Patriots Held In Check By Revs Bullpen

By Atlantic League Independent Wire Services on June 3, 2010

York, PA – The Somerset Patriots muscled one hit in the final five innings at the plate and the York Revolution homered their way to a lead and a 7-3 victory at Sovereign Bank Stadium on Wednesday night in the third game of a home-and-home four game set.

The Patriots were the ones out in front early after a Noah Hall two-run double in the first and a Michael Hernandez solo home run in the second off of Bob Zimmerman. But a pair of two-out, two-run homers from Scott Grimes in the third and John Pachot in the fourth off of Patriot starter Jason Monti gave the Revolution a 4-3 lead. Monti (1-3) had breezed through the first two innings with a pair of double play balls but was in line for the loss after four. Monti finished 6.0 innings, walked a season-high four batters, and was charged with four earned runs, equaling the total he had allowed in his previous four starts.
Zimmerman (4-0) pitched 5.1 innings and struggled with control, issuing five free passes and allowing seven hits after four innings. But the Patriot offense sputtered the rest of the way as Somerset mustered one hit and just four baserunners the rest of the game. The York bullpen was spotless for the third straight game with 3.2 frames of shutout relief.
The Patriots biggest opportunity late in the game came in the eighth with Elliott Ayala at first and Jason Belcher, representing the tying run at third with two out against Matt Riley. Wayne Lydon swung at the first pitch, chopping it back up the middle. What seemed to be equalizing base hit turned into a sparkling defensive play by shortstop Chuck Jeroloman, diving behind the second-base bag, snaring the grounder in his glove and flipping to second to force out Ayala, ending the threat. The Revolution added three big insurance runs in the eighth off of Ben Grezlovski to seal the deal.

The Patriots (21-16) and Revolution (22-17) are now tied for first place in the Freedom Division with the top spot on the line Thursday morning. Mike Thompson (2-1, 2.89) and Derell McCall (2-1, 1.91) get the ball in the finale of a four-game set with coverage picking up at 10:55 am on WCTC-AM and online at www.wctcam.com and www.somersetpatriots.com.

NOTES: The Patriots left 10 men on base and went 2-9 with runners in scoring position…the Patriots have notched just three hits and one run in the series against York relievers who have worked 10.2 innings…Grezlovski had allowed just two runs in 10.2 innings all season until this outing which snaps a streak of 7.0 consecutive scoreless innings…Hernandezs homer was his fourth of the year, all coming in the last five games.

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