(September 9th, 2023 – York, Pa.): Trent Giambrone’s walk-off single in the bottom of the tenth inning capped a wild 7-6 victory for the York Revolution over the Lancaster Barnstormers on Saturday evening at WellSpan Park. The Revs pull within 1.5 games of first place with seven to play in the regular season while securing their 600th victory in ballpark history.
The game got underway after a 51-minute rain delay at the outset and the Barnstormers scored the game’s first run in the top of the first. After Andretty Cordero struck out with Melvin Mercedes on third, Jhon Nunez threw to first to complete the dropped third strike but Mercedes scampered home for a stolen base and a 1-0 Lancaster lead.
York tied it in the third after Trey Martin tripled off the right field fence and Tomo Otosaka singled him home with a line drive to left center, tying it at 1-1.
York took the lead in the fifth as Alexis Pantoja hit his first home run of the year on a line shot down the right field line to give the Revs a 2-1 advantage.
It remained a low-scoring battle into the late innings as both starters were solid. York’s Nick Raquet tossed five innings of one run ball on just two hits and retired eight of his last nine batters, while Matt Swarmer struck out 11 in 5.2 innings for Lancaster.
Ofreidy Gomez came in for the bottom of the seventh for the Barnstormers, and the Revs scored four runs on three hits and a pair of walks, building a seemingly commanding 6-1 lead. Drew Mendoza led off with a double to the base of the left center fence and advanced to third as center fielder Ariel Sandoval fumbled it for an error. Jhon Nunez ripped an RBI double down the third base line to plate Mendoza. The Revs added runs on a wild pitch, a Jacob Rhinesmith single on a pop fly that clanged off the glove of second baseman Melvin Mercedes who was ranging into right center attempting to make the catch, and a Martin fielder’s choice grounder.
Lancaster got two runs back off Carlos Espinal in the eighth, ending a seven-outing scoreless streak for the right hander who was guilty of a bases loaded walk to Sandoval on a pitch timer violation and a sac fly by Wilson Garcia. Espinal stranded two in the inning with York in front 6-3.
In the ninth, lefty Zach Neff did not record an out and lost an eight-outing scoreless streak. A pair of walks got the Barnstormers going and RBI singles by Anthony Peroni and Melvin Mercedes pulled Lancaster within a run. Nelvin Correa entered and allowed a game-tying sac fly to Sandoval but recorded all three outs.
The Revs threatened to win it in the ninth after two-out singles from Rhinesmith and Pantoja kept the inning alive. York got a 395-foot deep fly ball by Martin but it was caught by Sandoval just in front of the wall in left center as the game went to extra innings.
Lancaster loaded the bases with no outs in the tenth against Correa (4-4), but the right hander buckled down and slammed the door on the threat, striking out Chad Sedio on three looking strikes, inducing a fielder’s choice off the bat of Chris Proctor on which first baseman Nellie Rodriguez threw home for the force, and a ground out to first base off the bat of Mercedes, electrifying the home crowd with the huge escape.
York went right to work offensively in the bottom of the tenth as Otosaka set a club single season record with his 17th bunt hit on the first pitch from reliever Mike Adams putting runners at first and third. Mendoza was intentionally walked to load the bases and Adams secured a strikeout for the first out, but Giambrone singled off the glove of Mercedes and into right field to win it on the Revs’ third walk-off victory of the season and 86th all-time at WellSpan Park.
The Revs go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon as RHP J.T. Hintzen (9-7, 5.40) faces Lancaster lefty Jared Lakind (8-4, 3.62). It is Ritmo de York presented by Bilingual Conexion, Sunday Funday presented by Weis Markets, WellSpan Wellness Weekend: Heart & Vascular, and Unused Ticket Redemption Day. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY
CLICK HERE FOR WOYK AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS