Tuesday night on North Prince Street for game #1 of the ALPB North Division Championship Series and the third-ever playoff meeting between the rivals from opposite sides of the Susquehanna River. The Stormers and Revolution had met twice previously in the postseason with York winning in 2011 and the Stormers turning the tables in 2012. During the regular year the Revs had it all their own way with a 15-3 season series win allowing the Community Cup to stay in York, the Revs' overall mark was 80-45 (with one game canceled) while the Stormers played the full schedule and finished 71-55. On Tuesday night in game #1 the Revolution took a 1-0 lead on Zander Wiel's first-inning single, the Stormers replied in the home half on a Mason Martin RBI groundout and a wild pitch to take a 2-1 advantage. Jacob Rhinesmith's RBI hit tied it in the fifth, two innings later an Alerick Soularie RBI triple gave the Revs a 3-2 lead. Rudy Martin's eighth-inning base hit upped the lead to two, in the bottom half Isan Diaz went yard to draw the Stormers within one. In the ninth the Home Team put the tying run on base but could do nothing further as the Revs held on for the 4-3 win, Chris Vallimont was the winning pitcher with Matt Turner recording the save, Scott Engler took the loss in relief. On Wednesday Jenny and Helen were in Willow Street for medical appointments, as is our wont we did lunch on the way to their place. At the ballpark in the evening for game #2, on this night there was no score until the bottom of the fourth. Joe Stewart's RBI groundout make it 1-0, Joseph Carpenter followed with a run-scoring hit and Trace Loehr added a two-run double for a 4-0 Stormer lead. In the fifth Rudy Martin went yard with a man on to slice the lead in half, Alerick Soularie's RBI hit in the eighth made it 4-3. In the ninth the relentless Revs got base hits from the first four batters to score three runs, back-to-back doubles by Roldani Baldwin (one RBI) and Chase Dawson (two ribbies) put the Revs ahead 6-4. In the bottom of the inning Matt Turner set the Stormers down in order saving the win for Alex Valverde, Phil Diehl took the loss. The Revolution takes a 2-0 series lead home for the next three games (or however many may be needed), the series continues on Friday the 20th. Take care, thanks for reading.
