Tanaka played his final game Thursday night with the Revolution in the last game of a five game series against the Bridgeport Bluefish. The Japanese native will be returning to his home to continue his education.

With the goodbyes almost out of the way, York had one more in mind and this one would not be sad for York fans. Outfielders Jason Aspito and Matt Esquivel combined to go 5 for 8, knocked in four runs and led York to a 5-2 victory in easy fashion against the struggling Bluefish

There was no aftershock from last night’s scuffle on the field. However centerfielder Kennard Jones was suspended for one game, and also fined an undisclosed amount. There was no word on the discipline handed down to the Bluefish.

“There were some people still upset after last night’s game, but I thought they came out tonight ready to play,” said Manager Chris Hoiles.

The Bluefish had numerous opportunities to make something happen. In the first inning Bridgeport’s Alex Prieto hit a moon shot down the leftfield line and caused a stir of controversy. The umpire ruled it a foul ball and that brought out Bridgeport manager Tommy John.

The ruling was upheld and after the inning concluded one Bridgeport player continued to argue and was tossed from the game.

York pitcher Byron Batson made his first start since being recently acquired from Somerset. He lasted 3 1/3 innings as Bridgeport plated two runs in the fourth including Jesse Hoorelbeke’s 28th homerun of the season.

“We wanted to get him (Batson) out there and we thought three or four (innings) were probably the right amount,” commented Hoiles.

Dan Foli replaced Batson and pitched a near perfect 2 2/3 innings, striking out two, and walking two, and held the Bluefish hitless. Foli earned the win and improved his record to 6-7.

Foli was originally scheduled to pitch Saturday in Long Island, but after pitching in relief he will be replaced by Dave Gil.

York will travel to Long Island to finish up the final three games of fourteen consecutive games against the Liberty Division. York has dominated the Ducks this season accumulating a 13-5 record when facing them.

Starters Aaron Rakers, Dave Gil, and Corey Thurman will take the mound this weekend. Rakers will look to become York’s third pitcher to earn ten wins this season and join teammates Wayne Franklin, and Thurman. York did not have a single ten game winner last season.

With a Newark loss to Southern Maryland, York moved to four games ahead of Lancaster who has moved into second place as Newark has slipped to third.

Wasting no time, York halted the losing skid and placed the previous night’s double header losses in the past. The Revs’ first game of the double header against the visiting Bridgeport Bluefish turned out to be another team record by scoring nine runs in the second inning, which led to a 12-0 rout making the second long day worthwhile.

Under Atlantic League rules the games consisted of seven innings rather than the normal nine.

The explosive second inning has been common is the past week for the Revolution. Last Thursday the Revs accumulated eight consecutive hits and scored seven in the second inning. In the twin bill the second inning was the big inning in both games.

“I don’t know, I can’t really explain it,” laughed York manager Chris Hoiles.

The big inning was brought to life as Sandy Aracena smashed a towering drive to left center putting York on top 2-0. Newly reacquired infielder Kenny Perez made an impact in his fifth game back with the Revs by clocking a two run double to right center. Bridgeport pitcher Mike Connolly would last just 1 1/3 inning earning all nine runs and the inning would bring 15 Revolution players to bat.

Perez was recently with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, the AAA affiliate of the Rockies. He batted .338 in 51 games during his stint with the minor league club.

“I think it’s a great honor, to be back with York, this is a great group a guys to play with,” smiled Perez, who is one of four recently acquired players by the Revolution.

York pitcher Corey Thurman posted an almost perfect outing as he gave up just one hit and no runs along with three strikeouts. Thurman’s 11th win on the season marked a new team record for wins in a season. The feat is quite remarkable after losing his first six starts this season.

“One of the adjustments we made was not throwing as much in between starts,” commented Thurman.
“Run support as of late, has not been an issue when Thurman has been on the mound. York hitters have scored 23 runs combined in his last two starts. “It always helps when the guys spot nine runs for you,” smiled Thurman.

After a thirty minute break York and Bridgeport were back at it for the second game on the night. Pitcher Wayne Franklin made a spot start and pitched a quality game going five innings giving up two runs including a Ryan Bear homer in the 2nd inning.

However the bullpen and the Revolution defense would hit a snag in the seventh inning as the visitors would add three runs before reliever Franklin Nunez buckled down and forced Bridgeport’s Alex Prieto to ground out to end the game to give York the 6-5 victory.

York again used the second inning to get ahead 3-1 as catcher Luis Taveras knocked a double to the left center wall scoring Edgard Clemente and Kenny Perez. Jose Enrique Cruz continued the rally by scorching a line drive past third for a single, scoring Taveras.

