(May 16, 2017 – Central Islip, NY): The York Revolution were edged by the Long Island Ducks 2-1 on Tuesday evening at Bethpage Ballpark in the opener of a seven-game road trip that will span six days. Revs starter Steve Janas worked a strong seven innings, but it was a tough night for the offense, stranding 10 runners.
The only damage incurred by Janas came in the first inning. Fehlandt Lentini was awarded a game-opening infield hit on a ground ball bobbled at second base. Lentini then stole second, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a sac fly to deep center by Delta Cleary, Jr. With two outs in the inning, Angelo Songco jumped on the first pitch, driving a solo homer to right-center for a 2-0 Long Island lead.
Janas (1-3) allowed nothing else, charged with two runs on six hits in seven innings while walking just one and striking out two. Making his third consecutive start against the Ducks, Janas submitted a quality start for the second time in as many outings at Bethpage Ballpark, and finished strong by retiring his final 10 batters and throwing 60 of 87 total pitches for strikes.
Shortstop Ryan Dent made a huge play behind Janas in the fourth, spearing Anthony Vega’s line drive on a leaping grab to keep it a 2-0 game.
The Revs missed opportunities to score in three consecutive innings before finally cracking the scoreboard in the sixth.
Travis Witherspoon led off the third with a single and stole second with one out, but Ducks starter Tim Melville stranded him there. York opened the fourth with singles from Isaias Tejeda and Michael Burgess to put runners at the corners with no outs, but Melville recorded a popup and a pair of strikeouts. The Revs then boarded two runners in the fifth, but Melville (1-2) rolled an inning-ending double play, finishing with five scoreless innings and just four hits allowed.
Burgess doubled down the right field line with one out in the sixth, took third on a passed ball, and scored an unearned run when Joel Guzman ripped an RBI single into left.
The Revs threatened again in the seventh when Witherspoon led off with a single and advanced on a groundout, but reliever Amalio Diaz caught Witherspoon attempting to advance to third for the lead out on a fielder’s choice. Angel Franco followed with a two-out single, but the Revs ended up stranding two more.
Jose Constanza belted a double to deep left with two outs in the ninth, but Ducks closer David Aardsma struck out Franco for his fifth save.
The Revs out-hit the Ducks 9-7 in the defeat.
Notes: York falls to 3-2 in series openers on the road. Janas has allowed just three earned runs in 13.0 innings over his last two starts, both at Long Island, despite being saddled with an 0-1 record in those two starts. Burgess (2-for-4) is now 6-for-12 over his last four games. Through the end of the series, the Revs and Ducks will have met 10 times in 18 days, and 10 of York’s first 26 games will have been played against Long Island. The Revs fall to 2-6 vs. the Ducks, and 98-101 all-time as Tuesday marked the 199th meeting. Through the end of the series, 23 of York’s first 26 games will have come against Liberty Division opponents. The Revs remain just 4.5 games back in the Freedom Division. York righty Victor Mateo (0-2, 1.30) faces Long Island right-hander John Brownell (1-0, 3.00) on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350, woyk1350.com, and on the WOYK app beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.