(July 22, 2018) -- The York Revolution dropped both games of Sunday’s doubleheader with the Sugar Land Skeeters at PeoplesBank Park, losing Game 1, 12-2, and Game 2, 5-1. Both were scheduled seven-inning games after Saturday night’s rainout; the second game was called after five innings due to rain and storms. The Revs fall back to .500 on the season at 38-38 and go to 6-7 in the second half.
The Skeeters opened the scoring in Game 1 right away when Barrett Barnes hit a leadoff home run over the Arch Nemesis off Revs starter Mitch Atkins. Two batters later, Derek Norris hit a solo homer to left center to give the Skeeters a 2-0 lead.
The Revs answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 2-2 off Skeeters starter Kraig Sitton. Welington Dotel drove in the first run with an RBI single and Travis Witherspoon added a sac fly to right to bring home the second run.
Those were the only two runs the Revs would score in the game.
Atkins didn’t give up any runs in the second or third innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. Atkins almost got out of the jam without any damage but Norris laced a two-out, two-RBI double down the left field line to give the Skeeters a 4-2 lead.
Atkins (7-4) lasted just three and two-third innings, giving up four runs on nine hits and took the loss, which ended his seven-game win streak, tied for the second-longest in franchise history, the longest since 2012, and one shy of matching the club record.
The Skeeters blew the game open after Atkins’ exit. In the fifth, Joe Van Meter allowed a solo homer to Albert Cordero and Barrett Barnes belted a grand slam off Mike McGee, growing the Skeeters’ lead to 9-2.
Sugar Land’s bullpen went on to shut down the Revs’ lineup after Sitton lasted just three innings. Dan Runzler (4-1) earned the win after getting the final two outs of the bottom of the fourth, stranding two runners in scoring position. Alex Wimmers followed with scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth.
The Skeeters got another run in the sixth followed by two more runs in the seventh on Courtney Hawkins’ two-run home run to left, pushing the lead to 12-2.
The Revs went down in order in the seventh and were shut out with only four hits over the final six innings of the game.
Game 2 was not only shortened by rain, but also interrupted early in the contest.
After neither team scored in the first inning, rain forced a two hour and 34 minute delay, the third-longest in Revolution history.
When played finally resumed, Michael Click took over for York starter Jonathan sanchez. Click tossed a scoreless second inning but gave up a solo homer to Juan Silverio leading off the third, which gave the Skeeters a 1-0 lead.
The Revs came back and tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on Isaias Tejeda’s RBI groundout, scoring Jared Mitchell who walked and stole third.
The Skeeters regained the lead in the fourth with two runs off Jailen Peguero on RBI singles by Cordero and Denis Phipps. Sugar Land added two more on Courtney Hawkins’ two-run homer to left-center, pushing the Skeeters’ lead to 5-1 in the fifth.
More rain came in the bottom of the fifth and the game was eventually called when it became official after the fifth inning.
Pat McCoy (2-0) got the win in relief for the Skeeters despite being ejected from the game in the fifth inning. Peguero (2-3) suffered the loss for the Revs.
Up Next: The Revs are off on Monday before starting a three-game home series with the Road Warriors at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at PeoplesBank Park. It is Community Courier Night presented by Engle Printing & Publishing. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Revs Ticket Office.
Story by Michael Marcantonini
Broadcaster Media Relations Asst.
