(August 28, 2024 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution were unable to overcome a pair of big innings, falling to the Long Island Ducks, 15-6 on Wednesday night at WellSpan Park.
Long Island got the scoring started immediately as Nick Heath clubbed a leadoff homer to right on the first pitch of the game for the second time in as many series between the two teams. Aaron Antonini added a two-out RBI single to right, spotting the Ducks a 2-0 head start.
York tied the game in the second as Jordy Barley ripped a two-out, two-run single back up the middle for his second and third RBI in a York uniform.
Long Island took control of the game with five in the third. Leobaldo Cabrera smacked a go-ahead RBI double down the third base line and JC Encarnacion provided the big blow with a grand slam to left, his fifth consecutive game at WellSpan Park with a home run.
York loaded the bases in the bottom of the third but could only manage one run on a double play grounder, trailing 7-3.
The Ducks enjoyed another big inning with four in the fourth. After plating the first run on a wild pitch, Long Island received an RBI double to right from Antonini, a two-out squeeze bunt from Scott Kelly, and an RBI knock off the bat of Kole Kaler for a commanding 11-3 lead.
Brett Schulze worked past a pair of walks for a scoreless fifth in relief of spot starter Tom Sutera (4-2), and Chris Vallimont tossed a strong three innings to help calm things down, giving up just a solo homer to Encarnacion in the eighth.
Alerick Soularie launched a towering two-run homer to left in the bottom of the eighth, his third with York, as the Revs trailed 12-5.
Alejandro Rivero made his third career pitching appearance in the ninth but allowed his first runs as the Ducks put up three final tallies on a Ryan McBroom two-run homer to left center and Encarnacion’s sixth RBI of the night on a base hit to center.
York’s final run came in the bottom of the ninth as Matt McDermott (3-for-5) doubled to left and David Washington singled up the middle for his 85th RBI of the season, two shy of cracking the Revs’ single season top ten.
It sets up a series rubber match on Thursday in the final meeting of the regular season between the two teams. York, leading the season series 12-11, will send Zach Neff to the mound opposite Long Island’s Nick Tropeano at 6:30 p.m. It is Maple Donuts Customer Appreciation Night and a Hunger Free Thursday presented by Members 1st Federal Credit Union. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
Notes: Heath owns two of only three leadoff homers allowed by the Revs this season. Encarnacion’s grand slam is just the second allowed by York and first since April 30. York falls to 70-38, still just 1.5 games off the league’s best overall record. Soularie now has five extra-base hits in his last four games and has eight RBI in his last three contests; he has driven in 19 runs in just 17 games played since joining the Revs.
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