York 6, Staten Island 5 (11 innings)
(June 14, 2024 – Staten Island, NY): The York Revolution clawed back to force extras and grabbed a nail biting 6-5 victory in 11 innings on Friday night over the Staten Island FerryHawks at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. The win is the third straight for the Revs who increase their division lead to 3.0 games over Lancaster with 18 remaining in the first half.
York struck first with a run in the top of the first inning. Rudy Martin Jr reached on a double down the left field line and stole third before scoring on Colton Welker’s sac fly to right for an early 1-0 lead.
Staten Island tied it in the bottom of the first on a Pablo Sandoval double to right center before a rain delay of nearly an hour halted play as storms hit the New York area.
Revs starter Jon Olsen was lifted after just three batters faced due to the delay, but Will Stewart came out of the bullpen to provide 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit while striking out six.
Mike Berglund broke the 1-1 tie with an RBI double down the right field line in the top of the fifth, putting York ahead 2-1.
Neil Lang tossed a scoreless fifth and sixth but was hurt by a leadoff walk to David Melfi in the bottom of the seventh. Lang retired the next two batters before being replaced by Tom Sutera, who was greeted by a two-run homer to center off the bat of Luis Castro giving Staten Island a 3-2 lead.
York rallied in the ninth as David Washington worked a key walk and Donovan Casey placed a double down the right field line. That set the table for Jacob Rhinesmith who tied the game with a sac fly to center, evening the score at 3-3.
The Revs grabbed a lead in the tenth, taking advantage of a two-out throwing error by shortstop Abiatal Avelino, but Staten Island drew even in the bottom of the tenth as Castro drove in his third of the game with a sac fly to center.
Martin Jr dropped down a perfect bunt on the first pitch of the 11th resulting in a throwing error by Sandoval from third base. That allowed Matt McDermott to score, giving the Revs a 5-4 lead right away. Martin Jr was eventually thrown out attempting to steal third base, his first caught stealing after a Revs record 23 successful stolen base attempts to begin the year. With the bases empty and two outs, Washington took matters into his own hands by crushing a tape measure home run to right center that bounced into the Hudson River, giving York an insurance run and a 6-4 lead on his 16th of the season, tied for the league lead, and his third in the past two nights.
Sutera allowed a two-out RBI single to Alejandro De Aza and an infield single by Drew Maggi in the bottom of the 11th but struck out pinch hitter Nate Scantlin to finish off the thrilling win. Sutera (2-1) handled the final 4.1 innings out of the York bullpen to notch the victory.
York improves to 3-1 in extra innings (2-1 on the road) while playing their third 11-inning game in the past seven contests.
It is York’s third straight win after dropping the opening game of their current road trip, as they improve to 17-8 on the road this season. The three-game division lead matches a season best while the 28-17 record is a franchise best through 45 games. The win was also Rick Forney’s 99th as manager of the Revs.
York will go for a fourth straight win on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and FloBaseball.TV beginning at 6:10 p.m.
High Point 2, Lancaster 0
LANCASTER, Pa. – High Point’s Connor Owings hit a two-run homer in the second inning and that was all the Rockers’ pitching staff needed in taking a 2-0 win from the Lancaster Stormers in the series opener at Clipper Magazine Stadium on Friday night.
Owings’ homer followed a bloop single by Ryan Grotjohn off Lancaster starter Noah Bremer (L, 4-2).
High Point starter Neil Ramirez (W, 2-2) was spectacular, holding Lancaster to just one hit through six innings while not allowing a walk and striking out five. The lone hit was a bunt single by the Stormers’ Jack Conley in the third. After stealing second, Conley was stranded when Ramirez induced fly outs from Kyle Kasser and Shawon Dunston, Jr.
Austin Ross allowed a triple to Lancaster’s Chris Proctor in the seventh but then retired Gaige Howard on a ground ball to short to escape the threat. Garrett Schilling pitched around a single by Conley to keep the Stormers scoreless through eight.
Trace Loehr beat out a single to the hole at short with one out in the ninth off closer Jameson McGrane (S, 8). McGrane then fanned Joseph Carpenter for the second out and popped up Proctor but a miscommunication allowed the ball to fall untouched in the infield as Carpenter moved to third and Proctor took second. Gaige Howard then bounced out to Owings at third to put the finishing touch on the Rockers win.
The win moves the Rockers to 29-16 on the season.
Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday night at 6:45 p.m. at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
NOTES: The game last just 2:03, the fastest nine-inning game of the season for the Rockers . . . Neither pitching staff issued a walk in the game while striking out a combined 17 hitters.
Gastonia was beating Lexington 6-3 in the seventh inning at Lexington . . . A Gastonia loss would pull the Rockers to within one game of first in the South Division . . . A Gastonia win would keep the Rockers two games behind with 18 games left in the first half.
