(August 20, 2017 – Sugar Land, TX): In a series that featured three come-from-behind victories solidified in the ninth inning, Sunday’s bid by the York Revolution fell a run short in a 6-5 loss to the Sugar Land Skeeters in front of 4,431 fans at Constellation Field. The Revs and Skeeters split the six-game series, and York returns home on Monday night to open a seven-game homestand with the first of four against the Somerset Patriots. With the loss, the Revs remain tied for first place in the second half at 24-19.
Alonzo Harris led off the game with a home run to left field on the second pitch from Sugar Land starter Jake Hale. Harris’ team-leading 17th home run of the season also marked his third leading off a game, which ties the third most by a player in Revs franchise history and second most in a single season.
The Revs greeted Hale with hits from four of their first five batters, as Jared Mitchell ripped an RBI single through the right side to make it 2-0. Hale (9-5) rolled a double play to end the inning, however, kicking off a stretch on which he retired 11 straight.
Sugar Land answered right away as Anthony Giansanti tied the game with a two-run homer to left-center in the bottom of the first.
Revs starter Jay Gause worked out of trouble over the next several innings. Gause stranded two in the second when he struck out Josh Prince who was ejected for arguing balls and strikes, and avoided damage in the third when Giansanti bunted for a single in front of a Kevin Ahrens double, by picking off Giansanti at first base. Gause faced runners at second and third with no outs in the fourth after an Albert Cordero double, but retired the next three without allowing a run to keep the game tied.
Ryan Dent led off the fifth for the Revs with a double down the left field line and Travis Witherspoon bunted for a single to put runners at the corners. With one out, Alexi Casilla stung a line drive to second which was dropped by Dickie Thon, costing the Skeeters a potential double play. Dent scored on what became an RBI groundout to give York a 3-2 lead.
Again, Sugar Land answered immediately as three consecutive singles produced a run in the bottom of the fifth with Bryan Pounds driving in the equalizer.
Thon broke the tie in the sixth, connecting on a two-run homer down the left field line off reliever Joe Van Meter (1-2) to give Sugar Land the lead. It marked both the first home run and earned run allowed by Van Meter since June 24, ending an 18-appearance streak without an earned run.
Wilfredo Rodriguez added a solo homer down the left field line in the seventh for an insurance run, making it 6-3.
Having scored three runs in the ninth to erase two-run deficits on each of the previous two nights, the Revs made a bid to erase another ninth inning deficit. Chase Simpson worked a leadoff walk and Dent drew a free pass from reliever Scott Maine to set the table. Julio DePaula entered to record a fielder’s choice for the first out, but a wild pitch brought Simpson home, cutting it to 6-4. After a strikeout for the second out, Casilla rapped an RBI single to left, bringing the Revs within a run and putting the tying run on base. DePaula rebounded to strike out Isaias Tejeda looking to notch his second save.
Notes: York’s streak of five consecutive road series victories is snapped as the Revs settle for a six-game split. The Revs remain unbeaten in seven road series during the second half, now 16-10 on the road since the midway point. The Revs complete their best season series against the Skeeters in franchise history with a 12-8 record. Each of the last five games of the series were decided by one run, after the opener was decided by two runs. Sunday wrapped up a stretch on which York played 13 of 17 games away from home. Revs righty Victor Mateo (5-7, 3.89) starts Monday’s opener against Somerset lefty Efrain Nieves (2-3, 3.44) at 6:30 p.m. It is Back to School Night at PeoplesBank Park as the first 300 kids (12 and under) through the gates receive a free lunch box. It is also a Hunger Free Monday presented by United Fiber & Data for the York County Food Bank. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Apple Chevrolet Ticket Office.
