(August 6, 2018) — The York Revolution’s comeback attempt fell just short as they lost the series opener to the New Britain Bees 9-8 on Monday night at PeoplesBank Park. The Revs fall back under .500 on the season at 44-45 and are 12-14 in the second half.
The Bees opened the scoring in the top of the first when Matt Tuiasosopo drove in Darren Ford with an RBI groundout to make it 1-0 off Revs starter Carl Brice.
The Revs answered right away with four runs in the bottom of the first off Bees starter Kyle Simon. Alonzo Harris smacked a leadoff double down the third base line into the left field corner followed by an Alexi Casilla single to left. Melky Mesa drove in Harris with an RBI single to left, and Telvin Nash brought home Casilla with an RBI single of his own. Mesa scored the third run on a throwing error by Bees catcher James Skelton before Luis Cruz plated Nash with a two-out RBI single to give the Revs a 4-1 lead.
New Britain got two runs back in the third on Tuiasosopo’s two-run homer to left-center and tied the game off Brice on Ford’s RBI groundout in the fourth to make it 4-4.
Brice lasted three and two-third innings allowing four runs on six hits with two strikeouts and two walks in his season debut.
Estarlin Arias, also making his season debut, got the final out of the fourth inning in relief of Brice and stayed in for the fifth, where he ran into trouble.
Arias allowed a leadoff solo homer to Deibinson Romero to give the Bees a one-run lead. Arias got the first two outs of the inning with no further damage, but Vinny Siena tagged Arias for a grand slam over the wall in left to blow open the Bees lead at 9-4.
That score remained over the next two innings as Arias settled in, and the Revs bats woke up again in the bottom of the seventh. Mesa brought in a run with a two-out infield single that richoted off Simon’s leg, and Nash clobbered a two-run double off the batter’s eye in dead center field, bringing the Revs closer at 9-7.
Simon was yanked after Nash’s double, finishing his night after six and two-thirds innings. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
The Revs got within one on Ryan Dent’s solo homer to left-center in the bottom of the eighth off Bees reliever Adam Loewen. The homer was Dent’s 11th of the season, tying him for the team lead with Mesa and Michael Burgess.
Bees closer Evan Scribner closed out the one-run win for the Bees with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. The three batters that faced him – Harris, Casilla and Mesa – all hit the ball hard, but after two lineouts, Mesa flew out to the warning track in right to end the game.
Simon (7-5) earned the win for the Bees while Arias (0-1) suffered the loss in relief for the Revs.
Up Next: The Revs will send LHP Logan Williamson (4-3, 3.71) to the mound against Bees RHP Rainy Lara (8-4, 3.47) in Game 2 of the three-game series Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Revs Ticket Office.
Story by Michael Marcantonini
Broadcaster/Media Relations Asst.
CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY
CLICK HERE FOR WOYK GAME BROADCAST ON YOUTUBE
CLICK HERE FOR WOYK AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS TO TUESDAY'S HOME GAME