(June 13, 2021 – York, Pa.): Austin Steinfort fired five shutout innings as the York Revolution doubled up the Long Island Ducks, winning 4-2 on Sunday afternoon at PeoplesBank Park. The Revs have won four of their last five overall including back-to-back contests to claim a second straight series victory, and will return to the field Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. when they host the Lancaster Barnstormers, continuing their 12-game homestand.
The Revolution plated three runs in the in their first inning at the plate. Leading off, Darian Sandford reached on a Ducks error, Jack Kenley worked a walk, and after Sandford stole third, Melky Mesa sent Sandford home with his league-leading seventh double on a towering shot off the Arch Nemesis. Reaching third on Mesa’s double, Kenley scored on a sac fly to center from Nellie Rodriguez. Carlos Franco joined the hit party with his own RBI double to left-center, scoring Mesa from second and building a 3-0 Revs lead.
Steinfort kept Long Island off the board with five scoreless frames. The righty stranded a pair of walks in each of the first two innings and retired the side in order in the third, as the Ducks did not accrue their first hit until the fourth with a one-out single from reliever Jose Cuas.
Long Island jumped on the Revs bullpen in the sixth with two runs on two hits. After allowing a lead off single to Ryan Jackson, Revs reliever Isaac Sanchez retired Clint Freeman on a fly ball to center field. Sal Giardina and Daniel Fields reached on consecutive walks, however, which came back to bite the Revs as Charlie Tilson smacked a two-run single to right center to make it a one-run game, 3-2.
York collected an insurance run in the seventh. After Mesa earned a base on balls to lead off the inning, Rashad Crawford moved him to third on a single to left field. Yan Sanchez brought the run home with his own left field single—his third hit of the afternoon.
Outside of two earned runs in the sixth, the Revs bullpen shined again with five different relievers combining for 3.1 scoreless innings following Tilson’s two-out, two-run single.
Steinfort (1-2) earned the win with five scoreless innings, allowing a mere two hits. Steinfort walked five, struck out two, and stranded all seven base runners against him.
Ducks left-hander Chris Reed (1-2), who made the spot start after projected starter Mike Bolsinger was a late scratch, suffered the loss with three runs (two earned run) on three hits, two walks, and two strikeouts in only two innings.
Jim Fuller (SV, 3) earned his second save in as many games with a scoreless ninth.
After an off-day on Monday, the Revs are back in action on Tuesday to welcome the Lancaster Barnstormers for a three-game set. Jake Welch (1-0, 5.73) will make his third start of the season. Tuesday is YMCA Member Appreciation Night and Indiana Jones Night: Raiders of the Ballpark. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
Notes: The Revs pull within 1.0 game of first place in the North Division with the win. York pitching has allowed just 12 runs in the last five games while tossing a 2.20 ERA on that stretch, allowing two runs or fewer in four of those five games. Rodriguez saw his season-opening 14-game hitting streak snapped but did briefly tie Franco for the league lead with his 17th RBI on the first inning sac fly; the 14-game streak is the league’s longest thus far with the next closest being a nine-gamer. Sandford’s steal was his league-leading 12th this season and 213th of his Atlantic League career pulling ahead of Dwight Maness for sole possession of third on the all-time list. Sanchez (3-for-4) has hit safely in all five games to begin his Revs career, now 9-for-19 since joining the team. The win is the 499th all-time at PeoplesBank Park for the Revs.