Richmond Flying Squirrels | 3001 N Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond, VA 23230 | 804-359-3866 | SquirrelsBaseball.com | @GoSquirrels Erie SeaWolves (72-52, 41-17) vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels (47-78, 24-34) RHP Logan Shore (4-7, 3.33) vs. RHP Sean Hjelle (0-2, 8.38) Wednesday, August 21, 2019 | Game #127 | Home Game #65 6:35 p.m. | The Diamond | Richmond, Va. Radio: Sports Radio 910 The Fan & 105.1 FM | TV: MiLB.TV UPCOMING GAMES & PROBABLE PITCHERS Thurs., Aug. 22 at Akron 7:05 p.m. RHP Kyle Dowdy (0-0, 2.92) vs. LHP Caleb Baragar (3-5, 3.45) Fri., Aug. 23 at Akron 7:05 p.m. LHP Adam Scott (4-4, 3.63) vs. RHP Alfred Gutierrez (8-5, 4.07) Sat., Aug. 24 at Akron 7:05 p.m. LHP Sam Hentges (2-12, 5.49) vs. RHP Ryan Halstead (2-5, 3.52) Sun., Aug. 25 at Akron 2:05 p.m. LHP Tanner Tully (7-11, 4.72) vs. RHP Brandon Lawson (5-8, 3.56) MONDAY: The Flying Squirrels beat the Erie SeaWolves, 7-3, on a pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam byJacob Heyward in the bottom of the tenth inning. Erie scored the game’s first run in the first inning on an RBI single by Kody Eaves. Richmond evened 2019 FLYING SQUIRRELS the score in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer by Joey Bart. In the third, Heliot Ramos put the Flying Squirrels ahead, Overall Record ..............................47-78 2-1, with an RBI double. Cam Gibson tied the score at 2-2 in the fourth with a sac fly.Johneshwy Fargas brought home Zach First Half ..........................................23-44 Houchins with a squeeze bunt to give Richmond a 3-2 lead in the fifth. Erie’s Josh Lester hit a game-tying, solo homer in the top of the ninth to force extra innings. Ryan Halstead pitched a career-high 5.0 innings and allowed two runs with five strikeouts. Second Half ................................... 24-35 Home .................................................19-44 TODAY’S GAME: The Flying Squirrels play the second of a three-game series against the Erie SeaWolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. It is also the fourth of a five-game homestand against Harrisburg (2-0) and Erie (1-0). Including today, the Fly- Road .................................................28-34 ing Squirrels have six home games remaining in 2019. The Flying Squirrels dropped two of three in Erie from May 13-15 and lost Place (E.L. Western) ................5th/-17.0 three of four at home from July 18-21. The two teams meet again for a four-game series in Erie next Monday through Thursday. Richmond’s current four-game home winning streak is the longest of the season. Streak ....................................................W3 Last 5 .................................................... 3-2 THE FLYING SQUIRRELS have won three straight games after dropping 10 of the previous 13 from August 5-15. Richmond sits fifth in the Western Division and is eliminated from postseason contention. Overall this season, the Richmond offense ranks Last 10 .................................................. 5-5 last in the league with a .217 batting average, including a .207 average in August. The pitching staff has combined for a 3.62 team ERA, which is sixth in the circuit. Richmond’s -139 run differential is last in the league (next closest is Portland at -32). The previous franchise-worst is -80 in 2017. HOME ATTENDANCE INFO 2019 Home Attendance ..............350,201 THE SEAWOLVES have won seven of their last 10 games since August 9. They have the best overall record in the Eastern Home Openings ..................................58 League this season and has clinched a winning record for the first time since 2013, the franchise’s last year in the E.L. post- season. Erie has the second-best ERA (3.27) in the Eastern League this season and the is ranked first in batting average (.251). Average Attendance ...................6,038 Erie’s roster includes 10 of MLB.com’s Top-30 Tigers prospects, including Casey Mize (1), Matt Manning (2), Tarik Skubal (4), Isaac Paredes (5), Alex Faedo (9 - on IL), Joey Wentz (10), Sergio Alcantara (15 - on IL), Anthony Castro (20), Derek Hill (28) and Alex Lange (29). RICHMOND vs. ERIE 2019 vs. Erie ....................................... 3-5 FOR RICHMOND: Right-hander Sean Hjelle makes his third Double-A start and first against the SeaWolves. He faced Bowie in each of his first two starts, combining to allow nine runs over 9.2 IP. He has not allowed a run over the first three innings of at Richmond .................................. 