Richmond Flying Squirrels | 3001 N Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond, VA 23230 | 804-359-3866 | SquirrelsBaseball.com | @GoSquirrels Richmond Flying Squirrels (48-83, 25-39) vs. Erie SeaWolves (74-56, 43-21) RHP Sean Hjelle (0-2, 8.22) vs. LHP Joey Wentz (2-0, 1.80) Monday, August 26, 2019 | Game #132 | Road Game #67 7:05 p.m. | UPMC Park | Erie, Pa. Radio: Sports Radio 910 The Fan & 105.1 FM | TV: MiLB.TV UPCOMING GAMES & PROBABLE PITCHERS Tues., Aug. 27 at Erie 7:05 p.m. LHP Caleb Baragar (3-5, 3.60) vs. TBD Wed., Aug. 28 at Erie 7:05 p.m. RHP Alfred Gutierrez (8-5, 4.11) vs. LHP Tarik Skubal (2-2, 2.04) Thurs., Aug. 29 at Erie 7:05 p.m. RHP Ryan Halstead (2-6, 3.53) vs. RHP Anthony Castro (5-2, 4.13) Fri., Aug. 30 Bowie 7:05 p.m. RHP Brandon Lawson (5-9, 3.83) vs. RHP Tyler Herb (4-2, 4.07) YESTERDAY: The Flying Squirrels lost for the fourth straight game with a 5-1 defeat by the Akron RubberDucks, capping a four-game sweep at Canal Park. Akron opened the scoring in the first with an RBI double by Trenton Brooks and Alexis Pantoja 2019 FLYING SQUIRRELS added an RBI single to open a 2-0 lead. In the top of the second, Zach Houchins hit an RBI double to bring in Richmond’s only Overall Record ..............................48-83 run of the game. Ernie Clement hit an RBI double in the third. Alex Call brought in a run with a single in the fourth and Nolan ..........................................23-44 Jones worked a bases-loaded walk to extend Akron’s lead to 5-1. issued a career-high five walks. First Half Brandon Lawson Second Half ................................... 25-39 TODAY’S GAME: The Flying Squirrels play the opener of a four-game series against the Erie SeaWolves, Double-A affiliate of Home ............................................... 20-45 the Detroit Tigers. It is also the fifth of an eight-game road trip to Akron (0-4) and Erie, the last road trip of the season for Rich- mond. The Flying Squirrels dropped two of three at UPMC Park in their only other visit from May 13-15 and three of four at The Road ................................................ 28-38 Diamond from July 18-21. The Flying Squirrels won two of three against the SeaWolves from August 19-21, all in extras. Place (E.L. Western) ............... 6th/-18.0 THE FLYING SQUIRRELS have lost four straight games on the current road trip. Richmond sits last in the Western Division and Streak ..................................................... L4 is eliminated from postseason contention. Overall this season, the Richmond offense ranks last in the league with a .216 batting Last 5 ......................................................1-4 average, including a .201 average in August. The pitching staff has combined for a 3.64 team ERA, which is sixth in the circuit. Richmond’s -150 run differential is last in the league (next closest is Portland at -47). The previous franchise-worst is -80 in 2017. Last 10 .................................................. 4-6 THE SEAWOLVES have lost five of their last seven games since opening the series in Richmond on August 19. They had won seven of the previous nine from August 9-18. Erie leads the Eastern League with a .249 team batting average and ranks second HOME ATTENDANCE INFO with a 3.26 team ERA. Erie’s roster includes 11 of MLB.com’s top-30 Tigers prospects, including Casey Mize (1), Matt Manning 2019 Home Attendance ............. 367,805 (2), Tarik Skubal (4), Isaac Paredes (5), Alex Faedo (9 - on IL), Joey Wentz (10), Sergio Alcantara (15 - on IL), Kody Clemens (17), Home Openings ..................................60 Anthony Castro (20), Derek Hill (28) and Alex Lange (29). Average Attendance ....................6,130 FOR RICHMOND: Right-hander Sean Hjelle makes his fourth Double-A start and second against the SeaWolves. He faced Erie in his last start on Wednesday and allowed career highs in runs (7) and hits (12) in a no-decision. He faced Bowie in each of his first two starts, combining to allow nine runs over 9.2 IP. He began the season with Single-A Augusta, going 1-2 with a RICHMOND vs. ERIE 2.66 ERA in nine starts. He was promoted to A-Adv. San Jose on May 20 and posted a 5-5 record with a 2.78 ERA in 14 starts. ....................................... 4-6 His ERA ranked second in the California League among pitchers during the time he was in the league and had the third-most 2019 vs. Erie innings pitched (77.2). Hjelle was drafted by the Giants in the second round in 2018 out of the University of Kentucky. For more at Richmond ...................................3-4 on Hjelle, see page two. at Erie ................................................ 