The York Revolution and Long Island Ducks split a doubleheader Thursday night, with Long Island winning the opening game 5-1, and the Revs taking game two, 4-3, in front of 3,512 fans at PeoplesBank Park. York grabs a half-game lead over Lancaster for first place in the Freedom Division with ten games remaining in the regular season.
Lew Ford smacked a first inning RBI single and Giovanny Alfonzo blasted a three run home run off of Revs starter Victor Mateo in the second inning of game one to give the Ducks a 4-0 lead early.
The Revs got a run back in the third on a Jared Mitchell sacrifice fly to score Travis Witherspoon, but the Revs squandered a chance for more, making an out on the bases and stranding them full, as Long Island held the 4-1 lead through the middle innings.
The Ducks tacked on a late insurance run against reliever Jacob Ezell, as Delta Cleary Jr. walked and scored two batters later on a Marc Krauss double to give the Ducks the 5-1 win.
It was the Revs who got out of the gates well in game two. York plated three runs in the second inning, starting with a bases loaded walk to Chase Simpson to force in Luis Cruz from third. With two outs, Mitchell came through again, driving a single to right to score Ryan Dent and Witherspoon, giving the Revs the 3-0 advantage.
The Revs added to their lead in the third when Michael Burgess launched a solo home run to right field off of Matt Larkins, his 17th of the season, to put York ahead 4-0.
The Ducks hung around, getting on the board in the fourth inning when Ford led off with a single to left. Three batters later, Derrick Pyles lined a single to right to cut the Revs lead to 4-1.
Dan Lyons reached on an error in the fifth and Jordan Hinshaw followed with a home run to left center to make it a one run game.
York starter Frank Gailey bounced right back with two ground ball outs to end the fifth, earning his league-leading 13th victory of the season. Gailey struck out five while walking just one over five innings of four-hit ball.
Joe Van Meter came on for the sixth, and after giving up a walk and a single to begin the frame, got Pyles to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play. With the tying run at third and two outs, Van Meter got another ground ball to second as Harris ranged far to his left to glove and throw out Alfonzo, maintaining the 4-3 lead for the Revs.
Chase Huchingson came on to earn the save in the seventh, retiring the Ducks in order on three ground balls. The save was the fourth of the season for the Revs lefty, as he sealed the 4-3 win and the double-header split.
The Revs will hit the road for the final time this season, beginning a three game set Friday night against the Somerset Patriots. The Revs will send lefty Jared Gaynor (1-1, 5.95) to the mound to face off with righty Will Oliver in a 7:05 p.m. tilt. Darrell Henry will bring you the action at 6:45 p.m. on 1350 WOYK as well as online at woyk1350.com and on the WOYK App.
