(Sept. 24, 2021 – Lexington, Ky.): The York Revolution held three separate leads but dropped a 6-5 walk-off decision to the Lexington Legends on Friday night in the opening game of a week-long road trip. The loss snaps the Revs’ season-high-tying four-game winning streak.
Lexington drew first blood with a two-out spurt in the bottom of the second as Ben Revere cashed in on a ground ball RBI single to left for a 1-0 lead.
That lead was short-lived, as James Harris crushed a two-run homer to deep left in the top of the third, giving the Revs a 2-1 lead on Harris’ 13th of the year and sixth in his last 14 games.
Lexington drew even an inning later as Roberto Baldoquin lined a solo home run to left-center, knotting things at 2-2.
The Revs answered right away, taking a 4-2 lead in the fifth. JC Encarnacion led off with a bloop double inside the right field line and sprinted home when second baseman Brandon Phillips threw errantly into left field for a two-base error. Osmy Gregorio kept the inning alive with a two-out infield single, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored as Carlos Franco rocked a line drive RBI single to right.
Courtney Hawkins tied the league lead with his 31st home run on a solo shot to left-center in the fifth, and the Legends tied the game for a second time when Denis Phipps came home on a wild pitch in the sixth, locking things at 4-4.
The Revs once again answered right away as Mikey Reynolds led off the seventh with a single to left and stole second. Following a walk to Harris, Gregorio advanced both runners on a sacrifice bunt. Franco was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Nellie Rodriguez capitalized with a sac fly to right, putting York ahead for the final time at 5-4.
Lexington tied it for the third time in the bottom of the seventh as Keon Barnum launched his 23rd home run of the year on a solo shot to right-center, leveling the score at 5-5. Lexington’s third solo home run of the game gave them a single run for a fourth consecutive inning as the back and forth battle continued.
Bubby Rossman worked out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the eighth but the Revs were not so fortunate in the ninth as pinch-hitter Chris Fornaci singled down the left field line with the bases loaded and one out, bringing home the winning run.
The Revs and Legends meet again on Saturday night at 6:31 p.m. as LHP Austin Nicely (8-8, 3.29) faces RHP Eli Garcia (5-3, 7.48). Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and the WOYK YouTube channel beginning at 6:10 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