Long Island at Hagerstown (Suspended)
(Hagerstown, Md., June 14, 2024) – Friday’s (June 14) game between the Long Island Ducks and the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars at Meritus Park has been suspended due to inclement weather in the bottom half of the fifth inning.
The game will resume at 4:30 P.M. on Saturday, June 15, with a runner at first base and nobody out and Long Island leading by the score of 5-2. The regularly scheduled game will follow approximately 30 minutes after the completion of the suspended game and will be a seven-inning contest. Fans can follow all the action for both games live on FloBaseball by CLICKING HERE.
Long Island returns home on Tuesday, June 18, to begin a three-game series against the Staten Island FerryHawks. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Foam Fingers, courtesy of Drake’s Cakes. It’s also a Francesco’s Trattoria Tuesday and a Triple Play Tuesday at the ballpark. Tickets for the game, and all Ducks games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.
The Ducks are in their 24th season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, N.Y. They are the all-time leader in wins and attendance in Atlantic League history, led all MLB Partner Leagues in attendance in 2023, and have sold out a record 707 games all-time. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825).
Lexington 8, Gastonia 6
Lexington, KY – June 14, 2024 – The Lexington Legends mounted a dramatic ninth-inning comeback to edge out the Gastonia Baseball Club 8-6 in a thrilling game on a warm, cloudy evening at the ballpark. The game featured explosive hitting, strategic base-running, and crucial pitching decisions that kept the fans on the edge of their seats until the final out.
Gastonia struck first in the opening inning when center fielder Josh Stowers drove in the game’s first run, setting the tone for a competitive match. Lexington quickly responded in the bottom of the second with two runs, courtesy of shortstop Gabe Howell who brought in two with a clutch single.
The fourth inning saw a burst of offense from both teams. Gastonia reclaimed the lead with a two-run inning highlighted by a double from designated hitter Dean Miller that drove in two runs. Lexington’s Jesus Tavarez answered back with a solo home run, his third of the season, narrowing the gap.
Gastonia extended their lead to 6-3 by the top of the seventh inning with contributions from second baseman Justin Wylie who hit a solo homer, and first baseman Marc Flores who added his first home run of the season. Meanwhile, Gastonia’s reliever Nate Peden effectively shut down the Lexington offense through the sixth and seventh innings, maintaining the lead.
The game took a dramatic turn in the bottom of the ninth. Gastonia’s reliever Steffon Moore, who had been solid throughout his appearance, struggled to find the strike zone, walking three batters. Cory Thompson was brought in to close but immediately gave up a walk-off grand slam to Lexington’s left fielder Korry Howell, his first of the season, sealing the victory for the Legends.
The Lexington Legends’ thrilling late-game comeback showcased their resilience and ability to capitalize on opportunities. As both teams continue their seasons, Gastonia will look to rebound from this tough loss while Lexington aims to build on this momentum.
With a turnout of 2,522 fans braving the humid, cloudy weather, the game provided a memorable evening of baseball excitement.
Charleston 7, Southern Maryland 5
Waldorf, MD – June 14, 2024\ – In a thrilling extra-inning contest, the Charleston Dirty Birds emerged victorious against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, securing a 7-5 win. The game, marked by strategic plays and resilient pitching, kept fans at the edge of their seats until the decisive tenth inning.
Charleston quickly got on the board in the first inning with an RBI double by left fielder Clint Frazier who had a stellar night at the plate, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Southern Maryland responded in the second inning with two runs of their own, leveling the score.
The Dirty Birds continued to apply pressure, scoring two more runs in the third inning. A single from shortstop Gabriel Cancel and a solo homer from second baseman Tillman Pugh extended Charleston’s lead to 4-2. However, Southern Maryland kept the game close, narrowing the gap to one run by the fifth inning thanks to designated hitter Josh Broughton’s RBI single.
The Blue Crabs tied the game in the seventh inning. An RBI single from catcher Caleb Marquez brought the score to 4-4. Both teams’ bullpens held strong through the late innings, forcing the game into extras.
In the top of the tenth inning, Charleston seized control. A combination of timely hitting and aggressive base-running led to three crucial runs. First baseman Keon Barnum’s single brought in the first run of the inning, followed by productive at-bats from center fielder Jared Carr and an RBI single from Pugh.
Southern Maryland attempted a comeback in the bottom of the tenth but managed only one run off reliever Edison Suriel
With the victory, the Charleston Dirty Birds improved their standing, showcasing a blend of offensive prowess and bullpen resilience. The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, despite their strong effort, were unable to clinch the win but displayed commendable tenacity throughout the game.
The exciting match, attended by 3,448 fans, was played under partly cloudy skies with a temperature of 90 degrees, making for a memorable evening of baseball in Waldorf.