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Richmond Flying Squirrels

Simpson Saves the Day; Squirrels Win 4th Straight Series

April 22, 2018 - Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


Altoona, PA - Closer Caleb Simpson secured the final five outs on Sunday afternoon to preserve a 5-4 Flying Squirrels win over the Altoona Curve at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Simpson entered with a pair of runners on base in the eighth inning to record his league-leading fifth save off the year. Richmond (12-5) won two out of three over Altoona (8-7) to take their fourth consecutive series and will continue the current six-game road trip on Monday in Bowie, MD.

With the tying and go-ahead runners on base in the eighth, Simpson entered to relieve Ryan Halstead. Simpson stuck out pinch-hitter Ke'Bryan Hays and grounded out Tucker Cole to end the threat. Simpson then came back for the ninth inning, and put a pair of runners on before a sharp line out double play to third ended the game.

Halstead authored 2.1 solid innings of relief to back starting pitched Shaun Anderson and get the ball to Simpson. Halstead entered with a 5-3 lead in the sixth and allowed one run on three straight hits before a double play ended the inning. Halstead earned the hold with two strikeouts and one walk in the outing.

Richmond took an early lead in the contest as they continued their power surge on Sunday afternoon. Jonah Arenado launched a two-run homer in the first inning, his second home run of the year. Arenado connected off of Altoona starting pitcher Taylor Hearn, a top ten prospect in the Pirates system

Cole Tucker trimmed the Altoona deficit in half by creating a run with his speed on the bottom of the first. Tucker lined what appeared to be a base hit into right field to begin the inning and utilized his speed to stretch the play into a double. After a groundout advanced him to third, Richmond's Shaun Anderson tossed a wild pitch, allowing Tucker to score. Anderson used 20 pitches in the first.

Altoona countered Arenado's blast with a two-run homer in the second inning to take the lead. Anderson hit Wyatt Mathison with an off-speed pitch and Christian Kelley then belted a his first home run of the season for a 3-2 advantage.

The Squirrels moved back in front with a pair of runs on the fourth inning and scored the eventual winning run in the fifth. Jerry Sands walked to begin the fourth and scored from first on a triple into the gap from Ronnie Jebavy. With the infield in, Ronnie Freeman Brought home Jebavy for a 4-3 Richmond lead.

Shaun Anderson aided himself at the plate in the next inning with a double to right center. Ryan Howard lined a single into left for a 5-3 lead.

Hearn lasted 4.2 innings and allowed five runs on six hits. The power lefty struck out five and walked two on 86 pitches. Hearn was pulled with runners on in the fifth for righty Logan Sendelbach. Sendelbach finished the inning to keep the score, 5-3

Despite working with runners on base throughout the outing, Anderson maneuvered through five innings in the win. With two runners on in the fifth, Anderson recorded his fifth strikeout, setting down Elvis Escobar to end his outing.

Anderson (3-1) allowed three runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out five, using a season-high 92 pitches.

With the bullpen depleted due to short starts in the series, Ryan Halstead was charged with the task to bridge the game into the eighth. Halstead allowed three consecutive hits to start his outing in the sixth including an RBI single to Kelley..

RVA Acorns:

Jonah Arenado batted third in the lineup for the first time this season.

Shaun Anderson's 92 pitches are the most thrown in a single outing for a Squirrels pitcher this year

Ryan Halstead induced his first double play of the season in the sixth inning with the tying and go-ahead runs on base.

Shaun Anderson's double is the second extra base hit for the Squirrels pitching staff this season (Johnson HR

Richmond improved to 6-1 in one-run games

The Squirrels his six homer in the series and lead the league with 14.

The Flying Squirrels continue their six-game road trip on Monday evening in Bowie, MD at 6:35 p.m. RHP Jordan Johnson (2-1, 2.20) will square off against Bowie RHP Jordan Kipper (1-21, 2.41). The Flying Squirrels return to The Diamond for their second homestand of the year on Friday, April 27.Tickets and group packages are available by contacting the box office at 804-359-3866 or online at squirrelsbaseball.com.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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