(July 12, 2019 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution picked up right where they left off, opening the second half with a convincing 8-1 victory over the High Point Rockers on Friday night at PeoplesBank Park. The Revs have won 10 of their last 11, and will go for a ninth straight series win on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Fresh off of a scoreless inning at the 2019 Atlantic League All-Star Game on Wednesday, Mitch Atkins took the mound for the Revolution. The York ace worked around a one-out double to keep the Rockers scoreless in the first.
The York offense got going in their half of the frame. Henry Castillo drew a one-out walk to start the threat. Telvin Nash followed with a single to right. With runners on first and second, Isaias Tejeda lined an RBI single off the Arch Nemesis to give York the 1-0 lead. After Rockers starter Dominic DeMasi fought back to strike out Carlos Franco, Welington Dotel legged out an RBI infield single to double the lead to 2-0.
Atkins and DeMasi both pitched well in the second, keeping the score at 2-0 heading into the third.
After Atkins tossed his third consecutive scoreless frame, the Revs added a pair of runs in style as Nash smashed a 1-2 breaking ball over the Nemesis to lead off the bottom of the third with his league-leading 22nd home run of the season. Tejeda followed with a solo home run of his own to center field, going back-to-back to drive the lead to 4-0.
Atkins allowed just one base runner in the top of the fourth, but stranded Viosergy Rosa at second to keep his team up 4-0.
DJ Jenkins led off the bottom of the fourth with his first career hit at PeoplesBank Park, then immediately stole second for his first career Atlantic League steal. Skelton doubled down the right field line to score Jenkins and drive the lead to 5-0. After back-to-back walks to Nash and Tejeda loaded the bases, Franco smacked a double down the right field line to plate two and move the lead to 7-0.
Atkins kept cruising as he faced the minimum in the top of the fifth while recording a strike out, then worked a 1-2-3 top of the sixth on just six pitches.
High Point scored its only run of the game in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI single from Giovanny Alfonzo. Atkins finished the seventh by striking out Frank Nigro to finish his day with York leading 7-1.
Cesar Cabral was called upon to pitch the top of the eighth inning. After walking Stephen Cardullo to start the inning, Cabral retired the next three Rockers in order while picking up a pair of strike outs.
The Revs added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Nash drew his second walk of the game, his league-leading 51st, to give York a leadoff baserunner. Tejeda doubled to the gap in right-center field to plate Nash, growing the lead to 8-1 as he reached base safely for the fifth time in the ballgame.
Josh Judy took the mound to shut the door in the top of the ninth. “The Judge” was flawless yet again as he worked a 1-2-3 inning while striking out two Rockers to give York the 8-1 win.
Recap by Brett Pietrzak
Notes: The Revs have reached the .500 mark (35-35) for the first time all season. York is 22-5 since June 10 and 20-4 since June 12. The Revs improve to 20-17 at home including an 18-7 mark since May 20. The Revs have won 13 of their last 16 at home. York improves to 6-7 vs. High Point, having won six of the last seven meetings. With two runs Friday night, the Revs have outscored opponents a league-best 56-29 in the first inning. Atkins’ first strike out of the night was the 200th of his Revs career, becoming the sixth to reach that mark. The win is Atkins’ fourth in-a-row and 17th of his Revs career, moving past Ricardo Gomez for sixth all-time. Now 5-4 on the season, Atkins improves to 10-4 at home in his career with the Revs. Judy worked his fourth consecutive perfect outing, and struck out two batters for the third consecutive appearance. Judy’s last eight have all been scoreless, having allowed just three hits in eight innings on that stretch. Nash’s 22 home runs are already tied for seventh most in a season in Revs history, three shy of reaching a tie for second. It was the record 75th home run of his Revs career and 47th at home. His four runs scored tied a Revs single-game season best for the third time and added to his league-leading total of 53 runs scored on the season. Tejeda’s homer was his fourth of the season, all in the last five games (in addition to a homer in the All-Star Game on Wednesday). It was Tejeda’s first homer at PeoplesBank Park this regular season. It was the Revs’ fifth set of back-to-back homers this season and first since June 10 when Nash and J.P. Sportman went back-to-back vs. High Point. York righty Dan Minor (5-4, 4.21) faces High Point right-hander Tyler Herron (2-5, 5.00) on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. It is Faith and Family Night presented by CommunityAid and features Post-Game Fireworks presented by Reinhart Foodservice. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Revs Ticket Office.
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