The SeaWolves could not hang onto an early five-run advantage as their six-game winning streak was snapped by the Richmond Flying Squirrels by a 9-7 final at The Diamond.Erie jumped ahead in the second against Richmond starter Caleb Baragar. Frank Schwindel led off with a walk and Kody Eaves blasted
The SeaWolves could not hang onto an early five-run advantage as their six-game winning streak was snapped by the Richmond Flying Squirrels by a 9-7 final at The Diamond.
Erie jumped ahead in the second against Richmond starter Caleb Baragar. Frank Schwindel led off with a walk and Kody Eaves blasted a two-run home run with one out for a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Cam Gibson walked with one out and it was Isaac Paredes who belted a two-run home run to right, his seventh, for a 4-0 lead.
Daniel Pinero led off the fourth with a double and scored on a two-out, Chace Numata base hit to make it 5-0.
SeaWolves starter Anthony Castro was perfect through three innings with three strikeouts but ran into trouble in the fourth. Bryce Johnson led off with a single and Castro followed with back-to-back walks to Peter Maris and Ryder Jones, loading the bases. Jacob Heyward singled home Johnson making it 5-1. Zach Houchins hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Maris to make it 5-2. An RBI single from Jonah Arenado and an RBI fielder's choice from Gio Brusa plated two additional runs to cut the Erie lead down to one.
Richmond tied the game in the fifth against Logan Shore. With two outs, Jones singled and moved to second on a Heyward walk. Houchins singled home Jones to square the game at five.
The Squirrels then took the lead against reliever Sandy Baez in the sixth. Brusa singled with one out and came home on a Johnson two-out double for a 6-5 advantage. Maris singled home Johnson to make it 7-5 Richmond.
Erie tied the game in the seventh against reliever Tyler Cyr. The 'Wolves loaded the bases on a Sergio Alcántara walk, a Numata hit by pitch and Gibson reached on an error. With one out, Jose Azocar grounded into what looked to be a double play ball. Alcantara scored when Azocar reached first and on a drop by the first baseman, Jones, Numata scored to tie the game 7-7.
Richmond regained the lead in the home half of the eighth against Nolan Blackwood. Ryan Howard led off with a base hit. Arenado followed, grounded to Paredes at third. Paredes threw to second but a missed catch by Eaves allowed the ball to reach center, scoring pinch-runner Johneshwy Fargas for an 8-7 Squirrels lead. Brusa then capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Arenado to make it 9-7.
Erie threatened in the ninth as Gibson led off with a triple and Paredes walked to put the tying run on base. Reliever Raffi Vizcaino retired the net three hitters to earn his fourth save.
Caleb Simpson (1-1) earned the win in relief for the Squirrels, retiring the only hitter he faced in the eighth.
Blackwood (5-3) took the loss allowing two unearned runs on one hit with two strikeouts.
Erie looks for the series win on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond at 1:05 p.m. RHP Casey Mize (6-1, 1.21 ERA) takes the mound for Erie against RHP Alfred Gutierrez (6-4, 4.22 ERA).
