Squirrels take one step forward, three steps back

The Squirrels just dropped three straight to the 5th place Harrisburg Senators. Next up is a four-game series with the division-leading Altoona Curve…

July 9, 2010; 10:30 AM • by John Murden

The Squirrels just dropped three straight to the 5th place Harrisburg Senators. Next up is a four-game series with the division-leading Altoona Curve…

In keeping with recent trends, the Flying Squirrels won the series opener in Harrisburg but then flailed through the rest of the series. Instead of using the series with the 5th place Senators (41-46) to build on last week’s success and potentially gain some ground on the Akron Aeros (43-43), the Squirrels (41-46) have fallen into a tie for 5th place themselves and now have a long series at Altoona (53-33).

The Squirrels are 12 1/2 games out of first, but still only 4 games out from 2nd place and a play-off spot. A not-unimaginable hot streak could get’em into contention quickly enough, but that’s probably not going to be something that starts this week: it’ll be a huge surprise if Richmond can pick up 2 of these games, and not really a shock if they’ve lost 7 straight when they return to the Diamond after the All Star break. The Squirrels are 4-10 against the Curve this season, have lost 4 straight, and are 0-3 in Altoona. Good times.

The good news? Brandon Belt has been even more awesome in Richmond than he was in San Jose, hitting .455 with an .520 OBP, 3 RBI, and 2 HR after his first 6 games.

Friday July 9 – 7PM
Richmond Flying Squirrels vs Altoona Curve

Saturday July 10 – 7PM
Richmond Flying Squirrels vs Altoona Curve

Sunday July 11 – 6PM
Richmond Flying Squirrels vs Altoona Curve

Monday July 12 – NOON
Richmond Flying Squirrels vs Altoona Curve

Eastern League Standings

EAS Eastern
Club	W	L	PCT	GB	ELIM#	Home	Away	L10	Streak
Trenton	52	34	.605	–	–	30-14	22-20	5-5	L2
New Hampshire	52	35	.598	0.5	–	24-17	28-18	6-4	W1
Binghamton	47	40	.540	5.5	51	25-19	22-21	6-4	W3
Reading	43	42	.506	8.5	48	26-19	17-23	7-3	W6
Portland	42	44	.488	10.0	46	21-21	21-23	4-6	L1
New Britain	24	63	.276	28.5	28	10-36	14-27	4-6	L6

EAS Western
Club	W	L	PCT	GB	ELIM#	Home	Away	L10	Streak
Altoona	53	33	.616	–	–	24-18	29-15	4-6	L3
Bowie	45	42	.517	8.5	–	24-19	21-23	4-6	L4
Akron	43	43	.500	10.0	55	20-24	23-19	7-3	W2
Harrisburg	41	46	.471	12.5	52	20-24	21-22	4-6	W3
Richmond	41	46	.471	12.5	52	22-22	19-24	4-6	L3
Erie	36	51	.414	17.5	47	16-24	20-27	5-5	W4