(July 3, 2022 – Central Islip, NY): Carlos Franco cracked a historic grand slam in the top of the first inning but the York Revolution dropped the final game of their road trip, 8-7 to the Long Island Ducks on Sunday night in front of 7,149 fans at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.
The Revs jumped out to a 4-0 lead five batters into the game. After Troy Stokes Jr. walked and Elmer Reyes drove his league lead-tying 20th double to the gap in left-center, Nellie Rodriguez walked with one out to load the bases. Franco turned on an 0-2 offering from Ducks lefty Stephen Tarpley, launching a grand slam to right accounting for numerous Revolution records in the process.
The slam tied the franchise record for a consecutive game on-base streak at 45 in-a-row, matching Nate Espy’s record set in 2007. It marked the fourth grand slam of Franco’s Revs career, making him the franchise’s all-time leader in the category. His 23rd overall long ball of the season tied for the league lead and ties the Revs record for a half, matching Chris Nowak’s second half total from 2012. He also spiked his RBI total to a league-leading 72, surpassing Nowak’s previous franchise record for a half (71).
Long Island came back with three in the home half, scoring on a bases loaded walk to Deibinson Romero, a wild pitch, and an RBI ground out by Dustin Woodcock, knifing the Revs’ lead to 4-3.
The Ducks drew even in the bottom of the third as L.J. Mazzilli lined an RBI double in front of a diving Stokes Jr. in right, tying the game at 4-4.
Tarpley had not allowed a hit since the first until Reyes and JC Encarnacion singled to open the fifth, and Nellie Rodriguez ripped a go-ahead RBI single to left-center for a 5-4 lead. A double play grounder plated another run for a 6-4 advantage.
Once again the Ducks had an immediate answer, rallying with two outs as Woodcock doubled to right plating a run, took third on the throw home, and scored on a balk to tie the game. Mazzilli followed with a go-ahead homer to left, giving Long Island its first lead at 7-6.
Both bullpens denied the opposition of chances before the Revs broke through in the eighth, as Josue Herrera greeted lefty Tyler Webb with a two-out game-tying RBI single to center, knotting the score at 7-7.
Yefri Perez made an outstanding diving catch in right-center to prevent a go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth, but Long Island put together the winning rally an inning later courtesy of a pair of walks and a wild pitch preceding a walk-off single to right by Vladimir Frias. It marked the Revs’ seventh walk-off defeat of the season and their third in nine games (six losses) at Fairfield Properties Ballpark as Sunday’s game wrapped up the road portion of the head-to-head season series.
York finishes its road trip with a 2-4 mark and looks to bounce back at home on Monday at 4:30 p.m. vs. Lancaster. Austin Nicely faces Brooks Hall on July4York presented by Traditions Bank, featuring Fireworks presented by Glatfelter Insurance Group. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