Bridgeport would add a run in the following inning on a Prieto sacrifice fly, scoring Luis Rodriguez making the score 3-2.

In the fourth Esquivel knocked in a run on shallow fly ball to right scoring Taveras. Fortunately the Revs added two more in the fifth inning when Clemente led off with a double, who would go on to score on Matt Dryer’s single to right. Center fielder Kennard Jones singled to left and Dryer scored from third tacking on the sixth and final run for the Revolution.

Patience was a key factor in the Revs’ victories as Bridgeport pitching struggled and allowed 16 walks in the double header combined. Game one included 11 free passes, marking a season high.

Franklin earned his tenth win of the season and his team record 18th career win.

“Wayne did an unbelievable job to spot start like he did,” said Hoiles.

With a Newark loss to Southern Maryland, York increased their first place lead to 2.5 games. York will face Newark in a three game series beginning September 15th most likely will play a significant role in York’s quest for the playoffs.

Wednesday night York will face the Bluefish in one of the 13 remaining games on the season and LHP Rolando Viera (3-1, 1.34) will take on LHP Ryan DiPietro (4-5. 5.14) at 7:07p.m.

The powerful second inning would be the only inning York would score in the game that clinched an easy 7-4 victory over Long Island. The inning included five extra base hits and also set a team record with eight consecutive hits.

“Matt’s Row” has been coined the new term in reference to Matt Esquivel, Matt Dryer, and Matt Padgett who bat consecutively in the five, six, and seven spots. Tonight was an evident example as they starting the second inning off by all hitting doubles and scoring in the big seven run inning.

“We have made fitted hats saying “The Row” on the front, and “1/3” on the back,” laughed Esquivel.

The trio is close on and off the field along with the entire team. With the playoffs on the horizon the team is going to need a solid chemistry to make a playoff run.

“We are just making a little joke out of this and see if we can run with it and maybe sell some shirts that say Matt’s Row or something cool like that,” laughs Esquivel.

York pitcher Corey Thurman struggled through his first two innings pitched and gave up four runs along with 4 extra base hits. The top of the second, Ducks third baseman Damian Rolls and centerfielder Billy Kovatch both reached base on singles. Rightfielder Kevin Haverbushch hit a laser down the left field line recording a double scoring Rolls and Kovatch.

Haverbushch would score from third on Robert Sandora’s sacrifice fly to center. Thurman would settle down allow just two hits through the next five innings after being off course early on.

Left handed pitcher Davis was pulled after the illustrious second inning as he was shelled for seven runs giving up four consecutive doubles at one point, five altogether.

Knippschild would come into relieve to begin the third inning and Long Island pitching would hold the Revolution to just two hits for the next seven innings.

The closest the visitors would get to a comeback was in the eighth inning as second baseman Juan Francia used a nifty drag bunt for an infield single. The next batter, P.J. Rose would reach base on an error made by York first baseman Chris Ashby on a potential double play ground ball.

With one out and two on Ducks’ leftfielder Ray Navarrete hit a quick grounder to third baseman Padgett, who would begin the 5-4-3 double play to end the inning and end the Ducks’ hopes for a comeback.

Sam Snider, York Assistant coach was the interim manager in Thursday night’s game as Chris Hoiles attended family matters back home in Ohio. “It’s the way it should be,” said Snider when he was asked how it feels to be 1-0.

Snider joined the Revolution this season to replace former third base coach Ryan Minor. Snider was involved in the Orioles organization for 27 years and mainly a bullpen coach for the Baltimore Orioles for the past 21 of those years.

No word on whether Hoiles will return to the helm for tomorrow’s game. Before Thursday night’s game York added two players and traded infielder Sam Rosario back to the Nashua Pride for OF Edgard Clemente, and acquired George Sandel from the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs for future considerations.

Yes, Clemente who was acquired from the Can-Am League Nashua Pride is the nephew of the late Pirates legend Roberto Clemente. This will be his second stint in the Atlantic league after playing for the Somerset Patriots in 2006.

York improves to 29-22 on the second half and 59-62 overall, meanwhile Long Island dropped to 29-24. Tomorrow’s matchup at 7:07p.m. will include York’s Rolando Viera and Long Island’s Alay Soler.

The two pitchers combined for sixteen strikeouts, each striking out eight. Making his fifth start for the Barnstormers this season Fritz allowed just three hits, walked four, and did not allow a run as he earned his first win in the Atlantic League. Sunday’s shutout was York’s fifth on the season.

