York 6, Lancaster 5
(July 23, 2024 – Lancaster, Pa.): The York Revolution continued their domination of the War of the Roses on Tuesday night, winning their eighth consecutive matchup with the Lancaster Stormers in a seesaw battle, coming out on top 6-5 in the end at Clipper Magazine Stadium. Matt McDermott’s ninth inning home run was the difference as the Revs snapped Lancaster’s eight game win streak in the process.
Lancaster starter Noah Bremer struck out the side in order in the first inning and retired the first six Revs on the night.
York finally dinged Bremer in the third as Alfredo Reyes hit one over the short porch in right field for a solo shot to lead off the inning, giving the Revs a 1-0 lead.
Rudy Martin Jr led off the fourth inning with a bunt single and moved to third when Donovan Casey ripped a base hit through the left side, extending his on-base streak to 35 games, tying Jackie Bradley Jr for the longest in the Atlantic League this season. But with two runners in scoring position and nobody out, York was unable to come through as Bremer got a strikeout, flyout, and popout to strand the runners.
Ethan Lindow had settled in for York, retiring eight straight hitters before Damon Dues dropped a two out bloop single into shallow left field to extend the fifth. The bloop was followed by a blast as Isan Diaz ripped a two-run homer to right center field to put the Stormers up 2-1.
McDermott led off the sixth with an infield single, eventually getting to third base with one out. Once again, however, York was not able to cash in on the opportunity.
Alex Valverde pitched a scoreless inning in relief, his fourth consecutive scoreless outing and seventh in his last eight appearances.
York finally got Bremer out of the game in the seventh when Jacob Rhinesmith singled and Reyes walked with one out. Steffon Moore replaced him and Alexis Pantoja greeted the lefty with a bloop single to center field to plate Rhinesmith and tie the game at 2-2.
Chris Proctor put the Stormers back in front right away in the bottom of the seventh, leading off the inning with a solo homer to right center against Denny Bentley for a 3-2 lead. Lancaster put two more in scoring position with two outs before Bentley got a popout to end the inning without further damage.
Moore retired Martin Jr to lead off the York half of the eighth and Lancaster once again went to the bullpen, bringing in right hander Kyle Johnson. Casey greeted him with a 465-foot solo blast to left center field, tying the game back up at 3-3. Zander Wiel walked and Rhinesmith singled to left with two outs, advancing to second on the throw as Wiel aggressively went first-to-third. That set up Reyes who came up huge, grounding a two-run single through the right side to put York in front again, 5-3.
Gaige Howard led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single to left off Aaron Holiday and moved to third on a throwing error by McDermott. After Shawon Dunston Jr brought the Stormers within a run on a ground out, Proctor doubled home a run to tie the game at 5-5. Holiday picked off Proctor at second to end the inning and keep the game tied after allowing his first two runs in 11 outings since joining York.
Lancaster went to Phil Diehl in the ninth and the lefty got the first two hitters on soft comebackers. That brought up McDermott who drove a go-ahead solo home run to right center field that just cleared over the glove of a leaping Niko Hulsizer and clanged off the fencing, putting York up 6-5 in dramatic fashion.
Matt Turner walked Dues to lead off the bottom of the ninth but retired the next three including consecutive strikeouts of Hulsizer and Mason Martin to end it, earning his ninth save of the season.
York locked down the series opening win and will go for a series win on Wednesday, sending Aaron Fletcher to the mound against Oscar De La Cruz at 6:45 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 6:25 p.m.
Notes: The Revs improve to 12-1 in the season series including a 6-1 mark in Lancaster. York has now won eight straight against Lancaster, a new record for the War of the Roses series. It is the third time in franchise history they have won eight consecutive games against a single opponent, doing so vs Bridgeport in 2011 and Camden in 2014. Casey extended his on-base streak to 35 games with a fourth inning single, moving solely into third place for the longest streak in franchise history. It also ties the longest streak in the league this season, alongside Long Island’s Jackie Bradley Jr. Holiday lost his streak of 10 consecutive scoreless outings to begin a Revs career, falling two outings shy of the franchise record of 12 by Scott Rice in 2011. York moves to 18-8 in series openers and 14-6 in one run games.
Long Island 5, Staten Island 0
(Staten Island, N.Y., July 23, 2024) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Staten Island FerryHawks 5-0 on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at Staten Island University Community Park.
The Ducks took a 1-0 advantage in the top half of the fifth inning by way of a two-out, solo home run to left field off the bat of JC Encarnacion versus FerryHawks starting pitcher Taylor Lepard. Long Island sent eight batters to the plate in the eighth frame and scored four more times to grab a 5-0 cushion, highlighted by RBI base knocks from Kole Kaler and Ivan Castillo and a two-run double to right centerfield off the bat of Ryan McBroom.
