(June 21, 2021 – York, Pa.): John Sansone and Carlos Castro came up with big home runs as the York Revolution rallied, but the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs plated runs in the eighth and ninth to claim a 6-5 victory in Tuesday’s series opener at PeoplesBank Park. The loss snaps the Revs’ two-game winning streak as the two teams are now tied for third in the Atlantic League’s North Division, playing each other six more times head-to-head over the next five days.
The Revs wasted little time getting runs on the board. In the first inning with two outs, Castro collected an infield hit to spark a two-run rally. Welington Dotel followed with a single to center and advanced to second on a fielding error from Southern Maryland center fielder Zach Collier. Repeating his feat from Sunday, JC Encarnacion drove in two with one swing on a line drive single to center to open the scoring.
Southern Maryland tied the game with their own two-out rally in the third. Matt Hibbert was hit by a pitch and Kent Blackstone moved him to second on an infield hit. Dario Pizzano drove in Hibbert on a base hit to left. On the same play, the Revs committed a throwing error that allowed Blackstone to score for a 2-2 tie.
The Blue Crabs took their first lead, 4-2, in the sixth. David Harris singled and Collier walked to put runners at first and second. Both advanced to scoring position on a passed ball during Alex Crosby’s at-bat. Crosby plated both with a softly hit liner to right.
York’s bats began to heat up again in their sixth inning. Castro crushed a ball over the batter’s eye in dead center to make it 4-3. The Revs’ catcher has now hit four home runs in his last five games.
Just an inning later, Sansone smashed his first Revs home run to left for the second tie of the night, leveling the ledger at 4-4. Looking for more, Walner Espinal doubled on a pop up lost in the twilight by Blackstone. Yan Sanchez extended his hitting to 11 games with an infield hit deflected off the glove of Blue Crabs starter Daryl Thompson. With runners at the corners and two outs, Castro continued his big night with an RBI double to left. Espinal scored and gave the Revs their first lead since the third inning at 5-4.
Southern Maryland continued to threaten and tied it up again in the eighth. Pizzano worked a lead-off walk against reliever Brandon Fry. Collier doubled to right with one out and a throwing error from the Revs outfield gave Pizzano enough time to race home for the second tie of the night at 5-5.
In the ninth, it was the Blue Crabs’ turn to break the tie. Michael Baca and Hibbert hit back-to-back singles. With Baca at third following Hibbert’s single, Blackstone hit a fly ball to shallow right center which was caught, but allowed Baca to score on a sacrifice fly for a 6-5 lead.
York continues their series with the Blue Crabs on Wednesday. Duke von Schamann (1-2, 6.95) will get the start for York opposite Southern Maryland’s Mike Devine (2-2, 4.50). It is Motorsports Night at Peoples Bank Park with tickets on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
Notes: Sanchez’ 11-game hitting streak is the league’s third-longest this season and second-longest active; it is the Revs’ second longest behind former teammate Nellie Rodriguez’ 14-gamer to open the year. Castro (3-for-4) posted his 11th multi-hit game and sixth three-hit performance in 18 games played while adding two more RBI to his league-leading total of 24 on the season. The Revs’ two-game winning streak was their fourth of the season, stopped short of achieving their first three-gamer of the year. York had also won three of its last four coming in while Southern Maryland has now won six of its last seven.
