Squirrels Take Middle Game of the Series

It was all Richmond Flying Squirrels on Saturday night at The Diamond as they shut out the SeaWolves, 9-0.

Richmond jumped ahead in the first inning against Erie starter Josh Turley. Myles Schroder and Christian Arroyo each singled to start the inning. With one out, Tyler Horan doubled home Schroder for a 1-0 lead. Hunter Cole followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Arroyo from third for a 2-0 lead. Ryder Jones then doubled home Horan for a 3-0 lead.

The Squirrels added to their lead in the third when Cole and Jones connected on back-to-back home runs for a 5-0 lead. Turley would exit after three innings.

Richmond added four more runs against Erie reliever Santiago Garrido in the fifth. Horan led off with a single and was doubled home by Cole for a 6-0 lead. Jones and Ricky Oropesa followed with back-to-back home runs for a 9-0 Richmond advantage.

Flying Squirrels starter Matt Gage was the story of the night. The Richmond lefty did not allow a hit through the first seven innings of the game. At one point, he retired 17 consecutive batters before issuing a walk to Jeff McVaney in the seventh.

Erie broke up the no-hitter in the top of the eighth when JaCoby Jones led off and singled up the middle.

The SeaWolves loaded the bases in the ninth against reliever Tyler Rogers on a Jason Krizan walk, Gustavo Nunez infield single and McVaney hit-by-pitch. Rogers retired the last two batters, preserving the shutout.

Gage (1-4) earned his first win of the season tossing eight shutout innings, allowing one hit with a walk and five strikeouts.

Turley (0-1) took the loss allowing five runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout in three innings.

The SeaWolves look for the series win on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond at 12:05 p.m. Righty Cory Riordan (3-3, 4.73 ERA) takes the mound for the SeaWolves against RHP Tyler Beede (2-2, 3.65 ERA).