(July 20, 2024 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution used a late game offensive outburst and five home runs to claim an 11-6 win over the Lexington Legends on Saturday night in front of 4,695 fans at WellSpan Park. Michael Berglund provided the lead with a go-ahead sixth inning grand slam and the Revs did not look back winning for the ninth time in their last ten contests.
Lexington opened the scoring in the first when Matt Bottcher drove a two-run home run to left center off of York starter Zach Neff.
The Legends scored another run in the second on an errant pickoff throw to spot themselves an early 3-0 lead.
Jacob Rhinesmith started the bottom of the second by ripping a triple to right field. With Zander Wiel at the plate, Legends catcher Luis Hernandez tried to back pick Rhinesmith at third, but the throw sailed into left field allowing Rhinesmith to score. Wiel and David Washington followed with back-to-back solo home runs to deep center, tying the game at 3-3. For Washington, it was his first home run since returning to York.
JT Riddle singled home a run in the third inning to put Lexington back in front, 4-3.
Kole Cottam led off the fourth inning with a single for the Legends and came around to score on a triple from Bottcher who notched his sixth hit of the series while coming a double shy of the cycle for the game. Riddle drove home another run on a sacrifice fly as the Legends built a 6-3 lead.
York stranded two out doubles in both the fourth and fifth innings but finally broke through against starter Justin Miller in the sixth.
After Wiel was plunked by the first pitch of the inning, Washington worked a walk and Alfredo Reyes smoked an infield single that deflected off of Mikey Reynolds at short. With the bases loaded, Berglund delivered the game’s biggest swing, ripping a grand slam to right field, catapulting York ahead to a 7-6 lead. The Revs added an insurance run later in the inning when Donovan Casey legged out an infield single, scoring Rudy Martin Jr to push the lead to 8-6.
Alex Valverde (4-0) pitched scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh to earn the win.
Washington continued his breakout game with a two-run blast to right field in the bottom of the seventh. The homer was Washington’s 25th, reclaiming his league lead in longballs.
Aaron Holiday pitched a 1-2-3 eigth inning with a pair of strikeouts, giving him a 10th scoreless appearance to begin his Revolution career.
Martin Jr led off the home eighth with a solo shot to right to cap off an explosive night of Revolution offense.
Leading 11-6, Matt Turner took the hill for the ninth. After back-to-back one out singles, Turner got a ground ball to short on which Matt McDermott made an outstanding diving stop. He flipped to second and Kevin Higgins made a strong throw to complete a game-ending 6-4-3 double play on Turner’s seventh consecutive scoreless outing.
Having completed the series win, York will look for the sweep on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. as Michael Horrell will go to the mound for the Revs. Promos include Bike Night presented by Eisenhauer York Harley-Davidson, Sunday Funday by Weis Markets, Rookie Revs Meet & Greet with the Players, Crab Feast catered by Captain Bob’s Crabs in the Home Run Patio, and Christmas in July. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
Notes: York wins their fourth consecutive series and 14th in their last 15 series. They are now 19-4-2 overall in series this season. Martin Jr stole his 52nd base, bringing him three shy of the franchise single season record held by Wilson Valdez (2014) and Darian Sandford (2021). York has stolen 213 bases as a team, now the seventh most by a team in a season in league history; they had entered the day tied for seventh with Sugar Land from 2014. Washington hit the 93rd and 94th home runs of his Atlantic League career while Wiel hit his 77th. Donovan Casey extended his on-base streak to 33 games with a fifth inning double; the 33-game streak ties Scott Grimes from 2010 for the fourth longest streak in franchise history. Holiday’s ten consecutive scoreless outing streak is the highest by a Revs pitcher this season, passing the previous mark of nine set by Moises Lugo. York’s five home runs are their most in a single game this season. York went back-to-back for the sixth time this season and Berglund’s grand slam was their seventh. Washington had his fourth multi-HR game of the season, becoming the fourth Rev to have four in a season and the first since Carlos Franco had five in 2022. Martin Jr got his OPS over 1.005 with his eighth inning home run.