(July 5, 2018) — The York Revolution closed the first half of the 2018 Atlantic League season with an electric 5-2 win over the Sugar Land Skeeters on Thursday night at PeoplesBank Park. The win puts the Revs at 32-31, one game over .500 heading into the second half.
The Skeeters took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Matt Chavez hit a two-run home run over the Arch Nemesis in left off Revs starter Jonathan Sanchez.
The Revs got a run back in the bottom of the third on a heads-up play by Jose Cuevas who was on second base with one out after a single high off the Arch Nemesis and his 100th career stolen base. Cuevas advanced to third when Luis Cruz struck out swinging and the ball got to the backstop past Skeeters catcher Josh Whisler who recovered to throw to first to retire Cruz. Cuevas broke from third on the throw and scored ahead of the return throw home, making it a 2-1 game.
Sanchez worked 3.2 innings in his second start. He overcame four walks and four hits, allowing just two runs. Logan Williamson stranded the bases loaded by getting the final out of the fourth inning, keeping it a 2-1 game.
The Revs went on to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth on Melky Mesa’s two-RBI single up the middle, scoring Alexi Casilla and Welington Dotel who both reached on base hits.
Casilla provided an insurance run in the fifth with a solo homer to left field, his third of the season, pushing the Revs lead to 4-2. Cuevas added an RBI fielder’s choice in the sixth to make it 5-2.
The Revs ran into trouble up 5-2 in the top of the seventh, but Luke Westphal got Javier Betancourt to fly out to right with the bases loaded to preserve the three-run lead. It was the third time in five innings that Sugar Land left the bases loaded, as they stranded 12 total on the night, all from the third through the seventh.
Junior Rincon tossed a scoreless eighth, highlighted by a terrific defensive play to end the inning. With one out and Barrett Barnes on first base after a walk, Colin Walsh flied out to Mesa in the left-center gap. Barnes was attempting to steal second on the play and was doubled off first by Mesa, throwing a missile to first baseman Zach Wilson who caught the throw and dove for the first base bag with his glove to double up Barnes and end the inning.
The Revs took their 5-2 lead into the ninth and called on Grant Sides for the save. The All-Star closer worked a 1-2-3 inning to earn his sixth save of the season in six chances and finish off the Revs’ 32nd win of the season.
Williamson (2-2) earned the win in relief after tossing an inning and one-third scoreless while stranding five runners.
James Russell (2-3) took the loss for the Skeeters after working five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts.
Notes: Williamson earned the 23rd win of his Revs career, the fourth most of any pitcher in Revs’ history. He is now two shy of matching Frank Gailey for third. Williamson struck out Denis Phipps for the second out of the fifth, logging the 200th strike out of his Revs career, becoming the fifth in franchise history to reach that milestone. Revs pitchers held the Skeeters scoreless over the final 8.2 innings, and a season-high-tying six relievers combined to hold the Skeeters to two hits over 5.1 scoreless innings, establishing the longest single-game scoreless performance by the Revs bullpen this season.
Up Next: The Revs start the second half of the season with a three-game road trip to Southern Maryland from Friday through Sunday. RHP Mitch Atkins (5-3, 5.06) gets the ball for the Revs and will be opposed by LHP Drake Britton (3-4, 6.80) for the Blue Crabs in Friday's opener at 6:35 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350, woyk1350.com, The New WOYK app, and WOYK 1350 on YouTube beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
Story by Michael Marcantonini
Broadcaster/Media Relations Asst.
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