(May 25, 2022 – Staten Island, NY): The York Revolution had their plans for a series victory put on hold on Wednesday night as the Staten Island FerryHawks grabbed an 8-5 victory at Staten Island University Hospital Northwell Health Community Park.
Things got off to a promising start as York grabbed a quick lead in the first. After Troy Stokes Jr. struck a leadoff double to right-center and moved to third on a ground out, Melky Mesa delivered an RBI double that landed on the right field line for a 1-0 lead.
York scored again in the top of the second when Connor Lien crossed the plate on an error after reaching on a base hit earlier in the inning. Staten Island lefty Anthony Rodriguez notched a pair of strike outs to minimize the damage and leave the bases loaded, however.
Things took a turn in the bottom of the second. After York starter Austin Nicely set down his first five batters of the night including three strike outs, Mariel Bautista kept the inning alive with a base hit and Ricardo Cespedes reached on a throwing error by shortstop Edwin Figuera. Javier Betancourt (3-for-3) capitalized with an RBI knock to right, and drawing a throw after rounding first base, allowed Cespedes to race home with a second run to tie the game.
The FerryHawks rallied for three runs on four hits in the third to go on top, 5-2. Kacy Clemens drove in his first go-ahead run of the night on a single to right-center, and Bautista added a two-out double to the gap in left-center, plating the other two.
The Revs responded with a run in the fourth as Mesa lashed a two-out RBI single to right, then tied the game at 5-5 with two more runs in the fifth as Carlos Franco crossed on a wild pitch and Lenin Rodriguez drove a sac fly to right.
Nicely settled down to retire eight straight at one point, putting up zeroes through the middle three innings of the game.
Staten Island went ahead for good in the bottom of the seventh, however. Joseph Monge led off with a bloop single to shallow right and Alfredo Reyes beat out a bunt hit to put the first two on. Nicely struck out Rymer Liriano but the FerryHawks executed a double steal on the pitch, and with the infield drawn in, Clemens slapped a two-run single up the middle for a 7-5 lead.
The FerryHawks added one final run in the eighth when Liriano took a bases loaded walk from reliever Alberto Rodriguez.
Notes: Mesa’s first inning double was the 80th of his Revs career, moving him past Eric Patterson for fourth on the franchise’s all-time list; he is now two away from matching Ramon Castro (82) for third. Nicely (0-5) worked seven innings for the third straight start and struck out a Revs career-best eight against no walks despite suffering the loss. York stranded 12 runners as the offense has now left 36 runners on base in the last three games; the Revs went 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position on the night. The Revs will go for their third series win in the last four tries in the rubber match on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. as RHP Merandy Gonzalez gets the ball. 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.
