BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – The Richmond Flying Squirrels split a doubleheader with the Somerset Patriots at TD Bank Ballpark on Wednesday, dropping the first game, 7-4, before winning the second, 6-2, behind a franchise-record 11 stolen bases.
The Flying Squirrels (58-38, 15-13 second half) split the first two games of this week’s six-game series against the Patriots (51-47, 14-15).
Game 1
The Flying Squirrels surrendered four late runs and lost to the Patriots, 7-4, in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
With the score tied, 3-3, entering the top of the sixth, Maui Ahuna belted a solo homer against Tony Rossi (Win, 2-0) to move the Flying Squirrels ahead. It was Ahuna’s sixth homer of the season.
In the bottom of the sixth, Luis Durango tied the score with an RBI triple and scored on a single by Owen Cobb to give the Patriots the lead. Coby Morales added a two-run homer off Marquis Johnson (Loss, 0-1) to extend the Somerset lead to 7-4.
Kevin Stevens (Save, 1) worked around a single in the top of the seventh to finish the game.
The Flying Squirrels opened a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Trevor Cohen singled and Gavin Kilen doubled to lead off the game. Two batters later, Charlie Szykowny drove a two-run single.
In the top of the second, Ahuna led off with a double and later scored on when Jack Payton reached on a fielding error to extend the lead to 3-0.
Miguel Palma hit a two-run homer to pull the Patriots within a run in the bottom of the second. In the fourth, Owen Cobb hit a two-out single to tie the score, 3-3.
Trystan Vrieling started for the Flying Squirrels in his first game as a visiting pitcher at TD Bank Ballpark and allowed three runs over 4.2 innings. Vrieling was the Patriots’ all-time wins leading in their Yankees affiliation era before being traded to the Giants last summer.
Game 2
The Flying Squirrels set a new single-game franchise record with 11 stolen bases and beat the Patriots, 6-2, in the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
In the top of the third, Diego Velasquez and Trevor Cohen led off with singles against Somerset reliever Hayden Merda (Loss, 2-3). Gavin Kilen drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to open the scoring. Sabin Ceballos stole second and Cohen sprinted home on the throw to score, opening a 2-0 lead.
The Flying Squirrels stole six bases in the top of the third, which set a new franchise record for steals in an inning.
In the top of the fourth, Jean Carlos Sio led off with a walk and stole second, the team’s eighth stolen base of the game. That mark tied the previous single-game record, set in an 11-inning game on May 9, 2014, against the Erie SeaWolves at The Diamond.
Two batters later, Velasquez hit an RBI single to score Sio and extend the lead to 3-0.
Later in the fourth, Velasquez stole second, the team’s ninth of the game to set a new single-game franchise record. He followed with a steal of third.
Cohen hit a single to score Velasquez and open a 4-0 Richmond lead. He later stole second for the team’s 11th steal of the game, matching the most by an Eastern League team in a single game since at least 2005.
Later in the inning, Ceballos brought in Cohen with an RBI single to push the Flying Squirrels’ lead to 5-0.
Sio hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth, his 11th at Double-A this year, to pad the Richmond lead to 6-0.
Cohen finished the game with four stolen bases, tied for the second-most in a game in franchise history, even with Johneshwy Fargas on June 8, 2019, at New Hampshire. The single-game franchise record is five by Kelby Tominson in a 13-inning game on May 9, 2014, against Erie.
The 11 stolen bases matched the most in a single game by an Eastern League team since at least 2005. Portland stole 11 bases at Somerset on June 12, 2025, and Hartford had 11 stolen bases against New Hampshire earlier this season on July 28.
Ten of Richmond’s 11 steals came in the third and fourth innings.
Greg Farone (Win, 4-8) started for Richmond and held Somerset scoreless until two outs into the sixth inning when Jace Avina hit a two-run homer. Farone finished his day with four strikeouts and no walks over six innings.
Mitch White recorded two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to finish the game.
The series continues on Thursday night. Right-hander Yunior Marte (0-3, 4.36) will start for Richmond opposed by Somerset lefty Xavier Rivas (5-4, 4.02). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, N.J.
Following the road trip, the Flying Squirrels return home for a six-game series against the Reading Fightin Phils from August 4-9. 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.