Staten Island 2-5, York 1-2
(September 1, 2024 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution saw their offensive struggles continue on Sunday, dropping both games of a doubleheader to the Staten Island FerryHawks, falling 2-1 in game one and 5-2 in game two. The Revs made history on the day, however, setting the league’s record for stolen bases in a single season.
Staten Island grabbed a quick lead in the opener as Luis Castro doubled with one out in the first and scored the game’s first run on a groundout by Pablo Sandoval.
A defensive highlight came in the second when catcher Roldani Baldwin, acquired via trade from Staten Island before the game, cut down a runner trying to steal second base to end the inning.
The Revs loaded the bases with nobody out against reliever John LaRossa in the fourth inning and tied the game when Alejandro Rivero grounded into a fielder’s choice to even things at 1-1. LaRossa bounced back in a big turning point, getting the next two hitters to ground out to keep the game tied.
Jackson Loftin put Staten Island up in the fifth with a single through the left side, and York was unable to answer back in the fifth or sixth innings.
Alfredo Reyes walked against Josh James to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning but was stranded in scoring position to end the game as York mustered just three hits as a team.
Game two did not start much better as Kolby Johnson drove a leadoff homer to right center field. It was Johnson’s second leadoff home run vs York with the other coming July 12 at Staten Island.
Loftin singled to lead off the third and moved up to second base on a foul out to right field. On the play, Alerick Soularie fell victim to an apparent injury in the corner and was forced to leave the game. Loftin stole third base and scored on a wild pitch. Later in the inning, Sandoval fouled off tough two-strike pitches from Revs starter Jon Olsen (10-3) and eventually drove home a run with a single, spotting Staten Island an early 3-0 cushion.
Matt McDermott knocked a one out single in the bottom of the third and stole second base for York’s 305th steal as a team on the season.
Rudy Martin Jr doubled home McDermott on a liner down the right field line to put York on the board and proceeded to steal third base for a league record number 306, as York broke the previous mark set by Gastonia in 2022.
David Washington drove home Martin Jr with a double down the right field line of his own, bringing York within a run at 3-2.
Staten Island rookie catcher David Melfi got those two runs back with his first professional home run on a two-out, two-run shot to right center field to push the FerryHawks lead to 5-2.
FerryHawks starter Nate Roe limited York to one run over five innings for the win. 2023 Rev lefty JP Woodward continued his success against his former club, working around a two-out walk to complete a scoreless sixth while Robbie Baker capped off the game with a perfect seventh inning, handing York a doubleheader sweep with a 5-2 loss.
Oliver Garcia, Tom Sutera, and Jason Hughes all chucked scoreless innings out of the Revs bullpen.
York wraps up the homestand Monday at 2 p.m. with RHP Chris Vallimont facing Staten Island lefty Christian Allegretti. Promos include Labor Day Matinee, Sheetz Customer Appreciation Day, Kids Takeover, and WellSpan Sports Medicine Silver Sluggers. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
Notes: York stole six bases in the opener and three more in the second game. McDermott’s record-tying steal was his 54th as he ranks second in the league behind Martin Jr who secured his 73rd, sixth most in league history and one shy of moving into the top five.
High Point 0-2, Charleston 3-1
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The High Point Rockers and Charleston Dirty Birds split a doubleheader on Sunday at GoMart Park. Charleston took the opener 3-0 while the Rockers claimed the nightcap, 2-1.
The split on Sunday, and the weekend split of the four-game series, leaves the Rockers four games back of Charleston in the race for the Atlantic League’s South Division second half title with 12 games remaining. The Rockers (30-21) will start a six-game home series with Lexington on Tuesday. Charleston (34-17) will visit Hagerstown for a three-game series Tuesday through Thursday.
The twinbill was the tale of outstanding pitching performances on each side. Charleston’s Keyvius Sampson limited the Rockers to one hit over his six innings of work as the Dirty Birds won the opener 3-0. In the nightcap, High Point’s Stephen Ridings, Dakota Chalmers and Jameson McGrane held Charleston to just three hits in the 2-1 victory.
