Richmond Flying Squirrels @ Binghamton Rumble Ponies
June 7, 2017
Game Two
Teams
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
R
|
H
|
E
|
|
Richmond
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
1
|
|
Binghamton
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
X
|
3
|
7
|
1
|
W: Flexen (1-0, 0.00
ERA); L: Taylor (2-5, 4.80 ERA)
The Highlights:
Pitchers
Chris Flexen
(W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA) – 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 5 TB, 6 K (3 K/Sw), 2 GIDP, 12 GB: 1 FB: 3
LD: 2 PU, 83 Pitches (63 Strikes), 7 Swinging, 19 Called, 8.4% SwStr, 15.9%
Whiff/Swing, 11.9 Pitches/IP, 25 BF
Batters
CF - Patrick Biondi - 0-2, 1 BB, 11.1% SwStr, 20%
Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA
2B - Luis Guillorme - 0-3, 2.33 Pitches/PA
LF - Kevin Taylor - 1-3, 1 K, 8.3% SwStr, 14.3% Whiff/Swing,
4 Pitches/PA
1B - Matt Oberste - 2-3, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 K, 7.1% SwStr, 25%
Whiff/Swing, 4.67 Pitches/PA
RF - Kevin Kaczmarski - 1-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 SF, 30% SwStr,
42.9% Whiff/Swing, 3.33 Pitches/PA
3B - David Thompson - 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 3.67 Pitches/PA
SS - Jio Mier - 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 6.2% SwStr, 16.7% Whiff/Swing,
5.33 Pitches/PA
C - Colton Plaia - 0-2, 1 BB, 3 Pitches/PA
SP - Chris Flexen - 0-3, 1 K, 33.3% SwStr, 60% Whiff/Swing,
3 Pitches/PA
Recapish
After
dropping the opener of their double-header with Richmond Wednesday evening, the
Rumble Ponies turned to newly promoted Chris Flexen for a split in game two.
Flexen impressed in his first Double-A start, sitting 90-94 with his heater
(radio still calling him at 94 in the 7th), throwing a curve that
kept the Richmond batters off balance all night, and mixing in a few changeups.
He allowed just five hits, all singles (two of which never left the infield),
and finished his seven-inning shutout on 83 pitches. The Rumble Ponies should
be on the road for Flexen’s next start, and hopefully Erie will be using a good
CF camera so we can get some Flexen highlights.
A
Richmond batter reached in each of the first two innings on grounders hit to
Guillorme. The first grounder was a very tough play given the leadoff batter
was running (so he should have some speed), but it seemed like Guillorme
thought he had less time than he actually did, and so he rushed a throw to
first, which was off line for an infield hit. The next grounder just went
through his legs for an error, which he probably hasn’t done in a long time. Flexen
worked around the single to strand Myles Schroder at third in the 1st,
and then the Rumble Ponies turned the first of two 5-4-3 double plays to erase
the error in the 2nd.
Kevin
Taylor picked up a two out single in the 1st for the Rumble Ponies
first hit of the game, but it led to nothing.
Kevin
Kaczmarski doubled off the top of the wall in the 2nd and ended up
at third with one out, but the Rumble Ponies couldn’t get him in. Richmond
brought the infield in and the recently re-activated (from the DL) Jiovanni
Mier hit a groundout to the second baseman for the second out of the frame
(he’d make up for that later).
Flexen
struck out two in a perfect 3rd, his first of three perfect innings
during the game – he also set the Flying Squirrels down in order during the 5th
and 6th innings.
The
Rumble Ponies wasted another scoring opportunity in their half of the 3rd
when they stranded a runner at third. Speedy Patrick Biondi worked a walk and
then jogged to second base after he “conned” Schroder into a weird throwing
error (the Richmond catcher has also played CF, RF, 3B, and SS this year).
Biondi faked going on the play, but Schroder must not have realized he stopped,
so he jumped up and threw the ball to the vicinity of second base, but none of
his teammates were expecting that, at all, so they watched as the ball sailed
into CF, and Biondi took second easily.
The
most important inning of this game was the 4th. The Richmond Flying
squirrels had a chance to open this game up in the top half of the frame but
didn’t and then the Rumble Ponies edged ahead in the bottom half. Richmond
loaded the bases on three singles in the 4th, and there was just one
out in the inning for Dylan Davis. Davis hit a screamer down the third base
line that appeared to be heading for the LF corner, which would’ve led to
multiple runs, but David Thompson made an awesome diving stop, and then somehow
got up and started an inning ending double play to keep the game scoreless.
Matt
Oberste led off the bottom of the 4th with a triple to RF and then
scored on a sac fly. Thompson then connected on the Ponies second wall ball
double of the game, and his eleventh of the season, but the Rumble Ponies
couldn’t get him home.
 |
| Oberste |
 |
| Thompson |
The
earlier miscues behind him, Luis Guillorme made an outstanding play for the
final out of the 5th inning. After four errors through the first
nine innings of play Wednesday (including the first seven from game one), the
Rumble Ponies defense found their way by the end of the night.
The
game was still tight at 1-0 heading to the bottom of the 6th, but
Chris Flexen was in no jeopardy of an early exit, with his pitch count at just
72. Fortunately, the offense scratched out a pair of runs to give him some
breathing room, although the success of the Ponies bats forced him to the plate
one last time, which was probably surprising – I wonder how weird that is for
starters, who haven’t hit in games for years when they reach Double-A, but then
have to hit before going out to pitch the 7th inning.
Oberste
got the rally started with a single and then came home two batters later on
Thompson’s second hit of game two. Thompson went to second on a wild pitch and
then scored on Mier’s ninth double of the year, which made this a 3-0 game.
 |
| Oberste |
 |
| Thompson |
 |
| Mier |
Working
with a more comfortable 3-0 lead in the 7th, Flexen allowed a
leadoff infield single but then retired the next three Richmond batters in
short order to end the game.
 |
| Thompson at third |
After
a split of their double-header Wednesday, these two teams will square off in a rubber
match Thursday night at 6:35 PM. Corey Oswalt (4-3, 2.50 ERA) is scheduled to
start for the Rumble Ponies, and he’ll square off with Matt Gage (2-4, 3.68
ERA).
Pitcher Coverage
Table 1 – Flexen pitch stats by inning
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
7th
|
Total
|
|
Total
|
16
|
10
|
10
|
18
|
10
|
8
|
11
|
83
|
Strikes
|
13
|
7
|
8
|
13
|
7
|
7
|
8
|
63
|
Swinging*
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
7
|
*8.4% Swinging strike rate; 15.9% Whiff/Swing rate
Parameter-space study of kinetic-impactor mission design [EPA] https://t.co/d10GJaJnCD pic.twitter.com/jvYQqkmMxT— arXiver (@arXiver) June 8, 2017
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