1-2 FOR ERIE: Left-hander Joey Wentz makes his fourth start for the SeaWolves and first against the Flying Squirrels. He was picked All-Time vs. Erie ........................... 56-45 up by the Tigers along with OF Travis Demeritte from the Braves on July 31 in exchange for Shane Greene. He has worked 5.0 at Richmond .............................. 30-16 innings in each of his first three starts with Erie and has combined for 22 strikeouts with two walks. He made 20 starts for the Double-A Mississippi Braves of the Southern League and went 5-8 with a 4.72 ERA. He was the South Atlantic League’s Most at Erie .......................................... 26-29 Outstanding Pitcher in 2017 with Rome after striking out 152 batters and posting a 2.60 ERA, but was limited to 16 starts in 2018 with an oblique strain. Wentz was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the first round (CBA - 40th overall) in 2016. ON THE ROAD TRIP KEEPING IT CLOSE: Since July 25, 23 of the Flying Squirrels’ 31 games have been decided by two runs or less. In that span, the Games ...................................................... 4 Flying Squirrels have played 12 one-run games (5-7) and 11 two-run games (5-6). The games have also mostly been low-scoring. Record .................................................. 0-4 24 of the last 31 games have had eight-or-less total runs, and 11 have had four-or-less total runs. PITCHERS’ DELIGHT: The 2019 season has been the “Year of the Pitcher” in the Eastern League. There have been eight no-hit- Batters ters thrown in the league this year, one shy of the record nine no-hitters in 1967. On the season, the league has combined for a 3.58 ERA, the second-lowest in all of minor league baseball’s full-season leagues, down from last year’s mark of 4.01 and the Batting Average ................ .191 (26/136) lowest in the EL since 1990 (3.33). The league’s offenses have combined to hit .239, tied for the lowest of all MiLB full-season RISP .......................................... .143 (5/35) leagues, which is down from .253 last season and the lowest in the EL since 1971 (.234). Richmond’s offense has been held to a .216 batting average, which would be the fifth-lowest since the EL became a Double-A circuit in 1963. The last time a team had Runs/Runs Per Game ....................8/2.0 a lower batting average was 1968 (Waterbury Indians - .208, Binghamton Triplets - .210, Elmira Pioneers - .214). Home Runs ............................................. 2 STRONG ARMS: The Flying Squirrels have posted a 2.72 ERA in 25 games in the month of August, which is the second-best in the Eastern League. Of those 25 games, the Flying Squirrels have held their opponent to four-or-less runs 18 times, including 15 Pitchers of the last 20 games since August 6. Richmond starters have combined for a 3.30 ERA (46 ER/125.1 IP) this month. The Richmond ERA ...........................3.64 (14 ER/34.2 IP) bullpen has posted a 1.93 ERA (19 ER/88.2 IP). Starter W/L .......................................... 0-2 RULES OF THE ROAD: On the season, Bryce Johnson is batting .296 (29-for-98) in 27 road games, best among current players Starter ERA ............ 6.30 (14 ER/20.0 IP) on the team. Johnson is batting .174 (15-for-86) in his 26 home games this year. Johnson is also batting .284 (31-for-109) when batting lead-off, compared to .173 (13-for-75) in all other spots in the order. Reliever W/L ........................................ 0-2 Reliever ERA ............0.00 (0 ER/14.2 IP) A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: On the season, the Flying Squirrels have won nine series, lost 26 and split five. Six of their nine series wins have come on the road. The Flying Squirrels have won two straight home sets and have won three of Saves/Opps ........................................ 0/0 their last six road series. TOP OF THE CLASS: The Flying Squirrels received top two prospects in the Giants’ system on August 9 with the additions of THIS DATE IN HISTORY Joey Bart and Heliot Ramos. Bart is ranked first and Ramos is ranked second both MLB.com and Baseball America’s top-30 In 2015, the Flying Squirrels shut out Giants prospects lists. Bart is the highest drafted player in Flying Squirrels history (2nd overall - 2018). Ramos is the third-highest the Harrisburg Senators, 3-0. Matt Lu- drafted player in franchise history (19th overall - 2017), trailing Tyler Beede (14th overall - 2014). All time, the Flying Squirrels roster has featured 22 players selected in the first round of the MLB Draft. Bart is also the highest ranked player onBaseball jan worked 7.0 scoreless innings and America’s Top 100 prospects list (No.