HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Richmond Flying Squirrels split a doubleheader with the Harrisburg Senators on Wednesday night at FNB Field, dropping the first game, 6-2, before winning the second game, 7-6, in 11 innings.
With the nightcap win, the Flying Squirrels (64-45, 21-20 second half) snapped a season-high-tying three-game losing slide, including the first two games of the series against the Senators (56-54, 22-19).
The two teams played 18 innings on Wednesday night. The second game finished five hours and 45 minutes after the first game’s first pitch. The Flying Squirrels improved to 9-0 in extra-inning games this year.
Game 1
The Flying Squirrels went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base in a 6-2 loss to the Senators in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
The Senators took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff double by Nick Mitchell, Devin Fitz-Gerald hit an RBI single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Elijah Green.
In the second, Mitchell hit a two-run single to open a 4-0 Senators lead against Flying Squirrels starter Trystan Vrieling (Loss, 5-2).
Trevor Cohen drove in a run with a fielder’s choice in the top of the fifth to close the score to 4-1.
Harrisburg stretched the lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single by Caleb Lomavita and a sacrifice fly by Sam Brown.
Jose Astudillo hit an RBI single in the top of the sixth to close the gap to 6-2, but Senators pitcher Josh Randall (Win, 4-5) worked out of a bases-loaded jam to hold the lead at four.
The Flying Squirrels loaded the bases again in the seventh, but Senators reliever Sandy Gaston recorded a strikeout to end the game.
Dale Stanavich threw a 1-2-3 sixth with two strikeouts.
Game 2
The Flying Squirrels outlasted the Senators, 7-6, in 11 innings in the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Richmond was trailing, 3-0, in the seventh and down to its last strike before a rally to force extra innings.
Harrisburg starter Josh Hartle held Richmond to one hit before the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Sabin Ceballos doubled and Charlie Szykowny reached with a walk to bring the potential tying run to the batter’s box.
After a strikeout for the second out, Ty Hanchey fell behind 1-2 before belting a three-run homer to tie the score, 3-3.
The Flying Squirrels and Senators traded runs over the next three frames. In the top of the eighth, Trevor Cohen brought in a run with a sacrifice fly before Harrisburg tied the score, 4-4, with an RBI single by Ethan Petry in the bottom of the inning.
In the top of the ninth, Dayson Croes started on second and moved to third on a wild pitch, setting up a sacrifice fly by Trevor Cohen. Branden Boissiere evened the score, 5-5, on an infield hit in the bottom of the inning.
Szykowny scored on a sacrifice fly by Jack Payton in the top of the 10th. Sam Brown drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame for a 6-6 tie.
In the top of the 11th, Jean Carlos Sió scored on a groundout by Croes against Harrisburg reliever Thomas Schultz (Loss, 2-5) to move Richmond ahead, 7-6.
Mitch White (Win, 4-4) stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th to end the game.
The Flying Squirrels went hitless over the four extra innings but scored four runs on three sacrifice flies and a groundout.
After Jack Choate struck out the side in order in the first, the Senators plated two runs in the second. Elijah Green led off with a walk and Petry doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs.
After a flyout, TJ White hit a groundball to shortstop Maui Ahuna, whose throw home was dropped to score the game’s first run. Cortland Lawson followed with a squeeze bunt to score Petry for a 2-0 Harrisburg lead.
In the third, Petry hit a two-out double to score Green and extend the Harrisburg lead to 3-0.
Shane Rademacher pitched two hitless relief innings for Richmond. Tyler Vogel threw 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to force extras.
Ryan Vanderhei surrendered the two placed runners in the ninth and 10th but did not allow an earned run in his two innings of work, striking out two.
The second game of the doubleheader served as a make-up for the July 4 rainout in Harrisburg.
The series continues on Thursday night. Right-hander Yunior Marte (0-4, 4.56) will start for Richmond opposed by Harrisburg right-hander Yoel Tejada (0-2, 5.87). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at FNB Field in Harrisburg.
Following the road trip, the Flying Squirrels return to Richmond for a six-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs from August 25-30. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the CarMax Park ticket office. Tickets for the Flying Squirrels’ home playoff games at CarMax Park on sale now at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Playoffs.