(Sept. 29, 2021 – High Point, NC): Welington Dotel cracked a go-ahead home run with two outs in the eighth and threw out the potential tying run at third base in the ninth as the York Revolution notched a thrilling 3-2 victory over the High Point Rockers on Wednesday evening at Truist Point. The win brings the Revs back within three games of first place in the North Division with 10 games to play in the regular season.
With the game tied 2-2 in the eighth, Dotel connected on a 2-2 offering from reliever John Hayes for an opposite field home run to right-center as his ninth of the year spotted the Revs the 3-2 lead.
Alberto Rodriguez handled a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning out of the Revs bullpen, stranding the tying run at third base after Stephen Cardullo walked and stole two bases.
Revs closer Jim Fuller was greeted with a leadoff double to left-center by Jared Mitchell in the bottom of the ninth, but as Stuart Levy flied out to right for the first out, Dotel uncorked a perfect one-hop strike to third, nailing Mitchell attempting to advance for the second out. Fuller retired pinch-hitter J.R. DiSarcina on a fly out to center to end it, nailing down his league-leading 26th save.
York spot starter Luis Sanchez came up huge in his first career starting assignment. Having previously worked a career-high of three innings three times during the 2019 season, Sanchez worked an outstanding six innings, allowing just four hits, two runs (one earned), and walking two while striking out seven.
York scored the game’s first run in the top of the first inning as James Harris, Jack Kenley, and Melky Mesa loaded the bases on singles with no outs. Nellie Rodriguez brought home the game’s first run on a fielder’s choice grounder for a 1-0 lead.
High Point tied it with an unearned run in the bottom of the first on a Jerry Downs sac fly to center, and took the lead on three singles in the second as James McOwen’s base hit to center gave the Rockers a 2-1 advantage. Sanchez retired 11 of the next 12, however, and gave up just one other hit as his final four innings were scoreless covering a herculean 98-pitch effort.
The Revs tied it at 2-2 with a perfectly manufactured run in the fourth. Dotel (3-for-4) led off the inning with a double down the right field line and advanced to third on Osmy Gregorio’s ground out to second. That set up Mikey Reynolds who chopped a grounder to third allowing Dotel to race home with the tying run.
Isaac Sanchez (5-0) picked up the win with a perfect seventh out of the bullpen.
York righty Duke von Schamann (5-8, 6.05) faces High Point’s Craig Stem (4-10, 6.79) in Thursday’s rubber match finale at 7:05 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and the WOYK YouTube channel beginning at 6:45 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
