(August 23, 2024 – Hagerstown, Md.): The York Revolution saw their record 12-game winning streak against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars come to a close, dropping their series opener 5-4 at Meritus Park on Friday evening.
York jumped ahead early as Zander Wiel ripped a two-out RBI double down the left field line in the top of the first.
Hagerstown answered right away, scoring on a Nellie Rodriguez sac fly to center to even things at 1-1.
The Revs went back ahead in the second as Rudy Martin Jr slashed an RBI single past shortstop Osmy Gregorio for a 2-1 lead, but it was the last lead the Revs held on the night.
Hagerstown went ahead with a pair in the third on RBI singles to center from Andrew Moritz and Cito Culver and added two more in the fourth as Tyler Hill and Culver put up another pair of RBI hits.
Wiel drove an opposite field solo homer to right with two outs in the fifth, his second in as many nights, to bring York within 5-3.
The Revs tallied another in the sixth to make it a one-run game. Alerick Soularie singled to right to chase Boxcars starter Yeudy Garcia (3-5) after a season-high 5.1 innings. Soularie stole second and moved to third on a passed ball before scoring on Alfredo Reyes’ ground out to second base to draw within 5-4.
Hagerstown’s bullpen preserved the lead from there, as York’s biggest threat came in the eighth when Jacob Rhinesmith and Soularie both worked walks and moved up on a wild pitch but were stranded when Boxcars reliever Aneudy Cortorreal induced an inning-ending ground out.
The Revs’ 12-game winning streak against Hagerstown wasn’t the only record-setting streak that came to an end on Friday night, as York starter Ethan Lindow (11-5) saw his franchise record-tying nine-game winning streak halted, charged with five runs (four earned) in four innings in his first loss and his first start not going at least five innings since June 6 after being lifted during fifth inning warmups due to an apparent ailment.
York’s bullpen was excellent in keeping the game close. Cody Scroggins settled into his third outing with York, tossing a scoreless fifth and working out of trouble after a leadoff walk and stolen base. Scroggins received help on the final out when third baseman Alejandro Rivero attempted an over-the-shoulder grab on a pop up down the left field line, deflecting the ball in the air for Soularie to make a miraculous diving catch, saving a run. Originally ruled to have hit the ground before the Revs’ left fielder secured it, the call was overturned resulting in the final out of the inning.
It was the second of three great plays involving Rivero, who made a diving backhand stab on a grounder in the third and threw from his knees to retire Gregorio to end the inning. Also initially ruled safe as Gregorio knocked the glove off Wiel’s hand at first base, the call was overturned in York’s favor, wiping a run off of the board.
Rivero made another diving stop on a grounder in the sixth as Revs reliever Frankie Bartow fired two perfect innings, using three ground ball outs in the sixth before striking out the side in the seventh.
Alex Valverde handled a scoreless eighth with help of a pickoff to erase pinch runner Demetrius Moorer at first base and a diving catch by Wiel on a liner at first. Valverde has allowed just one earned run in 16.1 innings over his last 11 outings.
In total, the Revs bullpen put up four scoreless innings and allowed just one bloop hit.
York falls to 15-4 against Hagerstown while suffering its first loss at Meritus Park (6-1). The Revs remain one win shy of a franchise record for victories against one opponent in a season series with five matchups still remaining.
York falls to 69-35 overall and 37-17 on the road. The Revs are now 26-15 in the second half, 1.5 games out of first place.
Hagerstown improves to 30-74, snapping a six-game losing streak. The Boxcars improve to 10-31 in the second half.
Notes: Lindow’s nine straight wins had tied Mitch Atkins (2019) for a Revs franchise record. Matt McDermott notched a pair of singles extending his hitting streak to 11 games and his league-leading hit total to 135. Wiel’s homer is his 10th with York and 23rd overall this season; he now has 25 doubles and 50 extra-base hits, ranking in the top five in the league in both categories. Wiel has 38 RBI in 39 games with York and is 5-for-9 with two doubles, two homers, and six RBI over the last two nights. York lefty Aaron Fletcher faces Hagerstown’s Parker Markel on Saturday at 6 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and FloBaseball.TV beginning at 5:40 p.m.
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