BOX SCORE
Steve Janas retired the first nine batters he faced and gave up just a single run over seven innings, but a four-run eighth sparked a Southern Maryland comeback victory, as the York Revolution dropped the rubber game of the three-game series, 5-3 on Thursday evening at PeoplesBank Park.
Janas had his best stuff of the season, throwing 57 of his 77 pitches for strikes, and striking out a season-high five, while not walking a single batter for the first time all year. The lone blemish was a leadoff solo home run by Devon Rodriguez in the seventh inning, but Janas exited the game with a 2-1 lead.
Luis Cruz gave the Revs the 2-0 advantage in the early stages, depositing a Brian Grening offering over the Arch Nemesis in left field for a two-run homer, his first with York.
Janas handed the ball to the bullpen in the eighth, but ninth place hitter Ryan Wiggins led off the eighth with a double to the wall in right off of Chase Huchingson, and then Jose Lozada followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2 on the first earned run that Huchingson has given up all year. With two outs the Blue Crabs kept the rally going, with a go-ahead RBI single from Michael Snyder and another base hit from Rodriguez. Zach Cone capped the outburst with a two-run double to right-center off of Brad Allen as Southern Maryland grabbed a 5-2 lead.
York answered with a run in the ninth on a two-out RBI triple by Jared Mitchell, as Cory Vaughn was unable to make the diving grab in center field. Crabs closer Cody Eppley would then slam the door, however, earning his 12th save of the season. Despite ten hits in the ballgame, the Revs pushed just three runs across.
The Revs will travel to Lancaster on Friday evening for their first meeting with the Barnstormers this season, and the first of a four-game series. Darrell Henry and Matt Present will be on the call at 6:10 p.m. on WOYK, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. Fans can also listen online at woyk1350.com and on the WOYK App.
Notes: Janas needed just 25 pitches (22 strikes) to work the first three innings. He used just 62 pitches to get through the first six innings scoreless. The right-hander limited an opponent to three earned runs or fewer for the fifth consecutive start and seventh time in eight outings on the season. The loss marked just the second time the Revs dropped a game when leading after seven innings (13-2).