One Down, Five to Go: Revs Open Title Defense with Comeback Win
AtL York Revolution

One Down, Five to Go: Revs Open Title Defense with Comeback Win

Published on September 20, 2025 under Atlantic League (AtL)
York Revolution News Release


(York, Pa.): The defending and four-time Atlantic League champion York Revolution opened their title defense with a come-from-behind 6-2 victory over the Lancaster Stormers on Saturday night in front of 5,696 fans at WellSpan Park in Game One of the North Division Championship Series. York takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five showdown.

Down 2-0 and held to just one hit by Lancaster starter Noah Skirrow entering the bottom of the sixth, Kyle Martin pounded a leadoff double to the gap in right center to jumpstart the offense. After falling behind Ryan Higgins 3-0, Skirrow drilled the Revs' cleanup man squarely in the back to put two runners aboard before being lifted.

Billy Sullivan was first in out of the Lancaster bullpen and hit Shayne Fontana with a pitch to load the bases. Chris Williams worked a walk to force in Martin as the Revs were finally on the board, down 2-1. Sullivan salvaged an out with a strikeout before being replaced by Jackson Rees who jumped ahead of Elvis Peralta with two strikes, but plunked the Revs' designated hitter to force in the tying run. Jaylin Davis followed with a grounder toward the middle for a go-ahead RBI infield single as Lancaster shortstop Yeison Coca stumbled on the play with York taking a 3-2 lead. A wild pitch plated Williams to make it 4-2.

Lefty Phil Diehl entered with two outs and was immediately greeted by Jeremy Arocho who dropped down a perfect squeeze bunt with Peralta racing home for the fifth run. A passed ball by Lancaster catcher Joe Campagna scored Davis to cap the six-run inning, tied for the largest in Revs playoff history.

The Revs' bullpen was as good as advertised in protecting that lead. Nick Mikolajchak induced three fly outs in a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Brendan Cellucci overcame a double and a pair of walks, striking out Quincy Hamilton to leave the bases loaded in a scoreless eighth. Cam Robinson struck out two batters and retired Coca on a groundout to shortstop to end it, securing the save in front of the fourth largest playoff crowd in stadium history and the largest since 2016.

Revs starter Chris Vallimont was excellent, starting the opener in a playoff series for the third time in his two seasons with York, giving up just two runs on three hits in 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts and only two walks.

Vallimont retired his first four batters of the night, making it a combined 24 of 25 set down over his previous three outings.

Campagna provided the first hit on a one-out double down the left field line in the second and Hamilton fought his way on with a 13-pitch walk. Alex Isola chipped an RBI single into shallow center for the game's first run before Vallimont set down his next eight in-a-row.

Isola took a leadoff walk to start the fifth and after advancing on a pair of wild pitches, scored on Coca's sac fly to left as the Revs faced a 2-0 deficit.

Vallimont was lifted after a two-out infield single put runners at the corners in the sixth. Lefty reliever Jimmy Burnette (1-0) earned the victory, needing just one pitch to retire Hamilton on a grounder to short before the Revs put together their decisive rally.

Notes: The six-run sixth inning tied the biggest inning in Revs playoff history; York previously scored six times in one inning in Game One of the 2010 Division Series vs Somerset when they did so in the first inning of their first ever playoff victory, and they did it twice in their 19-4 victory in Game Two of last year's Championship Series in Charleston. York opens a playoff series at home for the first time since the 2017 Division Series vs Southern Maryland, a championship run that began eight years ago to the date. Saturday marked the 49th playoff game in Revs history as they improve to 28-21 all-time in playoff games, 15-9 at home. The Revs are now 10-4 all-time in playoff series openers, 5-1 at home. York improves to 16-20 all-time in Division Series games and 7-6 all-time against Lancaster in postseason play.

Up Next: The Revs will aim for a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series on Sunday as RHP Alex Valverde (1-2, 3.81) faces righty Noah Bremer (10-4, 5.60) with first pitch at 4pm. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.

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Atlantic League Stories from September 20, 2025


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