Down five runs two innings in, the York Revolution rallied to tie the game in the seventh, but ultimately fell to the New Britain Bees, 7-6 on Sunday afternoon at PeoplesBank Park. The Revs drop three of four in the series, falling to 21-16 in the second half, still one game behind Lancaster for first place in the Freedom Division. York opens a six-game trip to Sugar Land on Tuesday night.
The Bees got the scoring started in the first when Michael Crouse reached on a one-out walk and Jovan Rosa drove him home on his league-leading 124th hit and 31st double to make it 1-0. After a single from Jon Griffin, Craig Maddox lifted a sacrifice fly to center making it 2-0 after one.
The Bees got to Revs starter Logan Williamson for three more in the second, batting around in the frame. With one on and two out, James Skelton doubled to left center to make it 3-0. Williamson walked the next two to load the bases before being lifted for Joe Van Meter. The Revs righty walked Griffin to force in a run, and Maddox followed with a single, extending the lead to 5-0.
The Revs bullpen held New Britain through the middle frames, and the offense finally got to Bees starter Nick Greenwood in the fifth. Chase Simpson led off the inning with his second home run of the season, driving a solo shot to left-center to get the Revs on the board. Luis Cruz followed with a single, and after a double from Alonzo Harris put runners at second and third, Alexi Casilla bounced a single through the left side to make it 5-2. However the Revs would strand the bases loaded to end the inning as Nate Roe came in and recorded a pair of fly outs to get out of the jam.
The Revs continued to battle in the seventh. Harris led off the inning with a swinging bunt for a hit and Casilla followed with a walk. Isaias Tejeda bounced a single through the middle to score Harris, cutting the deficit to 5-3. After Nash blooped a single to load the bases, reliever Casey Coleman rebounded to strike out the next two batters but walked Simpson on four pitches to force in a run, closing it to a one run game. The Bees turned to Brandon League who was greeted by Luis Cruz, singling home a run on a swinging bunt up the third base line to tie the game at 5-5. However the Revs would again end the inning stranding the bases full as Travis Witherspoon belted a hard line drive right at Crouse in center field.
New Britain answered immediately in the eighth. Skelton led off the inning with a walk and Crouse laid down a bunt toward first base to move him over, but Nash attempted to get the lead runner at second and threw errantly into left field, putting runners at second and third. After Ricardo Gomez recorded a popout and a strikeout, Maddox came through once more with a two RBI single to center, giving him four RBI on the day and 19 on the season against York, putting the Bees ahead 7-5.
The Revs battled until the end. Down to their final out, Cruz doubled to deep right and Witherspoon followed with a line drive off the Arch Nemesis for an RBI single to return the deficit to one. Closer Shawn Gilblair retired Alonzo Harris (4-for-6) on a pop out to end it, as New Britain hung on to win 7-6.
The Revs have the day off on Monday before flying to Sugar Land on Tuesday, beginning a six-game series with the Skeeters. Coverage begins Tuesday night at 7:45 p.m. on WOYK 1350 with Darrell Henry on the call from Sugar Land. The game can also be heard online at woyk1350.com and on the WOYK App.
NOTES:
The Revs lose the season series with New Britain 13-8, including dropping 9 of 11 games at PeoplesBank Park. It was the first time in eight series that the Revs did not at least earn a split. Harris’ four hit game was his second of the season. Jared Mitchell extended his on base streak to 25 games in a row at home, tying Andres Perez (2016) for sixth longest home on-base streak in Revs history.
