By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Antoan Richardson has moved one step closer to once again playing in the Major League of Baseball.

Richardson, who played in nine games for the Atlanta Braves in 2011, was called to the Minnesota Twins’ Triple-A International League Rochester Red Wings from their Double-A Eastern League’s New Britain Rock Cats on Sunday and has already made his presence felt in his first three games this week.

“I’m so excited because now I’m just that much closer to getting back into the Majors,” said Richardson in an interview with The Tribune on Thursday just before he headed out to play his fourth game. “This is what we play for, to get a chance to move up the next level.”

The Red Wings came from behind to beat Durham 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning, thanks in part to Richardson’s performance. With the tying run at second and the winning run at first, Richardson drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases for Olmedo.

With the Durham infield drawn in, Ray Olmedo worked a 2-2 count before slicing a single down the right field line that plated Eric Farris and Doug Bernier to seal the game.

The two teams will be back in action today.

It was less than a week ago when the 29-year-old, 5-foot, 8-inch Richardson said he had just finished playing a game for the Rock Cats when he was summoned to the office and told that he was being promoted to Rochester. He said in situations such as these, there’s very little time to do anything, but to pack and head on the plane.

“So far, it’s been good,” said Richardson of his new residence in Rochester, New York. “We’re playing every day, so you really have to stay focused and just go out there and do what you have to do. The thing is, you never know when you will get the next call to move up, so you have to always be ready.”

Through the first three games with Rochester, the 165-pound outfielder has had four hits in 12 plate appearances with two runs scored. He came from New Britain where he had 40 hits in 119 at-bats, including six doubles and a triple, scoring 26 runs and driving in a total of 14 runs for a batting average of .333.

“I’m just trying to take care of the things necessary for me to move on,” Richardson said. “It’s a lot tougher than where I was with New Britain because at anytime, they can call you up. I just feel good to be in this position again and hopefully before long, I will get the chance to play in the Majors again.”

When Richardson started the year, he was looking at the possibility of having a showdown with fellow Bahamian Albert Cartwright, who is now playing for the Reading Fightin Phils of the Philadelphia Phillies organisation, also in the Double-A Eastern League.

Had he not gotten the promotion, the duo would have clashed sometime at the end of June when they met in New Britain, Connecticut. Now that they won’t cross each other’s paths for right now, Richardson said he’s hoping that Cartwright will eventually get to move up the ladder.

“We’ve had a chance to speak and while he’s excited for me, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he will get to move up too,” Richardson said. “He knows that just like me, he’s only a phone call away from moving up to Triple-A or even all the way to the Majors. So he just has to continue working hard and hopefully he will get his break too. It would really be nice to see both of us playing in Triple-A and eventually in the Majors. But we all know that these things take time and we just have to be ready to embrace the opportunity when it presents itself.”

The Fightin Phils are back on the diamond tonight. Through their first 35 games, 24-year-old Cartwright has gone 40-for-140 with five doubles, two triples and three home runs, scoring 23 runs. The 5-10, 180-lb second baseman has also drove in 13 runs for an average of .286.

Richardson and Cartwright are long-time friends since their days of playing junior baseball at Freedom Farm. Although they went off to attend different colleges, they have been on the same course to getting to the pros. While Richardson has been playing professionally since 2005, Cartwright has been a pro since 2007.