Clutch Hitting Sends Erie to Fifth Straight Win Over Richmond

The SeaWolves won their season-high fifth game and leapfrogged Richmond for first place in the standings in a 4-2 over the Flying Squirrels.

Brant Hurter started for Erie and tossed five strong innings. He allowed just one run on three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. Richmond scored first in the fifth inning on three consecutive two-out hits including an RBI single by Luis Matos.

Erie got that run back immediately in the bottom of the fifth. After Diego Rincones singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Ben Malgeri dropped a single into shallow center field to score the tying run against Richmond reliever Spencer Bivens. Bivens (0-1) was tagged with the loss.

In the sixth, with Trei Cruz and Dillon Dingler in scoring position and two outs, Grant Witherspoon smoked an opposite-field, two-run double to give Erie its first lead of the game.

The SeaWolves added an insurance run on Dingler’s soft, two-out, RBI single scoring Colt Keith in the eighth inning. Keith reached three times in this game on a single and two walks. Dingler picked up a pair of stolen bases.

After Dario Gardea (2-2), who struck out the side in the sixth and picked up the win, and Andrew Magno tossed scoreless relief, Angel De Jesus entered in the ninth. He allowed a run but stranded a runner on third by striking out pinch hitter Riley Mahan to end the game and pick up his second save.

Erie has sole possession of first place for the first time all season. They can sweep the six-game series in the finale on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Keider Montero pitched for Erie opposed by Landen Roupp.