EL1 Harrisburg Senators

Sens Walk-Off Squirrels to Capture Series

July 3, 2018 - Eastern League (EL1)
Harrisburg Senators News Release


The Harrisburg Senators won a walk-off over the Richmond Flying Squirrels 7-6 Tuesday night at FNB Field. Zach Collier hit the game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th to the send the Senators to the five-game series win.

The Harrisburg Senators won a walk-off over the Richmond Flying Squirrels 7-6 Tuesday night at FNB Field. Zach Collier hit the game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th to the send the Senators to the five-game series win.

The Senators plated six runs in the first to grab the early lead. Alec Keller led off the inning with a triple and was singled home by Carter Kieboom to score the first run. Three batters later, with runners at first and second, Zach Collier ripped an RBI single to right. With the next batter, Jake Lowery, at the plate, Dan Gamache sprinted home to score on a wild pitch by Squirrels starting pitcher Chase Johnson. After Lowery walked, Osvaldo Abreu hit and groundball to shortstop that allowed one run to score. On the same play, an additional run scored and Abreu reached first when first baseman Jerry Sands committed a catching error trying to receive the throw from Squirrels shortstop Ryan Howard. The next batter, Senators starting pitcher Tyler Mapes, reached on an RBI infield single and the final run of the inning scored when third baseman Jonah Arenado threw errantly to first trying to retire Mapes.

Mapes tossed four shutout innings to start the game before Richmond closed the gap to one with five runs in the fifth, capped by a two-run home run by Jerry Sands.

The Squirrels completed the comeback when Dillon Davis hit a line drive home run to left in the seventh to tie the game at 6-6.

Neither starter factored in the decision. Mapes surrendered five runs on 10 hits in five and a third frames. Johnson allowed six runs, three earned, on four hits and recorded just two outs in the first.

The game remained tied at 6-6 until the bottom of the 10th. With outfielder Caleb Gindl pitching for Richmond, Gamache hit sacrifice bunt to advance Drew Ward, the free runner, to third base. The next batter, Collier, hit a fly ball to left-fielder Dylan Davis which allowed Ward to score the winning run.

"I'm proud of (our players). We took advantage of a position player they had to put out there but you'll take a win any way you can get one," LeCroy said. "Now we go to Bowie and hopefully we can finish up with a strong series there."

Dakota Bacus (1-1) earned the win with two shutout and one-hit innings of relief.

"He's been throwing strikes and getting a lot of swings and misses. He has to throw the ball over, that's been his Achilles heel," Senators manager Matt LeCroy said. "He's got a nice slider and curveball, those are plus plus pitches. Hopefully he'll continue to do well."

Gindl (0-1) took the loss after surrendering the winning-run in two-thirds of an inning of relief.

After losing the first two-games of the series, the Senators took the final three to capture the five-game set.

"It was huge (to get the series win). I'm really happy with the group, they fight together and have fun together," LeCroy said. "These were hot days and they didn't shy away from their work or from how hard they played."

Matt Adams finished 0-3 with a two strikeouts and a fly out in his rehab appearance.

The Senators finish the first half with a five-game series at Bowie which starts Wednesday night. Sterling Sharp starts for the Senators against Bowie starter Christian Binford. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 at Prince George's Stadium. The game can be heard on CBS Sports Harrisburg 96.5 & 95.3 FM and 1400 AM or at www.cbssportsharrisburg.com beginning at 6:20 p.m.

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