Squirrels blanked by 'Ducks on Wednesday afternoon

AKRON, Ohio – The Richmond Flying Squirrels were held to four hits and shut out by the Akron RubberDucks, 4-0, on Wednesday afternoon at Canal Park.

The Flying Squirrels (38-30) had their four-game win streak snapped. It was the second shutout loss for Richmond this season. Akron (39-27) scored late runs in three consecutive innings to secure the victory.

After Ike Freeman led off the sixth with a base hit and later advanced to second, Richie Palacios smacked an RBI double that pushed the RubberDucks to a 1-0 lead.

Akron added to their advantage, 2-0, in the seventh inning off an RBI single from Mike Rivera with Raffi Vizcaíno on the mound.

With two outs and a runner at second in the eighth inning, Chris Roller knocked an RBI single against R.J. Dabovich that pushed the RubberDucks ahead to a 3-0 mark.

Through the first 3.0 innings, Richmond starter Caleb Kilian (Loss, 3-1) retired each of the first nine batters he faced and mixed in three strikeouts. Kilian finished his outing with 6.0 innings, allowing four hits and one run with six strikeouts.

Akron’s Cody Morris (Win, 1-0) worked 5.0 scoreless innings in his start allowing two hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. Six of Morris’ seven strikeouts were to the top three batters in Richmond’s order.

The RubberDucks used three relievers who combined for 4.0 scoreless innings with two hits allowed and five strikeouts. Manuel Alvarez (Save, 2) allowed a leadoff walk in the ninth but responded with a flyout and two strikeouts to secure the win.

Game three of the series is Thursday night with a first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Right-handed pitcher Sean Hjelle (3-1, 3.21) will start for Richmond opposed by left-handed pitcher Adam Scott (0-1, 5.40) for Akron.

The Flying Squirrels return to The Diamond on Tuesday, July 27 for the first game of a two-week homestand against the Bowie Baysox and the Reading Fightin Phils. On July 27, Richmond celebrates all things sports with Sports Appreciation Night and the first 1,000 fans 15 and older can receive a connectable-base bobblehead of mixed nut racer John Walnut presented by Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels offices.