(September 27, 2024 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution are Atlantic League champions for the fourth time in franchise history as they completed the sweep of the Charleston Dirty Birds on a walk off by Jacob Rhinesmith, capping a dramatic ninth inning comeback with a 2-1 win on Friday night at WellSpan Park.
Down 1-0 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Zander Wiel ignited the game-winning rally with a one-out single to left. David Washington jumped on the first pitch and smoked an RBI double down the right field line, sending Wiel sprinting all the way home from first to tie the game at 1-1 while sending the home faithful into a frenzy.
Birds starter David Lebron was lifted for reliever Stevie Ledesma who was greeted by Alerick Soularie’s swinging bunt hit moving the winning run to third base. With the infield playing halfway in, Jacob Rhinesmith grounded the first pitch he saw toward second for a force, but legged out the attempted double play turn for the championship clinching RBI, setting off a wild celebration on the field as his teammates chased him all the way against the backstop where they mobbed the 2024 York Revolution Player of the Year, who added Playoff MVP honors as announced after the game.
One game after setting a league Championship Series record with 19 runs scored in Wednesday’s Game Two victory, the Revs were kept silent all night until their last at-bats.
York starter Jon Olsen plunked Charleston leadoff man Phillip Ervin with the first pitch of the game but erased him one batter later with a double play, settling into his own masterpiece in what turned out to be a no decision.
The Revs fell behind in the second inning as Jared Carr drove a solo homer to right field to open the scoring.
After being held hitless the first two innings, York started the third with a Rhinesmith single, and with two outs, Chase Dawson doubled down the left field line on a ball that clanged off the glove of Ervin on a backhand attempt. Rhinesmith was sent, attempting to score from first but was cut down at the plate in his bid to tie the game.
Carr reached again with a single in the fourth but was cut down by Revs catcher Roldani Baldwin on a stolen base attempt to end the inning, Baldwin’s fourth caught stealing of the postseason.
On just four pitches, the Revs got runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the fourth as four consecutive hitters went after the first pitch. Matt McDermott flared a leadoff single and Washington grounded a two-out knock, but Lebron punched out Soularie to strand both.
A two base error and infield pop fly that dropped put two runners on with one out as the Revs put together yet another threat in the fifth, but York once again stranded a pair, leaving a runner in scoring position for the third consecutive inning.
Olsen was hit by a line drive comebacker in the sixth inning but stayed in the game and struck out cleanup man Tillman Pugh for the third time on the night to end the inning, his seventh strikeout on the night overall.
After a leadoff single by Carr in the seventh inning, Olsen got one more out before being lifted for reliever Alex Valverde who retired the next two to strand Carr, who had stolen second base, in scoring position.
Dan Kubiuk and Matt Turner worked perfect frames in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, setting up the Revs for one last attempt at a rally in the ninth.
Facing the possibility of a complete game shutout, York finally broke up a stretch of 12 straight retired by Lebron with Wiel slashing his single to left field. Washington followed, tying the game with his double which chased Lebron. Soularie reached on an infield single, setting the stage for Rhinesmith to beat out the double play attempt, cementing the Revs as champions.
Notes: Rhinesmith went 11-for-24 with seven RBI in the postseason including a 6-for-13 mark with six RBI in the Championship Series. The championship is the fourth in Revs history, all decided in come-from-behind fashion in their final at-bat. It is the third championship clinched at home. It is the fourth walk-off winner to wrap up a championship in Atlantic League history and first since 2013. York improves to 12-1 all-time in Championship Series games, having won nine straight since 2011. Three of their four championships have been secured with sweeps. Turner finishes the postseason with a win and two saves. York was 3-1 when trailing after seven innings in the 2024 playoffs; they were 4-16 all-time in such situations in postseason play prior to this year. York went 6-1 on its 2024 postseason run with four of its six wins decided in the late innings. Their 6-1 mark tied the 2017 club for best overall record in a single postseason. Chase Dawson doubled in the third and led all Atlantic League hitters with four doubles in the playoffs. Soularie’s seven runs tied a Revs playoff record as did Rhinesmith’s seven walks and Baldwin’s eight RBI.