EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes

Published on September 2, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (64-72) VS. ERIE SEAWOLVES (63-74)

RHP MIKE MACDONALD (4-8, 4.05) VS. LHP JON KIBLER (4-6, 6.19)

September 2, 2010 -- 7:05 PM

Jerry Uht Park

Game #137/Road #71

Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL

Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com

TONIGHT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Erie SeaWolves will meet in the series finale of a four-game series...The SeaWolves broke through a 1-1 tie with an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning and added two more runs in the eighth to claim a 4-1, series-clinching win over the Flying Squirrels on Wednesday night at Jerry Uht Park.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: Right-hander Mike MacDonald gets the start in the series finale for the Flying Squirrels...Received a no-decision in his last outing at Altoona 8/28...Tossed five scoreless innings allowing six hits...Struck out three batters and walked two...Worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the fourth inning with a strikeout and a fly out...Recorded six fly outs and four ground outs including two double plays...Threw 88 pitches, 55 strikes...Threw first-pitch strikes to 13 of the 21 batters he faced...Has thrown eight consecutive scoreless innings over his last two outings...Has received just 53 runs of support during his 22 starts (2.48 r/gs) including just one run of support in his last outing...Is 2-2 with a 3.16 ERA (15 er/42.2 ip) in seven outings since rejoining the starting rotation 7/25...Has struck out 23 batters and walked five over his last 42 2/3 innings (seven starts)...Is fourth among Eastern League starters in fewest walks per nine innings at 1.90 (25 bb/118.1 ip)...Is 1-0 with a 4.88 ERA in four games, three starts, in his career against the SeaWolves.

Left-hander Jon Kibler gets the nod in game four of the series for the SeaWovles...Suffered the loss in his last outing at Akron 8/28...Allowed seven runs on seven hits in four innings...Struck out two batters and walked four...Start was his first back with Erie after being promoted from Advanced-A Lakeland 8/26...Sent down to Lakeland 6/18...Went 4-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 12 starts with the Flying Tigers...Allowed 73 hits in 70 1/3 innings while striking out 53 batters and walking 22...Began the season with Erie and went 4-5 with a 5.65 ERA in 13 starts...Has allowed 88 hits in 75 2/3 innings (.294 OBA) with the SeaWolves while striking out 38 batters and walking 31...Left-handed hitters are batting .370 (34-for-92) against him in the Eastern League...Right-handed hitters are batting .261 (54-for-207) against him...Spent the entire 2009 season with Erie and went 6-9 with a 4.06 ERA in 27 starts...Led the Eastern League in walks (68) and complete games (3), was third in innings pitched (161 2/3), and finished 10th in ERA (4.06)...Went 14-5 with a 1.75 ERA in 23 starts with Low-A West Michigan in 2008...Struck out 126 batters and walked 32 in 154 1/3 innings and limited opposing hitters to a .190 batting average against...Named a Midwest League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star...Selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 30th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft...Attended Michigan State University.

GIANT ANNOUNCEMENT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels have announced an extension of their Player Development Contract (PDC) with the San Francisco Giants...Under the new two-year agreement, the Flying Squirrels will remain the Eastern League Double-A affiliate of the Giants through the 2012 season...The extension of the PDC will continue a relationship between the Eastern League franchise and the Giants that began in 2003...At the time, the franchise was known as the Norwich Navigators and the affiliation continued through the franchise's rebranding as the Connecticut Defenders and eventual relocation to Richmond.

BRUSHED ASIDE?: The Flying Squirrels will try an avoid a four-game series sweep in tonight's contest at Erie...The club has been swept four times this season, most recently getting swept in a three-game series at New Britain 8/17-8/19...The Flying Squirrels have not been swept in a four-game series this season...Overall in the series, Richmond is hitting .176 (16-for-91) with 25 strikeouts and five runs scored through the first three games...The Flying Squirrels have lost four of their last five series and are 4-12 since their dramatic come-from-behind win over the Portland Sea Dogs 8/15 in which they scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning...The club had gone 4-0-1 over its previous five series and posted a 10-5 mark over that stretch.

CATCHING ON: Catcher Tyler LaTorre hit his second home run of the season accounting for Richmond's lone run in last night's 4-1 loss at Erie...It was his first home run since 6/14 at Reading spanning 48 games and 161 at-bats...It is just the second multi-homer season in the 27-year-old's 5-year professional career and his sixth career home run overall...Defensively, LaTorre is 12-for-40 (30%) in throwing out base runners since Jackson Williams' promotion to Triple-A Fresno 7/1...He was previously 2-for-20 (10%) throwing out base runners.

Z-PACK: Catcher Eliezer Zambrano has hits in each of his last four games dating back to his last game with Low-A Augusta 8/15...The 23-year-old is one game shy of matching the longest hit streak of his career since making his domestic debut in 2007...He is 5-for-14 (.357) over that stretch with two doubles, and two runs scored...Zambrano had a five-game hit streak with Arizona Rookie League Giants 8/13/07-8/27/07.

THOMAS THE TRAIN: Outfielder Thomas Neal is third in the Eastern League in doubles (39), is fourth in hits (150), and is fourth in total bases (227)...He leads the team with 42 multi-hit games and is two doubles away from matching his career-high of 41 set last season with Advanced-A San Jose...Ten of his 12 home runs have been hit on the road...Since 6/1, Neal is batting .309 (98-for-317) in 83 games with 28 doubles, nine home runs, 43 RBI, and 50 runs scored...He has raised his batting average from .255 to .290 over that span.

DOUBLETREE DOWNTOWN DOUBLE PLAYS: The Richmond Flying Squirrels have turned 163 double plays in 136 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...Erie is second in the league with 161 double plays turned in 137 games...Ironically, the SeaWolves are also last in the league in fielding percentage (.972) having committed a league-leading 144 errors.

CFS STAT OF THE NIGHT: Right-hander Felix Romero allowed one run on five hits in six innings in last night's 4-1 loss to Erie...It was the seventh time in 13 starts that the 30-year-old allowed one run or less...It was also his seventh quality start in 13 total on the season.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from September 2, 2010


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