Squirrels Soar to Seven Straight, Dump Altoona 9-5
May 3, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release
RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels landed the final blows in a series-opening slug-fest, besting the Altoona Curve, 9-5, in front of 3,692 at The Diamond on Monday night. The victory extended Richmond's win-streak to seven games, while they improved to 10-1 on the Boulevard on the season.
The Flying Squirrels got out quickly against former Giants' farm hand and Curve starter Tim Alderson with back-to-back singles from Nick Noonan and Brandon Crawford to start the first inning. Thomas Neal then whistled a liner into left field that was dropped by left fielder Jose de los Santos. Noonan came around on the error for a 1-0 lead. Clay Timpner then recorded a bad-hop single to score Crawford and the Flying Squirrels led 2-0 after the first inning.
Altoona drew even with a run in each of the second and third frames off of Squirrels' starter David Mixon. They plated an unearned run in the second when Josh Harrison bunted himself aboard to start the inning. Mixon balked him to second, and he scored two batters later when Mixon misplayed a ball back to the mound off the bat of Kris Watts as Altoona trimmed the Richmond lead to 2-1.
The Curve knotted the game in the third as Chase D'Arnaud led off with a single and promptly stole second base. He moved to third on a fly-out from Gorkys Hernandez and came in to tie the game on a line-out sacrifice-fly to center field.
Timpner sparked Richmond as they raced back out in front in the fifth. His single to start the inning against Alderson was followed by Conor Gillaspie's RBI double to the right-field corner that gave the lead back at 3-2. Jackson Williams bunted Gillaspie to third and he scored on a ground-ball from Andy D'Alessio that was misplayed by D'Arnaud, the Altoona shortstop. D'Alessio did receive an RBI on the play as the Squirrels assumed a 4-2 advantage.
Crawford drilled a triple over the head of center fielder Hernandez leading off the fifth inning and scored to run the Richmond lead to three runs when Thomas Neal singled behind him for a 5-2 lead. Alderson departed following the inning, having allowed five runs - four earned - on nine hits. He did not factor in the decision.
Mixon also left to a no-decision after five innings, having surrendered just two runs - one earned on four hits. He left with the lead, but Altoona again fought back to tie the game, doing so against the bullpen in the sixth inning. Right-hander Ronnie Ray entered for Mixon and conceded a one-out single to Harrison, which was followed by a single for Alex Presley. A batter later, Kris Watts singled to load the bases before pinch-hitter Jim Negrych tied the game with a three-run double off the wall in left-center field.
Once again, Richmond grabbed the momentum and the lead back, taking the advantage for the third time in the ballgame with a three-run seventh inning. The uprising was staged against Curve right-hander Dustin Molleken who conceded a walk to Crawford to start the inning and then a single to Neal. When Molleken walked Roger Kieschnick to load the bases, the stage was set for Timpner. He delivered again, this time a two-run single to give Richmond the lead back, 7-5. The base hit was the third of the night for Timpner. Gillapie capped the rally when he brought in Timpner with an RBI single to right field for an 8-5 lead.
A frightening moment in the bottom of the eighth inning also turned into a franchise first. Noonan lofted a ball towards left-center field which led to a collision between de los Santos and Hernandez. As both lay motionless in the outfield, Noonan raced around for an inside-the-park home run, the first in franchise history. Both outfielders eventually left the field on their own power. Molleken (0-3) was tagged with the loss for Altoona as their five-game win-streak was snapped.
Squirrels' right-hander Daniel Turpen earned the win for Richmond, working two scoreless innings of relief for his second victory of the season. Rafael Cova protected the four-run lead with a scoreless ninth inning to preserve the victory. Richmond's 13 hits matched a season-high, while their nine runs established a new franchise record.
Game two of the four-game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Tuesday night at The Diamond. LHP Craig Clark (1-1, 3.20) will make the start for the Flying Squirrels pitted against LHP Rudy Owens (2-0, 3.57) for the Curve.
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Eastern League Stories from May 3, 2010
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- Aeros Come Up Short in Slugfest, 20-11 - Akron RubberDucks
- Curve Win Streak Snapped by Squirrels - Altoona Curve
- Squirrels Soar to Seven Straight, Dump Altoona 9-5 - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Thunder Mash to a 20-11 Win over Akron - Trenton Thunder
- Senators Blow Lead; Lose to Baysox - Harrisburg Senators
- Hubbard Homers in Tenth, Leads B-Mets to Fifth Straight Win - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Fisher Cats Rally for 10-9 Win over Rock Cats for Seventh Straight - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
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- Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Maday Named Eastern League Pitcher Of The Week - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Sea Dogs To Hold Food Drive May 10-May 12 - Portland Sea Dogs
- RHP Steve Hirschfeld Returns; INF Whit Robbins Goes To Disabled List - New Britain Rock Cats
- Eastern League Announces Weekly Award Winners - EL1
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