(Sept. 25, 2021 – Lexington, Ky.): The York Revolution pounded 17 hits including four home runs in a 15-7 victory over the Lexington Legends on Saturday night at Lexington Legends Ballpark. The Revs have won five of their last six and go for a series win on Sunday afternoon, now just three games back in the division with 13 to play.
York erupted for four runs in each of its first two innings at the plate to build a huge early lead.
After loading the bases out of the gate, Nellie Rodriguez brought home the first run with a fielder’s choice grounder. Carlos Franco followed with a tape-measure three-run homer blasted to right for a quick 4-0 lead.
The Revs went right back to work in the second as Mikey Reynolds nailed an RBI double down the left field line and Melky Mesa, playing in his first game in 13 days after returning from injury, ripped a two-run single to left-center for his second hit in as many at-bats. Mesa later scored on a throwing error as the lead exploded to 8-0.
Lexington totally turned the tide, and began to chip away in the bottom of the second as back-to-back RBI doubles from Ben Aklinski and Tillman Pugh made it an 8-2 game. Keon Barnum connected on an opposite field solo homer to left-center in the third, as the lead shrunk to 8-3.
The Legends ripped off four more runs in the fourth, suddenly pulling within a run at 8-7. Brandon Phillips ripped an RBI double down the left field line and Juan Silverio followed with a sac fly to right. A wild pitch on a swinging third strike by Courtney Hawkins allowed Phillips to score, and Barnum smacked an RBI single to left-center before being carted off the field due to an injury sustained while rounding first base.
Legends starter Eli Garcia allowed nine of his first 13 batters to reach, but turned his night around by retiring 11 consecutive batters through a 1-2-3 fifth inning.
The Revs offense awoke in the sixth as Osmy Gregorio ripped his second leadoff single of the night on an 0-2 pitch, and scored all the way from first on JC Encarnacion’s RBI double to the gap in right-center. After stealing third, Encarnacion scored on Mesa’s two-out RBI single to left giving Mesa an even 70 RBI on the season, three hits and three RBI in his return to the lineup, and the Revs a 10-7 lead.
Carlos Castro lined a solo homer to left-center in the top of the seventh, increasing the lead to 11-7 on his 16th and third in five games since returning from the Mexican League playoffs.
The Revs put it on ice with their third four-run outburst of the night in the top of the ninth. Rodriguez provided the first run on a towering opposite field home run down the right field line, his 22nd of the year. Castro added a sac fly to center and Encarnacion nailed a two-run homer down the right field line to close the scoring.
Revs starter Austin Nicely (9-8) withstood a season-high 13 hits allowed and a season-high-tying seven runs (six earned) to last seven innings, the final three of which were scoreless, earning his fourth consecutive victory. Edward Paredes and Jim Fuller closed it out with scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
The 15 runs and 17 hits marked the Revs’ highest totals since a 16-run, 18-hit showing in a win at Gastonia on August 13. York’s four home runs tied a season-high for the sixth time this season and second time on the week.
York righty Eduardo Rivera (6-2, 4.28) faces Lexington’s JJ Hoover (6-1, 6.27) on Sunday at 1:01 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and the WOYK YouTube channel beginning at 12:40 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
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