EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes May 9, 2010

Published on May 9, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


TODAY: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Harrisburg Senators will meet in the finale of a three-game series...The Flying Squirrels broke through a scoreless tie on a two-out, solo home run from Michael Ambort in the top fo the eighth inning to blank the Senators 1-0 on Saturday night at Metro Bank Park.

TODAY'S STARTER: Left-hander Craig Clark gets the start in game three of the series for the Flying Squirrels...Suffered his second loss of the season in his last outing on 5/4 against Altoona...Allowed eight runs, five earned, on eight hits in just 3 2/3 innings...Struck out one and walked three...Eight runs allowed were the most by Richmond pitcher this season and most allowed by Clark in his pro career...Eight hits allowed matched a career-high...3 2/3 innings of work was the shortest outing for a Flying Squirrels starter this season...Allowed five runs, two earned, on four hits in the top of the fourth inning...Fifth run scored after he departed the game...Threw 82 pitches, 48 strikes...Went three balls in the count to six of the 22 batters he faced...Allowed the leadoff man to reach in three of his four innings on the mound...Recorded six fly outs, three ground outs, and one strike out...Has received just six runs of support in his five starts (1.2R/GS)...Is 1-for-4 at the plate with a double...Hit came off of Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton.

Right-hander Jeff Mandel gets the nod in game three of the series for the Senators...Took the loss in his last start on 5/4 against Bowie...Allowed five runs, four earned, on a season-high 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings...Struck out four and walked two...Saw his ERA raise from 3.54 to 4.21...Has received just four runs of support in his five starts with the Senators...Made a spot start for Triple-A Syracuse on 4/29 at Toledo...Gave up just one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings while striking out two and walking three...Did not factor in to the decision...Began the 2009 season with Advanced-A Potomac...Went 8-4 with a 3.61 ERA in 17 starts...Named a Carolina League All-Star...Made eight starts with Harrisburg and went 4-2 with a 2.94 ERA...Participated in the Arizona Fall League with Phoenix...Went 0-0 with a 1.88 ERA in 10 relief appearances...Struck out 10 and walked none in 14 1/3 innings...Selected by the Washington Nationals in the 19th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft...Attended Baylor University.

CLEAN SWEEP?: Richmond is aiming for its fourth series sweep of the season...The club has swept New Britain twice (4/19-4/21 and 4/27-4/28) and Bowie once (4/30-5/2) in three-game series...The Flying Squirrels are 4-4 in series finales.

RISING WATER: At 18-11, the Flying Squirrels have reached their high-water mark of the season at seven games over .500...Richmond's low-water mark was five games under .500 at 1-6...Since the 1-6 start, the Flying Squirrels are 17-5 over their last 22 games.

MAKING THEIR PITCH: The Flying Squirrels' pitching staff leads the Eastern League with a 2.51 ERA...The club has also allowed an Eastern League-low 79 runs...The 208 hits allowed by Richmond are second-fewest in the league (Trenton-202)...Flying Squirrel pitching has allowed just 33 runs, 30 earned, on 113 hits over 158 innings in the club's 18 wins (1.71 ERA)...In the team's 11 losses, the pitchers have allowed 48 runs, 43 earned, on 101 hits over 96 2/3 innings (4.00 ERA)...Richmond pitching leads the Eastern League with five shutouts.

PLAY LIKE CLAY: Outfielder Clay Timpner has hits in each of his last nine contests, his second hit streak of at least five games...The 26-year-old is hitting .516 (16-for-31) over the course of the streak with four doubles, 10 RBI, and four runs scored...He drove in at least one run in seven straight games (4/28-5/5)...Went 13-for-25 (.520) with four doubles, nine RBI, and three runs scored on the previous seven-game homestand...Timpner is batting .478 (11-for-23) with runners in scoring position...He has made two starts at first base (5/6, 5/7) for the first time in his career.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: Richmond improved to 11-3 at The Diamond after its 2-1, 11-inning win over Altoona on 5/6...After finishing their second homestand 5-2, the Flying Squirrels were the first Eastern League team to have reached double-digits in wins at home...The club has a .786 winning percentage at home, tops in the league.

DOUBLETREE DOWNTOWN DOUBLE PLAYS: The Richmond Flying Squirrels have turned 41 double plays in their first 29 games including six on 5/7 in Harrisburg...The club leads the Eastern League in double plays turned.

DIAMOND DEFENSE: The Flying Squirrels have committed just 12 errors in their first 29 games...Richmond has committed the fewest errors in the Eastern League and currently leads the league with a .989 fielding percentage...Harrisburg is tied with Bowie and Altoona for the most errors committed (31) in the league and is tied with Altoona for the worst fielding percentage (.972).

CFS STAT OF THE NIGHT: Michael Ambort's home run in the top of the eighth inning was his first since going deep on April 12, 2009 against Stockton...Ambort had not homered in 171 at-bats spanning 50 games...The 24-year-old departed Lamar University as the school's all-time career home run leader with 38.

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Eastern League Stories from May 9, 2010


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