RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Flying Squirrels rallied from three separate deficits and beat the Akron RubberDucks, 7-6, on Sunday night at CarMax Park.
The Flying Squirrels (48-26, 5-1 second half) won five-of-six against the RubberDucks (36-38, 1-5) in the first series of the Eastern League’s second half.
Tied, 6-6, in the bottom of the seventh inning, Diego Velasquez worked a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Akron intentionally walked Bo Davidson for the second time in the game to put runners on first and second.
After a groundout, Parks Harber grounded a single to left to score Velasquez and give the Flying Squirrels a 7-6 lead against RubberDucks reliever Reid Johnston (Loss, 1-5).
Manuel Mercedes (Win, 2-1) worked around a leadoff single with three strikeouts in the top of the eighth. Tyler Vogel (Save, 11) threw a 1-2-3 ninth to add to his Eastern League saves lead.
The RubberDucks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning with RBI singles by Maick Collado and Christian Knapczyk. The Flying Squirrels answered with RBI singles by Adrian Sugastey and Velasquez in the bottom of the inning to tie the score.
In the top of the third, Akron scored three runs to take a 5-2 lead, capped with a two-run homer by Wuilfredo Antunez.
Davidson hit a solo homer in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 5-3, his 17th of the season and his 11th in June, extending his franchise record for the most homers in a calendar month.
The game was delayed for two hours and five minutes for rain in the bottom of the third. When play resumed, Maui Ahuna and Jean Carlos Sio hit RBI singles to tie the score, 5-5.
Jacob Cozart moved Akron back ahead, 6-5, with a solo homer in the top of the fifth inning. Charlie Szykowny hit a solo homer in the bottom of the inning to even the score, his 10th of the year.
Mitch White pitched two scoreless relief innings for the Flying Squirrels.
Richmond begins a 12-game road trip on Tuesday with the first of six in Harrisburg against the Senators. Right-hander Trystan Vrieling (2-1, 4.76) will start for the Flying Squirrels. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at FNB Field.
Following the road trip and the All-Star Break, the Flying Squirrels return to CarMax Park from July 17-26. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the CarMax Park ticket office. Ticket packages for the Flying Squirrels’ home playoff games at CarMax Park on sale now at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Playoffs.