EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Squirrels Get Offensive in Finale

Published on May 15, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels (17-19) collected a franchise record 22 hits as they pulled away from the Harrisburg Senators (17-18) for an, 11-4, win in front of a capacity crowd of 9,560 on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. The victory netted the Squirrels the abbreviated three-game series, having taken two of the three games with the Sens.

Chris Rahl led off the first inning with a single to center field off of Squirrels' starter Daryl Maday, sparking a Harrisburg rally. Maday then issued a walk to Archie Gilbert to put two aboard. A batter later, Tyler Moore gave the Senators a 1-0 lead with a single to left field.

The Richmond response was immediate, as Charlie Culberson doubled up the third-base line on the first pitch of the ballgame from Harrisburg right-hander Tanner Rourk (0-1). Jose Flores followed, and tied the game 1-1 with a single through the right-side of the infield. Roark issued a walk to Nick Noonan, and Johnny Monell singled to load the bases. Juan Perez then singled to left field to give the Squirrels their first lead, 2-1.

The Senators grabbed the lead back with a two-out uprising in the third inning. Moore laced a double to left-center field and Derek Norris doubled him home with a double up the third-base line. Matt Antonelli followed and put the Senators back in front, 3-2, with a single into center field.

Again, the Squirrels responded, plating two more runs for the lead in the bottom of the third. With two outs in the inning, Monell drew a walk from Roark. Perez singled behind the walk, and Roger Kieschnick and Sharlon Schoop provided back-to-back RBI singles for a 4-3 Richmond lead.

The Senators drew even against Maday in the fourth. With one out in the inning, Jonathan Tucker doubled. Roark aided his own cause with an RBI single, bringing in Tucker to level the score, 4-4. It was the first professional hit for Roark.

The Squirrels reclaimed the lead quickly in the bottom of the inning. Culberson ignited the rally with a lead-off single off of Roark. A batter later, Noonan chased Roark from the ballgame with a single to put two aboard. Right-hander Erik Arneson entered in relief and Justin Christian lifted a sacrifice fly to left field for a 5-4 lead.

Roark was tagged with the loss, charged with five earned runs over 3 1/3 innings of work. He conceded 10 hits, walked two and struck out three. Maday departed following the fourth, charged with four earned runs on eight hits. He walked two and struck out five.

Richmond tacked on a run in the sixth against left-hander Matt Chico. Jose Flores singled with one out, and Justin Christian scorched a double into the left-center field gap to put the Squirrels in front by a pair of runs, 6-4.

Following Maday, the Squirrels' bullpen was outstanding, with three relievers combining for five scoreless innings. Right-hander Osiris Matos (2-3) turned in three of them for the win, his second of the season. Right-handers Dan Otero and Jason Stoffel each worked a scoreless inning to close it out.

The Squirrels put the game away with six hits and five runs in the eighth inning. The rally came entirely at the expense of right-hander Carlos Martinez. The uprising included RBI singles from Noonan and Monell, an RBI double from Christian, and an RBI triple from Perez. Perez finished the day 5-for-5, establishing a new career-high, while compiling the first five-hit game of the season for the Squirrels.

The Squirrels will enjoy an off day on Monday before opening a three-game series with the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore Orioles) at 7:05 PM on Tuesday night at The Diamond. LHP Clayton Tanner (0-3, 3.94) will make the start for the Squirrels in the opener. The Baysox have yet to name a starter for Tuesday's game.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from May 15, 2011


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