EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes

Published on July 29, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (58-47) VS. TRENTON THUNDER (56-49)

LHP ERIC SURKAMP (8-3, 2.00) VS. RHP GRAHAM STONEBURNER (1-1, 1.69)

July 29, 2011 -- 7:05 PM

Waterfront Park

Game #106/Road #51

Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL

Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com

TONIGHT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Trenton Thunder will meet in game two of a four-game series...The Flying Squirrels rallied for five runs while sending all nine batters to the plate in the top of the sixth inning as Richmond used the big frame to claim an 8-3, series-opening win over the Thunder on Thursday night in front of 6,113 fans at Waterfront Park.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: Left-hander Eric Surkamp will get the start in game two of the series for the Flying Squirrels...Making his 17th start and 18th appearance overall this season...Enters the 2011 season rated as the #9 prospect in the San Francisco Giants farm system according to Baseball America...Earned the win in his last outing 7/24 against Harrisburg in game one of a doubleheader...Allowed one run on three hits in seven innings...Struck out 10 batters and walked two...Two of the three hits allowed were infield singles including a pinch-hit, RBI infield single from Tim Pahuta in the top of the fifth inning...Struck out 10-plus batters for the seventh time in 18 total outings and the third time in his last four outings...Recorded seven popouts/flyouts and four groundouts...Allowed the leadoff batter to reach in two of his seven innings on the mound (scored once)...Threw 106 pitches, 65 strikes...Threw 15 pitches or less in five of his seven innings on the mound...Threw 23 pitches in the first inning and 22 pitches in the seventh...Threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of the 26 batters he faced...Was his fourth career complete game and the second this season for a Flying Squirrels' pitcher (Clayton Tanner - 5/5 at New Britain)...Leads the Eastern League with a 2.00 ERA, is tied for second in the EL in WHIP (1.12), is fourth with 128 strikeouts, and is fourth in opponent batting average (.221)...His 128 total strikeouts this season are a single-season franchise record surpassing David Mixon's 112 strikeouts from last season...Named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star...Placed on the DL (left knee) 6/14 retroactive to 6/10...Activated from the Disabled List 6/24...Named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week 5/2/11-5/8/11 and again 7/4/11-7/11/11...Made 17 starts with Advanced-A San Jose in 2010 going 4-2 with a 3.11 ERA...Struck out 108 batters and walked 22 in 101 1/3 innings...Had season cut short after injuring his hip attempting to field a ground ball 7/18/10 against Lancaster...Named a California League Mid-Season and Postseason All-Star...Spent all of 2009 with Low-A Augusta and went 11-5 with a 3.30 ERA in 23 starts...Struck out 169 batters and walked 39 in 131 innings, third-most strikeouts in all of MiLB...Selected in the 6th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft...Attended North Carolina State University.

Right-hander Graham Stoneburner gets the nod in game two of the series for the Thunder...Making his fourth start with the Thunder and his ninth start overall...Enters the season rated as the #17 prospect in the New York Yankees farm system according to Baseball America...Received a no-decision in his last start 7/24 with Advanced-A Tampa at Brevard County...Allowed two hits over seven scoreless innings...Struck out four batters and walked two...Went 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three outings, two starts, with Tampa striking out 15 batters and walking five in 18 2/3 innings...Went 0-0 with a 3.77 ERA in four outings, three starts, with Rookie GCL Yankees, striking out 10 batters and walking three in 14 1/3 innings...Began the season with Trenton and went 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in three starts, striking out seven batters and walking four in 16 innings...Was placed on the Disabled List (arm stiffness) 4/22...Began the 2010 season with Low-A Charleston and went 1-3 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts...Struck out 44 batters and walked 10 in 39 innings while limiting opponents to a .194 (27-for-139) batting average against...Promoted to Advanced-A Tampa 5/11...Went 8-5 with a 2.53 ERA in 19 starts with the Yankees...Struck out 93 batters and walked 24 in 103 innings while limiting opponents to a .214 (80-for-374) batting average against...Entered the 2010 season rated as the #21 prospect in the New York Yankees farm system according to Baseball America...Made his pro debut with Short-Season A Staten Island and tossed one scoreless inning, giving up one hit while striking out two...Selected by the New York Yankees in the 14th round of the 2009 First-Year Player draft...Attended Clemson University...Graduate of Mills Godwin High School...Older brother Davis Stoneburner was selected by the Texas Rangers in the ninth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of James Madison University and is currently playing at Double-A Frisco.

RISING WATER: The Flying Squirrels have reached a new high-water mark of the season at 11 games over the .500 mark at 58-47...It is the most games over .500 for Richmond in the two-year history of the franchise...The team has won 10 of its last 12 games entering tonight's contest at Trenton.

KING OF THE ROAD: First baseman Wes Hodges went 2-for-4 last night, his fourth straight multi-hit game and his 13th overall multi-hit performance since joining the Flying Squirrels...The 26-year-old is batting .384 (28-for-73) in 18 games on the road...All six of his home runs have been hit on the road and 14 of his 23 RBIs have come on the road...He is hitting .229 (61-for-70) with six doubles and a triple in 22 games at The Diamond...Over his last 14 games, Hodges is batting .423 (22-for-52) with four doubles, three home runs, nine RBIs, and nine runs scored.

THE INSIDE SCHOOP: Infielder Sharlon Schoop went 3-for-4 last night with a home run, three RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base last night, matching season-highs in hits and runs, while establishing a new season-high in RBIs...Since shortstop Nick Noonan was promoted to Triple-A Fresno 7/18, Schoop is 16-for-39 (.410) at the plate over his last 13 games including three home runs, 11 RBIs, and nine runs scored.

CHARLIE HORSE: Second baseman Charlie Culberson has been held hitless over his last six games, going 0-for-20 over that stretch with eight strikeouts...He has reached base safely three times in his last six games, getting hit by a pitch twice and walking...The 22-year-old has seen his average dip from .278 to .265 over that span.

PITCHING IN: The Flying Squirrels pitching staff leads the Eastern League with a 3.24 ERA through 105 games and has allowed a league-low 391 runs, the only club to have allowed fewer than 400 runs...Richmond's pitching staff has allowed two runs or less in 41 of its 105 games (39%)...Starting pitching has allowed three runs or less in 75 of the team's 105 games (71%) and the club is 52-23 in those contests.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Flying Squirrels are in the middle of a stretch where they are playing 14 of 20 games on the road...Overall, the club is 21-29 on the road, and is batting .221 and averaging 3.54 runs per game (177R/50G) in 50 road contests...The club is 37-18 overall at home - the best home record in the league - and is batting .263 in 55 games at The Diamond while averaging 4.56 runs per game at home (251R/55G).

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Eastern League Stories from July 29, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central