The SeaWolves came back with two out in the ninth inning to walk off the Flying Squirrels, 6-5.
The action started early as Erie scored three times in the bottom of the first inning against Squirrels starter Kai-Wei Teng. Trei Cruz and Andrew Navigato led off with consecutive doubles to
The SeaWolves came back with two out in the ninth inning to walk off the Flying Squirrels, 6-5.
The action started early as Erie scored three times in the bottom of the first inning against Squirrels starter Kai-Wei Teng. Trei Cruz and Andrew Navigato led off with consecutive doubles to score the first run. Wenceel Perez was hit by a pitch. After Dillon Dingler struck out and Grant Witherspoon walked to load the bases, Jake Holton hit a routine double play ground ball but Richmond shortstop Marco Luciano threw the return throw into the stands, scoring two more.
Richmond got individual runs off Erie starter Sawyer Gipson-Long in the second and third innings. Andy Thomas homered in the second inning as part of a four-hit day. Luis Matos had an RBI single following Ismael Munguia’s double in the third to cut the score to 3-2.
New acquisition Tim Naughton relieved Gipson-Long in the sixth and struggled. He lasted just a third of an inning and was charged with three runs on two hits, a walk, and a hit batter. Riley Mahan had the tying double. Carter Williams had the go-ahead, two-run single off Bryce Tassin after Naughton departed, giving Richmond a 5-3 lead.
Erie got a run back in the seventh. Navigato had his second double, placing runners at second and third with no out. Perez then hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field.
Adam Wolf entered in the eighth inning and pulled a miracle escape act. On two singles and a walk, Richmond loaded the bases against him. He coaxed a 1-2-3 double play from Williams to cut down a run at home plate. Simon Whiteman then tried to bunt for a hit to score a run and Cruz made an outstanding, barehand play to throw him out and save a run.
In the ninth, Evan Gates struck out Perez and Dingler to begin the frame. Grant Witherspoon hit a routine ground ball to Mahan at first base, but Mahan booted the ball for his first error of the season. Witherspoon advanced to third base on a wild pitch and throwing error by the catcher Thomas. Gage Workman ripped a double to right-center to score Witherspoon and tie the game. Daniel Cabrera followed with an RBI single to win the game.
Gates (1-3) blew his second save and took the loss. Wolf (1-1) got the win for Erie. Erie has won three games in a row for the first time this season. They trail Richmond by 1.5 games in the standings.
The series continues at 6:05 p.m. on Friday as Wilmer Flores pitches against Ryan Murphy.