(July 5th, 2023 – York, Pa.): Tomo Otosaka capped an epic 10-inning battle with a walk-off base hit as the York Revolution swept a doubleheader against the Charleston Dirty Birds, winning 8-7 in the wild nightcap after a 3-0 victory in the opener on Wednesday evening at WellSpan Park. The Revs have won four straight, lowering their magic number to two to clinch a first half North Division title which they can do with a win vs. Charleston and a Long Island loss in Lancaster on Thursday night.
Game one of Wednesday’s twinbill had the Revs as the road team in their own ballpark as it was a makeup from a rainout at Charleston on June 22.
Both teams had threats in the first two innings but failed to score. York had a chance in the second inning but right fielder Dwight Smith Jr. dove and robbed Ryan January of potentially two RBI on a shot down the line.
The Revs finally broke open the scoring in the top of the fourth as Birds starter Troy Bacon threw 40 pitches in the frame and gave up the game’s only three runs. Drew Mendoza doubled as he ripped one on one hop to the wall in right center, and Trey Martin followed with a long fly down the right field line that landed fair. Mendoza scored easily, and as Martin ran to third, the throw was missed by the cutoff man and trickled into the infield as Martin came home to score on the third inside the park home run in Revs history. The Revs weren’t done as Jacob Rhinesmith reached on an error by first baseman Telvin Nash, Richard Urena singled, and January walked to load the bases. Trent Giambrone drove home a run on a walk of his own, making it a 3-0 lead for the Revs.
York starter J.T. Hintzen (6-3) pitched five scoreless, giving up six singles and no runs on three walks and eight strikeouts. He is now 6-0 with a 2.25 ERA in nine outings (28.0 innings) since May 24.
Bacon (4-3) suffered the loss as the reigning Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month only got through four innings on 97 pitches, allowing three runs (two earned).
York reliever Nelvin Correa worked around a leadoff walk to set down the next three batters in the bottom of the sixth. Correa stayed on in the seventh to attempt the save and got the first two outs but walked Nash who reached on a walk in all four plate appearances. Correa was replaced by lefty J.P. Woodward who got Bobby Bradley to roll out to second on one pitch for the save, completing the 3-0 victory.
Pedro Vasquez got the ball in game two, facing Matt Reitz who Charleston signed earlier in the day.
Vasquez retired his first seven batters but gave up two runs in the third on an RBI single from Clayton Mehlbauer and an RBI double by Jalen Miller.
Charleston added one more in the fifth for a 3-0 lead when Bradley hit a sac fly to center field. That plated Miller with an unearned run after a single, stolen base, and advancement on a throwing error.
The Revs were held scoreless on four hits through the first four innings against Reitz. York finally got on the board in the fifth as Nellie Rodriguez singled to start the inning, Otosaka came in as the designated pinch runner, moved to second on a ground out, stole third, and was balked home by Reitz making it a 3-1 game.
Victor Capellan tossed a scoreless inning in the sixth out of the Revs bullpen, his third consecutive scoreless appearance.
Troy Stokes Jr. led off the bottom of the sixth with a ringing double to left field off the Arch Nemesis, greeting lefty Williams Jerez who came on in relief. Jerez walked Mendoza, and Martin roped an RBI single off Mehlbauer’s glove at shortstop and into center field scoring Stokes Jr. to make it 3-2. Alejandro Rivero tied the game with a smash to third with the bases loaded as it caromed off of third baseman Luis Roman for a game-tying infield hit. Jhon Nunez ripped a two-strike offering to deep left center for a two-run double, giving the Revs their first lead of the game at 5-3. Giambrone drilled one over Yefri Perez’ head in center to drive in two more on a double of his own as the Revs exploded in front with a 7-3 lead on their third six-run inning in the last four games.
Andrew Gross found trouble trying to finish the game on the mound as Mehlbauer walked and Miller roped a double to right field. Gross rebounded to strike out Roman who was ejected from the game, but hit Bradley with a pitch to load the bases. Yovan Gonzalez hit a seeing eye single through the left side scoring two, cutting the lead to 7-5. Perez blooped a single to right plating another run and advancing the tying run to second. Will McAffer took over on the mound and lost Nash to a pinch-hit walk loading the bases. Smith Jr. lined a sac fly to center to tie the game at 7-7 before McAffer struck out Angel Garced to end the inning.
York threatened as Mendoza was hit by a pitch on the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh by Ryan Clark. Mendoza was bunted over by Martin and advanced to third with two outs but Clark struck out Otosaka to end the threat.
Will Carter came in for the eighth with the automatic runner at second and retired all three batters to keep the game tied.
The Revs got the winning run to third once again in their half on a Rivero sac bunt but Clark struck out two more to end another threat.
Carter loaded the bases in the ninth but got Nash to ground into a 1-2-3 double play to get out of another inning without allowing a run.
Charleston righty Ricardo Gomez struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to strand two including Mendoza who was intentionally walked.
Tasker Strobel started the 10th inning and got a great defensive play on a sinking liner to left field where Stokes Jr. sold out and made a spectacular diving catch to rob Smith Jr. saving a run. Strobel (2-2) struck out the next two ending the top of the 10th.
The Revs finally secured their first walk-off win of the year as Urena singled to left, advancing Martin to third base to start the bottom of the 10th. With the infield in, Otosaka singled home Martin on a shot past a sprawling Nash at first, igniting a celebration in the infield as the Revs picked up their first extra-inning victory of the season.
York will send lefty Nick Raquet (6-5, 3.49) to the mound on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. looking to clinch their first playoff berth since 2019 and their first First Half crown since 2016. He’ll be opposed by Charleston lefty Danny Wirchansky (1-2, 2.54). It is Boomer’s Book Club Night #4 and a Hunger Free Thursday presented by Members 1st Federal Credit Union. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
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