(May 12, 2024 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution suffered their first series loss of 2024 on Sunday, as they fell short in their rubber match against Gastonia Baseball Club by a 6-4 score at WellSpan Park on Mother’s Day afternoon.
The Club opened the scoring in the second inning. After Jake Gatewood walked to lead off the frame, catcher Patrick Mazeika launched a two-run blast to right field off of Revs starter Zach Neff.
It did not take York long to answer in the bottom half of the second. Colton Welker was hit by a pitch with one out and scored on a Paxton Wallace double to right field which deflected off of right fielder Eric De La Rosa’s glove as he leapt in front of the wall. Wallace scored one batter later when Rudy Martin Jr knocked a game-tying single to left field to square things at 2-2.
The teams remained locked at two until the fifth inning. Mazeika doubled with one out and scored two batters later on a fielder’s choice to break the tie. Jake Hoover capped off the three-run rally with a two-run double to left. All three runs in the inning were unearned against Neff after two consecutive York errors earlier in the inning.
York started to rally in the bottom of the fifth and had runners on the corners with one out before a 57-minute rain delay halted play. When it resumed, David Washington plated a pair on a base hit up the middle to bring the Revs back within one at 5-4. Washington has now driven in runs seven of his eight games played with York, having totaled 10 RBI on that stretch.
Gatewood greeted reliever Alex Valverde with a solo shot to left field to start the sixth inning as Gastonia pulled back ahead by two, and that ended up being all Gastonia needed in the end.
York had one final threat in the sixth inning, stringing together back-to-back two-out baserunners. Matt McDermott ripped a base hit to left, but Martin Jr was cut down at the plate on a strong throw by left fielder Dean Miller to end the inning.
Gastonia’s bullpen did not allow a run across the final four frames as Trent Fennell, Gabe Klobosits, Bryan Blanton, and Phoenix Sanders combined to blank the Revs and clinch the series win.
York’s homestand continues on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. when the Long Island Ducks come to town for the first time this season. Lefty Will Stewart will go for York and will be opposed by Stephen Woods Jr. It is Adoption & Foster Care Awareness Night, WellSpan Sports Medicine Silver Sluggers Tuesday, and Academic All-Stars. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
Notes: Washington has hit safely in all eight games with York. York had won each of its previous three series after splitting the season’s opening series; the Revs are now 3-1-1 in their five series to begin the season. York’s 9-6 record is still tied for a franchise-best 15-game start (2011, 2016). York and Gastonia finish the season series against one another with a 3-3 head-to-head record. Martin Jr went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and is now tied for the league lead with 10
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