(August 5th, 2023 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution erased one four-run deficit but fell just shy of answering the second, as a pair of four-run innings helped the Spire City Ghost Hounds to a 9-7 victory on Saturday night in front of 5,211 fans at WellSpan Park.
Andrew Cabezas took the mound to attempt to halt the Revs’ first two-game skid in over a month, as he went up against David Kubiak for Spire City.
York scored first, getting a sac fly from Nellie Rodriguez, making it 1-0 Revs in the bottom of the second.
Spire City put up its first four spot of the game in the third against Cabezas. RBI hits from Craig Dedelow and Jose Marmolejos preceded a two-out, bloop two-run hit by Steven Brault which made it 4-1 Hounds.
Spire City added one more on an Eddy Diaz RBI single in the fourth as it was a 5-1 lead for the visitors.
The frustrating start to the game boiled over when Rodriguez was ejected after the fourth inning by plate umpire Doug McFarling following a strike out. It may have sparked the Revs who erupted for a four-run frame of their own, tying the game at 5-5 in the fifth.
The outburst started as Ryan January smoked a home run to left center off Kubiak, cutting the deficit to 5-2 on January’s fifth home run in his last 11 games. Alexis Pantoja followed with a double to left, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch making it 5-3. Tomo Otosaka singled and Troy Stokes Jr. promptly tied the game with a moonshot to left center clearing the playground for a game tying two-run bomb.
Spire City answered right away with another four-run inning. A single and an error set up a tie-breaking three-run homer to left center by Leobaldo Cabrera, his 27th of the year, chasing Cabezas (1-1) as the Ghost Hounds retook the lead at 8-5.
Nick Parker came in for York and was greeted by a pair of singles and a stolen base, producing an immediate run. Jose Marmolejos’ single to right extended Spire City’s lead to 9-5 as the Revs faced a four-run deficit again.
Parker held down the Hounds from there, working four innings in relief and retiring 12 of his final 14 batters in his home debut. The rookie from York County capped his outing by stranding a runner at third with no outs in the ninth on a pop up, strike out, and comebacker.
Former Revs reliever Victor Capellan came in to protect a four-run lead in the ninth for Spire City, and quickly gave up two runs. January ignited the last-ditch rally with a triple off the left field wall and scored as Pantoja ripped an RBI single to right. Trent Giambrone reached on an error to bring the tying run to the plate.
With one out, righty Jeff Johnson was called upon.to stop the bleeding. Stokes Jr. drove in Pantoja with a sac fly to deep right that was caught against the fence, making it a 9-7 game. Drew Mendoza walked to bring the winning run to the plate, but the comeback bid fell short as Johnson got his first save of the season, recording a strikeout to end it.
The Revs have dropped three straight for the first time since a season-high six-game slide, June 17-24. The Revs had been 25-10 since and are on just their fourth set of consecutive losses since May 21 (43-21 prior to current skid).
York will look to salvage Sunday’s series finale at 2 p.m. as Nick Raquet (10-6, 3.80) faces John Witkowski (0-0, 6.92). The day features the season’s final Crab Feast catered by Captain Bob’s Crabs, Sunday Funday presented by Weis Markets, and WellSpan Wellness Weekend (Back to School / Pediatrics). Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
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