May 5, 2007 BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - York's back in the game. For the first time since 1969, and after more than 10 years of politicking and grandstanding, a minor-league baseball team from York took the field for a regular season game on Friday.
The Bridgeport Bluefish defeated the York Revolution, 15-8, in front of 3,159 fans at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. The Bluefish rallied from a five-run deficit with a team-record 12-run sixth inning. The Bluefish sent 16 batters to the plate, posted 11 hits and scored six earned runs in the frame.
And the York pitching staff that looked so promising in spring training fell apart. Starter Wayne Franklin lasted 4 1/3 innings and looked sharp. Reliever Matt Hirsh finished off the fifth inning, but everything went fishy in the sixth.
York needed three pitchers - Jason Olson, Chris Cooper and Charlie Hesseltine - with each recording only one out. "Everything went according to plan," York manager Chris Hoiles said, "but then everything got shot up in the sixth inning." While the Revolution players stretched in the outfield, York County native
The second baseman looked pale and said he was suffering from flu-like symptoms. That meant catcher Russ Cleveland had to play third base, and Vic Gutierrez shifted from third base to second base. "I was just hoping and praying nothing else happened," Hoiles said.
York suffered the wrong end of the big inning, but at least avoided a nightmare scenario in which a pitcher needed to play the field. Cleveland, the unlikely third baseman, committed an error, air-mailing his first chance into the right-field seats. But the misplay had no impact on the game.
"I felt a lot better after I got that first one out of the way," Cleveland said. "A game like this is tough, tough - but we have good pitchers." York had some bright spots.
First baseman Nate Espy homered and scored three runs, and designated hitter Matt Dryer knocked in four runs. "You kind of have to take it in stride," Dryer said. "They had good and timely hits.
What are you going to do?" For the historic game, a few new, hard-core Revolution fans drove from York and Red Lion and even Southbury, Conn. Jacque Matthew leaned against the railing hours before the first pitch, asking for autographs from Hoiles and Minor.
A former Yorker, Matthew retired to Southbury. But he never lost track of his hometown or its quest to bring baseball back to the city. And he brought his grandson, Matt Kip, to the game.
"I saw Brooks Robinson play for York," Matthew said in reference to the 1955 White Roses team. "When I found out (the Revolution) were up here tonight, we knew we were going to be able to make it." Note: First baseman Willie Matos reported to the Revolution on Friday night.
Matos was one of the players who could not report to the team during spring training because of visa troubles.
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