(August 6, 2023 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution snapped a three-game skid and avoided a sweep, blasting the Spire City Ghost Hounds, 16-5 on Sunday afternoon at WellSpan Park. The Revs tied a season-high with 19 hits and drilled four home runs including two by Drew Mendoza and a grand slam by Richard Urena in a nine-run fourth.
Spire City struck first in the top of the first inning, getting a solo home run to center field by Craig Dedelow for a 1-0 start.
York’s offense responded in the bottom of the first against Hounds starter John Witkowski. Trent Giambrone and Tomo Otosaka singled and executed a double steal while Troy Stokes Jr. was batting, making it second and third with no outs. Stokes Jr. brought home Giambrone on a ground out, becoming the league’s fifth batter to 70 RBI on the season while notching his 18th RBI in his last six games at WellSpan Park. Mendoza followed by launching a majestic two-run home run to right field giving the Revs a 3-1 lead.
Spire City tied the game in the second inning on RBI ground outs by Pete Yorgen and Eddy Diaz, squaring things at 3-3.
The Revs got a second home run from Mendoza on a line drive to right in the bottom of the third, giving York the lead back at 4-3. It was the second career two-homer game for Mendoza whose other such performance came on May 25, 2021 with Double-A Harrisburg (at Bowie).
Two doubles against Revs starter Nick Raquet tied the game once again in the top of the fourth as Yorgen cashed in an RBI double with two outs, tying things at 4-4.
The Revs took firm control in the bottom of the fourth, plating nine runs on seven hits as the outburst came within one run of matching their biggest inning of the year. The onslaught started with a single by Alejandro Rivero and a double by Jhon Nunez to set the table. Giambrone plated them both with a ground rule double to left center, giving York a 6-4 lead. With one out, Stokes Jr. legged out an infield single chasing Witkowski for reliever Brendan Medoro with runners at the corners. After Stokes Jr. stole second base, Mendoza was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Revs took full advantage of the opportunity as Nellie Rodriguez worked a walk to force in a run, Jacob Rhinesmith ripped a single into center field to score one more, and Urena brought them all home with a grand slam home run to left center field giving York a massive 12-4 lead. It was the Revs’ fourth slam of the year and first since Rodriguez clubbed one exactly two months earlier.
Spire City scored a run in the fifth on a Jose Marmolejos RBI bounce out, but Raquet (11-6) finished with a scoreless sixth becoming the league’s first pitcher to 11 wins on the season, winning his third straight and fifth in the last six. His 11 wins are tied for the seventh-highest single season wins total in Revs history as he becomes the 12th to win 11 or more in a season (first since Mitch Atkins in 2019) and just the fourth lefty to do so (first since Frank Gailey in 2017).
Will McAffer came in and had a shutdown inning with a pair of strikeouts in the seventh.
Emilker Guzman tossed a scoreless eighth inning, giving up a walk and a double but stranding both runners.
Nunez nailed his third extra base hit and fourth Revs home run of the game with an opposite field three run shot to left center, providing the final scoring with a 16-5 lead as Nunez capped a four-RBI day.
Will Carter pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning securing the blowout victory.
The Revs’ three-game skid was their first since a six-gamer June 17-24; that streak was snapped with a 16-5 road victory against the Ghost Hounds in a Sunday afternoon finale, also started and won by Raquet.
York’s 19 hits tied a season-high for the third time and second time in five games. In addition to the power display, the Revs stole three bases as a team and are tied for the league lead with 134 steals. That included Otosaka’s league-leading 35th as he moved past Travis Witherspoon and Welington Dotel into sole possession of fourth on the Revs’ single-season steals list.
Otosaka also had a standout day at the plate with his second straight three-hit game and third on what is now a six-game hitting streak (13-for-27).
The Revs lead the season series against the Ghost Hounds, 7-5. One team (or both) has scored eight runs or more in nine of the 12 meetings head-to-head.
York welcomes the Lancaster Barnstormers to town for a series opener on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. as RHP Carlos Espinal (7-3, 3.79) faces righty Brent Teller (8-4, 6.44). It is Time Travel Tuesday (‘80s) and Silver Sluggers presented by WellSpan Sports Medicine. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
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