EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Flying Squirrels Game Notes

Published on September 4, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF) (69-67)

vs.

Reading Fightin Phils (PHIL) (79-58)

Friday, September 4th -- 7:05 PM

The Diamond-- Richmond

Game #137 - Home Game #68

Radio: Fox Sports 910 (6:35 PM) Internet: FoxSportsRichmond.com

RHP Joan Gregorio (3-2, 3.34) vs. RHP Zack Eflin (8-6, 3.58)

Saturday,September 5th vs. REA 6:05 RHP Joe Biagini (10-6, 2.46) vs. RHP Jake Thompson (4-1, 2.08) Fox Sports 910/FoxSportsRichmond.com

Sunday, September 6th vs. REA 1:35 LHP Kelvin Marte (10-6, 2.69) vs. RHP Ben Lively (8-7. 4.31) Fox Sports 910/FoxSportsRichmond.com

Monday, September 7th vs. REA 12:05 LHP Matt Lujan (8-6, 3.28) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (2-4, 7.27) Fox Sports 910/FoxSportsRichmond.com

Tuesday, September 8th END OF REGULAR SEASON

SERIES AT A GLANCE: The Flying Squirrels begin the final series of the regular season against the Eastern Division winner Reading tonight. The Squirrels have revived their playoffs hopes with a pair of narrow victories the past two nights in Harrisburg. Richmond closer Derek Law navigated the ninth inning on Wednesday in a 3-2 win and then managed to pitch out of a bases loaded, nobody out situation in the ninth inning on Thursday in a 4-2 win. The Squirrels enter the final weekend of the year trailing the wild card leading Altoona Curve by two games. The Squirrels are also tied with Akron for third place in the division and hold the tie breaking scenarios over both Altoona and Akron if the teams end with the same amount of games out of first place. Reading arrives in the RVA for the second time this season, the first since sweeping the Squirrels on 4/27-4/29. Richmond is a woeful 2-8 against a Reading club that leads the Eastern League in wins (79). The Squirrels wrapped up their final road trip of the season last night by splitting a four game series against Harrisburg. Richmond went 5-3 on the trip to Akron and Harrisburg.

GIMMIE A BREAK: The Squirrels playoff hopes are still alive in large part to owning the tie breaking stats in every possible scenario. With three teams vying for the last spot available, it can get a bit tricky. As per the Eastern League here is the situation: Two-Way Ties: Akron vs. Altoona: Akron won the season series 12-10 and would win the tiebreaker. Akron vs. Richmond: Richmond won the season series 9-1 and would win the tiebreaker. Altoona vs. Richmond: Richmond outscored Altoona 68-62 in the season series and would win the tiebreaker. The season series was tied 10-10. Three-Way Ties: Richmond would win the tiebreaker in the event of a three-way tie between the clubs due to having the best head-to-head aggregate record. The aggregate records for each club are:Richmond: 19-11, Altoona: 20-22, Akron: 13-19

DOUBLE DOWN DEVIN: Squirrels slugger Devin Harris is finishing strong and has already set a new franchise record for doubles in a career. Harris clubbed 26 doubles in 2014 and has exceeded that mark in 2015 by hitting his 27th and 28th doubles in Harrisburg this week.. Harris has a combined 54 doubles in his Squirrels career and has surpassed Juan Perez (51) and Johnny Monell (51). Harris also connected on his 13th home run on Thursday, matching his total with Richmond last year. He has hit three homers over the past five games and has also grabbed a pair of three-hit games in that span.

LEADING OFF: It has been a constant shuffling for the Squirrels at the top of the order since the departure of shortstop Kelby Tomlinson earlier in the season. Tomlinson led off during 60 contests this season, still leading the team despite being gone since 6/25. Myles Schroder is second on the team in leadoff appearances (27) , slightly ahead of Engel Beltre (26). Rando Moreno jump started the Squirrels on the road trip and he has led off a total of 15 games. Moreno has led off for the Squirrels in eight of the past nine games and has gone 11-37 with six runs scored and five RBI in that stretch.

THE 1994 HIT MOVIE BLANKMAN: The Flying Squirrels were shutout for the league-leading 16th time on Tuesday in Harrisburg. Prior to this season Richmond had not been shutout on more then 11 occasions in a year (2012 & 2014).

RICKY SMASH: Ricky Oropesa was unstoppable to earn Player of the Week honors (8/24-8/30) with a soul crushing series against the Akron RubberDucks. Oropesa became the second player in Squirrels history to homer twice in an inning, joining outfielder Jarrett Parker as the only other player to do so (5/26/13 at Altoona.) During the four game series in Akron, Oropesa went 9-16, with five home runs and three doubles. He drove in 13 runs and homered twice in each of the final two games with a grand slam in both contests. Ricky drove in a career-high tying five runs on Saturday that included a pair of long balls off MLB rehab pitcher Gavin Floyd. It was the first five RBI game for a Squirrel since Mario Lisson drove in five on 7/4/14. He homered and hit a GS the next day with 5 more RBI

ONE MORE TIME: Ricky Oropesa is one homer away from tying the Flying Squirrels single-season record for home runs. He has matched Adam Duvall's total of 17 (2013) and is right on the heels of Jarrett Parker (18, 2013) & Mario Lisson (18, 2014). Lisson holds the single season RBI record as well with 76 batted in last year. Oropesa currently has 74 RBI, tied with Josh Rodriguez for Second in the league. Brock Stassi of Reading leads the league with 90.

PUXATONY PHIL: It must seem like Groundhog Day for the Squirrels oft-used lefty reliever Phil McCormick. McCormick leads the League in appearances (56) and has been amongst the league leaders in the past two seasons. He missed leading the league last year by one outing to teammate Edwin Quirarte (51). McCormick has not allowed a run since 7/30 against Binghamton, a span of 14 outings and 12.2 innings.

UPCOMING HOMESTAND PROMOTIONS: With only four home games remaining in the 2015 regular season, the Squirrels have the following promotional schedule in place: (9/4) Free Shirt Fridays, Happy Hour & Ladies Night. (9/5) Superblast Saturday and 20th Anniversary of Billy Madison. (9/6) Kids Club Metal Lunchbox Giveaway. (9/7) Bark In the Park #3 - Labor Day.

RICHMOND STARTING PITCHER: Joan Gregorio (3-2, 3.34)

Joan, 23, will make his 9th start of the season and his 37 appearance of the year. Joan was moved into the rotation in a spot start on 7/11 and has stayed ever since. He was transitioning from the rotation to the bullpen to start the year. Gregorio will be pitching on five days rest and last time out earned the win on Saturday in Akron with five innings and three runs allowed.

READING STARTING PITCHER: RHP Zack Eflin (8-6, 3.58)

Eflin, 21, will make his 23rd start of the season and his third against the Flying Squirrels. Eflin will be working on normal four days rest and last time out earned the win on Sunday against Bowie despite allowing nine hits and five runs over five innings. The righty was selected in the supplemental round of the 2012 draft (33rd overall) by the Padres out of Hagerty High in Florida. Eflin was shipped around in a quasi three team deal that first sent him to the Dodgers along with C Yasmani Grandal and RHP Joe Wieland to for OF Matt Kemp and C Tim Federowicz. One day later the Dodgers flipped him to the Phillies for SS Jimmie Rollings. Eflin has allowed only two runs on five hits over 15 innings pitched in his two starts against Richmond this season.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from September 4, 2015


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