(June 20, 2024 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution clawed back from another early deficit and once again came out victorious with a 7-5 win over the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars on Thursday night at WellSpan Park, completing a three-game sweep. York improves to a franchise best 32-18 through 50 contests, increasing its first place lead to six games with 13 to play in the first half.
Much like Wednesday night, Hagerstown got out to an early 3-0 lead, this time against York starter Jon Olsen who entered the night with a league best 2.63 ERA. Welington Dotel and Blake Berry knocked back-to-back run scoring singles and Tyler Hill followed with an RBI groundout.
York got a pair back in the bottom of the first, scoring on an RBI single to center by Donovan Casey and a ground rule double to deep right center by Jacob Rhinesmith.
York had a big opportunity to take the lead in the third inning when Rudy Martin Jr led things off with a walk and Casey followed with a double. Hagerstown starter Alex Katz was able to retire the next three to strand a pair in scoring position.
The Revs finally broke ahead in the fifth inning, thanks to the 20th home run of the season by David Washington, a three-run missile to right center to put York ahead 5-3.
Olsen (5-0) settled in on the hill after the tough first inning, striking out the side in the sixth inning to finish his night with seven punchouts, allowing only the three runs in the first. The seven strikeouts were one shy of tying a career high.
Hagerstown got two runners aboard to start the seventh inning against Denny Bentley and scored a run on a fielder’s choice to cut the York lead to 5-4.
Nelvin Correa allowed two baserunners in the eighth inning before being lifted for Matt Turner with one away. The lefty got Dariel Gomez to bounce into a fielder’s choice on a great stab and flip by second baseman Alexis Pantoja before retiring Andrew Moritz on a ground out to first base, stranding two runners to preserve the one-run lead.
Casey provided insurance in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out, two-run single that ate up Cito Culver at third base.
Turner returned to the mound for the ninth, armed with a three-run lead. He proceeded to strike out the first two batters before the Boxcars scratched across a run on a single from Berry. Turner punched out Hill, who represented the tying run, to complete a five-out save, his fifth save of the year.
Notes: With the win, York completed its third sweep of the year (second at home) and dropped its magic number to eight to clinch a first half title. The six-game division lead is the Revs’ largest since September 1, 2011 and their largest ever in a first half. It is one game shy of matching the largest division lead in franchise history (7.0) set late in the 2008 season. York has won seven of eight overall and nine of its last ten at home. Olsen becomes the fourth pitcher in Revs history to start a season 5-0, joining Lorenzo Barcelo (2011), Tony Pena (2016), and Robert Carson (2019). Martin Jr reached safely in each of his first four trips to the plate, through which he had reached safely in eight of nine and 11 of 13 plate appearances. Casey’s three-hit performance extends his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games as he now leads the league with 67 hits; his three RBI give him 50 on the year, second in the league to Washington who also eclipsed 50 on Thursday night (52). Washington’s homer is his league-leading 20th of the year, three shy of a Revs record for a single half. He has hit seven long balls in the last seven games and now has 89 home runs in his Atlantic League career.
Up Next: York will host Lancaster for the first time in 2024 on Friday at 6:30 p.m., looking to increase its first place lead over second place Lancaster. It is Make Music Night presented by Cultural Alliance of York County featuring a Game-Worn Jersey Auction presented by Cultural Alliance of York County and a Kazoo Giveaway (first 1,000 fans). It is also WellSpan Wellness Weekend (Heart & Vascular). Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.