Early Surge Leads York Over Stormers

For the second straight night, the York Revolution went to the long ball as Zach Wilson pounded a three-run homer in the bottom of the first in a 9-4 victory over the Lancaster Barnstormers at People’s Bank Park Friday evening.

Wilson’s homer was part of a five-run inning.  After the Barnstormers scored in the top of the inning on a two-out RBI single by Ryan Casteel, Jonathan Albaladejo (0-1) allowed consecutive singles to Jared Mitchell, Alexi Casilla and Jose Cuevas producing the first York run.  Albaladejo recovered to strike out Michael Burgess looking, but Wilson drove a pitch over the 37-foot wall in left for a 4-0 lead.  Rubi Silva followed with an opposite field drive high off the wall, reaching second on a double.  He would score on a two-out roller inside the first base bag by Luis Cruz.

York would score again in the second on a wild pitch.  The Revs put three more on the board in the third, built around a Travis Witherspoon double.

From there, the York offense stalled, picking up only one baserunner in the last five innings off a stingy Barnstormers bullpen.

Lancaster spent the rest of the evening trying to claw back from the 9-1 deficit.  The offense produced 13 hits and drew four walks, and stole four bases.  In all that, there were only two RBI hits.  Casteel had the RBI single in the first, and Keenyn Walker grounded a double up the middle in the eighth that scored Vladimir Frias from second.  The other two runs scored on RBI grounders by Darian Sandford and Tyler Bortnick in the fourth, the latter of which plated Rico Noel from second base.

Overall, the Barnstormers left 12 runners aboard and had Trayvon Robinson nabbed at third on a double steal attempt in the third inning.

Jake Ezell (1-0) threw two scoreless innings for York, allowing one hit, to earn the win.

Nate Reed will make the start for the ‘Stormers in the third game of the series Saturday.  He will be opposed by York right-hander Mitch Atkins.  Fans may tune into the YouTube webcast beginning at 6:15 PM.