Squirrels Slide Continues in Bowie

BOWIE, MD - The Richmond Flying Squirrels lost their fourth consecutive ballgame, 5-3, to the Bowie Baysox in the opener of a three-game series at Prince George's Stadium on Friday night. The loss drops the Squirrels to 6 1/2 games behind Bowie in the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Division.

Sharlon Schoop got the Squirrels started with a lead-off double off of Bowie right-hander Eddie Gamboa in the second inning. Nick Noonan grounded out, but Schoop moved to third and scored a batter later when Tyler La Torre also grounded out. Clay Timpner made it 2-0 Richmond when he cracked a line-drive solo-home run to right-center field off of Gamboa with two outs.

Joel Guzman belted his league-leading 28th home run as he led off the bottom of the second against Squirrels' righty David Mixon. The blast to right-center field trimmed the Richmond lead to 2-1.

Bowie overtook Mixon and the Squirrels in the third. Greg Miclat, Jonathan Tucker and Xavier Avery notched back-to-back-to-back singles to start the frame. Avery's single scored Miclat to tie the game. A batter later, Ryan Adams gave Bowie the lead with a two-out single to center field. One of the runs charged to Mixon was unearned due a pair of errors charged to the Squirrels during the uprising.

The Baysox added some distance in the sixth inning, chasing Mixon in the process. Mixon allowed a lead-off single to Adams, got the next two batters and called it a night. Adrian Martin relieved him and Steve Lerud cracked a double off the wall in left field to bring in Adams. Caleb Joseph followed with a flared-double into right field to extend the Bowie advantage to 5-2.

Mixon (10-7) was tagged with the loss over 5 2/3 innings. He surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits. He walked none and struck out three.

Gamboa (6-4) earned the win, also turning in 5 2/3 innings. He was charged with two runs on six hits, walked two and struck out one.

Bowie used four relievers to close out the win. Chad Thall recorded one out in the sixth, Jim Johnson handled a routine seventh and Raul Rivero worked a scoreless eighth. Closer Pedro Beato came on to close it out in the ninth, although he did conceded a two-out solo-home run to Timpner. Timpner became just the third Squirrel to homer twice in the same game, but Beato earned his 15th save of the season.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 6:35 PM on Saturday night at Prince George's Stadium. RHP Craig Westcott (3-1, 4.67) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Steve Johnson (7-6, 5.01) for Bowie.