Richards tosses gem in 'Hoppers loss

Losing a no-hitter and ultimately the game probably wasn't what Trevor Richards had in mind Friday night. Then again, pitching in the independent Frontier League after a strong collegiate career at Drury University wasn't part of the plan, either.

The Marlins prospect pitched 6 1/3 hitless innings before finding trouble in the seventh. He ended up allowing two runs -- one earned -- on two hits and two walks while striking out three in seven frames as Class A Greensboro fell at Hagerstown, 2-1.

After going undrafted last year, Richards (2-1) signed with the Gateway Grizzlies and posted a 3.36 ERA with 84 strikeouts over 91 innings over 14 starts. He had a 3.21 ERA with Gateway this season before signing with the Marlins on July 3. 

"I wouldn't say [not getting drafted] was a shock, but I knew my situation," the 23-year-old right-hander said. "I was pitching for a small D-II school in Missouri and I wasn't lighting up the radar gun or anything like that. When I didn't get drafted, I didn't take offense. I was lined up with Gateway anyway and I learned a lot in the time I was there. That short stint in indy ball has helped me a lot in how I've developed."

Richards began his pro career by posting a 1.69 ERA in three games, including one start, with Class A Short Season Batavia. Despite Friday's loss, the Illinois native has a 1.85 ERA and has allowed 18 hits and 11 walks while fanning 30 over 34 innings in six South Atlantic League starts.

Richards retired the first 11 hitters before walking Grant DeBruin with two outs in the fourth. He issued another free pass to Tyler Beckwith in the fifth, then retired Hagerstown in order in the sixth to keep the no-hitter intact. He got DeBruin to line to right to start the seventh and plunked Rhett Wiseman. On a 1-2 count, Jake Noll singled to left to break up the no-no. 

Richards retired Matt Reistetter for the second out but a passed ball by catcher John Silviano moved both runners into scoring position and Beckwith followed with a two-run single.

"I was just trying to get ahead of hitters and let them get themselves out," Richards said. "I knew coming in they were a pretty aggressive team, so I tried to keep the fastball down and mix it up with my changeup when I needed to. 

"I sort of lost that pitch selection in those crucial situations. I had a base open and went fastball. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have thrown something else, but you learn from it. I felt good and my arm felt good all game. It's frustrating we got the loss and I gave up those two runs on one pitch, but that's baseball for you, right?" 

One thing Richards doesn't lack is intensity, which he feels is a must to be successful as a pitcher.

"You definitely have to have that in a sense," he said. "Not so much that anyone passed on me in the Draft. I mean, I'm still here now. It's more mental in that you have a little chip on your shoulder thinking, 'I had to go to indy ball to get here.' Which, I must say, is fine, but it adds a little extra for me."

Marlins No. 7 prospect Stone Garrett went 2-for-4 and scored on Angel Reyes' two-out single in the fourth for the Grasshoppers, who have lost eight of nine.

Suns starter Jefry Rodriguez yielded one run on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings. Grant Borne (4-2) worked around a hit and a walk while fanning two in 2 1/3 innings to pick up the win and Tommy Peterson recorded the final two outs for his seventh save.