(September 9, 2017 – Bridgewater, NJ): Dayron Varona drove in five as the York Revolution knocked off the Somerset Patriots 8-4 on Saturday night in front of 6,958 fans at TD Bank Ballpark. The win moves the Revs back ahead of Lancaster by a half game for first place with eight remaining in the regular season. York and Somerset will play a rubber match on Sunday afternoon before the Revs return home for the remainder of the regular season.
York struck for four runs in the top of the first inning, immediately grabbing a big lead. Jared Mitchell launched a home run to right-center with one out to open the scoring. With two outs, Telvin Nash singled and Michael Burgess walked to keep the inning alive before Varona nailed an opposite field three-run homer to right to give York a 4-0 lead.
Varona singled with two outs in the third and scored all the way from first on a Travis Witherspoon double down the left field line to go up 5-0.
Somerset plated an unearned run in the third on an Alfredo Rodriguez sac fly, but the Revs pushed the lead further two innings later.
Luis Cruz and Nash each worked walks to open the fifth inning, setting up Varona who ripped a two-run triple down the right field line, making it 7-1 and chasing Patriots starter Efrain Nieves (3-6). Witherspoon capped the Revs’ offensive production with an RBI single to bring Varona across.
Revs starter Logan Williamson rolled double plays to end the first and third innings, and was perfect in both the second and fourth innings. The lefty had retired six straight before a pair of singles with one out in the fifth. A potential third double play ball was mishandled for an error to load the bases with one out. Williamson struck out Rodriguez but walked Justin Trapp to force in an unearned run, as the lead was cut to 8-2. Reliever Joe Van Meter (2-2) retired Tony Thomas on a fielder’s choice to end the inning, and did not allow a hit in 2.1 innings in relief to earn the win.
Mark Minicozzi cracked a two-run double to left-center in the eighth, closing the scoring.
Chase Huchingson closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth.
Varona led the offense, going 3-for-5 and finishing a double shy of the cycle. He scored three times, and tied his season-high with five RBI. Witherspoon went 2-for-3 and drove in a pair.
Notes: Varona drove in four runs or more for the fourth time on the season. York struck out 16 times, tying a club record for a nine-inning game. The Revs improve to 11-7 against the Patriots on the season. York righty Jay Gause (9-3, 3.09) starts for the Revs in the season’s final road game on Sunday at 1:05 p.m., opposite Somerset right hander Lucas Irvine (8-3, 4.05). Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350, woyk1350.com, and on the WOYK app beginning at 12:45 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
