(August 10, 2018) - Michael Burgess crushed a go-ahead home run leading off the ninth inning, helping the York Revolution complete a comeback with a 7-5 victory over the Long Island Ducks on Friday night in front of 4,997 fans at Bethpage Ballpark.
York took a lead three pitches into the game as Alonzo Harris led off with a home run to left, his first long ball since returning to York and 24th home run of his Revs career.
The Ducks threatend with back-to-back singles off Revs starter Robert Carson in the bottom of the first. Both runners, Jordany Valdespin and Daniel Fields, advanced with two outs on a double steal, but Carson struck out David Washington to keep the Revs on top 1-0 early.
Both starters had retired nine straight through the end of three innings with York still holding a 1-0 lead and Carson's streak climbed to 10 in-a-row.
Telvin Nash doubled the advantage, crushing a 2-2 hanging curveball deep over the wall in left for a solo shot with two outs in the fourth, his sixth in eight games since returning to the Revs. With the blast, Nash became the third member of the Revs' 50-home run club, joining Chris Nowak and Andres Perez.
Long Island rallied with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, putting together a sudden five-run outburst to go up 5-2. Ramon Cabrera lined a two-out RBI double to left-center and slid to avoid a tag by catcher Luis Cruz on Cody Puckett's seeing-eye bouncer into left, tying the score at 2-2. Dan Lyons added a three-run homer to left, putting the Ducks on top.
That set up a comeback bid that lasted the remainder of the night for the Revs.
York began its comeback with two runs in the sixth. Alexi Casilla singled to lead off while Melky Mesa and Nash each drew walks to load the bases with no outs. Casilla came home on a passed ball for the first run, while Welington Dotel executed his task by bouncing an RBI ground out to second, bringing York within 5-4.
Casilla sparked the tying rally in the eighth, chopping an infield hit to lead off against reliever Logan Ondrusek. Mesa followed with a clutch double down the right field line, setting up pinch-runner Henry Castillo to score the tying run on a passed ball with one out, squaring things at 5-5.
Burgess led off the ninth with a towering moonshot down the right field line for his 12th home run of the season, giving the Revs a 6-5 lead against closer Francisco Rodriguez (2-1). Harris added a one-out single and jetted to third when Castillo reached on an error by Lew Ford in left, dropping a line drive. Mesa cashed in on a sac fly to right, putting York on top 7-5.
Grant Sides nailed down his 13th save with a scoreless bottom of the ninth. Ricardo Gomez (3-1) picked up the win, striking out two while retiring the side in order in the eighth.
Notes: Harris' leadoff home run tied the franchise record for most in a Revs career (5); it was his first leadoff home run with York since opening Game 2 of the 2017 Atlantic League Championship Series with a leadoff home run, also off Jake Fisher at Bethpage Ballpark. His five career leadoff homers tie Scott Grimes (2010-12) and Justin Greene (2014) for most in Revs history. The Revs belted three home runs for the second consecutive night. Reliever Estarlin Arias saw a streak of 12 consecutive batters retired snapped but worked a scoreless seventh, and has now retired 13 of his last 14 since allowing five runs in his first full inning with the Revs. York righty Carl Brice (0-0, 9.81) faces Long Island right hander Tyler Badamo (3-2, 3.08) on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350, woyk1350.com, The New WOYK app, and WOYK 1350 on YouTube beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
