(August 20, 2024 – Lexington, Ky.): The York Revolution stormed back with a four-run seventh inning to claim a come-from-behind 7-5 victory over the Lexington Legends on Tuesday night at Legends Field, opening a six-game road trip with their fourth consecutive victory.
York jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first as David Washington rocketed a two-run double to right center, giving him 11 RBI over the past four games.
Revs starter Jon Olsen cruised the first time through the order, but Nilo Rijo connected on a solo homer to left center with two outs in the third to slice the lead in half at 2-1.
Jacob Barfield belted a three-run homer to left with two outs in the fourth, propelling the Legends ahead 4-2 as Lexington tagged Olsen for just his seventh and eighth home runs allowed all season.
Kole Cottam smacked a two-out RBI double to right field to plate an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth as the margin grew to 5-2.
York struggled against Lexington starter Nic Laio after the quick start as the righty retired 10 straight through the second out of the fourth inning, nine of which came on strikeouts. Laio struck out four in-a-row and another five consecutive batters over that span, whiffing 11 total batters through five innings but was lifted after requiring 108 pitches to get through five frames.
Olsen settled back in with a 1-2-3 sixth, and the Revs went to work against the Lexington bullpen in the seventh.
Jordy Barley got things started against reliever Gerald Ogando with a leadoff walk and stole second before Rudy Martin Jr dropped down a bunt single to put runners at the corners. Matt McDermott (eight-game hitting streak) singled through the right side to bring home Barley as the Revs pulled within 5-3. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third and Zander Wiel made it a one-run game with a broken bat RBI ground out, also advancing McDermott to third as the tying run. That proved pivotal as with two outs, Jacob Rhinesmith slapped a game-tying infield single off Ogando’s glove as the Revs clawed all the way back to tie the score at 5-5. Alejandro Rivero greeted reliever Jean Herrera with a go-ahead RBI double off the left field wall, sending Rhinesmith all the way around from first base for a 6-5 lead.
York added an insurance run on a dropped pop up in the eighth, plating Alfredo Reyes who had led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced via a balk and a stolen base.
Olsen (10-1) worked 6.1 innings to pick up the win, allowing five runs (four earned).
Denny Bentley took over with one on and one out in the seventh and retired both batters faced to preserve what was at the time a one-run lead.
Alex Valverde was lights out with two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 eighth.
Matt Turner was greeted with a double and a single to start the ninth but set down the next three to pull into a tie for the league lead in saves with his 14th of the year.
Notes: The Revs improve to 68-33, a new franchise record 35 games over .500 while tying Gastonia for the league’s top overall record. The Revs maintain their half-game lead for first place in the second half at 25-13. York improves to a league-best 36-15 on the road. The Revs now have 11 wins (11-21) when trailing after six innings. Martin Jr became the ninth in league history to record 70 steals in a season when he stole second base in the top of the first inning, the league’s highest total since 2021. The Revs totaled four steals on the night, bringing their season total to 285 stolen bases, 20 shy of a league record. Rhinesmith (3-for-5) extended his hitting streak to 11 games while he has driven in a run in seven straight contests. With seven strikeouts, Olsen took over the league lead with 116 on the season. Olsen becomes the league’s third 10-game winner this season, joining teammate Ethan Lindow who leads the league with 11 victories; the duo gives the Revs multiple 10-game winners in a season for the eighth time in franchise history and second consecutive year. The Revs bullpen tossed 2.2 scoreless innings, as they have allowed just three earned runs in 25.2 innings over the last nine contests; the bullpen’s totals on that stretch include just 14 hits and eight walks compared to 34 strikeouts. Bentley logged his eighth consecutive scoreless outing; he has allowed just two hits in 7.2 innings over that span. Valverde has allowed just one earned run in 15.1 innings over his last 10 appearances, striking out 20 against just two walks on that stretch. Turner’s 14 saves move him into the top 10 in a season in Revs history. York righty Michael Horrell (4-5, 5.81) faces Lexington’s Wesley Scott (0-1, 2.03) on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and FloBaseball.TV beginning at 6:25 p.m.
CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY
CLICK HERE FOR WOYK AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS
CLICK HERE FOR FULL GAME BROADCAST
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS TO NEXT HOME GAME (TUESDAY, AUG. 27 VS LONG ISLAND)