(April 26, 2017 – Waldorf, Md.) – The York Revolution suffered a pair of close losses in a doubleheader sweep to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, 2-0 and 4-3 on Wednesday evening at Regency Furniture Stadium.  Both seven-inning games ended with the tying run in scoring position for the York offense.  The Revs (1-4) will look to snap their four-game skid in the series finale at Southern Maryland (4-2) on Thursday evening, before heading back to York for Friday’s home opener at PeoplesBank Park.

 

The Revs out-hit the Blue Crabs 5-2 in the opener despite the 2-0 loss.  York starter Victor Mateo (0-1) absorbed the defeat despite allowing just one run on one hit over five strong innings.

 

Southern Maryland loaded the bases with no outs in the first on a hit-by-pitch and two walks, but Mateo allowed only one run on a double play off the bat of Michael Snyder, before a fly out to end the inning on the next pitch.

 

The double play kicked off a stretch of eight in-a-row set down by Mateo before a leadoff walk to Zach Wilson in the fourth.  Mateo responded by striking out the next three in the middle of the Blue Crabs lineup in order.  His only hit allowed came on a one-out single by Edwin Garcia in the fifth.

 

Southern Maryland tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on a Snyder double to left-center, plating Wilson who walked in all three of his plate appearances in the first game, as well as his first plate appearance in the nightcap.

 

Blue Crabs starter Gaby Hernandez (1-0) yielded just three singles and did not walk a batter over six shutout innings to earn the win.

 

York loaded the bases off Crabs closer Cody Eppley in the seventh as Alonzo Harris led off with an infield single and Joel Guzman bounced a single into right.  Pinch-runner Brandon Thomas stole second, and with one out Michael Burgess walked to load the bases, but Eppley struck out the final two batters, striking out the side to notch the high-wire save, his second of the season.

 

Southern Maryland also grabbed a 1-0 first inning lead in the second game, scoring on a sac fly by Snyder.

 

Blue Crabs righty Justin De Fratus retired his first eight batters and faced the minimum through three, but the Revs scored a run in the first of three consecutive innings in the fourth.  Harris led off with a single to left and stole second, before advancing to third on a one-out bloop single by Burgess.  Guzman then picked up the RBI on a groundout, as Burgess sped past second baseman Danny Muno, avoiding a tag and a potential inning-ending double play.  York took a brief 2-1 lead an inning later on a two-out RBI single to left by Harris.

 

Revs reliever Ty’Relle Harris had retired five consecutive batters in relief of starter Chris Cody through the fourth inning, including strikeouts of Muno and Wilson to leave runners at the corners in the third.  He was greeted with three consecutive hits in the fifth, however, as the Blue Crabs retook the lead at 3-2.  Garcia tied the game with an RBI double to left-center, and raced home with the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Gary Brown.

 

York responded to tie the game for a second time in the sixth.  Angel Franco sparked things with a leadoff double to left and moved to third on Burgess’ infield hit.  With one out, Luis Alen picked up the game-tying RBI on a fielder’s choice grounder, leveling the score at 3-3.

 

Cory Vaughn provided the Blue Crabs with the final blow, connecting on a tiebreaking solo home run to left in the bottom of the sixth off of Revs reliever Curtis Partch (0-1).

 

Thomas worked a walk with one out in the seventh and stole second, but righty Sam Runion fanned the final two batters to pick up the save.

 

De Fratus (1-1) lasted six innings to pick up the win, allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out five while walking none.

 

The Revs have absorbed three of their four losses by two runs or fewer, having the game end with the tying or go-ahead run in scoring position each time.

 

Revs lefty Frank Gailey (1-0, 1.80) will face Blue Crabs southpaw Pat Misch (0-0, 27.00) on Thursday at 6:35 p.m.  Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350, woyk1350.com, and the WOYK app beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry and Matt Present on the call.