(September 25, 2019 – Sugar Land, TX): The York Revolution dropped Game Two of the Freedom Division Championship Series, 5-2 to the Sugar Land Skeeters on Wednesday evening in front of 4,538 fans at Constellation Field. The Revs come home having split the first two games in Texas with the best-of-five series even at 1-1, and will host Game Three on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. at PeoplesBank Park.
York took an early lead in the top of the second. Carlos Franco roped a one-out double to the gap in left-center and with two outs, Ryan Dent followed suit by drilling his own opposite field double to right-center, plating Franco for a 1-0 lead.
Revs starter Dan Minor worked 1-2-3 innings in the first and third, and worked out of a bases loaded jam in the second, striking out Javier Betancourt to carry the 1-0 lead through the early innings.
Sugar Land drew even with a run in the fourth on a Cody Stanley sac fly to left, and struck for a big inning plating four runs in the fifth to go on top 5-1. With a runner at third and two outs, the Skeeters kept the fifth inning alive with walks to Albert Cordero and Denis Phipps. Minor was lifted in favor of reliever Cesar Cabral, but a third consecutive walk to Zach Borenstein forced in a run to give Sugar Land the lead. Another run crossed on a wild pitch, and Juan Silverio capped the rally with a two-run triple down the right field line.
Franco got one back for the Revs, nailing an opposite field solo homer to left-center in the top of the sixth to narrow the margin to 5-2, but the Revs could draw no closer.
Melky Mesa was hit by a pitch following the home run and was forced to exit the game due to injury after his third hit by pitch in two games of the series.
Revs reliever Josh Smoker hit Jason Martinson with the first pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning prompting the benches to clear, but no ejections were given.
Smoker worked a scoreless sixth, stranding two runners, while Josh Judy and Rob Carson followed with scoreless outings.
Sugar Land’s bullpen was up to the task, however, as York’s final 10 batters were retired to finish the contest.
Skeeters starter Carlos Pimentel (1-0) picked up the victory, allowing one run on four hits over five innings.
Minor (0-1) suffered the loss, charged with four runs despite just three hits in 4.2 innings. He was victimized by five walks after averaging just 1.5 walks per nine innings during the regular season.
One night after drawing seven walks and issuing only one free pass in an 8-1 win, the tables were turned as York pitching issued nine walks in Game Two while receiving only two bases on balls offensively.
The loss snaps a five-game postseason winning streak for the Revs dating to 2017.
York righty Duke von Schamann (10-7, 3.51) faces Sugar Land right-hander Troy Scribner (6-7, 3.68) in Friday’s Game Three at 6:30 p.m. at PeoplesBank Park. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Revs Ticket Office.
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