EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Flying Squirrels Game Notes: vs. Reading

Published on April 27, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF) (3-11) vs. Reading Fightin Phils (PHI) (9-7)

Monday, April 27th -- 6:35 PM

The Diamond -- Richmond, VA

Game #15 - Home Game #10

Radio: Fox Sports 910 (6:00 PM) Internet: FoxSportsRichmond.com

RHP Joe Biagini (0-1, 2.53) vs. RHP Ben Lively (0-0, 2.25)

SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Squirrels enter their second series of the season against the Reading Fightin Phils on a franchise-record nine-game losing streak. The streak began on 4/15 against the Altoona Curve and has continued through three additional series. That includes a three-game sweep suffered at the hands of the Fightins in Baseballtown. That series marked the first of three straight sets in which the Squirrels have been swept, also a franchise-record. Reading is an exciting club at the outset of the season as they boast an all-prospect rotation, considered one of the finest at any level of minor league baseball. That rotation includes tonight's starting pitcher, RHP Ben Lively (Bio Below). The Squirrels did not see Lively in Reading, however they did face the two starters they will face (RHP Aaron Nola, LHP Jesse Biddle) in the final two games of the series. RHP Joe Biagini makes his third start for Richmond, looking for his first win. Biagini did not face the Fightins during the three-game set at FirstEnergy Stadium.

SLIDING DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE: Since getting off to the first 2-0 start in franchise history, the Squirrels have struggled mightily. They have dropped 11 of their last 12 games, including their current nine-game losing skid. During the nine-game slide, the Squirrels have been outscored 54-23, enduring their first three blowout (5+ run differential) losses, and have also been shut out twice. Richmond is currently spending their eighth straight day in the Western Division cellar, and they are a season-worst 6.5 games behind division-leading Altoona. Should the Squirrels lose today, they would extend their now franchise record losing skid to 10 games. The Squirrels' previous franchise mark for consecutive losses was seven games. They last lost seven straight from July 8th-July 15th, 2013. They also dropped seven straight in 2010.

FLIP THE SWITCH...PLEASE: The Flying Squirrels reside in the cellar of the Western Division, and a large reason why has been a sputtering offense. The Squirrels are currently batting .209 (101-484) as a club, which places them last in the Eastern League. In fact, the Squirrels are firmly in that position, as the next lightest team average in the circuit belongs to the Harrisburg Senators (.229).

MARSHA, MARSHA, MARSHA: Being a middle child is tough. The middle innings have been tougher thus far for the Squirrels. If you want to dissect the team's troubles thus far this season, you have to look no further than innings 3-5. During those three frames, the Squirrels are a -25 in run differential. In the 3rd inning they have been outscored 12-2. They scored their first run of the year in the 4th inning on Sunday, but are still being outpaced, 11-1, in that frame. They have plated just two runs in the 5th, and have been outscored 7-2 in that inning. Richmond's finest inning has been the 7th, where they hold a 12-4 (+8) advantage.

OFFENSIVE DEFENSE: Richmond has struggled in all phases en route to their current 3-11 record, and that includes defense. The Squirrels currently have the lowest fielding percentage (.965) of any club in the Eastern League, and have also committed the most errors in the loop (20). Additionally, the Squirrels have had four passed balls, which is tied for the most in the league.

KELBY THE KONQUERER: Kelby Tomlinson has been without question the offensive catalyst for the Squirrels thus far this season. Tomlinson shares the team-lead (Mitch Delfino) with six multiple-hit games, and has already racked up four three-hit games in the team's first 14 contests. He also blasted his first home run of the season last week in Reading. He only hit one home run all of last season, and that didn't occur until August 2nd at Peoples Natural Gas Stadium in Altoona, PA. Tomlinson is the only Squirrel regular over .300 in batting average (.351), while leading in hits (21), RBIs (9), total bases (28) and OBP (.422). He is also tied for the team-lead in extra-base hits with five. He currently sits fifth in the league in batting average.

IT TAKES TWO BABY: Along with the Squirrels carrying the lowest team batting average in the league by 20 points, they also pace the circuit in double plays grounded into. Richmond has grounded into 17 twin-killings thus far this season, three more than the Binghamton Mets and Reading Fightin Phils. 2013 Squirrels' MVP Javier Herrera has hit into the most double plays, having bounced into four of them. Four additional Squirrels have hit into two.

NEW BRITAIN STARTING PITCHER: RHP Ben Lively (1-2, 4.41)

Lively, 23, was originally a 4th round selection of the Cincinnati Reds out of Central Florida University in the 2012 draft. He spent the first two seasons of his professional career in the Reds' chain, and climbed the ladder quickly. He opened 2014 in Advanced-A Bakersfield, but forced a promotion to Double-A in just his second professional season by posting a 10-1 record and 2.28 ERA in 13 sterling starts. He certainly wasn't overmatched at Double-A Pensacola either, making 13 starts for the Blue Wahoos and recording a 3.88 ERA. He is noted for his deceptive delivery that has allowed him to rack up 227 strikeouts in just 192 minor league innings entering this season. Baseball America touted him as the #12 prospect in the Reds' chain prior to him being dealt to the Phillies, which he was for veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd on New Year's Eve (12/31/14). A surprised Lively was quoted immediately after the trade as saying "Welcome to baseball, I guess," and "It was like, Happy New Year." Just weeks prior to being traded, the Reds had named Lively as their 2014 minor league player of the year. He is off to a nice start in his new organization, and has turned in quality starts in each of his first two outings. That includes six innings of shutout ball against the Akron RubberDucks in his latest start. In that appearance, he allowed just three hits, walked three and struck out five.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from April 27, 2015


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