Squirrels Split Double-Dip with Curve
August 23, 2011 - Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release
ALTOONA, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels (69-60) and Altoona Curve (58-71) split a doubleheader in front of 4,538 at Blair County Ballpark on Tuesday night. Richmond grabbed the first game, 6-2, but fell in the nightcap, 4-3.
The Squirrels got out quickly in the opener, as Darren Ford led off the ballgame and lifted a double into the left-field corner off of Altoona right-hander Kyle McPherson. A batter later, Francisco Peguero cracked a single into right-center field. Starling Marte let the ball get past him in center field, allowing Peguero to attempt to take third base. The relay throw to third base from second baseman Josh Rodriguez was wild, and Peguero scored on the play. The Curve were charged with two errors on the play as both Ford and Peguero came in for a 2-0 lead. McPherson then walked Johnny Monell, and conceded an opposite-field single to Chris Dominguez that moved Monell to third base. He scored from there for a 3-0 edge on a sacrifice-fly to left field from Roger Kieschnick. Ultimately, the Curve committed three errors in the inning, but all three runs were earned against McPherson.
McPherson issued a lead-off walk to Ford in the fifth inning, and the Squirrels parlayed it into an additional run. Peguero followed and rifled a double into the right-field corner. Ford scampered all the way around from first base for a 4-0 cushion.
Meanwhile, making his Double-A debut, right-hander Justin Schumer cruised through four scoreless innings. He used three double-play balls to face the minimum in the first four innings. However, he found trouble in the fifth, as Andrew Lambo led off with a single to right field. Schumer followed with a walk to Jeremy Farrell, and Matt Curry loaded the bases with nobody down with a single. Quincy Latimore got the Curve on the board, cracking a two-run double down the left-field line. With the Squirrels leading 4-2, Schumer was lifted in favor of left-hander David Quinowski. Quinowski put out the fire, as the Squirrels escaped the inning with a two-run lead.
McPherson (7-5) took the loss for Altoona, allowing four earned runs over five innings. He conceded seven hits, walked two and struck out three. Schumer didn't factor in the decision, working four innings plus four batters, and allowing two earned runs. He walked two and struck out two.
Richmond got the two runs right back in top of the sixth inning off of right-hander Tim Alderson. The Squirrels padded their lead with an RBI single for Skyler Stromsmoe, and an RBI ground-rule double from Charlie Culberson.
Quinowski (4-2) earned the win in relief for the Squirrels, working three nearly flawless innings. He intentionally-walked a batter, but retired the other nine batters he faced, including the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Altoona took the first lead in game two, striking for a run in the second inning against Richmond left-hander Clayton Tanner. Tanner issued a one-out walk to Matt Curry. He promptly swiped second base, and scored when Latimore singled up the third-base line.
The lead was short-lived, as Stromsmoe opened the third inning with a single off of Curve right-hander Aaron Pribanic. Jackson Williams followed and launched a two-run home run to left field to give the lead to the Squirrels, 2-1.
The Richmond lead was also taken away hurriedly. Marte opened the bottom of the third inning with a double off of Tanner. A batter later, Tony Sanchez launched a two-run home run to left field to give the Curve the lead back, 3-2.
The Squirrels pulled even in the fifth inning when Tanner logged his second professional hit with a two-out single. Juan Perez followed and cracked an RBI double into the alley in left-center field to knot the game, 3-3.
The Curve plated the decisive run in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Tanner hit Andrew Lambo to start the inning. Yunesky Sanchez followed with a single into right field that allowed Lambo to take third base. Tanner struck out Curry, but was lifted in favor of right-hander Heath Hembree. He conceded a single back through the middle to Latimore that brought in Lambo with the winning run.
Tanner (6-10) took the loss for the Squirrels, allowing four earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. Pribanic (9-9) earned the win over six innings for the Curve. Right-hander Noah Krol came on and retired the Squirrels in order in the seventh inning for his 21st save of the season.
The series finale is scheduled for 7 PM on Wednesday night at Blair County Ballpark. RHP Justin Fitzgerald (8-8, 3.38) will make the start for the Squirrels against RHP Phil Irwin (6-4, 4.61) for the Curve. Pregame coverage will begin at 6:30 PM, and can be heard on Sports Radio 910 AM and SportsRadio910.com.
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