Reading Fightin Phils (22-16) Vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels (14-25) RHP Jojo Romero Vs
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Richmond Flying Squirrels | 3001 N Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond, VA 23230 | 804-359-3866 | SquirrelsBaseball.com | @GoSquirrels Reading Fightin Phils (22-16) vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels (14-25) RHP JoJo Romero vs. RHP Alfred Gutierrez (0-2, 4.88) Tuesday, May 21, 2019 | Game #40 | Home Game #24 6:35 p.m. | The Diamond | Richmond, Va. Radio: Sports Radio 910 The Fan | TV: MiLB.TV UPCOMING GAMES & PROBABLE PITCHERS Wed., May 22 Reading 6:35 p.m. LHP David Parkinson (3-2, 3.69) vs. TBD Thurs., May 23 Reading 6:35 p.m. LHP Bailey Falter (3-2, 3.34) vs. RHP Brandon Lawson (1-0, 4.35) Fri., May 24 at Akron 6:35 p.m. TBD vs. TBD Sat., May 25 at Akron 6:35 p.m. TBD vs. TBD SUNDAY: The Flying Squirrels worked a series split with the Akron RubberDucks by taking the series finale, 5-2. Chris 2019 FLYING SQUIRRELS Shaw started the scoring in the first inning with an RBI single. Later in the inning,Jonah Arenado hit a sac fly andJin-De Jhang added an RBI single to cap the three-run inning. In the second inning, Johneshwy Fargas and Jacob Heyward Overall Record .............................. 14-25 added RBI singles to open a 5-0 lead for the Flying Squirrels. Nellie Rodriguez hit a two-run homer for Akron in the third, Home ...................................................8-15 the only runs for the RubberDucks in the game. Caleb Baragar picked up his first win, working 6.0 innings and allowing two runs. Relievers Sam Wolff, Raffi Vizcaino and Melvin Adon each pitched a scoreless inning. Road ....................................................6-10 Place (E.L. Western) ............T-5th/-13.5 TODAY’S GAME: The Flying Squirrels play the first of a three-game series against the Reading Fightin Phils, Double-A Streak ................................................... W2 affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. It is also the fifth of a seven-game homestand against Akron (2-2) and Reading. The Flying Squirrels and Fightin Phils split a rain-shortened, two-game series at FirstEnergy Stadium on April 13 and 14. Last 5 .................................................... 2-3 Reading swept a three-game series in Richmond from April 22-24. The two teams face each other again for a five-game Last 10 ...................................................3-7 series in Reading from May 31-June 3 and again in Richmond from July 4-7. The Flying Squirrels are looking to win a third straight game for the second time this year and the first time since opening the season 3-0. HOME ATTENDANCE INFO THE FLYING SQUIRRELS have lost 22 of the last 31 games since April 16, 12 of 16 since May 2 and nine of 12 since 2019 Home Attendance ..............133,058 May 6. The Richmond offense ranks tied for seventh in the league with a .230 batting average and are fourth with 33 homers. The pitching staff has combined for a 4.19 team ERA, which is 11th in the circuit. After dropping four straight Home Openings ...................................21 series (at Hartford, vs. Altoona, vs. Reading, at Altoona) and splitting the previous two (vs. Bowie, at Reading), the Flying Average Attendance ...................6,336 Squirrels picked up their first series win since the first set of the year with two wins at Bowie from April 29-May 1, but lost the next four series against Altoona, Trenton, at Bowie and at Erie. They snapped that skid with a four-game split against Akron from May 16-19. RICHMOND vs. READING ................................1-4 THE FIGHTIN PHILS have won four straight games after sweeping the Portland Sea Dogs at home over the weekend. 2019 vs. Reading In that series, Reading outscored Portland, 19-8. The Fightin Phils rank last in the league with a .209 team batting aver- at Richmond .................................. 0-3 age and sit fourth with a 3.39 team ERA. Reading’s roster includes eight of MLB.com’s Top-30 Philadelphia prospects, at Reading .........................................1-1 including Adonis Medina (2), Adam Haseley (3), JoJo Romero (7), Mickey Moniak (9), Arquimedes Gamboa (13), Mauricio Liovera (15), David Parkinson (21) and Cornelius Randolph (25) All-Time vs. Reading.....................61-77 at Richmond ..............................35-33 FOR RICHMOND: Right-hander Alfred Gutierrez makes his eighth start of the season for the Flying Squirrels and his at Reading ................................. 