Game Day Preview: Taylor Takes Ball For Game Three
What's Happening:+ The Flying Squirrels continue their seven-game road trip with the third of four contests against the Reading Fightin Phils this afternoon at 2:15 p.m. Richmond won the opener 7-6 in extra innings but lost the second contest 5-4 on Saturday. Richmond took a pair of late-inning leads on
What's Happening:
+ The Flying Squirrels continue their seven-game road trip with the third of four contests against the Reading Fightin Phils this afternoon at 2:15 p.m. Richmond won the opener 7-6 in extra innings but lost the second contest 5-4 on Saturday. Richmond took a pair of late-inning leads on Saturday, but could not hold on. Ali Castillo smacked his second home run of the year in the eighth inning, moving Richmond ahead 3-2 and Matt Lipka delivered an RBI single for a 4-3 lead in the ninth. Reading's Austin Bossart tied the game with a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth and won the contest with a base hit into left field, completing a two-run ninth. Richmond closer Caleb Simpson (2-2) suffered the loss, allowing a pair of unearned runs in the ninth.
Game Day Info
Flying Squirrels (SFG) (27-24)
vs.
Reading Fightin Phils (PHL) (23-30)
RHP Cory Taylor (7-1, 3.99 ERA) vs RHP Harold Arauz (0-0, 9.00)
Sunday, June 3- 2:15 P.M. FirstEnergy Stadium, Reading, PA Game # 52
Radio: Fox Sports 910 (1:45 P.M.) Internet: FoxSportsRichmond.com
Keep Your Enemies Close
+The Squirrels have played three consecutive games decided by one run. The last five contests have been within two runs either way. Richmond defeated Bowie in the bottom of the ninth on Thursday (7-6) and Reading in the 10th on Friday (7-6) before dropping Saturday's contest, 5-4. Richmond is 10-9 in one-run games, tied for second most wins in the league in the category. Altoona leads the way with in percentage with a 12-5 record in one-run games (.706).
Double Down
Flying Squirrels shortstop Ryan Howard smacked a double in the first game of the series in Reading. Howard has 16 doubles on the year, placing him tied with Yonathan Daza for second in the league. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Corban Joseph lead the league with 18 doubles each. Brandon Bednar led the Squirrels last year with 24 doubles. Thomas Neal holds the Flying Squirrels single-season doubles record with 40. Javier Herrera (37, 2013) and Christian Arroyo (36, 2016) are next in line. Howard has hit safely in 12 of his last 15 games.
New Rules, Rule
Minor League Baseball's new rules for extra innings favored Richmond on Friday in Reading. The Flying Squirrels improved to 2-1 in extra innings this season and none of the extra inning games have gone longer than 10 innings. Richmond won the first extra inning contest on April 8 in Trenton, but lost the second extra inning affair on May 2 against Altoona.
Walk-It Off
Thursday marked the third time Richmond won in the last at bat of a game. The Squirrels first walk-off win this season occurred on April 15 against Reading. Jerry Sands brought home the winning run that day, scoring Matt Lipka on a base hit to left field. Dillon Dobson won the second such game when he connected on a walk-off homer on 5/11 vs. Trenton.
First Blood:
+ The first run of the game has proved to be crucial for the Flying Squirrels this season. The Squirrels have a record of 21-6 when they score first in games. When opponents score first against the Squirrels, Richmond has a 6-18 record. Equally important for the Squirrels is maintaining the lead once captured. Richmond's pitching staff has completed 19 of their 24 save opportunities this season led by Caleb Simpson who is 8-for-11 in saves this season.
Mr. .400
+Luigii Rodriguez smacked hit fourth home run of the year on Friday and a pinch-hit double on Saturday. Luigi is hitting .405 entering Sunday. He currently ranks second in the league and second in all of MILB in average. His .477 OBP leads all MILB.
Today's Starter: Richmond's Cory Taylor
+ Taylor will make his team-leading 11th start of the season and his second against the Reading Fighting Phils. Taylor worked the final game of the Akron series on Monday at Canal Park and worked six innings to earn his seventh win of the year. Taylor has won his last four starts and his last five decisions for the Flying Squirrels. Taylor's seven wins ranks second in the Eastern League, trailing New Hampshire's Jordan Romano by one, Funn Facat: All 22 runs allowed by Taylor this season have been earned.
Today's Starter Reading's Harold Arauz
Arauz will also make his 11th start of the season and his first against the Flying Squirrels. Arauz received a no-decision in his last outing on Tuesday in Trenton. The Panamanian tossed six innings and allowed just three runs (two earned) on seven hits in the effort. He struck out a season-high tying eight batters. Arauz is in his first full season at Double-A, having made a brief stop in Reading last year in one relief appearance. Between three levels last year Arauz went 5-6 with a 1.97 ERA. He appeared primarily for Clearwater (A+), working 20 games, starting six of those. On July 30, 2017 Aruaz tossed a seven-inning no-hitter for Clearwater. He retired the first 19 batters he faced, pitching with a perfect game into the last inning until he walked a man with one out. He was initially signed as international free agent by Astros, July 12, 2011 and then traded by Astros with RHPs Vincent Velasquez, Mark Appel and Thomas Eshelman and LHP Brett Oberholtzer to Phillies for RHP Ken Giles and SS Jonathan Arauz, Dec. 12, 2015
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