(September 3, 2022 – High Point, NC): The York Revolution led the entire night until the High Point Rockers stole a 5-4 victory in the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday night at Truist Point.
York built an early 4-0 lead, scoring in the first on a Nellie Rodriguez two-out RBI single to center, and plating three more in the second on a Josue Herrera RBI bloop base hit and a two-run double to left center by Yefri Perez.
Zander Wiel drilled a solo homer to left in the bottom of the second to get the Rockers on the board on his 29th of the season, but that was the only run allowed by Revs spot starter Josh Norwood through the first four innings.
High Point trimmed the gap in the fifth, scoring twice on a Mike Gulino RBI double down the left field line and a run-scoring fielder’s choice off the bat of Ben Aklinski to make it a 4-3 game.
Norwood handed the ball off to reliever Kyle Zurak who struck out pinch hitter Tyler Ladendorf with the tying run at third, and worked a scoreless sixth with help of a strike out-throw out double play, as catcher Jhon Nunez gunned down Michael Martinez to carry the York lead to the seventh.
Brett de Geus and Roniel Raudes worked scoreless frames out of the York bullpen to take the York lead to the ninth.
The Rockers set the stage for the winning rally as Wiel led off the ninth with a single to right center off closer Jim Fuller. Michael Martinez popped a single to shallow center to put two runners on. Jay Gonzalez attempted a sacrifice bunt, and Fuller slipped and threw errantly to third, allowing the tying run to score. After striking out Giovanny Alfonzo looking for the first out, Fuller induced a grounder from Gulino with the infield in, but the ball was hit softly enough to result in an infield single, allowing Wiel to score with the winning run.
The win is the fourth straight for High Point, while the Revs drop a fourth straight game on their tenth walk-off loss of the year, tying the most in a season in franchise history (2013).
Notes: York totaled six hits in the first two innings but was held scoreless on just three hits after the second. Nunez extended his hitting streak to 13 consecutive games, going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks. Rodriguez reached safely his first four times to the plate, going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, extending his league-leading walk total to 102 on the season, three shy of an Atlantic League record set by Telvin Nash in 2019. Courtney Mack starts Sunday’s series finale at 4:05 p.m.; Revs 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 3:45 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
