Waters

Some athletes might be hesitant when it comes to competing after a recovering from a serious injury or surgery.

Yet, in his two starts so far for the York Revolution, starting pitcher Chris Waters admits his Tommy John surgery 15 months ago hasn't even popped up in his mind.

"I don't even think about it," Waters said Tuesday night. "I just try to keep my legs underneath me. I actually feel better after surgery than I did before I hurt it (the elbow)."

He may have only tossed five innings Tuesday, but Waters performed like a pitcher should in a quest to return to the big leagues.

The former Baltimore Orioles' starter held Sugar Land scoreless on four hits while striking out five and walking one to help York

York's Chris Nowak is greeted by teammates after slugging a three-run home run in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Skeeters. (Bil Bowden photo)
capture a 6-0 victory in the nightcap to take both seven-inning games of a doubleheader over the Skeeters on Tuesday night at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

Waters (1-0) threw 38 of his 54 pitches for strikes, which was an improvement from the 27 pitches he threw in his last start on Saturday at Somerset, when he allowed just two singles while striking out three in two innings of work.

"It's a process of getting into that pitch count to approach throwing a hundred (pitches)," Waters said. "I felt like I could go another one (inning), but it's right where I need to be."

The effort from the left-hander was one of many positive things the 4,752 fans had to cheer about, as York (26-26) moved to within 51/2 games of the Lancaster Barnstormers (31-20) for first place in the Atlantic League Freedom Division.

Opener: York took Game One of the doubleheader by a final score of 17-2, collecting 17 hits in the process.

Every Revs' player in the lineup reached base, with six players getting multiple hits. After hitting a solo homer in the first inning, a double in the second and a triple in the fifth, York second baseman Andres Perez hit a single in the sixth to complete the cycle, something he said is a first

York's Andres Perez shatters his bat while lining a shot down the third-base line in Tuesday nights opener. Perez went on to become the second Revolution player in team history to hit for the cycle in a 17-2 rout of Sugar Land. The Revs completed their doubleheader sweep with a 6-0 shutout in the nightcap. (Bil Bowden photo)
in his now six-year pro career.

"It seemed like it was kind of a big deal because everybody was giving me hugs and I liked that," Perez said. "So, I guess that was a big deal."

Right-hander Corey Thurman (6-1) picked up the win by tossing all seven innings, holding Sugar Land (22-30) to two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

Nightcap: With 12 hits in Game Two, York went a combined 29-for-68 at the plate (.426) on Tuesday night. The offensive outburst came after the Revs scored just eight runs over the previous five games while batting .157.

"I don't even know what to say about that. Pretty much on our team we got guys that can hit. So, probably that's baseball," Perez said of Monday's

York Revolution Game 1 starter Corey Thurman (6-1) notched the win by tossing all seven innings, holding Sugar Land to two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks. (Bil Bowden photo)
seven-hit, 7-3 loss to Sugar Land. "Every day you try to come fresh with a fresh mind."

Interim manager: York made the life of Revs' pitching coach Mark Mason easy as well. Mason is serving as the team's interim manager while skipper Andy Etchebarren is out after undergoing back surgery early Tuesday morning.

"In two games we hit the ball well, we pitched well. It was good all the way around," Mason said. "That makes your life easier when you're managing."

Mason said he chatted with Etchebarren by phone around noon Tuesday shortly after he got out of surgery. Mason said Etchebarren still wants to be in the dugout for Friday's series opener against Lancaster, but it's "doubtful."

Game notes: York snapped a six-game losing streak to Sugar Land, improving to 2-6 against the Skeeters ... Thurman moved into a tie with Brad Cornett for sixth-most wins all-time in Atlantic League history (44). York improved to 9-2 this year in games Thurman has started. ... With his three-run homer in Game One, York outfielder James Shanks is now tied with Jason Aspito for the all-time club record of extra-base hits (110) ... Perez is the second player in club history to hit for the cycle. Scott Grimes did it last year in a seven-inning game ... The Revs will cap off a four-game set with Sugar Land on Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ... York right-hander Omar Javier (0-5, 6.61 ERA) will get the start against righty Michael Nix (1-5, 9.26).

-- Reach John Walk at jwalk@yorkdispatch.com.