Biggest Ninth Inning in Revs History Caps Stunning Comeback
May 31, 2016 - Atlantic League (AtL)
York Revolution News Release
(Bridgeport, Ct.) - The first place York Revolution pulled off one of the most improbable comeback wins in franchise history, erupting for seven runs in the top of the ninth inning, stealing a 9-7 victory over the Bridgeport Bluefish on Tuesday night at Harbor Yard. The Revs (24-15) maintain their two-game lead in the Freedom Division, having won seven of their last eight games including three straight.
Down 7-2 and facing their final two outs, the epic comeback started innocently enough as Alfredo Marte (2-for-5) ripped a single to left. Michael Rockett (3-for-5) followed with a single to center, tying a season-high with his third hit. Joel Guzman then fought off a bloop single to shallow right to load the bases. Charley Thurber took a walk to force in a run, chasing reliever David Anderson and bringing the tying run to the plate. Keith Castillo greeted closer Eric Niesen with a two-run single up the middle on the first pitch, suddenly bringing York within 7-5. Andres Perez followed with a chopper into left for an RBI single on the very next pitch, closing within 7-6. Potentially needing just a base hit to erase the once five-run deficit, Bryan Pounds finished the comeback on one swing, crushing a 3-2 pitch down the line in left for a dramatic three-run homer, giving the Revs a stunning 9-7 lead.
Mike DeMark slammed the door with a dominant ninth on a weak groundout and a pair of strikeouts for his league-leading 13th save.
The five-run deficit is the largest the Revs have ever erased to win a game in the ninth inning or later, while the seven-run ninth is the biggest in team history.
The Revs trailed all night as Bridgeport jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. A Jose Cuevas sac fly preceded an RBI double from Luis Rodriguez and a two-run single by Jonathan Galvez that put York in the early hole.
Marte launched a two-run homer to left with two outs in the third, his first with York, slicing the early deficit in half at 4-2.
York starter James Simmons was outstanding from the second through the fifth, but was touched up in his final two innings as Bridgeport scored insurance runs on a Rossmel Perez sac fly in the sixth, and RBI singles by Cuevas and Rodriguez in the seventh, building their 7-2 advantage. Simmons was charged with seven runs in a season-high-tying seven innings, just the second time in seven starts he has not logged a quality start.
Beau Vaughan (1-1) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning out of the York bullpen.
Niesen (0-2) absorbed the loss for Bridgeport. Bluefish starter Jimmy Patterson took a no-decision, giving up just two runs in six innings.
Notes: York's previous biggest ninth inning comeback was a four-run deficit, turned into an 8-7 win at home vs. Somerset on May 4, 2011. The previous largest ninth inning in club history was six runs, occurring three times (most recently August 21, 2015 in a 12-9 loss vs. Somerset). The seven-run inning is the biggest inning of the season for the Revs. The Revs have 11 comeback victories on the season, including comeback wins from down seven runs and five runs in the last seven days. The Revs are a season-high nine games over .500. York improves to 5-0 vs. Bridgeport this season. York's 24 wins matches the club's total from the entire first half last season. At 24-15, it marks the best record in Revolution history through 39 games played. At 19-10, the Revs complete the winningest month of May in franchise history. With Marte's home run, 13 different Revolution batters have gone yard this season. Guzman's ninth inning single extended his hitting streak to eight games. Josh Wilson (1-for-5) also extended a hitting streak to eight games. Telvin Nash (0-for-2, two walks) lost a season-high 10-game hitting streak. Perez' ninth inning single increased his Revs career record for total bases to 800; he had notched his record 500th hit all-time with York and 1,000th professional hit over the previous two games, respectively. York righty Tony Pena (3-0, 3.57) faces Bridgeport right-hander Dan Johnson (0-1, 8.00) on Wednesday night with first pitch at 7:12 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350, woyk1350.com, and on the WOYK mobile app beginning at 6:50 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
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