(July 16, 2021 – Central Islip, NY): Austin Nicely allowed just an unearned run over seven masterful innings but the York Revolution dropped a 1-0 decision to the Long Island Ducks in Friday’s series opener at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.
Long Island plated the game’s only run in its half of the first. Nicely retired the first two batters quickly, but LJ Mazzilli kept the inning going with a bloop single before Sal Giardina reached on an error. Ryan Jackson slapped an RBI single into right, plating Mazzilli with what turned out to be the game’s only run.
Nicely (4-4) allowed nothing else and surrendered just four hits in a season-high-tying seven innings of work. He walked two and struck out three, lowering his season ERA to 3.96.
Long Island righty Brendan Feldmann allowed just two hits through the first six innings, keeping his team in front. Welington Dotel’s second inning single and Jack Kenley’s fifth inning knock, both with two outs, accounted for York’s lone offense to that point.
The Revs set the table for a potential game-changing rally in the seventh as Melky Mesa led off with a single to left and Nellie Rodriguez, playing in his first game back from the Mexican League, blooped a single to center to chase Feldmann (2-1). Carlos Castro greeted reliever Brady Dragmire with a line drive single to center, loading the bases with no outs. Dragmire pulled off a huge escape, however, as Dotel’s hard-hit comebacker was turned into a 1-2-3 double play, preceding an inning-ending fly out.
Nicely worked out of his own jam in the seventh, maneuvering around a leadoff error and a pair of walks to leave the bases loaded when James Harris made a fantastic diving catch in left-center to rob Mazzilli on a line drive, ending the inning.
Isaac Sanchez worked around a leadoff single and a stolen base from Daniel Fields to turn in a scoreless eighth, but Long Island’s bullpen also put up zeroes with Mike Bolsinger handling a perfect eighth and Daniel Barnes closing it with a 1-2-3 ninth.
It was the Revs’ first 1-0 game since an eight-inning loss at Long Island on August 14, 2019, and their first nine-inning 1-0 loss since May 20, 2016 at New Britain.
York looks to even the series Saturday at 6:35 p.m. as righty Austin Steinfort (1-3) squares off with Long Island right-hander Anderson DeLeon (0-0). 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 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
Notes: Nicely recorded 12 ground outs on the night including nine of his first 10 outs. Mesa (7 games), Kenley (6 games), Dotel (5 games), and Castro (5 games) all extended hitting streaks. The Revs are shut out for just the second time all season. York has lost back-to-back games, both by one run, after winning each of its previous four.
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