The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball

The York Revolution pulled off another incredible comeback, and claimed York’s first professional baseball championship in 41 years, with a sweep of the Bridgeport Bluefish, winning Game 3 of the Atlantic League Championship Series 5-4 in 10 innings at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard on Saturday night in Bridgeport. It’s York’s first ever Atlantic League title, and the first pro baseball championship for the city since the 1969 York Pirates captured the Eastern League crown.

At 11:26 p.m., Michael Nix struck out Adam Greenberg on a 3-2 fastball, and flung his glove in the air as high as he could while his teammates raced in and dove on each other, celebrating the championship.

Just one play earlier, Liubiemithz Rodriguez gloved a ground ball in the hole, but was unable to complete a tough throw across his body on Brandon Chaves, who reached to keep Bridgeport’s season alive, but Nix struck out the side, finishing off the title-clinching win.

The Revs, who trailed by three runs twice, tied the game in the ninth inning despite being down to their final out. Ian Bladergroen lined a two-out single into right field off Bridgeport closer Jorge Julio to prolong the game, and Jose Herrera, who had walked earlier in the inning, scored the tying run when Bridgeport third baseman Joe Jiannetti flipped his force attempt at second into right field on John Pachot’s grounder.

Scott Grimes roped a single to left with one out in the tenth, and moved to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run with Rodriguez finding the hole on the right side of the infield for another single. Behind in the count 1-2, Ramon Castro managed to drive a fly ball to right field, scoring Grimes on a sac fly with the eventual winning run, the Revs’ first and only lead of the night.

Castro was named Playoff MVP, batting .375 for the postseason, with five RBI, including the clinching RBI.

York’s comeback began in the eighth inning. Herrera reached on an infield single to jumpstart the rally against reliever Antonio Alfonseca, James Shanks singled to left, Ian Bladergroen walked to load the bases, and Pachot worked a walk to force in a run. Steve Haake greeted Julio with an RBI single to center on his first pitch, making it a one-run game. With still no outs, York could not find the equalizer in the eighth inning leaving the bases loaded, but managed to tie the game an inning later.

Bridgeport grabbed an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning on an RBI single by Steve Moss, and a ground ball that resulted in an error. Chaves’ RBI single in the fourth extended the lead to 3-0.

Castro’s RBI single in the fifth got the Revs on the board, but Bridgeport answered by plating a run on a double play re-extending their lead to three, after loading the bases with no outs on three walks to start the inning.

Bluefish starter Luis Gonzalez allowed just three hits and one run through six innings, and worked around five walks, striking out seven, despite not factoring in a decision. The lefty recorded seven of his first 10 outs on strikeouts, though his final eight outs all came on balls that were put in play.

Each team missed chances to score, with York stranding 14 runners, and Bridgeport leaving 12.

Shanks made a leaping catch against the left field wall, robbing Jiannetti of a two-run homer to end the fifth inning.

Sean Stidfole (1-0) earned the win , inducing a force out at third off the bat of Jiannetti, leaving the bases loaded in the ninth. Bridgeport also stranded three runners in the second inning, failing to score off York starter Chris Salberg (4.0+ innings, 4 runs, 3 earned).

Kevin Mannix (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing York’s tenth-inning run.

Nix recorded his first save with the Revs, and finished his postseason with six shutout innings.

The Revs won their final four games en route to the championship, finishing the postseason with a 6-2 record. It’s the first sweep of a Championship Series since Bridgeport was swept by Lancaster in 2006.

It also marked the first time since 1925 that a championship team from York celebrated their title on the actual playing field. The ’69 Pirates were declared co-champs in their championship season after several rainouts forced the end of the series.

It’s the fifth pro championship all-time for a team from York; clubs from the White Rose City also went all the way in their respective circuits in 1904 and 1906.

The Revs became the third team in Atlantic League history to go from dead last overall the year before, to champions the following season, joining the 2000 Nashua Pride, and the 2007 Newark Bears, who were led by Castro, Pachot, and Herrera. All three won their second Atlantic League championships on Saturday night.

Jason Richardson won his second Atlantic League ring, recording all three outs in the fifth inning.

Ryan Basner fired a scoreless seventh, earning his second straight Atlantic League championship.

Eric Ackerman recorded the first out in the ninth inning, also earning his second league crown.

It was York's first win all season when trailing after seven/eight innings.

The Revs welcome all fans to join the team’s Championship Celebration, this Monday at 12 p.m. on Continental Square in Downtown York.