Font ResizeThe Somerset Patriots earned all of their runs except one Saturday night.
Unfortunately it was that third, unearned run that sealed the Revs' fate in a 4-2 loss in front of 4,903 fans at Sovereign Bank Stadium.
"We're not going to win every game from here on out," Revolution manager Chris Hoiles said. "But, moving forward, we just need to keep playing team baseball. I think the momentum is still there, we just happened to get beat today."
Revolution starter Shane Youman got off to a rocky start in the first inning. Sean Smith began the game with his single to right-center field and stole second during Mike Rodriguez's at-bat.
Josh Presley then singled, giving Somerset runners on the corners with only one out. Matt Hagen followed with a RBI sacrifice fly to center field, one that was deep enough to score the runner but not to advance Presley.
Presley's failure to advance played into York's favor when Jeff Nettles doubled in his at-bat, setting up runners at second and third with two outs. Youman ended the threat by getting the next Patriot, Jason Belcher, to ground out to second.
York was quick to answer in the bottom of the first inning, thanks to a brand new face.
Matt Rogelstad led off with a single before being advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Keoni DeRenne.
In his first at-bat as a member of the York Revolution, P.J. Rose ripped the first pitch he saw right at Patriot first baseman Nettles. Nettles moved into perfect position before
As the ball hopped right over Nettles' left shoulder, Rogelstad rounded third and scored before Somerset right-fielder Rodriguez could make a play.
Rose was rather successful in his first night as a Rev. He finished 2-for-4 with a run batted in before being lifted for Jeff Purdom in the eighth inning, a move Hoiles said was made to not overwork Rose.
The Patriots took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second inning before Rogelstad tied it back up at 2 in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to the picnic area in right field.
Then the misfortune struck in the top of the sixth.
With runners on second and third and two outs, Patriot third baseman Teuris Olivares hit a lazy dribbler back to the mound. Youman was unable to field the ball cleanly, and his error resulted in Matt Hagen trotting home from third for the game-winner.
The outcome of this game could have easily been lopsided, if it weren't for an exceptional defensive effort by Matt Esquivel.
In the sixth inning, his knowledge of the Arch Nemesis was obvious when Presley slammed a shot high off the tallest wall in professional baseball.
Esquivel positioned himself wonderfully to make a clean play once the ball bounced off the wall and then the ground, just shy of the warning track. He barehanded the bounce and then fired a laser to second baseman DeRenne, who applied the tag on a sliding Presley.
Then with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Esquivel made possibly his finest defensive play in a Revs uniform.
A well-struck ball by Nettles seemed destined to land in the gap between left and center fields. Esquivel sprinted furiously towards center before making a diving, full extension catch in mid-air and then crashing to the ground.
Roster move: With York at its maximum roster size, the Revs placed relief pitcher Travis Hughes on the disabled list to create a spot for the recently-activated Rose.
