EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Perez Powers Squirrels Past Senators, 8-5

Published on July 21, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels (51-45) took the lead with a five-run fourth inning and held off the Harrisburg Senators (56-41), 8-5, in front of a capacity crowd of 9,560 at The Diamond on Thursday night.

Adam Fox put the Senators on top first when he came up against Squirrels' left-hander Clayton Tanner in the second inning. Fox clubbed his third home run of the season over the left-field wall for a 1-0 advantage.

Sharlon Schoop answered for the Squirrels with his first home run of the season off of Harrisburg right-hander Erik Davis. The solo-shot to left field came with one out in the second inning, and tied the game, 1-1.

The long-ball again put Harrisburg ahead in the top of the fourth inning. Tyler Moore led off the inning and belted his league-leading 22nd of the season off of Tanner. The solo-home run to left field pulled the Sens back in front, 2-1. It was Moore's fourth home run of the season against Richmond.

Charlie Culberson sparked the big inning in the ballgame for the Squirrels with a lead-off single against Davis in the bottom of the fourth. Davis retired Roger Kieschnick and Chris Dominguez, but with two outs, the flood-gates opened. With Culberson running, Wes Hodges rifled an RBI double into the right-center field alley to tie the game, 2-2. Davis walked Johnny Monell, and Juan Perez cleared the bases with a two-run double that put the Squirrels in front for the first time, 4-2. The Senators opted to intentionally-walk Schoop and the Squirrels pinch-hit for Tanner with Wendell Fairley. He responded with an RBI single to center field, bringing in Perez. Francisco Peguero, the ninth man to the plate in the inning, sent a chopper back up the middle that the shortstop Chris McConnell couldn't handle cleanly. Schoop scored on the error, capping the inning with the Squirrels in front, 6-2.

On a limited pitch-count in his first start back from the disabled list, Tanner worked four innings. He left with the lead, but didn't factor in the decision. He threw 56 pitches, allowing two earned runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out three.

Right-hander Edwin Quirarte (1-2) came on in relief of Tanner in the fifth, and conceded a two-out triple to Derek Norris. Bill Rhinehart followed with a double to pull the Senators back within three runs, 6-3.

Davis returned for the fifth and was greeted by a Kieschnick double into left-center field. Two batters later, Davis walked Monell. Perez followed and cracked a two-run double to left field, a ball that was misplayed by Harrisburg left-fielder Bryce Harper. Kieschnick and Monell both scored and the Squirrels led 8-3.

Davis (5-5) departed following the Perez double, having allowed eight runs - seven earned - over 4 2/3 innings. He conceded seven hits, walked three and struck out four as he lost at The Diamond for the second time on the season.

Harper led off the Harrisburg sixth with a single off of Quirarte. Quirarte got the first out of the inning, but Stephen King cracked a two-run home run to left field to again cut the Richmond lead to three runs, 8-5. Despite the runs, Quirarte earned his first Double-A win over two innings of relief.

Right-hander Mitch Lively worked two scoreless innings of relief in his first appearance of the season for the Squirrels. He handed it off to right-hander Heath Hembree, who worked a scoreless ninth for his eighth save with the Squirrels.

The Squirrels and Senators will play the first of back-to-back doubleheaders on Friday night with game one beginning at 5:35 PM. RHP Justin Fitzgerald (6-5, 3.46) will make the start in game one for Richmond against LHP Oliver Perez (2-1, 3.48) for Harrisburg. RHP Daryl Maday (Harrisburg will throw RHP Jimmy Barthmaier (2-3, 6.19) in the nightcap. For tickets or more information, log on to SquirrelsBaseball.com.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from July 21, 2011


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