Squirrels shut out by Curve Saturday

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Flying Squirrels were held to four hits in a 2-0 shutout loss against the Altoona Curve on Saturday night at The Diamond.

The Flying Squirrels (42-68, 21-22 second half) have dropped four-of-five games in this week’s series against the Curve (56-56, 26-18).

Altoona took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Mitch Jebb singled and moved to second on a walk by Duce Gourson. With one out, Esmerlyn Valdez singled home Jebb. Richmond starter Nick Zwack (Loss, 0-2) struck out the next two batters to strand two.

Zwack struck out seven batters and allowed one run over 3.2 innings.

Curve opener Blake Townsend retired the first eight batters he faced before Aeverson Arteaga drove a two-out double in the third. Dayson Croes followed with a single to left, but Sammy Siani threw out Arteaga trying to score to end the inning.

Valdez hit an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning to extend the Altoona lead to 2-0.

Po-Yu Chen (Win, 3-9) took over in the fourth and threw 2.2 scoreless innings for the Curve, scattering two hits and three walks.

Tyler Samaniego (Save, 1) worked around an error to post a scoreless ninth and end the game.

The series concludes on Sunday night at The Diamond. Right-hander Trystan Vrieling (1-2, 4.26) will start for Richmond opposed by Altoona right-hander Antwone Kelly (2-2, 2.41). First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.

Sunday is “In Our Baseball ERA (Nutasha’s Version)” Night at The Diamond presented by ERA. It is also Sunday Summer Sips with $12 25-ounce Surfside cans, $11 25-ounce Stella cans and $13 32-ounce Shock Top & Stone Brewing drafts. 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.