Lancaster Barnstormers (55-42, 18-16) @ York Revolution (53-42, 17-15)

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Sovereign Bank Stadium:  York, PA

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BARNSTORMERS SURVIVE THREE REVS COMEBACKS TO SNATCH COMMUNITY CUP

The Lancaster Barnstormers withstood three comebacks by the York Revolution on Thursday night, and won the Community Cup with an 11-9 victory in front of 4,011 fans at Sovereign Bank Stadium in York.  Lancaster wins the season series, 10-8, while the Revs will continue their homestand on Friday night against the Road Warriors.

The Revs came back from down multiple runs three times to tie but could never take the lead.  The first comeback came in the very first inning when Lancaster plated four, only to see the Revs rack up four of their own to even things up.

The first four Barnstormers all hit safely and scored, as Gilberto Mejia led off the game with a triple to right and scored on a double to left-center by Wayne Lydon.  Tommy Everidge followed with an RBI single to left-center, and Iggy Suarez later drove in two more with a two-out double to right-center.  Revs starter Matt DeSalvo lasted just the first inning.

The Revs answered quickly as Scott Grimes and Bryant Nelson reached on singles, and Ramon Castro launched a three-run homerun to left-center.  Chris Nowak slammed a solo homerun in the same direction with two outs in the inning, causing a very premature end to the night of Barnstormers starter Cesar Carrillo.

With both teams in their respective bullpens in the second inning, Everidge gave Lancaster a lead on an RBI double to center, and Fernando Seguignol increased that lead to 7-4 with a two-run single to left field in the fourth.

The Revs had another comeback in store, scoring three times in their half of the fourth on a two-run single to left-center by Nelson, and an RBI single to left-center from Castro to tie the proceedings at 7-7.

Everidge picked up his third and fourth RBI of the night with a single to left field in the fifth, again lifting Lancaster to a 9-7 lead.

The Revs had yet another answer when Vince Harrison singled home a run and Nowak later scored on a passed ball, quickly squaring the ledger at 9-9 at the end of five.

The offenses cooled from there, but it was missed opportunities for the York offense that may have proved the difference.  York stranded 10 runners and six in scoring position including four in scoring position from the fourth inning on with the game deadlocked each time.  The Revs drew eight walks but only one of those runners scored, and led off an inning four times on walks with none of those runners scoring.

Travis Metcalf hammered the first pitch in the top of the ninth inning over the Arch Nemesis for the eventual winning run, while Mejia drove in the insurance run on a two-out triple to right.

Mejia led Lancaster’s attack reaching base five of six times, going 3-for-4 with two triples and four runs scored.  He also saved a potential run on a backhanded play taking a hit away from Jose Herrera on a fielder’s choice with no outs in the eighth.

Castro reached base all five times for the Revs with a homer, single, three walks, and four RBI, one night after driving in three runs.  Grimes had two hits and two runs for the second consecutive night.

Notes: The Cup has been won by alternating teams each year since the series began in 2007; Lancaster has now won three times to York’s two. The Revs were attempting to become the first team to retain the hardware in back-to-back seasons. It marked the third time that the Cup was decided in the final contest, the first time since York claimed the trophy on the final day of the 2008 season. The Revs still lead the all-time series 49-47. York and Lancaster are now in a virtual tie for first place in the second half, both at two games above .500, with the edge going to York by percentage points, one game better in the loss column. At three hours and 48 minutes, it tied the longest nine-inning game of the season for the Revs. York will host the Road Warriors at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night with Lorenzo Barcelo making his Revs debut against righty Omar Javier (0-2, 6.94). It is AAA Show Your Card & Save Night, with Fireworks after the game presented by AAA and GametimePA.com. The night begins with a Hot Corner Happy Hour at 4:30 p.m.  Tickets are available at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Apple Chevrolet Ticket Office.