(June 29, 2022 – Waldorf, Md.): The York Revolution rallied with two outs in the ninth inning to tie the game but dropped their second straight to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, this time on a two-out walk-off base hit in a 7-6 decision at Regency Furniture Stadium on Wednesday night.
York jumped to a 2-0 lead, two batters into the game against Atlantic League all-time wins leader Daryl Thompson. Yefri Perez sparked things with a base hit to right on an 0-2 pitch, setting up Elmer Reyes who launched a two-run homer to left, his sixth of the year.
Revs starter Austin Nicely faced the minimum through the first three innings but ran into trouble in the fourth as Southern Maryland plated three runs to take a 3-2 lead. David Harris flared an RBI single to right-center for the first run and Joe DeLuca drove a game-tying sac fly toward the right field corner. Raul Shah pulled a go-ahead RBI single into right with two outs in the inning to break the tie.
Thompson silenced the Revs until the sixth when Nellie Rodriguez drove a one-out double to left-center and scored as Carlos Franco nailed an RBI double to the same spot, tying the game at 3-3. Josue Herrera put the Revs back on top with a two-out RBI single to right-center, giving the Revs a 4-3 advantage.
Southern Maryland immediately answered as Michael Wielansky led off the home sixth with a double to right-center and Jared Walker drew a base on balls. That set up Harris who smacked a three-run homer to deep left, propelling the Blue Crabs back on top, 6-4.
Thompson rebounded with a 1-2-3 seventh capped off by his 11th strike out of the night.
Endrys Briceno worked a perfect eighth and closer Mat Latos set down the first two in the ninth before the Revs rallied to tie it.
Jack Kenley worked a full count and took a close pitch low for a walk to keep the game alive. Jhon Nunez followed with a base hit to right and Perez yanked an RBI single into right, plating Kenley to bring the Revs within 6-5. Nunez went first-to-third on the play, and after Perez stole second, Reyes bounced a game-tying infield single over Latos, leveling the score at 6-6 as four straight reached, all with two outs and two strikes in the ninth inning.
Southern Maryland had the last laugh, however. Matt Hibbert got things started with a leadoff single to center. Nunez made a great diving grab on a failed bunt try by Ryan Haug for the first out and Revs reliever Nick Howard retired Michael Baca on a fly out for the second out. Jack Sundberg kept the inning alive with a two-out single to center, however, bringing Wielansky to the plate. The Crabs third baseman delivered with a line drive single down the right field line, capping the walk-off triumph for the home team.
The loss snaps a five series unbeaten streak for the Revs who will aim to avoid a sweep on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. as Eduardo Rivera faces off with Crabs lefty Denson Hull. 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 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
Notes: The Revs have dropped back-to-back games for the first time since June 8-9. Franco ripped two doubles on the night, taking the league lead in extra-base hits (37) and total bases (146) while extending his on-base streak to 41 consecutive games, four shy of matching Nate Espy’s franchise record set in 2007. Franco also added to his league lead in RBI, now with 64. Thompson’s 10th strikeout gave him 900 in his Atlantic League career; the league’s all-time strikeout king now has 901 during his tenure in Southern Maryland. Brett De Geus fired a perfect seventh out of the Revs bullpen, his second scoreless outing in his first three appearances with York. Carlos Ventura handled a scoreless eighth in his Revolution debut.
