Revs Mateo Beats ‘Stormers, 3-1
Victor Mateo became one of the few opposing pitchers to have success against the Lancaster Barnstormers at Clipper Magazine Stadium this season, dealing a four-hitter for seven innings to pitch the York Revolution to a 3-1 victory in the second game of a four-game series.
Combined with a 7-2 Southern Maryland win over New Britain, the loss shaved the Barnstormers’ divisional lead back to just two games.
Mateo (1-4) did not allow a runner beyond first base over the first four innings, holding the Barnstormers to two singles. The right-hander issued his only two walks of the night in the fifth but got Anderson De La Rosa to ground into a force out ending the inning. Caleb Gindl belted a two-out double to left in the sixth, and, finally, the Barnstormers were able to produce a run when Sean Halton launched a leadoff homer in the seventh.
York’s defense also helped out Mateo, who only struck out two. Second baseman Alexi Casilla made a brilliant play with a shovel toss out of the glove on a leadoff bunt by speedy Darian Sandford in the sixth. Travis Witherspoon cut down K.C. Hobson at second base in the second inning.
Mateo finished the night with two walks and only two strikeouts.
York, meanwhile, rapped out 12 hits in the first five-plus innings but failed to break the game open. A two-out double barely fair inside the left field line by Derrick Robinson triggered the offense in the second inning. Luis Cruz followed with a single to left, and Casilla got the run home with a base hit up the middle.
The Revs would score again off Brad Bergesen (3-3) in the third as Angel Franco doubled to left center, took third on a single to right by Witherspoon and scored when a Michael Burgess grounder found its way just beyond the outstretched glove of Rico Noel.
A single by Casilla, double by Jared Mitchell and groundout by Alonzo Harris in the fourth built a 3-0 lead for the Revolution.
The Barnstormers were able to build a threat off lefty reliever Chase Hutchingson in the ninth. Gindl led off with a single off the right field wall, and Sean Halton walked with one out. Pinch hitter Garrett Weber worked ahead in the count, 3-1, but Hutchingson coaxed a full count double play grounder to end the game for his first save.
Lancaster hosts York at 2:00 Sunday afternoon. Nate Reed (0-1) will make the start for the Barnstormers against Revs right-hander Curtis Partch (1-3). Fans may tune into the Blue Ridge Cable 11 telecast on the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning with the first pitch.
NOTES: Prior to Saturday night, the ‘Stormers had averaged 6.7 runs per game and were hitting .317 as a club at home…Gindl had three of the five Lancaster hits…The five hits and one run were seasons lows at home…Lancaster’s three relievers fanned seven of the nine York batters over the final three innings…Lancaster is expected to sign right-hander Pate Andrelczyk, a Lancaster native and three-year member of the ‘Stormers bullpen for the game Sunday afternoon to take the roster spot left vacant when the contract of right-hander Elih Villanueva was purchased by the Boston Red Sox.