(June 20, 2021 – York, Pa.): Carlos Castro launched a tiebreaking home run in the bottom of the seventh as the York Revolution came from behind to defeat the Lexington Legends, 6-5 on Father’s Day afternoon, Sunday at PeoplesBank Park. The Revs win the rubber match in the series and have won three of their last four with late-inning heroics each time. The homestand continues on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. when the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs come to town.
Both clubs scored their first runs in the third inning on Sunday. Lexington scored one on a wild pitch from Revs starter Jake Welch, but York answered with two runs of their own. Jack Kenley started the inning with a lead off double to left. Advancing to third on a wild pitch from Lexington starter Liam O’Sullivan, Kenley scored on a line drive single to center from John Sansone, making his first Revs start by capping a 10-pitch at-bat. Darian Sandford later reached on a fielder’s choice and stole both second and third before reaching home plate on a Yan Sanchez screaming liner to left, extending Sanchez’ hitting streak to 10 consecutive games.
Lexington took back the lead in the fifth. Sam Claycamp reached second base on a Revs error to start the frame and Brandon Phillips brought in the first year pro with a knock to left field. With runners at first and second, Courtney Hawkins smacked a double up the left field line for two more runs with the Revs disputing that the ball was foul. Keon Barnum scored Hawkins on a hard hit single to right for a 5-2 lead.
The Revs responded to the frustrating top of the fifth with three runs on four hits in their half of the inning. With Sandford at first following a fielder’s choice, Castro collected his second hit on a single to center. Sandford stole third base for his third steal of the day. Welington Dotel plated the speedster with a ground rule double to deep left-center, and JC Encarnacion followed with a two run triple to right center for the 5-5 tie.
Castro proved to be the difference maker with a seventh inning solo home run over the Arch-Nemesis in left for his third home run in four games and a 6-5 advantage.
York’s bullpen was outstanding, totaling 4.1 shutout frames and retiring the final 10 Legends batters. Eduardo Rivera worked four outs before handing it over to Alberto Rodriguez (1-0) who earned the win with a perfect seventh. Brandon Fry logged his fourth hold and Jim Fuller posted his fourth save with 1-2-3 eighth and ninth innings, respectively.
After an off-day Monday, York welcomes Southern Maryland on Tuesday for the start of a three-game series. Alex Sanabia (3-0, 3.20) will head to the mound for York for his fifth start. York is celebrating the start of the warm-weather season with a Summer Bash on Tuesday night; tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.