EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes

Published on August 18, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (59-61) VS. NEW BRITAIN ROCK CATS (35-87)

RHP MIKE MACDONALD (4-7, 4.14) VS. RHP CHRIS PROVINCE (5-5, 5.22)

August 18, 2010 -- 7:05 PM

New Britain Stadium

Game #121/Road #58

Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL

Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com

TONIGHT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and the New Britain Rock Cats will meet in the opener of a three-game series...The Rock Cats never trailed and snapped a six-game losing streak in an 8-5, series-opening win over the Flying Squirrels on Tuesday night.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: Right-hander Mike MacDonald gets the start in game two of the series for the Flying Squirrels...Received a no-decision in his last outing against New Hampshire 8/11...Allowed one run on five hits in six innings plus one batter...Struck out four batters and walked two...Lone run allowed came on a Matt Liuzza one-out, solo home run in the top of the second inning...Retired 10 of the final 12 batters he faced (two walks)...Recorded nine fly outs and four ground outs...Threw 96 pitches, 58 strikes...Had gone 23 2/3 innings without issuing a walk...Earned his seventh quality start in 19 total...Is 2-1 with a 2.92 ERA in four outings since rejoining the starting rotation 7/25...Has struck out 13 batters and walked two over his last 24 2/3 innings (four starts)...Has allowed one run over his last 15 innings (two starts)...Is tied for fourth among Eastern League starters in fewest walks per nine innings at 1.97 (22 bb/100.1 ip)...Left-handed batters are hitting .356 (62-for-174) against him...Is 3-5 with a 5.55 ERA (22 er/35.2 ip) in eight career outings, six starts, against New Britain.

Right-hander Chris Province gets the nod in game two of the series for the Rock Cats...Suffered the loss in his last outing at Erie 8/12...Allowed five runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings...Struck out two batters and walked three...Outing was his longest of the season...Is 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA in two starts this season...Is 5-3 with a 4.91 ERA in 41 relief appearances...Has allowed 88 hits in 70 2/3 innings (.304 OBA)...Has struck out 42 batters and walked 30...Spent the entire 2009 season with Double-A Portland and went 2-4 with a 2.60 ERA in 43 relief appearances...Named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star...Made 27 starts across two levels (Low-A Greenville and Advanced-A Lancaster) in 2008 and went a combined 9-6 with a 4.82 ERA...Acquired from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for right-hander Boof Bonser 12/10/09...Originally selected by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft...Attended Southeastern Louisiana University.

SERIES STREAK: The Flying Squirrels are undefeated over their last five series, going 4-0-1 over that stretch...Since dropping its last series to Reading 7/26-7/28, Richmond is 10-6.

OFF DAY AFTER A DAY OFF: The Flying Squirrels dropped to 5-4 after scheduled off days...Richmond does not have another scheduled day off the remainder of the season...The club fell to 24-13 in series openers with last night's 8-5 loss at New Britain.

ASSISTANCE NEEDED: Outfielder Clay Timpner threw out Juan Portes at home in the bottom of the first inning last night, his eighth outfield assist of the season and second in as many games...Richmond outfielders have thrown out four runners over the past three games and have nabbed 25 runners overall this season.

THOMAS THE TRAIN: Outfielder Thomas Neal went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored...The 23-year-old is tied for fourth in the Eastern League in doubles with 34...He ranks third in the league in hits with 133...Since 6/1, Neal is batting .318 (81-for-255) in 67 games with 23 doubles, seven home runs, 35 RBI, and 44 runs scored...He has raised his batting average from .255 to .292 over that span.

BUILT FORD TOUGH: Outfielder Darren Ford went 1-for-3 with a triple, RBI, walk, and a run scored last night...The 24-year-old leads the Eastern League with nine triples...In 27 games since the Eastern League All-Star Game, Ford is batting .301 (34-for-113) with six doubles, four triples, 12 RBI, and 20 runs scored...He hit .233 (78-for-335) in 82 games prior to the All-Star break.

AT A BOY-ER: Infielder Brad Boyer went 4-for-9 (.444) with a double, three RBI, and a run scored and was the only Flying Squirrels batter to get a hit in all three games of the series against Portland...The 26-year-old went 3-for-3 with runners in scoring position in the series including hitting a game-tying single in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Sea Dogs...Entering the series, he was just 5-for-27 (.185) with runners in scoring position in his first 24 games with Richmond.

UNBUCKLING THE BELT: In 115 games combined between Advanced-A San Jose and Double-A Richmond, first baseman Brandon Belt is second in all of minor league baseball in on-base percentage (.461), is second in batting average (.364), is tied for third in RBI (95), and is fourth in slugging percentage (.622)...The 22-year-old is batting .463 (19-for-41) with runners in scoring position in 38 games with the Flying Squirrels and is hitting .406 (52-for-128) overall with runners in scoring position this season.

RAY OF SUNSHINE: Right-hander Ronnie Ray tossed two scoreless innings in last night's 8-5 loss to the Rock Cats...He has tossed nine consecutive scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and three walks spanning his last seven outings, and opposing hitters are just 3-for-29 (.103) against him over that stretch...Since 6/20, the 26-year-old is 2-0 with two saves and has allowed just four runs, two earned in 27 2/3 innings (0.65 ERA) while striking out 29 batters and walking seven spanning his last 23 outings...Opposing hitters are batting .138 (13-for-94) against him over that stretch.

DOUBLETREE DOWNTOWN DOUBLE PLAYS: The Richmond Flying Squirrels have turned 149 double plays in 120 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: Right-hander Daryl Maday suffered his first career loss against New Britain after allowing six runs in 3 2/3 innings last night...He entered the contest 5-0 with a 2.03 ERA in seven prior starts against the Rock Cats.

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Eastern League Stories from August 18, 2010


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