: Sports Radio 910 AM (6:35 PM) Internet: sportsradio910.com
RHP Chris Heston (6-3, 1.89) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (7-4, 2.74)
SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Flying Squirrels will seek their fifth straight win when they take on the Binghamton Mets in game two of a three-game series at The Diamond tonight. Last night, Tommy Joseph went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs and Gary Brown added three hits and three RBIs as Richmond defeated the B-Mets 9-4 in front of a sold-out Independence Day crowd of 9,560 fans Wednesday night. With the win, the Squirrels matched the club's longest winning streak of the season. 10 of Richmond's 12 hits went for extra bases, the most the Flying Squirrels have tallied in a single game all season. Squirrels starter Craig Westcott (7-6) allowed seven hits and three earned runs along with three walks and three strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched en route to earning his seventh win of the season. B-Mets starter Greg Peavey (3-6) took the loss after allowing eight hits and six earned runs along with two walks and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched. The Flying Squirrels went 3-3 against Binghamton in 2011 including a 2-1 mark at The Diamond. Richmond is 6-7 all-time against the B-Mets and the club is 3-3 all-time in the River City. The two teams will meet six times in 2012, three times in Binghamton and three times in Richmond. Following this three-game series, the Flying Squirrels and B-Mets will meet again at Binghamton's NYSEG Stadium for a three-game series, August 17-19.
TODAY'S PITCHERS: RHP Chris Heston vs. RHP Zack Wheeler Heston: Makes his seventeenth start for the Flying Squirrels tonight. In his last start, Heston allowed a season-high eight hits and four runs, three of which were earned along with one walk and two strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched at Akron Saturday. He received a no-decision in Richmond's 6-4 setback. Tonight's game will be Heston's first career start against Binghamton. The right-hander currently leads the Eastern League in earned run average (1.89) and WHIP (1.02) and he ranks second in the circuit in strikeouts (88). Additionally, Heston is currently fourth in the league in opponents' batting average (.220). Heston was recently named a 2012 Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star. Last season, Heston went 12-4 and posted a 3.16 ERA, which led the California League, in 24 starts with Advanced-A San Jose. His 12 wins tied him for second in the circuit behind current Squirrels teammate Craig Westcott. As a result, the 24-year-old right-hander was named a California League Mid-Season All-Star. Heston's success in San Jose came on the heels of a middling season with Low-A Augusta, in which he compiled a 5-13 mark with a 3.75 ERA in 26 starts in 2010. Heston owns a 24-25 record with a 3.16 ERA in 77 career minor league appearances, including 72 starts. The Palm Bay, Fla. native was originally selected by Minnesota in the 47th round of the 2007 June Draft, but he did not sign. He also did not sign after being picked by Washington in the 29th round of the 2008 June Draft. He signed with San Francisco after the Giants selected him in the 12th round of the 2009 June Draft out of East Carolina University.
Wheeler: Makes his fifteenth start of the season for Binghamton tonight. In his last start, Wheeler allowed a season-high nine hits and seven runs, six of which were earned, along with three walks and five strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched against Altoona Saturday.
He took the loss in the B-Mets' 8-2 setback. The right-hander opened the 2011 campaign in the Giants organization and he went 7-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 16 starts with Advanced-A San Jose. He was acquired by the Mets in a trade that sent Carlos Beltran to San Francisco on July 28, 2011. Following the trade, Wheeler went 2-2 with a 2.00 ERA in six starts with Advanced-A St. Lucie. Tonight's game will be his first career start against the Flying Squirrels. Wheeler is currently leading the Eastern League in opponents' batting average (.203) and he ranks fourth in the circuit in ERA (2.74) and strikeouts (82). He boasts a career record of 19-14 with a 3.37 ERA in 57 appearances, including 49 starts. Wheeler was originally selected by San Francisco in the first round of the 2009 June Draft out of East Paulding (GA) High School.
THUMBS UP: Since coming off the Disabled List and returning from a left thumb injury, shortstop Ehire Adrianza is batting .367 (11-for-30) with four doubles, a home run, four RBIs and seven runs scored. His home run last night was his second of the season and his second in his last 11 games. Since June 6th, the 22-year-old is batting .316 (18-for-57) and has posted six of his 13 multi-hit games this season while raising his batting average from .179 to .211. He has posted three straight multi-hit games entering tonight's contest.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?: Gary Brown continues to produce at the plate. After going 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs last night, Brown, who recently had a team-high 12-game hitting streak, has now hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games. He has reached base in 21 consecutive games, the longest on-base streak for a Flying Squirrel batter in 2012. During this stretch, Brown is batting .405 (30-for-74) with a home run, a triple, ten doubles, nine RBIs and 16 runs. Additionally, he is 6-for-8 in stolen base attempts during this period and has raised his overall average from .236 on June 15 to .273 as of today.
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