(September 12, 2019 – Central Islip, NY): The York Revolution ripped off three runs in the top of the ninth inning to steal a last at-bat victory from the Long Island Ducks, winning 4-3 on Thursday night in front of 4,180 fans at Bethpage Ballpark. The Revs salvage a four-game series split with the victory and increase their first place lead to a season-high 4.5 games in the Freedom Division, as their magic number to clinch a division title shrinks to six. The Revs travel to Lancaster to open a three-game weekend series on Friday night.
York drew first blood in Thursday’s game, scoring a run in the top of the first inning. Isaias Tejeda kept the inning alive with a single to left field, and Carlos Franco took advantage by roping an RBI single to right for a quick 1-0 lead.
Revs starter Jake Welch was outstanding in his Revs debut taking a shutout into the bottom of the fifth.
Ramon Cabrera tied the game with a home run to right field leading off the home fifth, but Welch rebounded to strike out the next three batters giving him eight punch outs through five innings.
Welch worked 6.1 strong innings in the no-decision, giving up just one run on four hits while striking out eight without a walk.
The switch-hitting Cabrera homered from both sides of the plate, lining a go-ahead homer to left in the bottom of the seventh to give the Ducks a 2-1 lead. That ended a nine-outing scoreless streak for lefty Robert Carson. The Ducks added one more as Vladimir Frias reached on an infield single, stole two bases, and scored on a bloop single by D’Arby Myers to make it a 3-1 game.
Ducks pitchers retired 17 of 18 batters from the second into the seventh with only Henry Castillo reaching on a fifth inning single before being erased on a double play.
York finally threatened in the top of the eighth as Alvaro Rondon and Justin Trapp singled off reliever Seth Simmons with one out, but Simmons escaped with a fly out to left and a line drive missile off the bat of Telvin Nash that was caught in left field.
The Revs broke through in the top of the ninth, however. Franco got things started with a one-out single to right-center and Melky Mesa followed with a base hit into right to chase Simmons. Cody Mincey entered and was greeted by a bloop RBI double along the right field line by Ryan Dent, bringing the Revs within a run at 3-2. After an intentional walk to Castillo loaded the bases, Rondon smacked a ground ball to first that was initially handled by first baseman David Washington, but the ball was bobbled on an attempt to throw home as Mesa scored to tie the game at 3-3. Trapp followed by driving a sac fly to straightaway center, plating pinch-runner Zach Sullivan from third with the winning run.
Closer Jameson McGrane worked around a leadoff walk to Washington, striking out Cabrera and Frias and retiring pinch-hitter Daniel Fields on a ground out to second base to end it with his 21st save in as many opportunities.
Josh Judy (7-2) earned the win in relief with a scoreless eighth inning, moving within one of a franchise record for relief victories in one season.
Notes: York improves to 36-31 on the road, one win shy of tying the club record for road wins in a season (37-33 in 2012). The victory is the Revs’ 11th last at-bat win of the year with five having come since August 25. It was York’s third victory when trailing after eight innings, all since August 25. The comeback win is the 30th overall for the Revs on the season.
Up Next: The Revs face the Barnstormers on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Clipper Magazine Stadium. York has yet to announce its Friday night starter, while Lancaster is slated to go with lefty Nate Reed (4-4, 5.44). Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and WOYK on YouTube beginning at 6:55 p.m. with Darrell Henry and Brett Pietrzak on the call.
Roster Moves: The Revs activated Welch prior to Thursday’s game after acquiring his rights from Evansville (Frontier League) for a player to be named later. The 26-year-old went 8-5 with a 2.93 ERA in 20 starts for Evansville this season, his second year spent in the Frontier League. The 6’6 right-hander is a native of Spencerport, NY and also spent two seasons in the United Shore Professional Baseball League to begin his career. The Revs placed RHP Duke von Schamann on the temporary inactive list to make room on the active roster.
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