26-44 second against the Fightin Phils. Last time out, he worked 5.0 innings for the second straight outing and allowed three runs in a no-decision at Erie last Wednesday. He pitched against the Fightin Phils at The Diamond on April 22 and did not see a decision after working 3.2 innings and allowing four hits with no runs scored against him. Gutierrez is in his ON THE HOMESTAND first season with the Giants organization after spending the previous seven with the Detroit Tigers. Last year, he spent Games ...................................................... 4 time at three levels and made seven starts for the Erie SeaWolves in the Eastern League. He spent most of the season split between the starting rotation and bullpen with A-Adv. Lakeland and was named a Florida State League Mid-Sea- Record .................................................. 2-2 son All-Star. For more on Gutierrez, see page two. Batters FOR READING: Right-hander JoJo Romero makes his first start of the season for the Fightin Phils. He has made seven total starts this season, all with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Of those seven starts, Romero allowed five or more Batting Average .............. .256 (34/133) runs five times, including a season-high six runs in each of his last two starts. Last time out last Wednesday, Romero was RISP ....................................... .294 (10/34) hit with a loss at Durham after allowing six runs over 4.0 innings on seven hits. Romero was drafted by the Phillies in the fourth round in 2016 out of Yavapai College in Arizona, and he is ranked as the No. 7 Phillies prospect by MLB.com. Runs/Runs Per Game ...................14/3.5 Home Runs .............................................0 STRINGING THEM TOGETHER: The Flying Squirrels are 4-9 this season in games following a win. Sunday’s win marked the first time the Flying Squirrels have won back-to-back games since April 14-15 (at Hartford and at Reading). The only other consecutive wins this season by the Flying Squirrels were three straight victories over the Hartford Yard Pitchers Goats to open the season from April 4-6 at The Diamond. ERA ..........................4.50 (18 ER/36.0 IP) Starter W/L ........................................... 2-1 HOME IS WHERE THE HOMERS AREN’T: The Flying Squirrels have hit nine home runs at home this season through 23 games (0.39 per game), down from last year’s pace of 0.55 homers per home game (38 HR/69 Home Games). The Starter ERA ..............4.43 (10 ER/20.1 IP) Flying Squirrels have ranked last in the league in home runs hit at home each of the last two seasons and three of the Reliever W/L ......................................... 0-1 last four years. Entering 2019, the Flying Squirrels averaged 0.49 home runs per home game for the franchise’s first Reliever ERA .............4.59 (8 ER/15.2 IP) nine seasons. The lowest single-season home homer rate was in 2015 (20 HR/71 Home Games/0.28 per game). Saves/Opps ........................................ 2/2 FREQUENT FLYERS: In 2019, the Flying Squirrels have hit 24 homers on the road in 16 games (1.50 per game), more than any other team in the league. Last year, the Flying Squirrels hit 59 homers in 70 road games (0.84 per game), which THIS DATE IN HISTORY is the second-highest for a season in team history behind the 2013 season (63 HR/71 Road Games/0.88 per game). In 2016, the Flying Squirrels blanked PITCH IT: Through April 22 in the first 15 games of the season, the Flying Squirrels pitching staff combined for a 2.62 the Erie SeaWolves, 9-0, with a 16-hit ERA (37 ER/127.0 IP), which was second-best in the Eastern League. Richmond starters had a 2.55 ERA (19 ER/67.0 IP) and relievers had a 2.70 ERA (18 ER/60.0 IP). Over the last 24 games dating back to April 23, Richmond pitchers have attack. Matt Gage pitched 8.0 score- posted a 5.14 ERA (119 ER/208.1 IP). Over the last two games since Saturday, the Flying Squirrels have posted a 2.00 less innings and allowed one hit. Ty- ERA (4 ER/18.0 IP). ler Rogers finished the shutout. Ryder RISPROBLEMS: For the season, the Flying Squirrels are batting .205 (65-for-317) with runners in scoring position, which Jones went 3-for-4 with two homers, is ranked last in the Eastern League. With runners in scoring position and two outs, Richmond is batting .194 (30-for- 155) for the season, which is also last in the league. When the bases are empty, the Flying Squirrels are batting .248 a double and four RBIs. Myles Schro- (176-for-709), which is second in the circuit. Overall with runners on base, the team is batting .205 (110-for-536), which der went 4-for-4 with four singles and is also last in the E.L. However, over the last two games, the Richmond offense has hit .412 (7-for-17) with runners in scoring position. scored a run. Christian Arroyo, Tyler Horan, Hunter Cole and Ricky Oro- ARENADO COMES ALIVE: Over his last six games since May 14, Jonah Arenado has hit .333 (7-for-21) with two dou- bles, one RBI and two walks.