EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes

May 11, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (19-12) VS. BOWIE BAYSOX (15-17)

LHP CLAYTON TANNER (2-2, 2.03) VS. RHP CHORYE SPOONE (1-4, 6.21)

May 11, 2010 -- 7:05 PM

Prince George's Stadium

Game #32/Road #18

Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL

Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com

TONIGHT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Bowie Baysox will meet in game two of a three-game series...The Flying Squirrels rallied from a 4-0 deficit to knock off Baysox 5-4 in the opener of the series on Monday night at Prince George's Stadium.

TONIGHT'S STARTER: Left-hander Clayton Tanner gets the start in game two of the series for the Flying Squirrels...Received a no-decision after allowing just one run on three hits over six innings of work against Altoona 5/6...Struck out two and walked four...Lone run and two of the three hits allowed came in the first inning...Retired 12 straight and 13 of 14 batters after issuing a two-out walk to Alex Presley in the first inning...Six innings of work marked his longest outing of the season...Four walks matched a season-high...Threw 92 pitches, 50 strikes...Threw 25 pitches in the first inning...Recorded 10 ground outs, five fly outs, and two strike outs...Ranked 4th in the Eastern League with a 2.03 ERA...Is 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA against the Baysox (3R/1ER in 10 1/3 IP), allowing just six hits while striking out five and walking two.

Right-hander Chorye Spoone gets the nod in game two of the series for the Baysox...Has lost each of his last four starts including 5/1 at The Diamond when he allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits in four innings...Has allowed 42 hits in 29 innings on the mound (.356 BAA)...Has walked 19 and struck out just eight...Tied for fourth-most walks allowed in the Eastern League...Made his 2010 debut against Richmond 4/10...Allowed two runs on six hits in four innings...Stuck out two and walked two, but did not factor into the decision...Made 10 starts in 2009 at three different levels (Rookie, SS-A, Adv-A) coming back from shoulder surgery in 2008...Selected in the 8th round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft...Attended Catonsville Community College (MD).

RISING WATER: With a 19-12 record, the Flying Squirrels have matched their high-water mark for the season at seven games over .500...Since starting the season 1-6, Richmond has gone 18-6 over its last 24 games (.750)...The club is 5-1-1 over its last seven series after dropping each of the first two to start the season.

NO NEAL-ING DOWN: Outfielder Thomas Neal has hits in each of his last six games, his longest hitting streak of the season...The 22-year-old is 8-for-25 (.320) over his last six games with four RBI and a run scored...Neal has raised his batting average from .223 to .244 over the course of the streak...He has appeared in all 31 games for the Flying Squirrels this season including 27 games in left field and four games as the designated hitter.

JUST CALL HIM K-RAIG: Right-hander Craig Whitaker struck out four Baysox batters in his 2 1/3 innings last night...The 25-year-old has now struck out 17 batters in 14 innings...His 10.93 K/9IP ranks fifth in the Eastern League...The former first-round pick has held opposing hitters to a .163 batting average against.

SAVING GRACE: Right-hander Rafael Cova is second in the Eastern League in saves with eight...He has converted on all of his save opportunities...The 28-year-old currently has not allowed a run over his last 7 2/3 innings on the mound and has not allowed an earned run yet this season...The lone run he has allowed was unearned in the bottom of the 14th inning on April 13th at Altoona leading to his only loss.

MAKING THEIR PITCH: The Flying Squirrels' pitching staff leads the Eastern League with a 2.65 ERA...The club has also allowed an Eastern League-low 89 runs...The 221 hits allowed by Richmond are second-fewest in the league (Trenton-219)...Flying Squirrel pitching has allowed just 37 runs, 34 earned, on 118 hits over 167 innings in the club's 19 wins (1.83 ERA)...In the team's 12 losses, the pitchers have allowed 54 runs, 48 earned, on 109 hits over 104 2/3 innings (4.13 ERA)...Richmond pitching leads the Eastern League with five shutouts.

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 42 double plays in their first 31 games including six on 5/7 in Harrisburg...The club leads the Eastern League in double plays turned.

ERROR MESSAGE: The Flying Squirrels have committed just 15 errors in their first 31 games...Richmond has committed the fewest errors in the Eastern League and currently leads the league with a .988 fielding percentage...Bowie is tied with Erie with the most errors in the league (34).

CFS STAT OF THE NIGHT: The Flying Squirrels overcame their largest deficit of the season last night when the club came back from four runs down to defeat the Baysox 5-4...It was also the first time Richmond had won when trailing after five innings...The team was previously 0-9 when trailing after five...The four runs scored in the top of the seventh inning last night were the most in a single inning by the Flying Squirrels this season.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics



Eastern League Stories from May 11, 2010


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