EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Switch-Hitter Homers from Both Sides of the Plate in Altoona Win

Published on May 15, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND, VA - The Altoona Curve put small-ball aside for an evening and blasted three home runs in a lop-sided, 9-2, win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of a capacity crowd of 9,560 on Saturday night at The Diamond. Shelby Ford homered twice and drove in five runs in the first victory of the series for Altoona.

For the first time in the series, the Flying Squirrels struck first, plating a run in the bottom of the third inning against Curve starter Jared Hughes. Hughes hit Jackson Williams to start the inning, and Nick Noonan singled him to third base. Tyler La Torre, pinch-hitting for Squirrels' starter Mike MacDonald, bounced an RBI groundout to give Richmond a 1-0 lead.

MacDonald, returning from the Disabled List to make the start, worked three scoreless innings before reaching a lowered pitch count and departing to a no-decision.

Altoona struck quickly against the Richmond bullpen, grabbing the lead in the fourth inning. Left-hander Andy Sisco entered in relief for the Squirrels and walked Miles Durham with one out in the inning. Ford followed with a long two-run home run to left field to give the Curve the edge, 2-1.

The Curve doubled their total in the fifth, getting two more against Sisco. Jim Negrych singled with one out in the frame and Hector Gimenez drilled a two-run home run to left field for a 4-1 lead. It was Gimenez's fourth home run of the season against Richmond.

Sisco (0-2) allowed four total runs over two innings of relief. He was tagged with his second loss of the season, giving up his first two home runs of the season in the process.

Meanwhile, Hughes was rock-solid outside of the third inning. He allowed just one more run - unearned - in the sixth inning. He departed to his league-leading seventh win of the season after seven innings. He conceded just four hits, walking two and striking out four.

The Curve threw the knock-out punch with a five-run outburst in the seventh inning. All the runs were charged to Squirrels' reliever Craig Whitaker. The rally included a pair of RBI groundouts and was punctuated with Ford's second home run of the night, a three-run shot to right field. Ford finished the ballgame three-for-four with a pair of home runs and five runs batted in.

The final game of the four-game series is scheduled for 2:05 PM on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. LHP Clayton Tanner (2-3, 3.15) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Derek Hankins (2-1, 1.95) for Altoona.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from May 15, 2010


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