Long Island (69-39, 29-16) @ York Revolution (62-44, 26-17)

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Sovereign Bank Stadium:  York, PA

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REVS OUTSLUG DUCKS AND WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT

The York Revolution pounded out 21 hits and received four-hit games from Bryant Nelson, James Shanks, and Vince Harrison in beating the Long Island Ducks 14-9 at Sovereign Bank Stadium on Wednesday night.  The Revs have won five consecutive games, and a club record nine consecutive home games.  York is now 18 games above the .500 mark for the first time in team history, and maintains a five-game lead for first place with 20 games remaining in the regular season.

York erupted for a five-run first inning against Ducks starter Ruddy Lugo, the second time this season they’ve plated five in the first, both times at Lugo’s expense.  After Scott Grimes scored his league-leading 87^th run on a wild pitch, Ramon Castro drove an RBI single to right field for his 500^th hit in the Atlantic League.  Harrison later ripped an RBI single up the middle, and Octavio Martinez drove in two runs with a ground single to center to cap the rally.

The Revs plated four more runs in the second, as the first four batters all came away with hits and scored against Lugo (5-4) who was charged with nine runs on nine hits for the night.  Jose Herrera smacked an RBI single to left, and Chris Nowak chased Lugo with a two-run double down the left field line.  James Shanks greeted reliever Chris McCoy with an RBI double to left-center extending the lead to 9-0.

Revs starter Dumas Garcia was sharp early on keeping the Ducks off the board through the first three innings.  Long Island struck for three runs in the fourth, however, to get on the board.  Lew Ford drove in the first run on a bloop single to left, Kraig Binick plated another run on a fielder’s choice, and Freddie Thon yanked an RBI single into right field cutting York’s lead to 9-3.

The Revs responded with a pair of runs in their half of the fourth as Harrison drove in a run with a single to center, and Martinez picked up his season-best third RBI on a fielder’s choice.

Long Island received a sac fly from Matt Esquivel in the top of the fifth, but Garcia (2-2) stranded the bases loaded to finish five innings and earn the win.  He was charged with four runs and struck out a season-high seven.

Harrison drilled a two-run double to the gap in right-center in the bottom of the fifth extending York’s lead to 13-4.

Javier Colina led off the seventh with a homerun to left field, but the Revs answered that run on an RBI single to right by Eric Eymann in the bottom half.

Long Island made the score look more respectable with four runs in the ninth.  Ray Navarrete clubbed a solo homerun to left field for the first run, before Matt Padgett drove in two on a triple to center and Binick blooped an RBI single to right-center.

Notes: York’s 21 hits is the Revs’ second-highest total of the season, one shy of their 22 hits recorded at Long Island on June 30.  The Revs’ 14 runs are their most of the second half.  The Revs finish the month of August 16-10; at six games over .500, it’s their best month of the 2011 season (went five games above .500 in each of the previous two months).  The Revs are now 39-21 at home on the season.  York will go for a fifth consecutive win on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. with newly acquired right-hander Nick Schumacher making his Revs debut, against Ducks lefty Dave Williams (1-2, 3.60).  Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with the first 1,000 fans receiving a Dale E. Anstine Revolution T-Shirt Giveaway.  It’s also Union Night at Sovereign Bank Stadium.  Tickets are available at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS and in-person at the Apple Chevrolet Ticket Office.