REVS RALLY FOR THREE IN NINTH, BUT NEEDED FOUR
The York Revolution rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth inning but needed four, dropping a 4-3 decision to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Wednesday night at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, MD. The Revs will look to salvage a game in the series on Thursday evening, before heading to Lancaster for a three-game weekend series against the rival Barnstormers.
Southern Maryland grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single up the middle by Brian Barton, and later an RBI on a fielder’s choice by Paco Figueroa, who beat out the potential inning-ending double play allowing the second run to score. It was a rocky beginning for Revs starter Yunior Novoa (0-2) who was hit in the pitching hand with a line drive single by Richard Mercado, but stayed in the game.
Matt Padgett chipped an RBI single through the left side of the infield with two outs and two strikes in the third, increasing Southern Maryland’s lead to 3-0.
Novoa was charged with three runs on seven hits in just three innings of work, suffering the loss.
Stephen Penny and Ian Thomas followed each other with scoreless innings of relief, and Dumas Garcia struck out the first two batters in the sixth, but after a walk to Barton who then stole second and advanced to third on an error, Mercado smacked an RBI double to right for what proved to be the decisive run, making it 4-0.
Blue Crabs starter Nick Green (2-1) cruised through seven shutout innings, allowing just five hits to earn the win. Eduardo Morlan fired a perfect eighth inning, keeping the shutout intact.
The Revs rallied against Blue Crabs closer Jim Ed Warden in the ninth, as Chris Nowak drew a one-out walk and Andres Perez singled to center. Ramon Castro then drove a two-run double to deep right-center breaking up the shutout, and with two outs Danny Gonzalez rapped an RBI single to center, bringing York within one. But with the tying run on, Warden came back to strike out Travis Scott, preserving the win for Southern Maryland.
Notes: Adam Thomas and R.J. Rodriguez each tossed scoreless innings for the back-end of the Revs bullpen. Castro (1-for-3) extended his hitting streak to seven consecutive games. Perez and Gonzalez each went 2-for-4 for the York offense. York had been held to one run over the first 14 full innings of the series before the three-spot in the ninth. The Revs’ road losing streak reaches eight games, second-longest in club history, as they fall to 1-8 on the road. They’ll look to salvage a game in Thursday’s finale at 7:05 p.m. with righty Shawn Hill (0-0) making his first start, facing Blue Crabs righty Matthew Vasquez (1-1). Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350 and Shoutcast.com (YorkRevs) beginning at 6:30 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