Game 1:
Charleston starter Keyvius Sampson limited the Rockers to three base runners and one hit in a 3-0 win. Sampson (W, 4-0) allowed a lead-off walk to Connor Owings in the fifth, a walk to Gilberto Jimenez and a single to D.J. Burt in the sixth and a seventh inning single to Ben Aklinski which led to a game-ending double play.
Charleston only managed four hits off High Point starter Jonah Scolaro (L, 5-3) but they were effective. A double and a walk to start the fourth led to a two-run double from Angelo Castellano and a 2-0 Charleston lead. When High Point attempted a failed pickoff at second of Castellanos, he moved to third and scored on a sacrifice fly from Matt Hibbert.
Scolaro walked three and struck out four in his 3.2 innings of work. Sampson walked two and fanned six over six innings with Pedro Garcia picking up the save.
Game 2
Martin Figueroa started the Rockers on the right foot in the first inning of the nightcap, reaching on a one out single. After moving to second on a Ryan Grotjohn ground out, Owings delivered an RBI single to right to give High Point a 1-0 lead.
The lead grew to 2-0 in the second when, with two outs, Frank Nigro and Burt received consecutive walks. Gilberto Jimenez then singled to right to score Nigro and move Burt to third.
Charleston got on the board in the fourth when Jared Carr walked, stole second and third and scored on a grounder to third by Angelo Castellano.
High Point starter Stephen Ridings went four innings, allowed two hits and one run while walking three and striking out three. Charleston starter David Lebron (L, 7-7) yielded High Point’s two runs on four hits and four walks over four innings. Dakota Chalmers (W, 2-3) pitched around a hit and a walk to shutout the ‘Birds over the fifth and sixth innings with McGrane coming on to retire the side in order in the seventh to earn his 11th save of the season.
The Rockers start their final homestand of the season on Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. The Lexington Legends will visit for a rare six-game series. Tuesday will be Two-For-Tuesday with half price specials on food and beverages. It will also be Senior Citizens Night with all Rockers fans age 60 and up receiving free admission with proper ID at the Rockers Box Office.
Lancaster 13, Long Island 3
It has been a trend the entire season. Long Island wins the close ones; Lancaster takes the routs.
After a pair of heartbreaking losses to the Ducks at Fairfield Properties Ballpark, the Stormers again jumped out to a big early lead and continued to roll to a 13-3 win on Sunday afternoon.
Lancaster’s division lead grew back to four games over both Long Island and York, pending the outcome of the second game of York’s doubleheader with Staten Island.
Gaige Howard led a 15-hit attack with four hits, including two doubles and a triple. Joseph Carpenter had three hits and three RBI, while Damon Dues collected three hits and scored three times.
Carpenter’s one-out solo homer to left in the second gave the Stormers a 3-2 lead, and the club did not look back. Howard doubled to open the third, stole second and scored on a throwing error. Isan Diaz followed with an opposite field homer for a 5-2 lead, then Niko Hulsizer walked, took off for second and raced to third as the pitch escaped catcher Alan Marrero. He scored on a Carpenter base hit into left field.
Yonny Hernandez was thrown out at home by Howard in the bottom of the third, and the Stormers piled on five more runs in the top of the fourth. Dues and Howard produced consecutive triples, and Diaz singled home one more for an 8-2 edge. Diaz would score on a grounder by Joe Stewart. Hulsizer strode home with run number 10 on a wild pitch, and a “Baltimore Chop” single by Carpenter stretched the lead to 11-2.
Max Green (11-5) yielded six hits and five walks over five innings but got the outs when he needed them, including retiring JC Encarnacion, who had homered in the first, on a pop up with the bases loaded for the final out in the fourth.
Adam Wibert pitched four hitless innings to wrap up the contest and earn his first Atlantic League save.
Matt Swarmer (5-2) will make the start for the Stormers on Labor Day afternoon against spot starter David Griffin (1-0). Fans may tune into the game on FloBaseball at 1:30.
NOTES: Howard had four hits in a game for the fourth time this season and boosted his average to .334…Dues went 3-for-5 and is now hitting .340…For the first time in the last six meetings between the two clubs, Mason Martin did not homer…Green picked up his fourth win against the Ducks…Long Island leads the season series, 14-12, but the Stormers have a 57-run advantage.
Southern Maryland 15, Lexington 8
Hagerstown at Gastonia, Postponed