RICHMOND, VA – The Erie SeaWolves scratched across three unanswered runs to collect a series-opening, 3-1, victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 4,461 on a chilly Tuesday night at The Diamond.  Richmond fell for the third straight ballgame as Erie recorded 15 hits – 13 singles – on the night.

After two scoreless innings, the Squirrels cracked the scoreboard first in the third inning against Erie left-hander Andy Oliver.  With one away in the inning, Thomas Neal flared a single to right field.  He promptly stole second base, and Conor Gillaspie delivered the lead with an RBI single up the middle.

Daryl Maday worked through periodic trouble to keep the SeaWolves at bay through four innings.  The right-hander had already scattered six Erie hits, walked two and endured an error behind him when Justin Henry doubled with one out in the fifth.  An out later, Maday walked Wilkin Ramirez before Cesar Nicolas tied the game with a single back through the middle that plated Henry.

Maday failed to record a win for the first time in seven starts, departing to a no-decision with the game tied, 1-1, after five innings.  He allowed just a lone run on eight hits, walking two and striking out three.

Erie plated the eventual winning run against reliever Wilmin Rodriguez in the seventh inning.  A throwing error charged to Rodriguez helped fuel the rally, which resulted in Justin Henry scoring on an RBI single from Nicolas.  Rodriguez (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Richmond.

Oliver (4-1) earned the win, lasting into the seventh inning.  He conceded just a lone run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings, walking three and striking out three.  The Squirrels stranded 11 runners in the game, eight of those with Oliver in the ballgame.

Erie insured the victory with a final run against right-hander Daniel Turpen in the eighth.  A pair of soft-singles led to the run, as Cale Iorg started the inning with an infield-single.  He scored two batters when Henry guided a bloop-single to short left-center field for a 3-1 lead.

The 15 hits tallied by Erie in the victory established a new high-water mark for hits allowed by the Richmond staff in a single ballgame.

Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. at The Diamond.  RHP David Mixon (4-1, 2.32) will the start for Richmond (22-16) against LHP Dwayne Below (2-3, 4.05) for Erie (22-16).

– The information above was provided by Jon Laaser with the Richmond Flying Squirrels.