Fritz was recently released by the Erie Seawolves, the AA affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. He left with a 6.40 ERA and hitters were batting a solid .325 against him in the Eastern League. His first four starts with Lancaster were all no decisions.

The Revolution were coming off a 16-4 blowout and Fritz was making his first start against the hot hitting home team, it had the makings of another rough night for the Barnstormers.

Lancaster would quickly get off to a good start in the second inning as cleanup hitter Ian Bladergroen took Rakers yard to right field near the picnic area. It was Bladergroen’s 13th long ball of the season.

The Revolution struggled all day to put guys on base and had plenty of opportunities to make something happen as Fritz was shaky and walked four throughout the game. The Revs failed to record an extra base hit.

On two occasions York designated hitter Matt Dryer came to the plate with two men on with two outs and the same result occurred each time up, a strike out. Dryer would account for four of the eight total men left on base by the Revolution.

Lancaster pitching made a complete turnaround from last night as they kept York hitless from the fifth inning on. The Barnstormers would add two more runs on a Bladegroen double to right field and a bunt by Mike Caruso.

Reliever Ryan Cullen registered a perfected ninth inning on the mound earning his ninth save on the season. Rakers is now 9-8 on the season, and Fritz improved to 1-0 in five starts. Lancaster improves to 21-27 and Yorks first place lead shrinks to 1.5 games and 27-21 overall, as Newark won their day game on Sunday.

The game became under protest by York in the ninth inning when Lancaster’s Jordan Herr was used a pinch runner for Matt LeCroy. The confusion was cleared up later on and Herr’s number was listed differently on the lineup card than what the number that was on his jersey.

York will begin a three game series in Bridgeport on Labor Day, meanwhile Lancaster returns home to begin a seven game home stand starting with Long Island.

The projected starters for tomorrow’s game in Bridgeport are York’s Dan Foli (4-6, 5.53) vs. Bridgeport’s Barry Hertzler (8-7, 4.88). The game begins at 7:05 p.m.

Early on the game was tight as York took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Barnstormers were fortunate to allow just one run as pitcher Jason Scobie allowed the first three runners to get on base. He would retire the next three batters in order along with two strikeouts.

York pitcher Corey Thurman, Atlantic League Pitcher of the month for June, performed solidly, allowing four runs on six innings, striking out six. The win marked his ninth on the season, improving his record to 9-7 on the season.

In the fifth inning the Stormers’ seemed to be gaining some needed momentum as they have lost eight of their last ten. Michael Woods came to plate with catcher David Castillo, and newly acquired left fielder Bryan Sabatella on base and hit a skyscraper to left field over the tallest wall in all of baseball.

The blast was the second of the game for Woods, giving him 17 on the season.

The top of the fifth inning would be the only time the Barnstormers would lead the game as York would go completely bonkers by scoring 12 unanswered runs.

Just like a thermostat, the Revs turned up the heat in front of a packed house of 6,110 fans as left fielder Matt Esquivel jacked a three run blast over the left field wall off of Lancaster’s Sendy Rleal giving York a 7-4 lead.

“We knew coming into the game that we needed eleven wins to win the Community Cup, but are main focus was the series,” said Esquivel. The community cup is the signature trophy that is awarded to the rival that wins the most games in the season series.

Adding five runs in the fifth inning was just the beginning of an all out beatdown. York would strike again as designated hitter Matt Dryer sent a towering blast into the playground area, and collected three RBI’s on his 17th homer of the season.

After the Michael Woods show concluded in the fifth inning, who knocked in all four runs singlehandedly Lancaster went cold. The moisture from the humid weather affected both teams, but really showed in the field for Lancaster as they made two errors in pivotal moments.

York’s biggest inning would take place in the seventh inning as the batted around scoring six on three hits. MVP candidate first baseman Chris Ashby would send a rising “golf like” shot sailing to dead centerfield.

Lancaster’s Jutt Hileman misjudged the ball as it soared over him and rolled to the wall as all three runners came around to score on the stand up double by Ashby. Two more base runners would get on and Revolution third baseman Matt Padgett would crush the pitch to deep left and ricocheted off the top of the Arch Nemesis and landed on Arch Street outside the stadium.

York would finally be at peace and put in their reserves to finish out the game. York and Lancaster will close out the series tomorrow at 5:07.

At the sound of “Play Ball,” Camden was hitting as leadoff right fielder Sheldon Fulse hit a blooper along the third base line in shallow left field for a standup double. Two batters later Camden centerfielder L.J. Biernbaum smashed a three run moon shot into the picnic area in right field.

