Font ResizeOne year ago, in the first Fourth of July matchup between the York Revolution and the Lancaster Barnstormers, a two-hour rain delay and a blown eight-run lead allowed the Barnstormers to come out on top in the latest-ending Revolution game in team history.
That game didn't end till well after midnight.
Saturday night, as the clouds rolled over Clipper Magazine Stadium, it felt eerily like a year before.
Only this time, the clouds didn't produce one rain drop, and the extended holiday fireworks went off following the game as scheduled.
Most importantly, in Saturday's contest, when the Revolution took a five-run lead in the third inning, they didn't let it go, beating the Barnstormers, 9-2, for their second straight win.
"When we get together with (Lancaster) we know it's going to be a game," York manager Chris Hoiles said after the win. "When we're up like that, I expect our guys to get the job done."
York now leads the weekend series, 2-1, and will try to make it three straight wins today at 1:35 p.m. as the Revs wrap up the series.
The Revolution have struggled at the plate recently, scoring nine runs in the last four games and combining for just five extra-base hits.
As a disappointing first half wraps up, Hoiles' goal is to rest some of his regular starters and work some of York's new additions into the lineup.
That could mean some bumps in the road, but so far so good, and Saturday's lineup worked well against the Barnstormers, combining
Five of those were doubles and Tom Collaro smacked a triple for the Revolution.
"We're not hitting the ball over the wall, so we need some of those type of hits," Hoiles said. "We hit the ball really well (Saturday) and did the little things right. We didn't get a bunt down, but we got them scoring, and that's what's been missing.
Anthony Manuel got it started in the third inning for the Revs, smacking Lancaster starter Zack Parker's first offering to centerfield.
Parker walked P.J. Rose, and Collaro drove them both home on a triple that went to the wall in centerfield to give him a team-leading 42 RBIs on the season.
Jason Aspito singled in Collaro, and after Parker walked Matt Esquivel and forced Josh Johnson to ground out, John Purdom doubled to the right field corner to score Aspito and Esquivel and quickly give York a 5-0 lead.
Matt Padgett had most of the night off for the Revolution, getting some well deserved rest as Purdom filled in for him at third base.
But an error by Purdom, who has recently spent most of his time behind the plate and at first base, in the fourth inning that led to the Barnstormers' first run of the night and a fumbled ball in the fifth inning forced Hoiles to put Padgett back in at the corner position in the sixth inning.
"We're starting to be able to find out where we can start other guys," Hoiles said. "I wanted to give Padgett a day off, and Purdom just needs a few more games at third base to get comfortable again."
Lancaster scored again in the seventh inning as Michael Campbell doubled off of York reliever Brian Holliday and scored on an RBI single by Lloyd Turner.
Lancaster's bullpen didn't give its bats the opportunity to rally Saturday night, as the Revs added two runs in each of the final two innings off four Barnstormer relievers.
Tim Harikkala worked through five solid innings for the Revolution and collected his fourth win of the season, tying Corey Thurman for the team-lead in wins, while Holliday, Chris Britton and Travis Phelps gave strong performances out of the bullpen in the win.
