(August 15, 2024 – Waldorf, Md.): Zander Wiel homered in both games of Thursday’s doubleheader and provided the first of three long balls for the York Revolution in a 6-4 victory over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the morning opener. Southern Maryland answered back with a 6-5 win in the second game to force a doubleheader split as well as a four-game series split.
The Revs jumped to an immediate 3-0 lead in the opener. Matt McDermott was plunked by a pitch to start the game before an error on second baseman Aaron Hill put two aboard. Wiel connected on his 20th home run of the season and seventh with York, parking a three-run shot to left to open the scoring.
The first inning had the potential for a bigger run total as the first five all reached, but on his 28th pitch, Crabs starter Ian Kahaloa finally recorded his first out before ending the inning on a double play on the very next pitch.
Southern Maryland got on the board in the bottom of the second as Caleb Marquez drove a two-run double to the fence in left center but was eventually doubled off second to end the inning as the Revs maintained a 3-2 lead.
Jacob Rhinesmith nailed a line drive opposite field homer inside the left field foul pole in the top of the third, inching the lead back to 4-2.
Revs starter Tom Sutera enjoyed a six-pitch third inning but surrendered the lead in the fourth as Miles Williams connected on a two-run homer to right center, tying the game at 4-4.
Kahaloa struck out the side in three consecutive innings through the fourth including fanning five straight hitters at one point, but the Revs got to the righty again with two outs in the fifth. Rhinesmith came up with a big single to keep the inning alive and Joe Perez launched a towering two-run homer onto the deck in left, thrusting the Revs back on top, 6-4.
Nelvin Correa (3-1) retired all six batters across the fifth and sixth innings, going multiple innings for just the second time this season and first time in exactly two months. He struck out four including striking out the side in the sixth, earning the win.
Matt Turner picked up his 12th save and second of the series, handling a 1-2-3 seventh as Revs pitchers combined to retire the final 12 Blue Crab batters of the game.
York again jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two. McDermott led off with a base hit to left and moved ahead on a passed ball before scoring on Rudy Martin Jr’s single to right center. Martin Jr advanced on an errant pickoff attempt, and with one out, took third base for his league leading 65th steal. David Washington walked and stole second, setting up Rhinesmith who drove in both runners on a single to right.
Southern Maryland scored all six of its runs in the bottom of the third inning, rallying for eight hits on 50 pitches from Revs starter Michael Horrell (4-5). Ian Yetsko got Southern Maryland on the board with an RBI single. Jomar Reyes knifed the Revs lead down to one on a sac fly, and Juan Kelly tied the game when a potential inning-ending double play ball took a bad hop over the shoulder of Washington at first base for a game-tying RBI single. Williams completed his combined cycle over both games with a two-run triple down the first base line, and Hill singled up the middle to plate another run as the Crabs led 6-3.
York loaded the bases in the fourth and McDermott cracked a deep drive to right center, but center fielder Josh Broughton made a fine running grab to save three runs, maintaining his team’s three-run lead.
Wiel crushed a two-run homer to left in the top of the fifth, bringing the Revs within one run at 6-5 but they were never able to find the equalizer.
The Revs return home this weekend to host the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars. Friday’s series opener gets underway at 6:30 p.m. with LHP Zach Neff facing RHP Marvin Gorgas. Promos include Scout Sleepover, Umpire Appreciation Night, and Beach Towel Giveaway presented by WellSpan Health to the first 1,000 fans. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
Notes: The series split marks just the third time in 17 road series that the Revs have not been victorious (14-2-1). York had not scored as many as three runs in a first inning since July 19 before plating three runs in the first inning in both games of Thursday’s doubleheader. It was just the third doubleheader of the season for the Revs, having split all three. Wiel becomes the ninth player in Revs history to homer in both games of a doubleheader and first since Nellie Rodriguez did so in 2021. Denny Bentley tossed two scoreless innings in relief for the Revs in game two, extending his scoreless streak to six consecutive outings; he has also allowed just one run in his last eight appearances and benefited from a great diving grab by center fielder Alerick Soularie to save at least one run in the fifth. Washington has a stolen base in three consecutive games. Rhinesmith went 4-for-7 in the doubleheader and is now 13-for-27 on a seven-game hitting streak. Martin Jr lost an eight-game streak in the opener
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