The story of the ballgame was Long Island starter Jimmy Robbins as the Flock southpaw stymied the FerryHawks offense all evening long en route to a dominant performance on the mound. The bullpen duo of Nick Tropeano and Rolando Casihis (making his Ducks debut) did the rest as Long Island tossed their second shutout of the season, both coming on the road, with the former being a 2-0 triumph over the Lancaster Stormers on July 12th in the opening game of a three-game weekend set at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
Robbins (6-3) won for the fifth time in his last six starts as the southpaw fired six scoreless innings on just three hits allowed, walking two and striking out a season-high nine batters as he defeated the Staten Island for the second time in as many starts over the last seven days at their home ballpark. Lepard (0-7) was tagged with the loss, allowing one run on three hits (one home run) in five innings pitched, walking one while striking out four.
Encarnacion led the way offensively with three hits, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.
The Ducks and FerryHawks continue their three-game set on Wednesday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. Fans can follow all the action live on FloBaseball by CLICKING HERE. Right-hander Daniel Corcino (4-5, 4.84) toes the rubber for the Ducks against FerryHawks righty Christian Capuano (8-3, 4.40).
Long Island returns home on Friday, July 26 to begin a three-game series against the Lancaster Stormers. 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). It’s a Tap Room Friday, and as fans exit the ballpark, Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons for 20% off your entire check (dine-in) and 50% off your first online or mobile app order from Tap Room. 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.
Lexington 8, Charleston 5
Charleston, WV– July 23, 2024 – The Lexington Legends overcame a 5-1 deficit in the top of the ninth inning to secure an exhilarating 8-5 victory over the Charleston Dirty Birds at GoMart Ballpark in West Virginia on Tuesday Night.
The Legends’ bullpen was brilliant, holding the Dirty Birds scoreless over the final five innings without allowing an earned run. Jett Lodes, earned his first professional win with a scoreless eighth inning. Jesse Remington and John LaRossa combined for 3.1 innings of relief, three strikeouts and only allowing one hit. Legends closer Nick Gardewine collected his third save of the season with a scoreless frame.
Lexington opened the scoring early with an RBI double by Pedro Gonzalez in the first inning. Charleston would score three runs in the third and two in the fourth to go up 5-1 until a 7 run inning by the Legends in the ninth.
The comeback was ignited by Matt Bottcher, extending his hitting streak with a leadoff double in the ninth, followed by JT Riddle’s RBI single. Mikey Reynolds’ bases-loaded walk brought the Legends within two runs, setting the stage for Korry Howell’s game-tying three-run triple on the first pitch of his at-bat. Brady Whalen then delivered a crucial RBI single, and Bottcher capped off the scoring with an RBI single of his own.
The Legends will look to win the series against the Dirty Birds tomorrow in the middle game of a three-game set. Lexington will return home on Friday, July 26 against the Staten Island FerryHawks for the beginning of a six game homestand.
Gastonia 4, High Point 1
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Gastonia Baseball Club scored three runs in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and would go on to defeat the High Point Rockers 4-1 on Tuesday night at Truist Point.
Gastonia struck first with a lead-off solo homer from Jake Gatwood in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead.
In the third inning Gastonia starter Gunnar Kines allowed a single and a pair of walks to load the bases but the Rockers could not capitalize, leaving all three runners stranded.
High Point responded in the fourth frame when Evan Edwards smacked a solo homer to tie the game 1-1. It was Edwards 10th home run of the season.
Gastonia scored three runs in the sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead. Richie Martin was hit by a pitch from Jacob Edwards (L, 6-2) and stole second before moving to third on an infield groundout by Marc Flores. A walk to Gatewood put runners on the corners before Justin Wylie singled to give Gastonia a 2-1 lead. With two aboard, Clint Coulter hit a fly ball to center that High Point’s Ben Aklinski lost in the lights. The ball fell in for a two-run double and a 4-1 Gastonia advantage.
Five Gastonia pitchers held the Rockers to just four hits in the game, two from Edwards including a sixth inning double. D.J. Burt was stranded after a single in the third and Connor Owings had a two-out single in the first.
Gastonia’s Brett Matthews (2-0) pitched two innings in relief of starter Gunnar Kines to earn the win. Gabe Klobosits (S, 7) set the Rockers down in order in the ninth to earn the save.
The Rockers are 10-6 in the second half and hold a one-game lead in the Atlantic League’s South Division race over Gastonia (9-5). Charleston (9-6) is tied for second as well.
The High Point Rockers face the Gastonia Baseball Club in game two of the three-game series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point.
NOTES: The Rockers turned a double play for the 10th consecutive game, a club record… Quincy Latimore was hitless on Tuesday and has 296 career hits as a Rocker… The Rockers are now 1-9 vs. Gastonia this year with 17 meetingS left in the second half.
Southern Maryland 7, Hagerstown 1