(July 21, 2021 – York, Pa.): Duke von Schamann carried a shutout into the ninth inning as the York Revolution defeated the West Virginia Power, 5-1 on Wednesday evening at PeoplesBank Park. The win snaps a five-game slide as the Revs will now go for a series victory in Thursday’s rubber match at 6:30 p.m.
von Schamann (3-4) was masterful going a Revs career-high 8.1 innings, becoming just the third pitcher in the Atlantic League (second Revs pitcher) to work past eight innings in a game this season. The right hander tied his career-high in strikeouts with 10 and held the Power to just five hits, retiring a Revs season-high 15 consecutive batters from the first into the sixth.
After a pair of two-out singles in the first, von Schamann did not allow a single baserunner until the sixth inning when Scott Kelly reached on a hit by pitch with two outs. He did not allow his third hit until Edwin Espinal singled with one out in the seventh, but a ground ball double play immediately followed as von Schamann faced just three over the minimum, carrying a three-hit shutout into the ninth.
Offensively, York got rolling in the first scoring the first run without needing a base hit. James Harris led off with a walk and quickly stole second and third. Melky Mesa drove in Harris on a groundout for his 30th RBI of the season and a 1-0 lead.
The Revs put up three runs on four hits in the third. The first three York batters of the inning all reached safely as Harris singled, Jack Kenley doubled down the first base line, and Mesa drove in his second run of the night on a single to left. Nellie Rodriguez drove in another with a sac fly to center. With two outs, Josue Herrera drove in the third and final run on a single to right for a 4-0 lead.
The Revs scored once more in the fourth. Making his Revs debut, Osmy Gregorio reached on a throwing error to lead off the inning. Thanks to a wild pitch and a Darian Sandford sacrifice bunt, Gregorio advanced to third, allowing Harris to send him home on a hard-hit double to deep left center and a 5-0 lead.
von Schamann was lifted with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth. Lefty Edward Paredes entered to retire Espinal on a fly out to left before a bases loaded walk to Williams broke up the shutout with two outs. Paredes rebounded to set down Elmer Reyes on a fly out to left, securing his first save and a big win for the Revs.
The three-game series with the Power concludes Thursday as Austin Nicely (4-4, 3.96) will take the mound for York. West Virginia will counter with former Rev, Joe Harris (0-1, 4.40). It is Throwback Thursday: Put on your blue suede shoes and poodle skirts as PeoplesBank Park will travel back to the 50s! Tickets are available at yorkrevolution.com, 717-801-HITS, or in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
Notes: von Schamann joins former teammate Alex Sanabia (June 9 at Southern Maryland) and Southern Maryland righty (Daryl Thompson, June 27 vs. York) as the only Atlantic League pitchers to go longer than 8.0 innings in a game this season. The 15 consecutive batters retired eclipses the previous season-high for an individual (Sanabia, nine on June 9 at Southern Maryland) and came within two of the franchise record; it also bested the previous season-high for the team (13, June 11 vs. Long Island). The 10-strike out performance is the second of von Schamann’s career as he struck out 10 Jackson Generals on June 10, 2013 with Double-A Chattanooga; that performance came in his first Double-A start of his second pro season, which was the second Double-A start of his pro career. Mesa’s third-inning RBI single extended his hitting streak to 11 consecutive games. Harris (3-for-3) reached base all five times from the leadoff spot and tied a Revs individual season-high with three stolen bases. Sandford stole his league-leading 31st bag in the bottom of the eighth, the 232nd steal of his Atlantic League career, passing Rolo Avila for second on the league’s all-time list; the 31 steals this season is tied for seventh most in a season in Revs history, matching Justin Greene (2014) and Alonzo Harris (2017).