(May 29, 2019 – New Britain, CT): Justin Trapp went a combined 5-for-6 with a three-run home run that helped build a big lead in the second game, but the York Revolution suffered a doubleheader sweep to the New Britain Bees, losing 6-0 and 8-6 on Wednesday in a pair of seven-inning games in front of 4,434 fans at New Britain Stadium. The Revs will look to snap a four-game slide in the series finale on Thursday evening before returning home for the weekend, while New Britain has now won eight consecutive games and 10 of its last 11.
It was a quiet start to the day for the Revs offense in the opening game as Trapp singled twice, accounting for York’s only two hits.
New Britain starter Cory Riordan (3-2) needed just 75 pitches in a complete game two-hit shutout, walking none and striking out four. He retired his first eight before Trapp singled in the third, and set down another eight in-a-row before Trapp singled in the sixth.
Revs righty Corey Walter (0-1) made his debut and was charged with four runs over four innings in the loss. Walter opened with a scoreless first, stranding two in scoring position after a two-out error, and was only hit hard in the second when the Bees rallied for three runs on five hits. Bijan Rademacher drove an RBI double to the gap in right-center for the first run and Logan Moore connected on a two-run homer to right to give the hosts an early 3-0 lead. Another run scored in the third on a pop up that was lost in the sunlight before Walter retired his final five batters faced.
Sidearmer Josh Glick made his debut out of the Revolution bullpen with a scoreless fifth and retired his first two batters in the sixth, but a walk and an infield single kept the inning alive for Jason Rogers and Jonathan Galvez who each lined RBI singles to left to provide the insurance.
The Revs jumped to a quick lead in the second game, scoring three times in the top of the first. Trapp led things off with a double off the left field wall and Alexi Casilla reached on a bunt single. That set up a Melky Mesa sac fly to center for the game’s first run. Following a Telvin Nash walk, Isaias Tejeda ripped an RBI double down the third base line, and Welington Dotel added another sac fly for a quick 3-0 lead.
York starter Ian Thomas allowed just one run on two hits in four innings of work, with that run coming on an infield single off the bat of Ozzie Martinez in the bottom of the third, cutting the lead to 3-1.
The Revs promptly fired back as Henry Castillo led off the fourth with a double to left, James Skelton drew a one-out walk, and Trapp slammed a three-run line drive homer down the left field line as the lead swelled to 6-1.
Thomas followed with a shutdown inning, going 1-2-3 with a pair of strike outs in the fourth, as the lefty has now allowed just one run on a combined three hits in seven innings over his first two starts.
Julio Perez retired the side in order in the fifth, but disaster struck against the Revs in the bottom of the sixth.
Pete Tago entered to begin the inning and struggled to find the zone, walking all three batters faced as just five of his 17 pitches were strikes. Pat Young entered, having allowed just one hit over seven shutout innings to begin his season, but also struggled, walking Rogers to force in a run and hitting Galvez with a pitch to make it 6-3 with the tying run reaching base. Taylor Motter emptied the bases with a game-tying three-run double to deep right-center as the lead evaporated in stunning fashion. It was just the second hit allowed by Young (0-1) all season. After a ground out from Deibinson Romero advanced Motter to third, pinch-hitter Jared James elevated a sac fly to center for the go-ahead run, giving the Bees a sudden 7-6 lead. Darren Ford bunted for a single to keep the inning alive, and Alexi Amarista and Martinez followed with singles to produce an insurance run as the Bees plated seven runs in the inning against the Revs bullpen which entered the day having worked a 1.80 ERA over the previous 13 games.
New Britain’s bullpen combined to face the minimum over the final three innings. Christopher DeLeon (1-0) handled the fifth and sixth to earn the win and Jim Fuller picked up his second save in the seventh, starting a game-ending double play on a hard Mesa grounder that ricocheted off his leg.
The five-run lead is the second such lead given up in the late innings in the last 15 days resulting in a road loss. The Revs have now held a lead at some point in 10 of 20 losses on the season.
York righty Mitch Atkins (1-2, 3.97) will look to help the Revs salvage the finale on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. opposite Bees lefty Anthony Marzi (0-1, 6.08). 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 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
Notes: Mesa had a 12-game hitting streak snapped in the opener; it was the league’s longest active streak and second-longest in the league this season. With his sac fly in the second game, he now has 15 RBI in the last 13 games. Dotel’s sac fly gives him seven RBI in the last eight games. Trapp is now 9-for-16 with three doubles, a homer, and six RBI over his last five games played.
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