(May 1, 2022 – Lancaster, Pa.): The York Revolution offense finally kicked into gear with a five-run ninth inning but it was far too little, too late, in a series concluding 12-6 loss to the Lancaster Barnstormers on a rainy Sunday afternoon in front of 3,209 fans at Clipper Magazine Stadium. The Revs suffer a weekend sweep to conclude their longest road trip to begin a season since 2007 (nine games) and will look to rebound this week in their opening homestand of the season, beginning with Tuesday night’s home opener vs. Gastonia at 6:30 p.m.
Lancaster jumped to a first inning lead on Kelly Dugan’s two-out, two-run homer to right for a quick 2-0 score.
Barnstormers starter Cameron Gann retired his first six batters, four on strike outs, before JC Encarnacion cracked a homer to right-center to lead off the third in his first at-bat of the season, slicing the deficit to 2-1 on the 10th home run of his Revs career. Lenin Rodriguez added a one-out single, but from there, Gann (1-0) retired his next nine consecutive batters and 11 of his final 12 as he completed six dominant innings to earn the win, striking out seven while walking none on just three hits.
York starter Duke von Schamann (0-2) appeared to settle in after the first inning, but was lifted after the first two batters reached in the fourth. Lancaster increased its lead when Connor Lien greeted reliever Robinson Parra with a two-run double down the left field line, before Lancaster erupted for four runs in the fifth, all with two outs. After reliever Isaac Sanchez appeared to nearly have Dugan struck out to end the inning, Dugan yanked a two-run double to right, followed by RBI doubles from Andretty Cordero and Lien as the Barnstormers produced a back-breaking rally to go up 8-1.
Two more scored, both unearned, in the sixth as Melvin Mercedes slapped an RBI single into left and Colton Shaver brought home another run on a ground out.
LeDarious Clark capped the home team’s scoring with a two-run homer to right in the bottom of the eighth.
The Revs salvaged a bat-around inning in the ninth to close the gap, as Carlos Franco nailed a two-run double down the left field line, Carlos Castro rapped an RBI double to right, and Encarnacion launched his own RBI double to deep left-center. Rodriguez added a run-scoring single to right field with two outs as the Revs, held to just four hits through the first eight innings, strung together five knocks off reliever Oscar De La Cruz in the final frame.
York finally opens its home schedule on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. against the Gastonia Honey Hunters. It marks the 15th Season Celebration featuring the Arch Nemesis Piece Giveaway presented by Wayneco, Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act, and Baseball Bingo presented by Edgar Snyder and Associates. Tickets are available at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
