RICHMOND (Interstat) — Kenny Serwa pitched seven effective innings, Thayron Liranzo hit a tying three-run homer and the Erie SeaWolves defeated the Richmond Flying Squirrels 5-3 on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at The Diamond, completing a 2-0 sweep of their Eastern League playoff series. The win came in Game 2 of the playoff series. Erie improved to 81-58. Richmond fell to 74-62. The game drew 7,518 and lasted 2 hours, 38 minutes. With the victory, the SeaWolves won the series and advanced in the Double-A playoffs.

Bresnahan opened with a dominant first inning for Richmond, striking out Peyton Graham, Zyhir Hope and Liranzo. Serwa matched him by retiring the first six Flying Squirrels in order. Erie threatened in the third when Izaac Pacheco singled and E.J. Exposito walked, but Bresnahan escaped with two strikeouts. Richmond got a single from Jack Payton, but Serwa retired the next three hitters. Richmond then broke a scoreless tie with three runs. Kilen singled, Ceballos walked and Diaz reached on a forceout before Kent homered. Kaeden Kent delivered the big blow, a three-run home run that scored Gavin Kilen and Lisbel Diaz. Kent, Richmond’s designated hitter, finished 1 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs. The Flying Squirrels had four hits in the game, but they could not add to the lead after Kent’s swing.

Erie answered with a four-run rally to take control. Seth Stephenson reached on a single and advanced on a throwing error, Hope walked and Liranzo tied the game with a three-run homer to left-center field. Liranzo, Erie’s designated hitter, finished 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs. Chris Meyers followed with a double, and after walks to Luke Shliger and Pacheco loaded the bases, Exposito grounded out to drive in the go-ahead run. The SeaWolves added insurance later when Hope hit a sacrifice fly that scored Stephenson. Erie finished with five hits and grounded into two double plays. Erie’s double plays came in the fourth and fifth, cutting short rallies. Richmond also grounded into a double play in the seventh.

Serwa rebounded from a difficult recent start at Reading, where he allowed seven earned runs in 5 1/3 innings on Sept. 10. Against Richmond, he allowed four hits and three earned runs while striking out four over seven innings. He improved to 10-9. Tanner Kohlhepp and Moises Rodriguez each pitched a hitless inning in relief, with Rodriguez earning his fourth save. Jacob Bresnahan took the loss for Richmond, falling to 8-5 after allowing four hits and three earned runs with six strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. Jackson Flora worked two hitless innings with four strikeouts, Tyler Vogel threw two hitless innings with two strikeouts, Marques Johnson allowed one earned run in one inning, and Dale Stanavich recorded one out while allowing one hit and no earned runs.

Erie’s pitching staff combined for 25 strikes, 64 balls and 25 balls in play. Richmond’s pitchers combined for 11 strikes, 47 balls and 11 balls in play. The Flying Squirrels’ bullpen kept the game close, but Richmond could not convert its late chances. Rodriguez retired the first two hitters of the ninth before Ceballos reached on an error, and after Kent walked, Darby grounded out. Erie’s bullpen did not allow a hit over the final two innings. The SeaWolves won the series opener 18-6 on Tuesday, then finished the sweep on the road.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Erie 5, Richmond 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Erie with a 60.5 percent probability to win.