EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes

Published on July 31, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (51-55) VS. ALTOONA CURVE (60-45)

RHP DAVID MIXON (10-6, 3.69) VS. LHP JEFF LOCKE (1-0, 1.59)

July 31, 2010 -- 6:35 PM

The Diamond

Game #107/Home #57

Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL

Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com

TONIGHT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Altoona Curve will meet in game three of a four-game series...The Flying Squirrels rallied for four runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth and never looked back in an 8-4 win over the Curve on Friday night at The Diamond.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: Right-hander David Mixon gets the start in game three of the series for the Flying Squirrels...Suffered the loss in his last start against Reading 7/26...Allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings...Struck out three batters and walked one...Five of the 12 hits he allowed went for extra bases including four doubles and a home run...Allowed the leadoff batter to reach in four of his five innings on the mound...Leadoff man scored in all four of those innings...Recorded seven ground outs and four fly outs...Threw 90 pitches, 62 strikes...Set career-highs in runs, earned runs, and hits allowed...Twelve hits allowed were a season-high for a Flying Squirrels pitcher...Eight runs, seven earned runs matched season-highs for a Flying Squirrels pitcher...Has gone at least six innings in 14 of his 21 starts...Has allowed two runs or less in 15 of his 20 outings...Ranks fifth among starters in the Eastern League in fewest walks per nine innings at 1.98 (28BB/127.0 IP)...Is fourth in the Eastern League innings pitched (127.0), and is tied for ninth in strikeouts (92)....Trying to become just the second pitcher in the Eastern League to 11 wins (Jared Hughes).

Left-hander Jeff Locke gets the nod in game three of the series for the Curve...Received a no-decision in his last start at Erie 7/26...Allowed two runs on five hits in six innings...Struck out nine batters and walked none...Has struck out 17 batters and walked two in 17 innings of work with the Curve...Eastern League opponents hitting .222 against him...Promoted from Advanced-A Bradenton 7/12...Went 9-3 with a 3.54 ERA in 17 starts with the Marauders...Struck out 83 batters and walked 14 in 86 1/3 innings...Was named a Florida State League Mid-Season All-Star...Has not lost since 6/1 against Lakeland...Is 5-0 with a 2.31 ERA over his last nine starts between Bradenton and Altoona...Has allowed 15 runs, 13 earned, on 42 hits over his last 50 2/3 innings...Has struck out 53 batters and has walked five over that span...Went 4-4 with a 4.08 ERA in 17 starts with Advanced-A Lynchburg following the trade from the Braves to the Pirates...Struck out 56 batters and walked 18 in 81 2/3 innings...Won the Carolina League Championship with the Hillcats...Began the 2009 season with Advanced-A Myrtle Beach and went 1-5 with a 5.52 ERA in 10 starts...Struck out 43 batters and walked 26 in 45 2/3 innings...Went 5-12 with a 4.06 ERA in 25 games, 24 starts, in his first full season with Low-A Rome in 2008...Struck out 113 and walked 38 batters in 139 2/3 innings...Acquired along with outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and right-hander Charlie Morton in exchange for outfielder Nate McLouth 6/3/09...Originally selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft...Enters the 2010 season rated as the #13 prospect in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system according to Baseball America.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?: Richmond has scored eight of its 12 runs with two outs in an inning through the first two games of the series with Altoona...All four runs scored by the club in the series opener came with two outs and the four runs in the fifth inning last night occurred with two outs.

SALES PITCH: The Flying Squirrels have a combined staff ERA of 1.84 (28 ER/136 2/3 IP) in each of their last 15 victories...In the club's last four losses, the staff's ERA is 8.50 (34 ER/36 IP) and the starters did not make it out of the fifth inning...Richmond has won each of its last eight games when a starter goes six innings or more...Overall on the season, the Flying Squirrels are 32-16 when a starter goes six innings or more.

THE WEATHER MAN: Third baseman Conor Gillaspie has a six-game hitting streak over which he is 12-for-22 (.545) with two doubles, a triple, a home run, four RBI, and four runs scored...His home run last was his first since 5/7 at Harrisburg, spanning 72 games and 261 at-bats...The 23-year-old also has hits in 13 of his last 14 games in which he has had an official at-bat including a season-long seven-game hit streak (7/11-7/22)...In 25 games this month, he is hitting .400 (32-for-80); with seven of his 32 hits in July have going for extra bases (three doubles, three triples, and a home run)...He has walked 11 times and has struck out nine times so far this month.

ONE HOT COUGAR: Shortstop Ryan Lormand is 8-for-17 (.471) over his last four games with four doubles, a RBI, and three runs scored...The University of Houston product has raised his overall batting average from .219 to .247 over the last four games.

THOMAS THE TRAIN: Outfielder Thomas Neal is 8-for-18 (.444) over his last four games with a home run, five RBI, seven runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases...The 22-year-old is hitting .346 (36-for-104) against left-handed pitchers while batting .267 (78-for-292) against right-handed pitchers...Neal is hitting .318 (62-for-195) with 16 doubles, seven home runs, and 31 RBI in 53 games since 6/1...He began the season by hitting .259 (52-for-201) with 11 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 24 RBI in 51 games through 5/31...The California-native is tied for fourth in the Eastern League with 114 hits.

UNBUCKLING THE BELT: In 101 games combined between Advanced-A San Jose and Double-A Richmond, first baseman Brandon Belt leads all of minor league baseball in on-base percentage (.472), is second in batting average (.375), third in slugging percentage (.639), and is fifth in hits (136).

DOUBLETREE DOWNTOWN DOUBLE PLAYS: The Richmond Flying Squirrels have turned 131 double plays in 106 games including six on 5/7 in Harrisburg...The Flying Squirrels have not gone more than three games without a double play this season...The club leads the Eastern League in double plays turned.

CFS STAT OF THE NIGHT: The Flying Squirrels scored six runs in support of last night's starter Mike MacDonald which matched a season-high...The club scored six runs in support of MacDonald on 6/22 at Akron, his last win...Richmond had previously averaged just 1.88 runs of support during the 28-year-old's previous 16 starts...The Flying Squirrels improved to 4-13 in MacDonald starts.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from July 31, 2010


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