Brilliant start from Menez leads Squirrels to Sunday shutout

RICHMOND, Va. - Conner Menez retired 18 of the 19 batters he faced and the Richmond Flying Squirrels hit three home runs to top the Altoona Curve, 6-0, on Sunday at The Diamond. 

The victory was the third shutout of the season for Richmond (11-16) and snapped a three-game losing streak.
 
Menez (Win, 2-1) retired the first fourteen batters he faced before allowing a hit to Altoona (15-14) first baseman Jerrick Suiter in the fifth inning. Ultimately, Menez allowed just one baserunner, needing just 79 pitches to complete six shutout inings. The southpaw struck out eight and did not issue a walk on 79 pitches.  
 
The Flying Squirrels offense provided the first four runs of the game in the bottom of the third inning. After Menez drew a one-out walk and Chris Shaw singled, Brock Stassi  lined a single to right field to bring in Menez as the game's first run. On the very next pitch, Jacob Heyward crushed a three-run homer to left field to put Richmond up 4-0.
 
Shaw and Jalen Miller added home runs of their own in the fifth, hitting back-to-back long balls off right-hander Scooter Hightower (Loss, 1-2). Shaw smacked a 2-0 pitch over the right-center field fence for his fifth home run of the year, while Miller blasted a 3-1 offering over the left field fence for his team-leading sixth homer of the year.
 
The Flying Squirrels have hit three or more home runs in a game five times this season.
 
Relievers Rodolfo Martinez and Ryan Halstead combined for three scoreless innings of relief to polish off the shutout win.
 
The Flying Squirrels begin a three-game series against the Trenton Thunder on Monday, when left-hander Garrett Williams (1-2, 4.30 ERA) toes the rubber against Thunder right-hander Brody Koerner (0-1, 1.42 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and coverage begins with the Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup at 6:05.
 
The first 1,000 fans 15 and older to arrive at The Diamond on Monday will receive a 10th season umbrella presented by Elephant Insurance. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.
 
Dogs are admitted free in Funnville every Monday home game. Please request a dog-friendly seating section if accompanied by a pet (sections 101-103, 203-204 and General Admission first base side).
 
Tickets are on sale now for the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Week presented by Genworth. The All-Star Week festivities begin on Sunday, July 7 with Mayor Levar Stoney's All-Star Week Kickoff on Brown's Island, followed by the All-Star Country Music Jam on Monday, July 8, headlined by Big & Rich with special guests Cowboy Troy and DJ Sinister at Virginia Credit Union LIVE! at Richmond Raceway. The Celebrity Home Run Derby is Tuesday, July 9 and the festivities wrap up with the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 10.  
 
For tickets or more information, call 804-359-3866 (FUNN), visit SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets or stop by the Flying Squirrels box office. 
 
-SQUIRRELS-