Richmond 7-13-0Hartford 4-8-1WP- Frank Rubio (1-1)LP- Justin Lawrence (0-2)S- Raffi Vizcaino (3)T- 2:55A- 6,539
Richmond 7-13-0
Hartford 4-8-1
WP- Frank Rubio (1-1)
LP- Justin Lawrence (0-2)
S- Raffi Vizcaino (3)
T- 2:55
A- 6,539
HARTFORD- Bryce Johnson slugged a two-run home run in the ninth inning, breaking open a close game to lift the Richmond Flying Squirrels to a 7-4 win over the Hartford Yard Goats Tuesday afternoon, before a sellout crowd of 6,539 at Dunkin' Donuts Park. It was the Yard Goats 29th sellout of the season. Hartford leads the Eastern League in attendance with 266,558. Johnson's home run was one of three hit by the Flying Squirrels in the game. Peter Maris added three hits and an RBI.
Hartford (12-13) and Richmond (11-14) will play the rubber game of the three-game series Wednesday at noon.
Richmond jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning against Yard Goats starter Ty Culbreth on back-to-back home runs by Johneshwy Fargas and Jonah Arenado. The Flying Squirrels tacked on a run in the third inning on a fielder's choice ground out, before Hartford stormed back to tie the game in the third, chasing starter Alfred Gutierrez, who allowed three runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings. Vance Vizcaino stroked a two-run double into the right-field corner and scored the tying run on an infield hit by Bret Boswell.
The Flying Squirrels took a 4-3 lead in the fifth on a double by Johnson, an error and a bloop RBI-single by Maris. After Hartford tied the score for a second time on Tyler Nevin's run-scoring single in the fifth inning, Richmond took the lead for good on a ground out by Johnson off of losing pitcher Justin Lawrence. Johnson added his two-run homer in the ninth to round out the scoring in the contest and snap the Yard Goats' three-game winning streak.
Culbreth, the first of four pitchers used by Hartford, hurled four innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He struck out one. Frank Rubio picked up the win, pitching a perfect sixth inning. Raffi Vizcaino recorded his third save with two scoreless innings.
Vizcaino led Hartford's eight-hit attack with two doubles and two RBI, while Manny Melendez added a double and single. Maris had three hits and an RBI pacing the Flying Squirrels 13-hit onslaught. Johnson's homer, double and three RBI and Arenado's home run, single, RBI and two runs scored also helped Richmond.
The three-game series and home stand wrap up Wednesday at 12:05 p.m. It will be a battle of left-handers as Jack Wynkoop pitches for Hartford and Garrett Williams for Richmond. It will be another Parks and Recreation Day at Dunkin' Donuts Park. The game will be broadcast on News Radio 1410 AM, on 100.9 FM, in Spanish on 1120 AM and on the Internet on newsradio1410.iheart.com and on MiLB.com.
