(May 17, 2023 – Central Islip, NY): The York Revolution used the biggest ninth inning in franchise history to come from behind for a dramatic 15-8 win over the Long Island Ducks on Wednesday night at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.
York built a 6-1 lead but events transpired that saw the Ducks score five unanswered, taking a 7-6 lead heading into the ninth inning.
The Revs responded in historic fashion to snap a three-game skid and tie Long Island for second place in the North Division at 9-8 while setting up a rubber match in the series on Thursday evening.
Alejandro Rivero sparked a record-breaking nine-run ninth inning with a leadoff single to center off Ducks closer Kevin Quackenbush. With one out, Rivero stole second and Troy Stokes Jr. reached on a walk. Drew Mendoza bounced a grounder past first baseman Daniel Murphy for a game-tying error as Rivero raced home to knot things at 7-7. Trey Martin followed with a go-ahead RBI double down the third base line, and after a walk to Ryan January, Alexis Pantoja chased Quackenbush by pounding a two-run single up the middle against a drawn-in infield, extending the lead to 10-7. Trent Giambrone greeted Justin Alintoff with an RBI single to left-center. Tomo Otosaka walked to load the bases, and with two outs, Nellie Rodriguez belted a grand slam to left, stamping a team-record nine-run ninth inning as the lead exploded to 15-7.
Victor Capellan allowed a run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth but closed out the wild win.
York grabbed a first inning lead as Stokes Jr. drilled a two-out RBI double to left.
Long Island tied things in the second as Sam Travis led off with a double and came around to score on a pair of groundouts, but that was the only early blemish against Revs starter Jorge Martinez who set down 14 of the first 15 he faced including 11 straight at one point.
York retook the lead in the third as Giambrone drilled a homer to left, his third in five games, extending his hitting streak to 11 consecutive games. Stokes Jr. added a sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead.
Martin scored on a throwing error in the fourth, and York added two more in the fifth on a Mendoza single to right and a wild pitch as the lead reached five runs.
Long Island began its trek back as Jesse Russo connected on a two-run homer to right with two outs in the fifth.
The Ducks scored two in the seventh against reliever Will Carter, crossing the plate on an Eddie Salcedo sac fly and a wild pitch to slash the lead to 6-5.
Alex Dickerson cracked a two-run homer to right with two outs in the eighth off setup man Blake Rogers, giving the Ducks a stunning, albeit short-lived 7-6 advantage.
The Revs’ nine-run ninth surpassed an eight-run effort in July, 2021 for the biggest ninth inning in franchise history, as York’s 15 runs established a season-best.
Rodriguez’ grand slam was the second of his Revs career, while the home run was the 199th of his pro career and second in as many nights.
York righty J.T. Hintzen (0-2, 7.16) squares off with Long Island right-hander Wladimir Pinto (0-0, 9.00) on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. as the Revs go for the series win. York fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and FloBaseball.TV beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
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