EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Squirrels Stumble in Opener, Fall to Rock Cats, 10-2

Published on April 3, 2014 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


New Britain, CT - The New Britain Rock Cats (1-0) scored the final 10 runs of the season opener and cruised past the Richmond Flying Squirrels (0-1), 10-2, on Thursday night at New Britain Stadium. The Rock Cats racked up 13 hits in the win, as the Squirrels also aided their cause with three defensive errors.

The Squirrels did jump on New Britain lefty Pat Dean quickly in the top of the first inning. Dean recorded the first two outs routinely, but Jarrett Parker laced a two-out double into the alley in left-center field. Mario Lisson followed, and in his first at-bat as a Squirrel, drilled a two-run home run to left field for a 2-0 lead.

New Britain responded in a hurry however, as the first three hitters to face Richmond left-hander Ty Blach all recorded hits. Corey Wimberley led off the ballgame with a double and Daniel Ortiz followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Nate Hanson then pulled a double up the left-field line. The ball took an awkward bounce past Lisson in left field and both runners came in to tie the ballgame, 2-2.

Blach hit the first batter of the second inning, Reynaldo Rodriguez. It came back to haunt him as Tony Thomas followed with a single. Matt Koch followed and bounced out. However, the runners moved up and the Rock Cats took the lead when Aderling Mejia sent a run-scoring grounder to the left side.

The Rock Cats tacked on an unearned run against Blach in the fourth inning. Rodriguez delivered a single with one out. On a ground ball to the left side, Rodriguez attempted to advance to third base. Richmond first baseman Angel Villalona threw errantly back to third base and Rodriguez strolled in for a 4-2 lead on the error.

Blach's (0-1) Richmond debut lasted five innings and ended with his first Double-A defeat. He conceded four runs - three earned - on seven hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out three.

Dean (1-0) worked into the sixth inning and departed to his first win of the season after 5 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out seven.

Richmond righty Austin Fleet had trouble out of the bullpen following Blach. The Rock Cats broke open the game with three runs against him on four hits in his one inning of work. Thomas highlighted the inning with a two-run single. The uprising gave the Rock Cats a five-run lead, 7-2.

The Rock Cats added insult to injury with three runs in the eighth inning off of Richmond lefties Josh Osich and Phil McCormick. The runs were aided by two Richmond errors in the inning and just one was earned.

Right-handers A.J. Achter and Cole Johnson took it the rest of the way out of the New Britain bullpen. Achter worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings and Johnson finished it off with a scoreless ninth inning.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Friday at 11:30 a.m. from New Britain Stadium. Richmond RHP Clayton Blackburn (0-0, ---) will make his Double-A debut against New Britain RHP D.J. Baxendale (0-0, ---). Pregame coverage will begin at 11 a.m. on SportsRadio910.com.

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Eastern League Stories from April 3, 2014


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