(July 31, 2022 – Gastonia, NC): The York Revolution endured a frustrating Sunday dropping a back-and-forth 8-7 opener before struggling offensively in a 5-1 defeat in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Gastonia Honey Hunters at CaroMont Health Park.
York jumped to an early lead as Carlos Franco slammed a two-run homer to dead center in the top of the first inning of the opener, his 29th of the season.
Gastonia answered with a two-out rally in the bottom of the second as Stuart Levy cracked a two-run double off the left field fence to tie the score and Jake Skole provided a go-ahead RBI single to right for a 3-2 lead.
The Honey Hunters added another run in the third as Jack Reinheimer led off with a ground rule double to left center before coming around on a pair of ground outs to make it a 4-2 game.
York went to work against Gastonia starter Reilly Hovis in the fifth, rallying for four runs to nab a 6-4 lead. It started with a base hit to right by Yefri Perez who extended his hitting streak to 10 consecutive games. With one out, Perez stole his 18th base of the season and took third on an infield single by JC Encarnacion who promptly stole second. A wild pitch brought home Perez, and after Elmer Reyes reached on a walk, Franco slashed a game-tying single to center, forcing Hovis’ exit. Telvin Nash walked against reliever Euclides Leyer to load the bases, and Nellie Rodriguez took his league-leading 80th free pass to force in a go-ahead run. Melky Mesa capped the rally by adding an RBI fielder’s choice to the cause.
York starter Alex Sanabia followed with a scoreless fifth to push the lead to the late innings, retiring nine of his final 10 batters faced on the day.
Franco (3-for-4) added his fourth RBI of the day on a two-out single to center in the sixth, building the lead to 7-4 and extending his league-leading RBI total for the season to 93, now the fifth-highest total in Revolution history.
Things went awry in the bottom of the sixth, however, as reliever Nick Howard issued back-to-back walks to start the frame. Pinch-hitter Tra Holmes singled to right to load the bases with no outs, and the lead vanished as Emmanuel Tapia drilled a go-ahead grand slam to right-center, providing the 8-7 final in stunning fashion.
Jesus Balaguer closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth for his 19th save of the season.
The Revs managed to get off to a strong start in the nightcap as Reyes hammered a solo homer to left center in the top of the first. Franco followed with a single, but Gastonia pitchers combined to retire the next 17 consecutive Revs batters before Franco led off the seventh with a double as York managed just three hits in the game.
Gastonia once again struck with two outs in the bottom of the second for a big inning, taking a 4-1 lead. Alex Holderbach tied the game on an RBI single to left and nine-hole hitter Jaylen Smith delivered the game’s biggest swing with a three-run homer to left, just the fifth of his pro career.
Revs starter Duke von Schamann settled down for a scoreless third and fourth but was touched once more as Holmes delivered a two-out RBI single to center in the bottom of the fifth.
Revs reliever Nick Green handled the final 1.1 innings in scoreless fashion, escaping a bases loaded jam in the sixth with a double play.
The Revs conclude their season series against the Honey Hunters with a 2-7 mark as the weekend three-game sweep marked their only visit of the season to CaroMont Health Park.
York is back in action at home on Tuesday vs. Lancaster at 6:30 p.m. The night includes “Snack Attack”, is a WellSpan Sports Medicine Silver Slugger Tuesday, and features Baseball Bingo presented by Edgar Snyder and Associates. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
