(August 24, 2019 – High Point, NC): Welington Dotel cracked a game-tying two-run triple in the seventh inning, but the York Revolution dropped their second straight to the High Point Rockers, 6-3 on Saturday night at BB&T Point. The Revs’ first place lead in the Freedom Division second half standings shrinks to one game as they will look to avoid the series sweep on Sunday afternoon before returning home.
Down 3-1 after six innings, the Revs made a bid at a late-game comeback. James Skelton drew a leadoff walk, one of his three free passes taken on the night, from reliever Dusty Isaacs to start the inning. Henry Castillo fought off a jam shot single into center to put two men on. With one out, Dotel drilled the biggest hit of the night for the Revs, a two-run triple to right-center deadlocking the score at 3-3. Lefty Brian Clark (3-3) entered to retire the next two batters, however, as the Revs were unable to push ahead.
High Point rallied with its biggest inning of the night in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three times against reliever Josh Judy (4-2) to claim the 6-3 victory. Richie Shaffer drove an RBI double to deep left-center for the go-ahead run, while the other two crossed on a passed ball and a Michael Russell RBI single to right.
York threatened in the ninth as Skelton led off with a walk and Dotel reached on a two-out infield single, but closer Ryan Kelly notched his 10th save of the season and second in as many nights, striking out Nash to end it.
York missed a chance to take the lead early in the game, loading the bases with one out against Rockers starter Edwin Carl. Carlos Franco reached on an error to start the inning, and Angelys Nina nailed a one-out double to right. Ryan Dent walked to fill the bags, but Carl escaped by striking out the next two batters to keep the game scoreless.
Matt Jones singled up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the second, plating Shaffer who had bunted his way on earlier in the inning as High Point struck first in the game.
The Revs tied the game at 1-1 on a Telvin Nash RBI single up the middle in the top of the third, his league-leading 80th RBI of the year.
Nash’s single scored Dotel who reached on a three-base error by Rockers center fielder Jared Mitchell, but Mitchell atoned for his miscue by slugging a solo homer to right in the bottom of the third, putting High Point ahead 2-1.
Revs starter Mitch Atkins settled in and had retired six straight (four on strike outs) before Russell doubled down the left field line with one out in the sixth and scored on a Myles Schroder RBI single to right to make it 3-1.
Notes: York falls to 2-7 at BB&T Point with one regular season meeting remaining. Atkins’ scoreless streak reached a Revs season-best 18.1 consecutive innings before allowing the second inning run. The three runs and four hits charged to Judy were season-highs; he had allowed just one run on four hits in six innings over his previous six outings. The Revs have dropped seven of their last eight on the road after winning 12 straight road games. York stranded nine runners and went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position; the Revs have stranded 21 runners and are 4-for-25 with runners in scoring position through the first two games of the series. York will look for its third win at BB&T Point on Sunday as it tries to avoid a sweep for the third time in as many visits. Righty Ricky Eusebio (0-2, 4.58) faces High Point right-hander Matt Sergey (2-1, 1.90) with first pitch at 2 p.m. 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 1:40 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
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