(July 21st, 2023 – York, Pa.): Troy Stokes Jr. homered and drove in four while Carlos Espinal and three relievers also shined for the York Revolution who defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers 7-2 on Friday night at WellSpan Park to kick off their weekend series. The Revs improve to 7-3 in the second half, pulling back within one game of first place behind Lancaster (9-3) whose five-game winning streak was snapped.
The Revs trailed 1-0 early as Melvin Mercedes worked a leadoff walk in the first and was brought home by Ariel Sandoval who doubled to deep center field for the game’s first run.
Another leadoff walk came back to hurt in the fourth as Chad Sedio took a free pass and later scored on an RBI bloop single over second by Shawon Dunston Jr. to make it 2-0 Lancaster.
Stokes Jr. responded with his 30th home run as a Rev and his 11th of the year, launching a 439-foot blast to left center, tying the game at 2-2 after the fourth.
York loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth, setting the stage to go in front. Nellie Rodriguez took a leadoff walk and Ryan January was hit by a pitch before Alexis Pantoja singled to load the bags. With one out, Tomo Otosaka walked to bring home a run putting the Revs in front, 3-2. Stokes Jr. drove in a third RBI on the night with a line shot single to center, and Drew Mendoza ripped one to second that was knocked down by Mercedes for a force, but it scored Pantoja to extend the Revs’ lead to 5-2.
Espinal (6-2) pitched a solid six innings, giving up just two runs on five hits, while overcoming four walks and notching five strikeouts.
Lancaster starter Dominic DiSabatino (3-6) also lasted six innings but gave up five runs despite allowing only four hits in absorbing the loss.
Denson Hull entered first from the Revs bullpen and twirled a scoreless frame in the top of the seventh, his third scoreless outing in the last four appearances.
York added to the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Trent Giambrone (eight-game hitting streak) doubled off the base of the Arch Nemesis in left, leading to a Stokes Jr. RBI single to left center. It was Stokes Jr.’s 50th RBI of the season and fourth of the night, giving the Revs some insurance with a 6-2 lead.
J.P. Woodward worked around a leadoff infield hit with a double play to retire the side in order in the top of the eighth.
York scored one final run in the bottom of the eighth when Trey Martin crossed the plate on a wild pitch by Lancaster lefty Brian Marconi to make it 7-2.
Will Carter came in to finish the job and struck out two to go with a ground out, stranding two in the ninth to close out the 7-2 victory.
Notes: York leads the War of the Roses series with a 7-3 mark (4-0 at home) having won each of the last five meetings. Friday marked the first of 12 head-to-head meetings in the second half, all of which will be played at WellSpan Park. The Revs improve to 25-11 as the home team this year and 26-11 at WellSpan Park, having won 21 of their last 27 on their home field. The Revs notched their 23rd come-from-behind win out of 44 total victories, and now have a winning record (17-16) when the opponent scores first. York leads the league in team offense, but has been held to eight hits or fewer in five straight games; the Revs have managed to win three of those five. York has also been held to six hits or fewer in four of the last five games but the Revs have won three of those four. Espinal has allowed two runs or fewer in back-to-back starts and in six of his 10 starts overall. January was hit by a pitch twice giving him 15 total HBP on the season, four more than any other player in the league and nine shy of a Revs single-season record (24, Scott Grimes, 2010). Stokes Jr.’s home run was the 95th of his pro career. He also stole his 20th base of the season, giving the Revs three players with 20 steals or more for the first time since 2015. It was the 51st steal of his Revs career, one shy of tying Eric Patterson for seventh on the all-time list. York righty Tom Sutera (6-3, 7.21) starts on Saturday night opposite Lancaster righty Brent Teller (6-4, 7.07) with first pitch at 6:30 p.m. It is Christmas in July, Dripped Gawd Night presented by local artist Dizz Gavins, Inside-the-Park Fireworks presented by PA Lottery, and WellSpan Wellness Weekend (STEM/Technology). Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
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