Harrisburg Falls in 15 Inning Marathon
The Harrisburg Senators used a three-run comeback to send Sunday's ballgame to extra innings, but the Flying Squirrels were finally able to pull out a 5-4 win in 15 innings to take three of four from the Senators.
Scott McGregor threw 80 pitches in his five innings of work, in which he allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and three strikeouts. Derek Self followed with two scoreless innings while the Senators were able to come back and tie the game. Chris Manno allowed only a two-out walk in the eighth inning. Robert Beinincasa held Richmond down by allowing just one hit as he did not allow a run in the ninth and tenth innings. Tyler Herron followed by breezing through his first two frames, but a single, walk and an intentional walk loaded the bases in the bottom of the 13th. Herron induced an infield fly and a fly out to work his way out of the pressure-packed jam. Colin Bates fired a scoreless 14th inning, but ran into trouble in the 15th as the bases were loaded with one out again; this time on two singles and a walk. The Flying Squirrels' Kelby Tomlinson finished off the Senators with a sharp groundball through the left side to secure a series victory for Richmond. Overall, the Senators bullpen pitched 9.1 innings of relief, allowing one run on seven hits.
Harrisburg's first run came in the fifth inning when Cole Leonida (2-for-5) knocked in Jason Martinson (2-for-4, nine-game hitting streak) with an RBI single. Drew Vettleson (4-for-6, run) lined a one-out triple down the right field line in the seventh inning and was driven in by Quincy Latimore who lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. However, the Senators remained behind by two runs entering the eighth inning. Pinch-hitter Ricky Hague walked to begin the inning and Michael Taylor (3-for-4, two RBI) followed with a mammoth game-tying, two-run home run. Harrisburg had runners on second and third with no outs, followed by having the bases loaded with two outs, but was not able to score. That turned out to be the Senators best chance the rest of the way. The Senators who received all 11 of their knocks from Taylor, Martinson, Vettleson and Leonida.
The Senators will continue their road trip in Bowie, Md. with a three-game series against the Baysox. Harrisburg will send Paolo Espino to the mound in game one of the series tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. Bowie will counter with Matt Bischoff in the opener. The games can be heard beginning with the pregame show at 11:45 a.m. on 1460 AM or via senatorsbaseball.com, 1460theticket.com or the iHeart Radio app.
The Senators box office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available via telephone during the same hours as the box office hours. Tickets are also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, online at www.senatorsbaseball.com.