2-3 his starts, but he has allowed nine in the fourth and fifth innings. He began the season with Single-A Augusta, going 1-2 with a at Erie ................................................ 1-2 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. His ERA ranked second in the California League among pitchers during the time he was in the league and had the third-most All-Time vs. Erie ........................... 55-44 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 .............................. 29-15 on Hjelle, see page two. at Erie .......................................... 26-29 FOR ERIE: Right-hander Logan Shore makes his 16th start of the season for the SeaWolves and his 23rd overall appearance. He has faced Richmond once this year, working 1.2 innings of relief on July 20 and allowed one run on two hits. Shore was ON THE HOMESTAND drafted in the second round by the Oakland Athletics in 2016 out of the University of Florida and was traded to the Tigers in September 2018. Games ...................................................... 3 Record .................................................. 3-0 KEEPING IT CLOSE: Since July 25, 19 of the Flying Squirrels’ 25 games have been decided by two runs or less. In that span, the Flying Squirrels have played nine one-run games (4-5) and 10 two-run games (5-5). The games have also mostly been low-scor- ing. 20 of the last 25 games have had eight-or-less total runs, and 10 have had four-or-less total runs. Batters PITCHERS’ DELIGHT: The 2019 season has been the “Year of the Pitcher” in the Eastern League. There have been eight no-hit- Batting Average ............... .208 (20/96) 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 RISP ......................................... .241 (7/29) a 3.57 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 lowest in the EL since 1990 (3.33). The league’s offenses have combined to hit .239, the lowest of all MiLB full-season leagues, Runs/Runs Per Game .................. 15/5.0 which is down from .253 last season and the lowest in the EL since 1971 (.234). Richmond’s offense has been held to a .217 Home Runs ............................................. 3 batting average, which would be tied for the fifth-lowest since the EL became a Double-A circuit in 1963 (last - 1967 York White Roses). The last time a team had a lower batting average was 1968 (Binghamton Triplets - .210, Elmira Pioneers - .214). Pitchers STRONG ARMS: The Flying Squirrels have posted a 2.29 ERA in 19 games in the month of August, which is the best in the East- ERA .............................1.24 (4 ER/29.0 IP) ern League (second-best in all of Double-A). Of those 19 games, the Flying Squirrels have held their opponent to four-or-less runs 16 times, including 13 of the last 14 games since August 6. Richmond starters have combined for a 2.46 ERA (26 ER/95.0 Starter W/L ........................................... 1-0 IP) this month. The Richmond bullpen has posted a 2.02 ERA (14 ER/62.1 IP). Starter ERA ................1.50 (3 ER/18.0 IP) A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: On the season, the Flying Squirrels have won eight series, lost 25 and split five. Six of Reliever W/L ........................................ 2-0 their eight series wins have come on the road. The Flying Squirrels have lost five of the last six home sets but have won three Reliever ERA .............. 0.82 (1 ER/11.0 IP) of their last five road series. Saves/Opps ........................................ 0/0 TOP OF THE CLASS: The Flying Squirrels received top two prospects in the Giants’ system on August 9 with the additions of Joey Bart and Heliot Ramos. Bart is ranked first and Ramos is ranked second both MLB.com and Baseball America’s top-30 Giants prospects lists. Bart is the highest drafted player in Flying Squirrels history (2nd overall - 2018). Ramos is the third-highest THIS DATE IN HISTORY drafted player in franchise history (19th overall - 2017), trailing Tyler Beede (14th overall - 2014). All time, the Flying Squirrels In 2011, the Flying Squirrels beat the roster has featured 22 players selected in the first round of the MLB Draft. Bart is also the highest ranked player onBaseball Akron Aeros, 8-6. Francisco Pegue- America’s Top 100 prospects list (No. 17) in Flying Squirrels franchise history. ro went 1-for-1 with a walk and three YOUTH MOVEMENT: Outfielder Heliot Ramos became the youngest player in Flying Squirrels franchise history (19 years, RBIs. Wendell Fairley had two hits, 336 days) with his debut on August 9. He is the first teenager ever to suit up for the Flying Squirrels.