Around the League

Atlantic League Results, Friday, May 5, 2023

High Point 12, Frederick 4

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Ben Aklinski tied club records with four extra base hits and 13 total bases as the High Point Rockers took a 12-4 decision from the Frederick Baseball Club on Friday night in front of 2,014 fans at Truist Point.

While Aklinski shined at the plate, Rockers lefty Ben Braymer was outstanding on the mound, shutting out Frederick for six innings. Braymer has now pitched 12 innings for the Rockers this seaso and allowed just four hits and no runs while walking just one and fanning 11.

“It was another great performance by Ben Braymer,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “Benny was outstanding. We probably could have pushed him a little further but there’s no sense in doing that. He threw 64 pitches the other day, 74 pitches tonight.”

The Rockers pounded out 15 hits, led by Aklinski’s five including two home runs, a pair of doubles and a single. On the night, High Point slammed five home runs including solo shots by John Nogowski and Zander Wiel who went back-to-back in the first inning, and D.J. Burt who hit a two-run homer in the second. Aklinski accounted for four RBI with his two-run homer in the fifth and a solo homer in the eighth.

“The bats are going well. The guys are just having good at-bats, that’s all it is,” said Keefe.  “There were a lot of bright spots. These guys are out to win.”

“I’ve been working with George (Greer), our hitting coach,” said Aklinski. “He’s helped with a few mechanical things. I felt really good at the plate tonight.”

The Rockers scored in seven out of eight at-bats on Friday, taking a 6-0 lead after three and then adding six more runs after going down in order in the fourth.

Braymer (2-0) struck out nine Frederick players and did not allow a walk while yielding just four hits over his six innings of work. Wiel, Daikan Yoh and Burt each finished with a pair of hits as the Rockers moved to 6-1 on the season by winning their fourth straight game. The Rockers are tied for first in the Atlantic League’s South Division with Gastonia with identical 6-1 records.

High Point and Frederick will meet again on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point in game two of the four-game series.

 

York 4, Staten Island 0

The FerryHawks travelled to York to take on the Revolution for their home opener! York got on the board early and never looked back as they topped The FerryHawks 4-0 in a game that saw The FerryHawk bats go quiet for the first time this season.

 

Pitching was the name of the game as there were only nine hits between the two teams combined. Revs starter Nick Raquet pitched a gem, going 7 innings, surrounding no runs, two hits, and punching out 10. FerryHawks starter Jordan Simpson was pulled after three innings where he gave up 4 hits and two runs. 

 

Key Stats:

  • FerryHawk Adrian Sanchez, a key bat who entered the game hitting over .500, cooled off going 0-4.
  • York’s Jacob Rhinesmith was the only player with multiple hits (2) in the contest.
  • Revs starter Nick Raquet struck out 7 consecutive batters.
  • FerryHawks rookie Jeff Wehler picked up another hit, putting his average at .381 and continuing a hot start for the Pitt grad.

 

York 4, Staten Island 0

(May 5th, 2023 – York, Pa.): It was a grand opening at newly-renamed WellSpan Park as the York Revolution shut out the Staten Island FerryHawks, 4-0 on Friday night in front of 5,868 fans on-hand for the Revs’ home opener. Starter Nick Raquet (2-0) was dominant and record-setting, combining on the shutout.

The Revs got things going early against FerryHawks starter Jordan Simpson (0-1), scoring a run in the second inning for an early lead. Singles from Troy Stokes Jr. and Jacob Rhinesmith set the table as Stokes Jr. went first-to-third on Rhinesmith’s hit, and scored on a Jalen Miller sacrifice fly to deep left field making it 1-0, Revs.

York took a 2-0 lead with another sacrifice fly in the third, this time by Trey Martin on a drive to deep left-center. It was set up by a leadoff walk to Alejandro Rivero and a Nellie Rodriguez single, advancing Rivero to third.

The Revs added to the lead in the sixth, taking advantage of walks and hit batsmen, scoring twice without a hit. Martin walked with one out to start the rally and Stokes Jr. was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Rhinesmith worked a walk to load the bases as lefty Alex Katz came on to relieve Christian Allegretti. Katz promptly hit Miller to force in a run, and on the next pitch plunked Ryan January forcing in another one. Katz caught a line drive comebacker and notched a strike out to leave the bases loaded, but the Revs’ lead grew to 4-0.

Raquet was dominant over seven shutout innings, yielding just two hits and no walks. He did not have a strikeout until the fourth inning as eight of his first nine outs came on ground balls, but after notching his first punchout, the K’s came in a torrent. Raquet set a new Revs record by striking out seven consecutive batters, breaking the mark of six set by Ryan Baerlocher in 2007 and Logan Williamson in 2015. He struck out the side in the fourth, fifth, and seventh innings, finishing his outing by retiring his final 12 batters with 10 of those coming on strikeouts. Raquet lowered his ERA to just 0.69 through two starts.

