EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes

Published on August 20, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (66-58) VS. AKRON AEROS (65-60)

LHP CHUCK LOFGREN (2-1, 3.48) VS. RHP BRETT BRACH (1-0, 0.00)

August 20, 2011 -- 6:35 PM

The Diamond

Game #125/Home #66

Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL

Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com

TONIGHT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Akron Aeros will meet in game two of a three-game series...Left-hander Matt Packer limited the Flying Squirrels to five hits over eight scoreless innings and he combined with reliever Tyler Sturdevant on a five-hit shutout in a 4-0 series-opening win for the Aeros on Friday night in front of 8,167 fans at The Diamond.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: Left-hander Chuck Lofgren will get the start in game two of the series for the Flying Squirrels...Making his sixth start with the Flying Squirrels and his ninth start of the season...Making his first career start against Akron...Went 17-14 with a 4.42 ERA in 62 career appearances including 49 starts in parts of three season with Aeros (2007-2009)...Suffered the loss in his last outing 8/14 at Binghamton...Allowed seven runs on six hits in five innings...Struck out three batters and walked two...Seven runs allowed were a season-high...Had allowed six runs total over his first four starts with the Flying Squirrels...Gave up three home runs including a two-out, three-run shot to Juan Lagares in the bottom of the third inning and two-run homers to Allan Dykstra and Brahiam Maldonado in the bottom of the fourth inning...Three home runs allowed matched a single-game season-high for a Flying Squirrels pitcher...Allowed the leadoff batter to reach three times in his five innings on the mound (scored twice)...Recorded six flyouts/popouts and five groundouts...Threw 73 pitches, 50 strikes...Threw 21 pitches in the bottom of the first inning and 23 pitches in the bottom of the third...Threw first-pitch strikes to 19 of the 23 batters he faced...Received from Advanced-A San Jose 7/21...Sent down to San Jose from Triple-A Fresno 7/19...Suffered the loss in his lone outing with Fresno 7/18 at Reno...Promoted to Fresno from San Jose 7/18...Went 2-0 with a 3.68 ERA in 18 games, two starts with the Giants...Struck out 24 batters and walked 15 in 29 1/3 innings...Signed by the San Francisco Giants as a minor league free agent 12/14/10...Went 7-8 with a 5.19 ERA in 28 games, 23 starts with Triple-A Nashville in 2010...Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the Rule 5 Draft 12/10/09...Began the 2009 season with Double-A Akron and went 3-1 with a 1.48 ERA in eight starts... Promoted to Triple-A Columbus and went 6-10 with a 5.31 ERA in 17 starts...Spent the entire 2008 season with Double-A Akron and went 2-6 with a 5.99 ERA in 28 games, 15 starts...Entered the 2008 season rated as the #2 prospect in the Cleveland Indians farm system according to Baseball America...Went 12-7 with a 4.37 ERA in 26 starts with Double-Akron in 2007...Made start with Triple-A Buffalo 6/8/07...Entered the 2007 season rated as the #2 prospect in the Cleveland Indians farm system according to Baseball America...Went 17-5 with a 2.32 ERA in 25 starts with Advanced-A Kinston in 2006...Named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week three times during the season...Named a Carolina League Mid-Season and Postseason All-Star as well as the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year...Entered the season rated as the #8 prospect in the Cleveland Indians according to Baseball America...Originally selected by the Cleveland Indians in the fourth round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.

Right-hander Brett Brach gets the nod in game two of the series for the Aeros...Making his 21st start of the season and his second with Akron...Promoted from Advanced-A Kinston 8/20...Went 6-9 with a 3.60 ERA in 21 appearances, 19 starts, with the K-Tribe...Struck out 72 batters and walked 37 in 115 innings...Limited opponents to a .229 (97-for-424) batting average against...Has not won since 7/8 against Lynchburg...Went 0-4 with a 6.28 ERA (20ER/28.2 IP) over his final five starts with Kinston including losing three straight starts (7/26-8/7)...Made one start with Akron 4/19 at Bowie and allowed two hits over six scoreless innings...Struck out four batters and walked one...Appeared in one game in relief with Triple-A Columbus 6/10 against Rochester...Earned the win, allowing two runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings...Spent the majority of the 2010 season with Low-A Lake County...Went 5-8 with a 3.46 ERA in 22 starts, striking out 90 batters and walking 28 in 119 2/3 innings...Began the season with Advanced-A Kinston, joining the K-Tribe 4/21/10, and went 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in two relief appearances...Assigned to Extended Spring Training 4/30 and sent to Lake County 5/10...Made pro debut in 2009 with Short Season-A Mahoning Valley and went 5-2 with a 2.19 ERA in 15 starts...Struck out 61 batters and walked 20 in 78 innings...Selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 10th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft...Attended Monmouth University (NJ)...Older brother Brad was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 42nd round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft...Currently with Triple-A Tucson.

PACKING IT IN: The Flying Squirrels were shutout for the eight time this season, blanked by left-hander Matt Packer and the Akron Aeros in the series opener 4-0...It was the second time in six games that the club was shutout after dropping game two of the three-game series with the B-Mets 7-0 last Saturday...It was the second straight start for right-hander Justin Fitzgerald in which the Flying Squirrels were shutout...The shutout thrown by Akron was its 11th of the season, tied with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats for the Eastern League lead.

CANADIAN BACON: Super utility man Skyler Stromsmoe went 2-for-3 last night with a double...The Bow Island, Alberta, Canada, native is currently 7-for-13 with a double, a triple, a home run, two RBIs, three runs scored and a walk through the first four games of the homestand...The home run for 27-year-old on Thursday was his first since 6/14/10 at Reading (242 at-bats) and just his seventh in his first 244 games over his five-year professional career... Since 7/1, he is hitting .307 (23-for-75) with four doubles, a triple, a home run, 10 RBIs and 10 runs scored in 35 games, raising his average from .203 to .259.

HOME AND AWAY: The Flying Squirrels are 41-24 overall at home - the best home record in the Eastern League - and they are the only team in the league with more than 37 wins at home...They are batting .262 in 65 games at The Diamond while averaging 4.51 runs per game at home (293R/65G)....Overall, the club is 25-34 on the road, and is batting .224 and averaging 3.51 runs per game (207R/59G) in 59 road contests...Following the team's current six-game homestand, it will play 12 of its final 16 games on the road.

PITCHING IN: The Flying Squirrels pitching staff leads the Eastern League with a 3.40 ERA through 124 games and has allowed a league-low 481 runs...Richmond's pitching staff has allowed two runs or less in 46 of its 124 games (37%)...Starting pitching has allowed three runs or less in 87 of the team's 124 games (70%) and the club is 58-29 in those contests.

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Eastern League Stories from August 20, 2011


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