(September 14, 2019 – Lancaster, Pa.): Henry Castillo’s two-run home run was all of the offense that Mitch Atkins and the York Revolution needed in a 2-1 win over the Lancaster Barnstormers on Saturday night in front of 7,918 fans at Clipper Magazine Stadium. The Revs lead the Freedom Division’s second half standings by four games with eight to play in the regular season, and will enter Sunday afternoon’s series finale with a magic number of four to clinch the division title.
Jonathan Albaladejo got the start for the Barnstormers and held the Revs scoreless in the top of the first inning. Atkins matched Albaladejo with a scoreless inning of his own in the bottom of the frame while picking up two strikeouts.
After Albaladejo allowed just one runner to reach base via an error in the top of the second inning, Atkins allowed just one hit during his turn to keep the game scoreless after two innings of play.
The pitchers’ duel continued into the middle innings as both starters traded scoreless third and fourth innings of work.
After the offense was stymied through the early innings, the Revs broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning. Emmanuel Marrero drew a walk to give York its first base runner since the second inning. Castillo followed the base on balls by blasting a two-run home run to right field, giving the Revs a 2-0 lead.
Atkins shut Lancaster down in the bottom of the fifth as he allowed just a single in his fifth consecutive scoreless inning of work.
After Albaladejo battled back to pitch a scoreless top of the sixth inning, the Barnstormers scored their only run of the game on an RBI bloop single courtesy of Josh Bell, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Atkins wasted no time bouncing back in the bottom of the seventh as he worked a 1-2-3 frame in his final inning of work.
Victor Capellan tossed a perfect eighth inning to continue his dominant start to his Atlantic League career with his sixth consecutive scoreless outing.
Jameson McGrane was called upon to record his 22nd save in as many opportunities in the ninth inning. The All-Star closer notched a perfect inning, ending the game with a strike out of Greg Golson.
Recap by Brett Pietrzak
Notes: The Revs improve to 37-32 on the road, tying a club record for road wins in a season (37-33 in 2012). York improves to 9-6 vs. Lancaster, needing one more win to take the season series and the Community Cup. Atkins’ 11 wins are tied for seventh-most in a season in club history, one shy of his total from 2018 which ranks tied for fifth; he joins Corey Thurman as the only two pitchers in Revs history with multiple seasons of 11 wins or more. His 11 wins are the league’s second-most this season. Atkins worked at least seven innings for the 10th time this season and broke the club record for quality starts in a season with his 17th, surpassing Chris Cody’s record 16 set in 2013. McGrane’s 22nd save is tied for third-most in a season in club history (Junior Rincon, 2013) and tied for sixth-most in a career with York. Castillo’s home run was the Revs’ club record 157th of the season, the most by any team in the Atlantic League since 2010. York plays its final road game of the regular season on Sunday at 1 p.m. as righty Dan Minor (7-9, 5.07) faces Lancaster lefty Nate Reed (4-4, 5.44). Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and WOYK on YouTube beginning at 12:40 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
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