Go NutZ!! RFS rally for a 5-3 win at....

cold, windswept New Britain Stadium this morning/afternoon. But first off, it was great seeing LC after a long baseball hiatus; missed him. Took plenty of pics so I have plenty to post.
Richmond jumped out to a quick 2-0 in the second inning. 3B Conor Gillaspie singled leading off and former Defender Andy D'Alessio followed with a walk. Another ex-Def Jackson Williams laid down a great sac bunt to put runners on second and third with one out. 2B Nick Noonan (insert Caddyshack jokes now) put the FS up 1-0 with a RBI groundout to second. Yet another ex-Def, and briefly a SF Giant Clay Timpner hit a popup off the RockCats shortstop's glove in shallow left to plate D'Aleesio to make it 2-0. Timpner was out trying to stretch it out at second.
In the bottom of the third the RockCats tied it up thanks in large part to a brain freeze by Conor Gillaspie. With one out, ex-Defender pitcher Craig Clark gave up a pop double to center. The wind was playing havoc with anything in the air today. Clark got the next batter to ground back to him on the mound and he threw to third to get the lead runner. The ball got to Gillaspie in plenty of time but for some reason he thought it was a force play so now Clark had runners on first and seconf with one out. Of course the next batter hits a hard grounder down the left field line and both runners scored.
The RockCats then took a 3-2 lead with former Defender Craig Whitaker on in relief of Clark as the FS allowed a vintage Defenders type run. A single, followed by a stolen base, then followed by a wild pitch, followed by a passed ball to score the runner. I'm a little homesick for Dodd right now...
The score stayed 3-2 until the top of the ninth. With one out Noonan walked and with two outs Darren Ford singled and old friend Brandon Crawford walked to load the bases. With a 2-2 count Thomas Neal ripped a hard grounder down the third base line to clean the bases for a 5-3 Richmond lead.
The FS kept ot interesting in the bottom of the 9th as Tony Pena Jr. had to pitch out of bases loaded one out situation to preserve the 5-3 lead and give Richmond a three game sweep of the RockCats.
Daniel Turpen, the fourth pitcher used by Richmond, gets the win to improve to 1-1. Pena earns his second save. Outfielder Roger Kieschnick had three of Richmond's eight hits.

Misc fan notes: About a dozen or so folks in the crowd sporting Defender gear; some I recognized from Dodd. The usual 100 or so school buses in the parking lot as the upper bowl of General Admission seats were sold out thanks to all the kids in the house.
Richmond wearing traditional road greys with red caps; hope to see them in August again with better weather. Felt good to be at a park!

Pictures top to bottom: Thomas Neal. Pena and Williams after the last out.

MORE PICS LATER TONITE!