EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Squirrels Turn Bowie Blunders into Series Win, 7-2

Published on April 12, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels (4-2) used five Bowie errors, timely hitting and an impressive Double-A debut from left-hander Thomas Vessella to down the Baysox (1-4), 7-2, in front of 6,385 at The Diamond on Tuesday night.

Vessella and Bowie right-hander Eddie Gamboa each faced the minimum their first time through the opposition order and the ballgame stood scoreless after three innings. The Baysox broke on top in the fourth when Vessella plunked the lead-off batter, Xavier Avery. Vessella then walked Greg Miclat and Jeff Fiorentino bunted the pair up a base to second and third. Brandon Waring then lined a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Avery with the first run of the ballgame.

Richmond responded immediately with a run off of Gamboa in the bottom of the inning. An opportunity presented itself when Charlie Culberson reached on an error to start the inning. Justin Christian followed and laced a double past a diving Waring at third base, scoring Culberson all the way from first base to tie the ballgame, 1-1.

Bowie reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth inning, when Ronnie Welty slugged his first home run of the season off of Vessella. His drive, a solo-home run to left field, put the Baysox back ahead, 2-1.

The lead was short-lived, as the Squirrels charged in front in the bottom of the inning. Gamboa walked the lead-off batter in the inning, Johnny Monell. Mike McBryde followed with a crisp single into right field to put two aboard. Switch-hitting Jose Flores knotted the game, 2-2, when he rapped a single back through the middle to bring home Monell. Joel Weeks then laid down a bunt and Gamboa made an ill-fated decision to throw to third base. McBryde beat the throw and the bases were loaded with nobody out. Culberson gave Richmond their first lead with a sacrifice fly to right field to plate McBryde, and Justin Christian extended the lead to 4-2 when he lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.

Gamboa (1-1) departed in the midst of the Squirrels' fifth-inning uprising, and was tagged with four runs - three earned - and the loss. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out three. Vessella (1-0) worked through the sixth inning and earned his first Double-A win in his Giants' organizational debut. He allowed two runs on just two hits, walking one and striking out three.

The Squirrels picked up a run in the sixth inning courtesy of a McBryde RBI-single. They put the game out of reach when Bowie committed three errors in the ninth inning and Richmond turned those miscues into two unearned runs.

Richmond's bullpen was again a highlight, as right-handers Edwin Quirarte and Osiris Matos combined with left-hander Justin Dowdy to work three scoreless innings of relief. The Baysox stranded just two runners on the bases during the ballgame.

The series-finale is scheduled for 10:35 am on Wednesday morning at The Diamond. RHP Daryl Maday (0-0, 7.71) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Zach Clark (0-0, 6.00) for Bowie.

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Eastern League Stories from April 12, 2011


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