EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes

Published on August 8, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (55-58) VS. PORTLAND SEA DOGS (54-59)

RHP CRAIG WESTCOTT (3-1, 3.82) VS. RHP STEPHEN FIFE (6-3, 4.25)

August 8, 2010 -- 1:00 PM

Hadlock Field

Game #114/Road #56

Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL

Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com

TODAY: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Portland Sea Dogs will meet in the finale of a three-game series...The Sea Dogs scored eight runs in the first three innings and held on to a 9-6 win over the Flying Squirrels in game two of the series on Saturday night at Hadlock Field.

TODAY'S STARTERS: Right-hander Craig Westcott gets the start in game three of the series for the Flying Squirrels...Received a no-decision in his last start at New Hampshire 8/3...Allowed two runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings...Struck out four batters and walked one...All five hits allowed were singles...Retired eight of the first nine batters he faced...Both runs scored with two outs in an inning...Recorded five ground outs and five fly outs...Threw 78 pitches, 53 strikes...Threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of the 21 batters that he faced...Has allowed seven runs on 14 hits in nine innings spanning his last two starts (.341 OBA)...Failed to go five innings for the fourth time in 19 starts this season...Is 15-1 with a 2.48 ERA (40 er/145.0 ip) in 33 games, 26 starts, as a pro...Team is 22-4 in his 26 career starts... Began season with Advanced-A San Jose...Went 6-0 with a 1.83 ERA in 13 starts...Struck out 53 batters and walked 32...Ranked second in the California League in ERA and was fourth in batting average against (.242)...Began the season tossing 18 consecutive scoreless innings spanning four starts (4/9-4/29)...Club was 12-1 in his 13 starts...Was named an California League Mid-Season All-Star...Was the starting pitcher and struck out the side... Selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 30th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft...Attended Belhaven College in Jackson, MS...Was named the 2009 Cellular South Ferriss Trophy as Mississippi's top collegiate baseball player as voted on by Major League scouts, coaches, and media members...Selected 2009 GCAC Pitcher of the Year and was named the GCAC All-Conference Team...Also named a NAIA Second Team All American in 2009.

Right-hander Stephen Fife gets the nod in game three of the series for the Sea Dogs...Received a no-decision in his last outing against Bowie...Allowed five runs on nine hits in three innings...Struck out three batters and walked three...Is 0-1 with a 8.40 ERA in his last three starts, allowing 15 runs, 14 earned, on 26 hits in 15 innings...Is 3-3 with a 5.54 ERA in 10 starts at home...Is 3-0 with a 3.05 ERA in 10 starts on the road...Has allowed two runs or fewer in 10 of his 20 starts this season...Left-handed hitters are batting .237 against him (52-for-219) while right-handed hitters are batting .287 (58-for-202) against him...Opposing hitters are batting .314 (59-for-188) against him with runners on base and are batting .219 (51-for-233) with the bases empty...Named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star...Was unable to pitch in the game and was replaced by teammate Jason Rice...Went 3-2 with a 4.44 ERA in 10 starts with Advanced-A Salem in 2009...Struck out 51 batters and walked 10 in 50 2/3 innings...Began the 2009 season with Low-A Greenville and went 0-3 with a 2.70 ERA in eight starts...Struck out 35 batters and walked four in 36 2/3 innings...Made his pro debut with Short Season-A Lowell in 2008...Went 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in 14 appearances, all in relief...Selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 3rd round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft...Attended the University of Utah...Enters the 2010 season rated as the #17 prospect in the Boston Red Sox farm system according to Baseball America.

COLLECTORS SERIES: Richmond is trying to win three consecutive series for the first time this season...The club recently took three of four from Altoona followed by winning two of three at New Hampshire...The club has won back-to-back series for the first time since 5/7-5/12 when the club won consecutive three-game sets at Harrisburg and Bowie...Since the All-Star break, the Flying Squirrels are 13-10 and have gone 3-1-2 in the six series that they have played.

DOUBLE DOWN: Nine of the Flying Squirrels' 13 hits in last night's loss at Portland went for extra bases, all doubles...It was the most extra-base hits in a game for Richmond this season...The Flying Squirrels hit four straight doubles to start the top of the sixth inning, the most consecutive extra-base hits this season...The club recorded five straight hits in the inning, which matched a season-high for most consecutive hits in a frame...Outfielder Thomas Neal is tied for eighth in the Eastern League with 29 doubles...The Flying Squirrels rank second-to-last in the league in doubles (177) and extra-base hits (272) leading only New Britain.

STANDING "O": The Flying Squirrels have scored 23 runs over the past three games, their most runs scored in three consecutive games this season...The previous high for most runs scored by the Flying Squirrels over a three-game stretch was 21 7/21-7/23...Richmond also posted its third consecutive double-digit hit output last night as the club has combined for 37 hits over the last three games...It's the most games with double-digit hits since the Flying Squirrels notched 10-plus hits in four straight games 7/15-7/18.

MOUND MATTERS: The Flying Squirrels have a combined staff ERA of 1.79 (35 er/176 ip) in each of their last 19 victories...The Flying Squirrels are 10-48 when allowing four runs or more and 0-30 when giving up six runs or more.

UNBUCKLING THE BELT: In 108 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 (.468), is second in batting average (.369), is third in slugging percentage (.633), and is fourth in hits (144)...The 22-year-old is batting .438 (14-for-32) with runners in scoring position in 31 games with the Flying Squirrels and is hitting .395 (47-for-119) overall with runners in scoring position this season.

DOUBLETREE DOWNTOWN DOUBLE PLAYS: The Richmond Flying Squirrels have turned 140 double plays in 113 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.

FOR THE RECORD: Richmond is 10-9 in day games...The club is 3-6 in rubber matches but has won two of its last three series-deciding games...The Flying Squirrels are 14-18 in series finales.

CFS STAT OF THE NIGHT: Left-hander Clayton Tanner matched career-highs by allowing seven earned runs and 11 hits in last night's 9-6 loss to Portland...The 22-year-old also allowed seven earned runs 8/28/07 against Greenville while with Low-A Augusta and he also allowed 11 hits 9/3/07 at Kannapolis while with the GreenJackets.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from August 8, 2010


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