With the Riversharks quickly in the lead, Rakers settled down, retiring the next three batters he faced to get out of a dismal first inning. The homerun by Biernbaum was his ninth of the season.

The Revolution were caught off guard early on against former major leaguer Jose Lima. The former twenty-one game winner held York to just one hit through the first three innings along with three strikeouts.

In Lima’s previous start against the Revolution he gave up four runs in six innings of work with eight strikeouts, which resulted in a loss. “They know I have a good change up last time and I used my fast ball a lot tonight,” said Lima.

Lima would not give up his first run of the game, until the fifth inning on an opposite field two run blast by York third baseman Matt Dryer into the right field lawn seating. Lima refocused and buckled down to retire the next three batters.

On the other side Camden continued to hit all over the field and eventually end Rakers night in six innings, giving up four runs on eight hits, striking out five and walking none. Chris Hoiles would bring in right hander Saul Solveson in the seventh.

“I thought Aaron had good command, he just had a tough first inning,” said Hoiles. Rakers replacement was a bit shaky but managed not to allow any runs in a scoreless seventh inning.

In the bottom half on the eighth inning Lima finally find himself in a risky situation allowing two base runners and his night ended there. He pitched a masterful 7 2/3 innings allowing just seven hits, two runs along with six strikeouts, and just one walk. “I knew I had to settle down after that homerun and it is something I am used to,” commented Lima.

As he walked to the Riversharks dugout the Revs’ fans acknowledged the strong performance and gave him a standing ovation.

Reliever Felix Rodriguez would come into finish the eighth inning by getting designated hitter Matt Esquivel to hit a towering fly ball to deep center field for the final out of the inning.

The Revolution came into the game fresh off a game winning single the night before off the bat of left fielder Matt Padgett. Tonight was different, the score wasn’t tied 1-1; instead York faced a three run deficit in the bottom of the ninth on Sunday evening.

Padgett lead off with a ferocious drive off the right field wall, what looked to be a homerun, became an easy double. Dryer followed and worked Camden closer Alec Zumwalt , and earned a free pass.

With two men on catcher Sandy Aracena came to the plate in hit a screamer straight up the middle scoring Padgett and registering yet another double. The fans were on their feet with high hopes after witnessing the league leader in saves allow to first three hitters to move along.

The hopes would be crushed as if Zumwalt hit the reset button on a video game and struck out the following three batters in order.

Lima picked up his fourth win of the season and Zumwalt gained his league leading twenty-fourth save on the season. Camden improves to 17-25 on the season as York falls to 24-19.

Camden came into the game with a 5-1 record in their last six, but defense became the sore thumb in Thursday night’s game. Former major league shortstop Damian Jackson made all four errors in crucial situations.

With no outs in the second, Jose Enrique Cruz hit a grounder to Jackson making an error on the play, allowing a run to score. Keoni De Renne immediately follows with a laser to right centerfield scoring two with a double on the play.

Cruz was in a minor slump going 2-for-23 in his last eight games. He went 3-for-5 with four RBI on the night. “Even though we lost big yesterday I felt that it was a move in the right direction just as tonight was, the team is playing well and we can feel the playoffs coming,” said Cruz.

The Revolution would eventually bat through the lineup ending with Matt Padgett who began the inning. Prior to the game manager Chris Hoiles made a lineup change by switching outfielder Kennard Jones to the two spot and De Renne to the leadoff.

“Both Jones and De Renne have been swinging the bat well and it gives the team lots of options,” said Hoiles.

York starting pitcher Wayne Franklin, former major leaguer, pitched great by going 6 2/3 innings giving up two runs on four walks and four strikes in the win. The win marked his third since returning to the Revolution July 1 from playing for Tijuana in the Mexican League .

“I felt good tonight, and the team is starting to get the itch, championships are championships,” commented Franklin. With the win on Thursday, Franklin is now 8-5 on the season.

Camden’s starter Kevin Mannix, unlike Franklin, struggled and was pulled after going 2 1/3 innings allowing seven runs, three earned on seven hits. His replacement did not make a difference as reliever Jeremy Lewis was charged with three runs in 1 2/3 inning striking out three walking two.

The Riversharks struggled to finish the job, leaving fourteen runners stranded while York hit the ball well consistently leaving just seven. Camden’s one through five hitters combined went 10 for 22 while the bottom four hitters went 1-for-16.

Camden outfielder Nic Jackson slammed his 14th homerun of the year in the third inning and finished the night 3-for-5 adding a double.

York set a new team record with their eighth straight home win. The win increases their first place lead to 3 ½ games in the Freedom Division. York improves to 23-17 and Camden continues to struggle and falls to 15-2.