(August 14, 2018) -- Mitch Atkins’ six shutout innings and 10 strikeouts powered the York Revolution to a 4-1 win over the New Britain Bees on Tuesday night at PeoplesBank Park. The Revs go back to .500 on the season at 48-48 and move to 16-17 in the second half. York now leads the season series with New Britain, 7-6.
The Revs jumped on the board with two runs off Bees starter Rainy Lara in the bottom of the second inning. With runners at second and third and one out, Henry Castillo singled to right field to bring home Welington Dotel for the first run. Michael Burgess scored from second base after Bees right fielder Jamar Walton misplayed Castillo’s hit in right field, and the Revs took a 2-0 lead.
Melky Mesa smacked a line-drive two-run home run over the left-center field wall in the third inning to extend the Revs’ lead to 4-0.
That was all the run support Atkins needed, as he held the Bees to one hit and three base runners over his first three innings. He ran into trouble in the fourth when he walked the first two hitters and later gave up a single but worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam without any runs scoring.
Atkins worked through another bases-loaded jam in the fifth by striking out Jovan Rosa to end the threat without any damage while striking out the side. He struck out the side again in the sixth while stranding two more runners and turned the game over to the bullpen with the Revs still up 4-0 after six innings.
Atkins threw 114 pitches over six tough innings and did not allow a run while giving up just three hits. He walked a season-high seven batters--four more than his previous high--and hit one, but also tied a season high with 10 strikeouts while cracking the 100-strikeout mark for the season.
His counterpart Lara lasted just five innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
Joe Van Meter took over for Atkins and retired the Bees in order in the seventh. Michael Click came on for the eighth and worked around two singles to throw a scoreless inning.
Ricardo Gomez got the ninth inning assignment with the Revs still up 4-0. With a man on first and two outs, Jason Rogers hit an RBI double to the right field corner to break up the shutout and make it a 4-1 game. Gomez came right back and struck out Rosa to end the game.
Atkins (10-4) earned his 10th win in his last 12 starts (10-1, 2.23 ERA on that stretch) and becomes the Atlantic League’s first 10-game winner this season while picking up his 11th quality start. Lara (8-6) suffered his second loss to the Revs in the last eight days.
Notes: Atkins became the fifth pitcher in Revs history with multiple 10-strikeout games in their Revs career; all five pitchers accomplished the feat in one season (Ryan Baerlocher-2007, Matt DeSalvo-2011, Chris Cody-2013, Micah Owings-2016, Atkins-2018). He is the quickest Revs pitcher to 10 wins since 2013 when Cody earned his 10th win on July 29 of that season. Atkins has struck out seven or more batters seven times this season. He’s also worked 6.0+ innings in eight of his last nine starts. The Bees put only 10 balls in play in six innings against Atkins. Mesa has 15 RBIs in his last 10 games with five two-RBI games in that span. The home run was his team-leading 14th and third in his last five games.
Up Next: The Revs and Bees will play Game 2 of their three-game series Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at PeoplesBank Park. LHP Robert Carson gets the ball for the Revs and will be opposed by Bees RHP Mark Hamburger. It is Sensory Awareness Night, Rutter's Night, and kids eat free with a voucher available at PeoplesBank Financial Centers. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Revs Ticket Office.
Story by Michael Marcantonini
Broadcaster/Media Relations Asst.
