(July 8, 2017 – Lancaster, Pa.): Alexi Casilla crushed a game-tying home run in the top of the seventh inning, but the York Revolution fell to the Lancaster Barnstormers, 5-4 on a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday evening in front of 6,189 fans at Clipper Magazine Stadium. The loss snaps the Revs’ two-game winning streak and forces a rubber match in the series finale on Sunday.
York got off to a quick start, scoring in the top of the first. Alonzo Harris led off the game with an infield single and Casilla laced a single to left to set the table. After a fly out that advanced Harris to third, the Revs’ leadoff man crossed the plate for the game’s first run as Michael Burgess legged out an attempted double play turn for an RBI fielder’s choice.
Lancaster answered in the bottom of the second with a two-run single to left-center by Tyler Clark. The knock came after Lancaster had loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a hit by pitch of Lastings Milledge.
Rico Noel led off the bottom of the third with an infield hit and stole both second and third before Caleb Gindl launched a two-run homer to right, increasing Lancaster’s lead to 4-1.
Revs starter Steve Janas rebounded to retire his next 11 consecutive batters, and 12 of his final 13 of the night to take a no-decision.
York inched back with a run in the fifth as Jared Mitchell led off with a single, advanced on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, and scored on a two-out single to right-center by Casilla to cut it to 4-2.
Barnstormers starter Rommie Lewis held the Revs to just those two runs in six innings, but would also take a no-decision as York came back to tie it against the bullpen.
With two outs and nobody on in the seventh, Harris kept the inning alive with a broken bat single up the middle. That set the stage for Casilla who hammered a two-run shot to right-center, his first with York, tying the game at 4-4.
Revs relievers Chase Huchingson and Michael Click continued York’s dominance on the mound with perfect innings, but after striking out Garrett Weber to begin the bottom of the ninth, Jose Arredondo (0-1) was touched for a first-pitch home run by Trayvon Robinson on a drive to right-center, sending the Barnstormers home with the walk-off win.
Notes: Casilla was 6-for-6 in the series and had reached base all eight times after his seventh inning home run; he is now 6-for-7 in the series, raising his average to .406 in 19 games played on the season, and is batting .500 (24-for-48) in 13 games played since June 3. Casilla has also hit safely in 11 in-a-row. The walk-off defeat is the Revs’ sixth of the season and first by way of a home run. It is Lancaster’s second walk-off home run of the year. York is now 7-5 against Lancaster in War of the Roses play on the season. Revs lefty Logan Williamson (2-5, 5.15) faces Lancaster left-hander Jarret Leverett (4-4, 5.72) on Sunday at 2 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350, woyk1350.com, and on the WOYK app beginning at 1:40 p.m. with Darrell Henry and Matt Present on the call.
