(Sept. 28, 2021 – High Point, NC): The York Revolution fought back from a pair of deficits but dropped their series opener to the High Point Rockers, 9-5 on Tuesday night at Truist Point.
High Point plated two in the first inning for an early lead. With two aboard after a pair of singles and two out, a passed ball advanced runners to second and third. That preceded Michael Russell scoring on a wild pitch, and Jerry Downs coming home on Quincy Latimore’s base hit to left field for a 2-0 Rockers lead.
Nellie Rodriguez hammered a home run to deep left leading off the second to get the Revs on the board at 2-1. It was Rodriguez’ 23rd of the season, jumping him from a tie for ninth most in a season in Revs history all the way to a tie for fifth-most.
High Point got that run back right away as the bottom of the second began with a pair of walks. After a sac bunt from Logan Moore, Jared Mitchell scooted home from third on a wild pitch to give the Rockers a 3-1 lead.
York threatened in the fourth as Jack Kenley and Melky Mesa took leadoff walks, but Rockers starter Tyler Garkow set down the next seven consecutive hitters in order.
Kenley broke up that streak with a one-out single to left in the top of the sixth, and Mesa followed by launching a game-tying two-run homer to left-center, tying the game at 3-3 on his 16th of the season and second in as many games.
High Point answered right back in the bottom of the sixth, propelled by a leadoff hit by pitch of Latimore which ended the night of York starter Jhoendri Herrera who had retired seven straight coming into the inning. Michael Martinez greeted reliever Edward Paredes with a base hit to left, and after a one-out walk loaded the bases, Moore pulled a two-run single toward the right field line to put the Rockers back on top. Johnny Field followed with an RBI double down the left field line as the Rockers enjoyed their largest lead of the night to that point at 6-3.
York rallied to pull within a run in the eighth. James Harris led things off with a broken bat single up the middle and Kenley drilled a double over the head of Mitchell in right. With one out, Rodriguez drove a two-run double to the gap in right-center, making it a 6-5 game as the Revs’ cleanup hitter capped a three-RBI night.
High Point had one last answer, however, as Stephen Cardullo connected on a three-run homer to left with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, effectively putting the game away.
Notes: Mesa now has 56 home runs in his Revs career, three shy of tying Chris Nowak for third on the all-time list. In three games since returning from injury, he is 5-for-9 with a pair of home runs and six RBI. York hitters struck out 15 times, one shy of a season-high. The Revs and Rockers meet again Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and the WOYK YouTube channel beginning at 6:45 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
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