BOX SCORE
(August 18, 2017 – Sugar Land, TX): Kevin Ahrens connected on a walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the York Revolution were handed a 7-6 loss to the Sugar Land Skeeters on Thursday night in front of 4,692 fans at Constellation Field. The Revs fall to 22-18 in the second half, still one game back of first place. Sugar Land improves to 19-19 in the second half, moving within three games of the top spot.
The Revs had led since the third inning, when a four-run outburst lifted York to a 5-1 advantage.
Sugar Land scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first inning on a Bryan Pounds sac fly to right, but Revs starter Frank Gailey worked through the following two innings scoreless.
Telvin Nash lined a solo homer to left in the top of the second, tying the game at 1-1. The long ball is Nash’s seventh in 19 games with York on the season, and the 35th of his Revs career, matching Matt Dryer (2007-08) for ninth most in franchise history.
Alonzo Harris launched a towering two-run homer to left in the top of the third on a 3-0 green light, giving the Revs a 3-1 lead on his team-leading and career-high 16th home run of the season. With two outs, Isaias Tejeda doubled to left to start another rally, and Michael Burgess and Nash walked to load the bases. Jared Mitchell cashed in with a two-run single to center, giving the Revs a four-run cushion.
Hector Olivera delivered an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth to bring Sugar Land within 5-2, but Gailey escaped further trouble by retiring Josh Prince on a fielder’s choice to leave the bases loaded.
Ahrens inched the Skeeters closer on a two-out RBI single to left in the bottom of the seventh, cutting the York lead to 5-3. Anthony Giansanti was tagged out attempting to go first to third when Dayron Varona fired a strike to cutoff man Chase Simpson, ending the inning.
The Revs had been silenced offensively until the ninth when Varona led off with a triple to right-center and scored as Simpson promptly lined an RBI single to center to make it 6-3.
Revs closer Brad Allen (1-3) was unable to overcome a season-high three walks, marking only the third time all season he’s issued multiple walks in an appearance and first since May 19 at Sugar Land. After a leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Caleb Ramsey, Allen recorded the first two outs, but free passes to Prince and Giansanti kept the game alive in advance of Ahrens’ game-winner.
Notes: Allen allowed multiple earned runs for just the second time in 48 outings on the season. In four appearances at Constellation Field, the Revs’ closer has allowed eight runs while having allowed just seven earned runs in his other 44 appearances. The blown save is only the third of the season in 21 opportunities for Allen and first since July 17. York falls to 42-4 when leading after seven innings and 43-2 when leading after eight. It is just the second walk-off home run against the Revs on the season, and the second walk-off grand slam against York in franchise history; the other was hit by Newark’s Brian Barton on June 27, 2010. It is the first “ultimate grand slam” against the Revs (down three). Conversely, the Revs have only hit two walk-off grand slams and one “ultimate grand slam” in their history. Gailey allowed two runs in five innings, taking a no-decision as he remains tied for the league lead with nine victories. The Revs issued eight walks with five of those scoring. York pitchers issued four leadoff walks, with three of those coming around to score. York has dropped two of the first three in the series; in the two losses, nine of 14 walked batters have scored including six of seven leadoff walks. York righty Steve Janas (4-5, 4.64) faces Sugar Land right hander Sean Gleason (3-7, 5.51) on Friday at 8:05 p.m. ET. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350, woyk1350.com, and on the WOYK app beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET with Darrell Henry on the call.