First list of York Revs baseball firsts
In the York Revolution’s first game, starting pitcher Wayne Franklin fires to home plate. Also of interest: All-Stars and Baseball and York, Pa: Singing praises for All-Star City – and a challenge to Lancaster, Pa.
The York Revs opening their first season on May 4, and that created a bunch of firsts.
According to the York Daily Record:
For the first time in nearly 38 years, a team representing York played regular season professional baseball on Friday night.
The York Revolution took the field at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard against the Bridgeport (Conn.) Bluefish in an Atlantic League season opener.
It was York’s first pro game since September 1969, when the York Pirates folded after winning the Eastern League title.
Unfortunately, a 12-run sixth inning by the Bluefish – the Atlantic league’s all-time winningest franchise – was too much for the Revs to overcome, and York lost, 15-8.
But for now, the result isn’t too important, even if York’s bullpen blew an 8-3 lead.
To help fans get their fill of Revolution trivia, here are Friday night’s firsts in franchise history:
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First Revs batter: Tike Redmond, who grounded out to the pitcher.
First Revs opposing pitcher: Left-hander Matt Beech.
First pitch in Revs’ first game: 7:04 p.m., a ball.
First Revs pitcher: Lefty Wayne Franklin made his first Opening Day start at any level.
First Revs opposing batter: Bridgeport’s Angel Espada, who took a ball on Franklin’s first pitch.
First Revs hit: Nate Espy’s solo home run against Beech leading off the second inning.
First Revs run scored: Espy, on his solo home run.
First Revs RBI: Espy, on his solo home run.
First Revs extra-base hit: Espy’s home run.
First Revs double: Peter Bergeron, off Beech in the third inning.
First Revs home run: Espy, leading off the second inning.
First Rev to strike out: Travis Ezi, swinging, in second inning.
First hit allowed by Revs pitcher: Bobby Darula, infield single to second base off Franklin in the first inning.
First run allowed by Revs pitcher: Darula scored on Bobby Malek’s two-run single in the first inning.
First home run allowed by Revs pitcher: Still unknown, as the Bluefish had no home runs Friday.
First strikeout by Revs pitcher: Franklin struck out Junior Spivey swinging in the first inning.
First Revs error: Third basemen Russ Cleveland made a throwing error on a grounder by Nick Ortiz. (Although, to be fair, Cleveland is a catcher, who was a late addition to the lineup at third base when Red Lion High School grad Travis Hake couldn’t play because of illness.)
First Revs lead: Espy singled in Vic Gutierrez in the third inning for a 3-2 lead.
First Revs deficit: Malek’s two-run single gave Bridgeport a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
First Revs pitching change: Right-hander Matt Hirsh entered with two on and one out in the fifth and retired the only two batters he faced.
Ironically, Hirsh’s brother, Jason Hirsh, was the starting pitcher for the Colorado Rockies on Friday night against the New York Mets.
First Revs player substitute: Kazunori Tanaka replaced Redmond in right field in the bottom of the second inning.
