(Sept. 19, 2021 – Central Islip, NY): Austin Nicely allowed one run over 7.2 innings and Jim Fuller nailed down a four-out save as the York Revolution made a three-run third inning stand up in a 3-1 victory over the Long Island Ducks on Sunday afternoon in front of 4,978 fans at Fairfield Properties Ballpark. The Revs snap a four-game skid and pull back within four games of first place, returning home to host the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m.
Nicely (8-8) gave up just two hits through the first five innings and took a three-hit shutout into the seventh in his sixth consecutive quality start. The lefty induced three double plays including a pair of line drive twin killings and surrendered only an RBI single to Deibinson Romero in the seventh.
Fuller entered with two aboard and two outs in the seventh after a Steve Lombardozzi bloop single kept the inning alive. Following a walk to Nick Bottari that loaded the bases, Fuller retired LJ Mazzilli on a force at third on one pitch, escaping the eighth inning jam. Fuller allowed only a one-out infield single to pinch-hitter Sal Giardina in a scoreless ninth, completing his league-leading 24th save.
Offensively, the Revs were held to just four hits and were kept to the minimum number of batters aside from a two-out rally in the third that produced all three runs.
Ducks starter Anderson DeLeon (5-5) retired his first eight batters of the game before Mikey Reynolds singled to left-center, sparking a two-out rally. James Harris followed with a base hit to left-center and Osmy Gregorio walked to load the bases. Walks to Carlos Franco and Nellie Rodriguez followed, pushing across the first two runs. Josue Herrera ripped an RBI single off the glove of a diving Lombardozzi at second to make it a 3-0 lead at the time.
York’s only other hit came on a leadoff double to left by Welington Dotel in the seventh but Dotel was erased on a caught stealing. The Revs won despite being out-hit 8-4, following Saturday’s game in which they out-hit the Ducks 8-4 but lost 3-2.
Notes: Fuller’s four-out save is his second of the season, both coming at Long Island (also August 25). His 24 saves tie Jameson McGrane (2019) for third on the Revs’ single-season saves list and fifth on the franchise’s career list. Nicely has won three straight while the Revs have won each of his last four starts. He now holds a 2.09 ERA over his last seven starts, and limited the Ducks to just one run for the third time in four meetings on the season. York improves to 10-11 against Long Island on the season.
