With York 22-5 When John Pachot Catches, Revolution Near Division Title

So many factors can be pinpointed when a team is on the brink of a championship as York is on this very evening, but         the most striking is what all-star catcher John Pachothas meant to the Revolution.

York had whittled its magic number for clinching its initial Freedom Divisionfirst half title—and only its second of any kind—down to two entering Tuesday’s home game against Long Islandwith the enviable cushion of knowing five more home games remain if they are needed before the Revolution eliminate two-time defending champion Somerset.

Where would Andy Etchebarren’sclub be if Pachot had not returned from Mexicoearly in the season and eventually taken over the fulltime catching duties once Salomon Manriquezwas traded to Lancaster.

Here is the stunning fact of what the 35-year-old backstop has meant.  York is 22-5 in games he has caught, an unheard of .815 winning percentage.  The Revolution is only 16-21 (.432) when anyone other than the Puerto Ricannative is behind the plate.

Lancaster Slows Southern Maryland’s Title Run

The other Pennsylvania team in the Atlantic League, Lancaster, is keeping the Liberty Divisionrace tight even though the Barnstormersare Freedom members.  Lancaster swept Southern MarylandMonday as second-place Camden was doing the same against Somerset, cutting the Blue Crabs’lead back to a single game.  Lancaster, which has won 11 of its last 17, had taken two of three from Camden last weekend.

“We are equal-opportunity spoilers,” Lancaster radio voice Dave Collinsquipped Tuesday.

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Junge Latest to Join Salt Lake City

Eric Junge’sstay in Lancaster lasted only four starts after he was released from his contract in Taiwan before the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheimpurchased the right-hander for its top farm club in Salt Lake City .Junge, who pitched for Bridgeport for a time in 2007, went 2-1, 3.08, but had 36 strikeouts in 26.1 innings at Lancaster, including a franchise-record 13 K’s in one game.  He has not yet pitched in the Pacific Coast Leaguewhere his teammates include Michael Ryan (Somerset)and Cory Aldridge (Newark).

( These are excerpts from the Atlantic League Notebook. Subscriptions to the full Notebook are available via www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com or www.WirzandAssociates.com .  Bob Wirz also writes a weekly column, the Independent Baseball Insider , as well as a blog, www.IndyBaseballChatter.com. The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as chief spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)

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