Richmond’s postseason opener became an exercise in damage control before the Flying Squirrels had batted a second time. An early lead disappeared beneath an eight-run first inning, and Erie kept piling on in an 18-6 victory Tuesday at UPMC Park that left Richmond one loss from elimination.
The Flying Squirrels had opened with promise. Gavin Kilen ripped a two-out line drive down the right-field line, sending up chalk as the ball kicked toward the bullpen while he raced into third. Sabin Ceballos followed with a ground-ball single to bring him home.
That 1-0 edge did not survive the bottom of the inning.
A single, a walk and a missed-catch error by Kilen loaded the bases against Miguel Mendez. Andrew Jenkins was hit by a pitch to tie the game, and Luke Shliger drove Mendez’s first offering high and deep to right for a grand slam. In one swing, Richmond went from even to four runs behind.
The inning kept moving after Ryan Vanderhei replaced Mendez. E.J. Exposito singled, and Seth Stephenson’s grounder to third brought home another run when Maui Ahuna’s throw sailed into right field. Stephenson reached third on the error, Richmond’s second of the inning, and Peyton Graham followed with a two-run homer to left.
By the time Woody Hadeen was caught stealing for the final out, Erie had sent 11 batters to the plate and turned Richmond’s brief lead into an 8-1 deficit.
SeaWolves manager Tony Cappuccelli had described the different weight of the postseason before the game.
“You know, the playoffs kind of changes everything. It’s a whole different ballgame.”
— Tony Cappuccelli, Erie SeaWolves Manager
It changed quickly for Richmond. Mendez took the loss after allowing four earned runs in two-thirds of an inning, and Vanderhei was charged with three earned runs while recording one out. Henry Lalane entered for the second and surrendered four more as Erie stretched its advantage to 12-1.
Richmond ultimately used eight pitchers. Shane Rademacher provided the longest outing, covering 3 1/3 innings and allowing two earned runs, but the game had already tilted heavily toward Erie.
The lopsided score obscured a productive night from the Flying Squirrels’ lineup. Richmond collected 15 hits, only two fewer than Erie, and Kilen finished 4-for-5 with a triple, a double and an RBI. Ceballos went 2-for-5 and drove in two.
The Flying Squirrels trimmed the deficit in the fifth when Ahuna singled, Trevor Cohen doubled and Dayson Croes and Kilen delivered run-scoring singles. Lisbel Diaz tripled in the sixth and scored on Jancel Villarroel’s groundout, making it 12-4.
Any faint opening closed in the bottom half. After Zyhir Hope singled and Chris Meyers and Jenkins walked, Shliger launched his second grand slam of the night. The drive carried out to right, giving Erie a 16-4 lead and Shliger two hits in four at-bats, both of them slams. Graham’s groundout later brought home another run, and Erie added its final run in the eighth.
Cohen supplied Richmond’s last flash in the ninth. His fly ball reached the wall in left-center and bounced back toward the field, but it had cleared the fence for a home run. He finished 3-for-5 with a homer, a double and an RBI. Ceballos drove in Richmond’s final run on a groundout after Croes singled and Kilen doubled.
There was offense to carry forward, particularly from Kilen and Cohen. It simply arrived around an opening collapse too large to overcome: 12 Erie runs in two innings, two Richmond errors and a playoff opener effectively decided before the night had found a rhythm.