(August 7, 2019 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution rallied in their last at-bat but fell to the Somerset Patriots, 3-2 on Wednesday night at PeoplesBank Park. York has dropped three straight for the first time in two months but maintains a 1.5-game lead for first place in the Freedom Division second half standings, and will look to salvage the series finale on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
In his second professional start, York right-hander Ricky Eusebio went to work quickly in the top of the first, working a 1-2-3 frame while picking up a strike out.
Patriots starter Liam O’Sullivan worked around a walk to Telvin Nash and a double from Isaias Tejeda to record a scoreless inning of his own, as the righties dueled through the opening three innings, trading clean frames to keep the game scoreless.
The Patriots took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Teodoro Martinez lined a solo home run that bounced off the top of the Arch Nemesis in left field and out. An additional run came around to score on a passed ball to give Somerset a 2-0 lead.
O’Sullivan continued to dominate as he recorded a scoreless fourth and fifth inning. The University of Rhode Island grad retired 11 Revs batters in-a-row before a Melky Mesa one-out single in the bottom of the fifth.
Julio Perez allowed a walk and a hit in the top of the sixth, but fought back to keep Somerset off the board in his only inning of work.
O’Sullivan again answered with his sixth consecutive scoreless inning.
The Patriots extended their lead to 3-0 on a Martinez sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning.
Josh Judy worked a scoreless top of the eighth inning out of the Revs bullpen, stranding two runners to keep it a 3-0 score.
O’Sullivan cruised into the eighth and got the first two outs in the bottom of the frame after a Henry Castillo leadoff single. After Angelys Nina lined a two-out double to the gap in left-center field, Somerset skipper Brett Jodie brought in Zech Zinicola from the bullpen. Zinicola got Nash to fly out to deep left to end the threat.
York closer Jameson McGrane was called in to get some work in the top of the ninth. “J-Mo” allowed just a single and a walk in a scoreless inning of work.
An exhilarating rally fell just short in the bottom of the ninth inning against Somerset closer Tyler Cloyd. Welington Dotel sparked the run with a two-out single up the middle. Mesa followed with a single to right. Henry Castillo lined an RBI single to left, scoring Dotel, breaking up the shutout and cutting the lead to 3-1. James Skelton was called upon to pinch hit for Alvaro Rondon. The veteran catcher slapped an RBI double down the left field line, the 1000th hit in his professional baseball career, to score Mesa and cut the lead to 3-2. But with the tying run at third and the winning run at second, Cloyd battled back to retire Justin Trapp on a fly out to right, earning the save and giving the Patriots a 3-0 series lead.
Notes: The Revs have dropped three straight, all vs. Somerset, for the first time since being swept in a three-game series at Somerset, June 7-9. York had won nine of its previous 10 one-run games since June 15. It is only York’s second series loss in the last 16 tries dating back to June 10. York righty Mitch Atkins (7-4, 3.11) will face Somerset southpaw David Holmberg (1-3, 3.80) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. It is the Revs’ National Night Out Celebration presented by UPMC for You featuring a Youth Mesh Black Drawstring Backpack Giveaway presented by CHIP/UPMC for Kids (first 1,000 youth). Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Revs Ticket Office.
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