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Bertrand, Hill lead Squirrels to 2-1 win over Curve

Richmond closes first half with first series win of 2025
June 22, 2025

ALTOONA, Pa. – John Michael Bertrand threw six scoreless innings and Turner Hill tied the single-game franchise record for triples as the Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Altoona Curve, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

ALTOONA, Pa. – John Michael Bertrand threw six scoreless innings and Turner Hill tied the single-game franchise record for triples as the Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Altoona Curve, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

The Flying Squirrels (21-46-1) closed the first half of the Eastern League season with their first series win of the year, taking two-of-three against the Curve (30-38) on the road this week.

Bertrand (Win, 2-6) allowed two hits with a walk and two strikeouts over his six innings. He retired the first nine batters he faced before a single by Mitch Jebb led off the fourth. That baserunner was wiped out by a double play and Bertrand faced the minimum through his first five innings.

The Flying Squirrels took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Diego Velasquez led off the game with a double and later scored on a triple by Turner Hill against Altoona opener Emmanuel Chapman (Loss, 5-2).

In the top of the fourth, Hill hit a second triple to start the inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Thomas Gavello to open a 2-0 lead.

Hill became the fourth player in Flying Squirrels franchise history to hit two triples in a single game, joining Francisco Peguero (2011), Slade Heathcott (2017) and Caleb Gindl (2017).

Richmond reliever Cameron Cotter struck out three in the seventh to work around a two-out walk. Ian Villers threw a 1-2-3 eighth.

Braxton Roxby (Save, 3) entered in the bottom of the ninth and issued a walk before a two-out error on a pick-off attempt moved Termarr Johnson to second base. Nick Cimillo doubled close the score to 2-1, but Sammy Siani grounded out to end the game.

The run against Roxby in the ninth snapped a streak of 13 consecutive games without allowing an earned run, his first earned run allowed since April 29.

The Flying Squirrels open the second half with the first of a six-game series against the Reading Fightin Phils, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, on Tuesday night at The Diamond. Right-hander Manuel Mercedes (3-7, 7.36) will start for Richmond. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

Tuesday is The Fan District Community Night at The Diamond. Tickets are on sale online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.