Erie Strikes Out 18 Squirrels to Win Sixth Straight

The SeaWolves (18-11) rode a season-high 18 strikeouts as a pitching staff and three home runs to an 8-3 win over Richmond (12-20).

Austin Bergner pitched for Erie and allowed immediate damage. After Carter Howell began the game with a single, Victor Bericoto followed with a run-scoring double.

Bergner settled in and tossed one of the best outings of his career. He did not allow another hit after Bericoto’s double in his five innings of work. Bergner struck out a career-high 11 batters.

Richmond starter Carson Ragsdale opened his outing with four scoreless innings. Trei Cruz opened the fifth inning with a game-tying solo homer. Cruz homered for a second consecutive game as part of a three-hit game. Later in the frame, Chris Meyers blasted a solo home run to give Erie a 2-1 lead against Ragsdale.

In the sixth against Reggie Crawford, Erie extended the lead. With Carlos Mendoza on third and Hao-Yu Lee on first and one out, Mendoza stole home on the throw to second when Lee broke toward second. Cruz then scored Lee on an RBI double to make it 4-1.

Jairo Pomares connected for his first Double-A home run in the seventh against Erie reliever Andrew Magno, which made it a 4-2 game.

In the bottom of the seventh, Ben Malgeri slammed an opposite-field, two-run home run to give Erie a 6-2 lead. Later in the inning with two on base, Lee drove home Erie’s seventh run on an RBI single.

The SeaWolves made it 8-2 in the eighth when Cruz scored on a balk by Tanner Kiest.

Richmond added an unearned run in the ninth against RJ Petit when Andry Thomas reached on a dropped fly ball error by Carlos Mendoza and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Bergner, Magno, Adam Wolf, and Petit combined for a season-high 18 strikeouts for Erie pitching.

Bergner (1-1) earned the win. Ragsdale (0-1) took the loss.

Erie has won six straight. Richmond has lost seven in a row. Erie goes for the series sweep on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. as Lael Lockhart faces Matt Frisbee.