(July 28, 2019 – York, Pa.): Melky Mesa went yard three times including a pair of shots in an eight-run fifth inning as the York Revolution obliterated the New Britain Bees, 19-1 on Sunday afternoon at PeoplesBank Park. The win improves the first place Revs to 11-5 in the second half.
Mitch Atkins took the ball for York, looking to win its 12th series in the last 13 tries. Atkins was tremendous, and began his afternoon by retiring all three New Britain batters on weak fly balls to finish a scoreless frame.
The Revs offense was red-hot in the bottom of the first. James Skelton led off the inning with a bunt single off of Bees starter Cory Riordan, who was attempting to pitch through an apparent injury. After Skelton stole second, Henry Castillo singled to put runners on the corners with no outs. Castillo promptly stole second to put both runners in scoring position and Telvin Nash followed with a single to left-center, scoring both runners and giving York the early 2-0 lead. Carlos Franco kept the hit parade going by slapping a single to right that moved Nash from first to third. Welington Dotel cashed in on the RBI opportunity by lofting a sacrifice fly to right to score Nash and extend the lead to 3-0. Angelys Nina lined an RBI single to left with one out, and Mesa cranked a two-run home run, his first since being activated off the injured list, over the wall in right-center to push the lead to 6-0. Skelton capped off the offensive explosion by poking an RBI single to right to score Zach Sullivan, who doubled earlier in the inning, to give York a 7-0 lead after one.
After a long break due to his offense scoring seven runs in an inning for the second time in the series, Atkins worked a scoreless second while picking up a strikeout of Jason Rogers.
York tacked on a run in their half of the second on a solo home run from Franco to deep right to extend the lead to 8-0.
Riordan kept the Revs off the board for the first and only time during his start in the bottom of the third, but after Atkins worked his fourth consecutive scoreless inning, the Revs added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth on a pair of long balls. Castillo cranked a one-out solo home run to right-center to move the lead to 9-0. After Franco slapped a two out single to right for his third hit of the afternoon, Dotel crushed a two-run home run to deep center field over the batter's eye to thrust the lead to 11-0.
Atkins cruised through the top of the fifth as he set down the side in order on a trio of fly outs, making it 10 consecutive Bees retired by the North Carolina native.
The Revs did the unthinkable in the bottom of the fifth, breaking their season high in runs scored in an inning after tying the mark in their first at-bats of the day. Mesa led off the inning with a solo home run to left, his second of the game, pushing the lead to 12-0. Sullivan and Alvaro Rondon singled to set the table with no outs. After Skelton walked to load the bases, the Revs pushed across a run when Sullivan advanced after the Bees misplayed an infield fly that moved the lead to 13-0. With runners on second and third, Nash hit an RBI double down the left field line to score both runners and catapult the lead to 15-0. After Franco struck out, Nina laced an RBI double off the wall in right to score Nash and stretch the lead to 16-0. Mesa continued his record day with a three-run home run to deep left-center, his third of the game and second of the inning, driving the lead to 19-0.
The Bees scored their only run of the game in the top of the sixth on a solo home run to right from Bijan Rademacher, cutting the lead to 19-1.
Atkins worked around a one-out single and double to strand two runners in the top of the seventh. The All-Star righty finished his day in the top of the eighth allowing just one hit while tossing his seventh scoreless inning of the game.
Julio Perez got the call in the ninth and danced around a walk and a single to shut the door and give the Revs a huge series win.
Notes: The seven-run first inning is one run shy of the largest in team history and came two games after the Revs scored a seven-run seventh inning in Friday’s comeback win. The eight-run fifth is the Revs’ biggest inning since scoring eight in the first inning of a win vs. Somerset on August 21, 2017. Franco’s homer was his fourth of the season and third of the homestand. Mesa joins Nash (June 10 vs. High Point) and Ian Bladergroen (2010) as the only Revs to hit three homers in a game in club history, while becoming the first to hit two in one inning. Mesa’s six RBI are a Revs season-best, and his 13 total bases tie the club single-game record (Scott Grimes, 2010). The 19 runs are a season-high and tie the Revs’ most in a game over the last seven seasons. The 18-run margin of victory is the second largest in club history, one shy of the record. The Revs’ six home runs match a season-high and are one shy of a franchise record; it is York’s third game of five homers or more this season, after having not previously enjoyed any such performances since the 2010 season. The 20-hit performance is the Revs’ fourth of the year; York has four of the league’s top six single-game hit totals this season. The Revs improve their team batting average to .304 on the season; the franchise record is .299 (2010) and the league record is .303 (Newark, 2008). York scored 40 runs in the three-game series, a new franchise record. The Revs have scored double digits in four consecutive games, adding to a franchise record (previous record was two consecutive games). Atkins (6-4) earns his team-leading sixth victory, now tied for fifth-most in the league. It is his fifth consecutive winning decision as the Revs improve to 7-1 in his last eight starts. It is his fourth start of the season with no walks and his fifth of working at least seven innings. It is his 11th quality start in 15 outings this season and 24th of his Revs career, matching Frank Gailey for fourth-most in club history. The Revs are next in action Tuesday at Somerset at 7:05 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and WOYK on YouTube beginning at 6:45 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
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