Flying Squirrels win CarMax Park opener over Altoona

Richmond rallies late to defeat Curve 3-2 in front of sellout crowd

Apr. 8, 2026 at 2:54am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game in motion, with overlapping planes of green, blue, and player silhouettes, capturing the dynamic energy of the sport.The Flying Squirrels' home opener at their new stadium showcased the team's grit and determination in a hard-fought victory.Richmond Today

The Richmond Flying Squirrels opened their new stadium, CarMax Park, with a 3-2 victory over the Altoona Curve on Tuesday night. Richmond scored the go-ahead run in the 8th inning on a sacrifice fly by Sabin Ceballos to break a 2-2 tie and held on for the win in front of a sellout crowd.

Why it matters

This was the first game played at the Flying Squirrels' new ballpark, CarMax Park, which replaces their previous home of The Diamond. The win gives the Flying Squirrels a strong start to their season and home opener in their new state-of-the-art facility.

The details

Richmond jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, scoring runs in the 1st and 3rd innings. Altoona tied the game with a solo home run in the 6th. The game remained tied until the 8th when Ceballos drove in the go-ahead run. Closer RJ Dabovich shut the door in the 9th to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, April 8, 2026.
  • It was the home opener and first game at CarMax Park.

The players

Sabin Ceballos

A Flying Squirrels outfielder who hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 8th inning.

Dayson Croes

A Flying Squirrels infielder who scored twice and drove in a run in the win.

RJ Dabovich

The Flying Squirrels' closer who earned the save in the 9th inning.

Darien Smith

The Flying Squirrels relief pitcher who earned the win in his Double-A debut.

Cesar Perdomo

The Flying Squirrels starting pitcher who made his Double-A debut, allowing one unearned run over 3.2 innings.

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What they’re saying

“It was a great atmosphere tonight with the sellout crowd. The team really fed off the energy and we're excited to get this new stadium era started with a win.”

— Sabin Ceballos, Flying Squirrels Outfielder

What’s next

The two teams will continue their series on Wednesday night at CarMax Park.

The takeaway

The Flying Squirrels' home opener at their new ballpark, CarMax Park, was a success as they rallied late to defeat the Altoona Curve 3-2 in front of a sellout crowd. This win gives the team momentum as they look to build on their strong start to the season in their state-of-the-art new home.