51s’ Richmond shines in season debut
Scott Richmond shut out the first-place Sacramento River Cats on one hit over six innings in his season debut for the 51s in their 4-2 Pacific Coast League victory on Tuesday in West Sacramento, Calif.
Richmond, a Blue Jays right-hander who turned 31 on Monday, hasn't pitched in the majors since July 2009 because of a right shoulder injury. He was 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in seven rehabilitation games between Single-A Dunedin and Double-A New Hampshire this season.
On Tuesday, Richmond (1-0) exited after 99 pitches with a 2-0 lead, thanks to Brad Emaus' two-run single in the second. He walked four and fanned seven.
Jarrett Hoffpauir's seventh-inning sacrifice fly gave the 51s (63-75) a 3-0 lead, before Sacramento (75-63) rallied.
Corey Brown led off the bottom of the seventh with a homer off Josh Roenicke, who gave up another run in the inning on two doubles and a single. Las Vegas center fielder Danny Perales limited the damage by throwing out Adrian Cardenas trying to stretch a single into a double.
The 51s added a run in the ninth on a bases-loaded walk to go up 4-2 and turned the game over to closer Jeremy Accardo. He retired his first two batters before the River Cats loaded the bases with a double, a single and a walk. But Travis Buck then grounded out to end it as Accardo earned his 24th save.
