Harrisburg, PA - The Flying Squirrels (41-39) were shutout, 2-0, for just the third time this season by the Harrisburg Senators (42-40) on Sunday night at FNB Field. Senators starter Jaron Long (2-6) allowed just one hit over seven innings earning his second win of the season. The Squirrelsreceived their first loss of the five game
Harrisburg, PA - The Flying Squirrels (41-39) were shutout, 2-0, for just the third time this season by the Harrisburg Senators (42-40) on Sunday night at FNB Field. Senators starter Jaron Long (2-6) allowed just one hit over seven innings earning his second win of the season. The Squirrelsreceived their first loss of the five game series and will continue their nine-game road trip against the Senators on Monday night. The Flying Squirrels will return to The Diamond on Wednesday, July 4 for an Independence Day weekend celebration.
The Senators pitching staff held the Squirrels to a single-game low one hit. Previously, the Squirrels single-game low was two hits which came the last time the Squirrels were shutout last Monday in Hartford. Richmond has now been shutout twice on the road trip.
The Senators got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning on a one out single from Osvaldo Abreu scoring Adam Brett Walker from second base. Squirrels starter Taylor Hill (0-2) got out of the inning with a 6-4-3 double play and runners on the corners to keep it a 1-0 Harrisburg lead.
Senators starter Jaron Long kept the Squirrels offense at bay and did not allow a hit until the fourth inning on an infield single off the bat of C.J. Hinojosa. Long went on a tear retiring 12 in a row from the fourth through the seventh inning. Long would exit after tossing a season-high 7.0 innings allowing just one hit with five strikeouts.
Hill was solid for the Squirrels despite receiving the loss. The former Nationals farmhand tossed a season-high six innings and allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out four batters.
Harrisburg tacked on another run in the seventh inning on a solo home run from Zach Collier off of reliever Garrett Williams. The home run was Collier's fifth of the season and it doubled the Senators lead, 2-0 after seven innings. Williams went on to retire the next three batters to get out of the inning allowing just the one run.
Dan Slania kept the deficit to two runs working a 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth, but Harrisburg's reliever Ronald Peña retired six straight Squirrels over the eighth and ninth innings working a six-out save. Pena struck out four batters over his two innings of work earning his first career Double-A save.
The Flying Squirrels continue their nine-game road trip - the longest off the year- with game four of five in Harrisburg on Monday at 6:30 p.m. LHP Conner Menez (2-1, 5.52) makes the start for Richmond against Senators RHP Kyle McGowin (4-2, 3.79). The Flying Squirrels will return to The Diamond on Wednesday, July 4 for an Independence Day celebration. Tickets can be purchased online over the phone by calling 804-359-3866 (FUNN).
