(May 21, 2017 – Sugar Land, TX): The York Revolution were forced to settle for a series split, falling to the Sugar Land Skeeters 6-5 in 11 innings on Sunday afternoon in front of 4,960 fans at Constellation Field. The Revs complete their road trip with a 3-4 record, having won three of the final five, and return home to open a 10-game homestand on Monday evening.
York struck first in Sunday’s game, scoring twice in the top of the fourth. Sugar Land starter Jake Hale had retired the first 10 batters of the game, but Ryan Dent broke the string with a one-out double to right. Angel Franco then ripped an RBI single to right for the game’s first run. Isaias Tejeda kept it going with a single to right, and Travis Witherspoon made it 2-0 on a single to left-center. Bryan Pounds nearly made it 4-0, but Hale made a kick save on a sharp ground ball, denying the Revs of potentially two more.
Sugar Land answered by tying it in the bottom of the fourth, as Andy Wilkins connected on an opposite field two-run homer to left-center. Sugar Land then went ahead 3-2 in the sixth on a sac fly by Albert Cordero. It was the only damage allowed by Revs starter Steve Janas, however, who avoided the big inning after being faced with runners at second and third and no outs.
Pounds led off the seventh with a single to right-center and Carlos Triunfel slammed a two-run homer to left, giving the Revs a 4-3 lead. Jared Mitchell later doubled down the right field line, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3.
The Skeeters inched back within 5-4 when Derrick Pyles was awarded home on a balk called on Revs lefty Jarret Martin. The southpaw came back to strike out Wilkins, leaving the tying run at third, and then notched another big strikeout to end the eighth inning, leaving the tying run at second base.
York held a 5-4 lead until Derek Miller tied the game with a homer down the left field line in the bottom of the ninth, forcing extras by handing Revs closer Brad Allen his first blown save of the season.
Chase Huchingson worked out of a jam to leave runners at the corners in the tenth, but the Skeeters won the game in the 11th on a bases loaded single to right-center by Wilkins. Sugar Land improved to 3-0 in extra innings with the win while York fell to 2-1, suffering just the second walk-off defeat of the season.
By erasing a pair of York leads in the game, Sugar Land wiped out six separate Revs leads in the four-game series, including two each in the Skeeters’ two victories.
Janas was solid in a no-decision, turning in his third consecutive quality start by allowing three runs over six innings.
Franco was among York’s offensive leaders, going 3-for-5 and extending his hitting streak to six consecutive games. Dent and Jose Constanza each extended streaks to five games.
York righty Victor Mateo (0-3, 2.84) will face New Britain right-hander Jonathan Pettibone (0-0, 1.10) in Monday’s opener at 6:30 p.m. at PeoplesBank Park. It is Hunger Free Monday presented by United Fiber & Data for the York County Food Bank, as fans who bring a non-perishable food item get a free ticket to the game. It is also York County Literacy Council Buck-A-Book Night, and Unused Ticket Redemption Night. Tickets are also on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Apple Chevrolet Ticket Office.