Justin Goossen-Brown pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and induced a game ending 5-4-3 double play to cap a 13-pitch at-bat against Kevin Krause to end it in the ninth, combining on a three-hit shutout, the Revs’ first shutout win in a home opener since 2008.

Notes: Raquet’s strikeout total came one shy of his career-high and was the most by a Revs pitcher since teammate Jorge Martinez, Saturday night’s scheduled starter, fanned 10 Charleston Dirty Birds on July 28, 2022. It marks the 29th double-digit strikeout performance in Revs history and the 12th to come with no walks. It marked the ninth 10+ strikeout effort by a lefty in Revs history, the fourth with no walks, and the first since Ross Detwiler whiffed 11 Road Warriors on May 26, 2018. It is just the second double-digit strikeout performance in the league so far this season. The crowd of 5,868 is the largest at WellSpan Park since July 4, 2021, and is the most in a home opener since 2009. It marked the third largest Opening Day crowd in stadium history behind only the 2008 and 2009 openers.

Up Next: Martinez (0-1) faces Austin DeCarr in Saturday’s matchup at 6:30 p.m.  It is Go Green Night presented by York County Solid Waste Authority featuring a Silicon Wine Glass Giveaway and postgame Inside-the-Park Fireworks. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.

 

 

Lexington 1, Lancaster 0

It is not possible for a pitcher to be in a worse position.

Lexington’s Raymells Rosa stood on the hill with the bases loaded, nobody out and a 3-0 count on #3 hitter Andretty Cordero with Kelly Dugan on deck.  Two hitters who have averaged nearly an RBI per game in their Atlantic League careers.

Then, something clicked.  Rosa struck out both, then retired the red hot Ariel Sandoval on a routine fly to left to close out the eighth to preserve a 1-0 Lexington Counter Clocks win over the Lancaster Barnstormers Friday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Lexington improves to 4-0 on its current road trip and 6-1 overall while the Barnstormers slip to 1-6 on the young season.

Trace Loehr drew a five-pitch walk from Rosa to open the Lancaster eighth.  Shawon Dunston, Jr. and Melvin Mercedes followed with perfectly placed bunt singles to load the bags, and Rosa missed badly with his first three pitches to Cordero before his rally.

It marked the third time in the game that Lancaster had its first two runners reach base.  In the second, Dugan was hit by a pitch, and Sandoval followed with a single, but Pat Ledet (1-1) worked his way out of the predicament.  Dunston and Mercedes reached in the sixth.  Again, Ledet wriggled out of it.

The left-hander worked seven innings on three hits and a walk in earning the win.  Rosa was awarded a hold, and Aaron Ochsenbein worked a perfect ninth for his first save.

Meanwhile, Lexington’s offense was sparse against Jared Lakind (0-2) and the bullpen.  The lefty starter matched Ledet’s zeroes through the first five innings before yielding on opposite field homer to former York slugger J.C. Encarnacion onto Lancaster’s picnic deck.  Lakind exited after 5 2/3, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out six.  The bullpen surrendered only one more hit over 3 1/3 innings.

Lancaster will send Dominic DiSabatino (0-0) to the hill on Saturday.  Lexington has not announced its starter for the middle game of the series.  Fireworks will follow.  Fans may tune into the broadcast on Flosports.tv, beginning at 6:25.

NOTES:  Sandoval extended his hitting streak to six…Travis Lakins, Sr. performed an unusual feat, striking out four batters in the ninth inning…Logan Brown reached on a third strike wild pitch…Mike Adams retired four straight batters and has now gotten 13 in a row over his four appearances…The game was the fastest nine-inning contest played by the Barnstormers this season, lasting 2:22.

 

Gastonia 3, Long Island 2

(Central Islip, N.Y., May 5, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks, known on Friday as Papas Playas, their alternate identity, were defeated by the Gastonia Honey Hunters 3-2 in the opener of a three-game series at Fairfield Properties Ballpark. 

Papas Playas struck first in the bottom of the first inning on Sam Travis’ RBI double down the right field line and Lew Ford’s single to right field off Honey Hunters starter Alex Sanabia. It stayed that way until the seventh when a run-scoring groundout off the bat of Carlos Franco trimmed the Papas Playas lead to 2-1. 

Scott Manea’s leadoff solo homer to left field in the eighth tied the game at two. A two-out solo homer to left-center by Curtis Terry in the ninth put the Honey Hunters ahead for good. 

Neither starter factored into the decision. Stephen Woods Jr. pitched seven innings of one-run ball for Papas Playas, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out five. Sanabia lasted six innings, giving up two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Tyler Thomas (2-0) picked up the win with two scoreless innings of relief, striking out four. Kevin Quackenbush (1-1) took the loss, conceding the go-ahead run on the ninth inning homer. Jaime Schultz collected his third save with a scoreless ninth. 

Boog Powell led Papas Playas offensively with two hits and a run scored. Joe DeCarlo added a pair of hits as well.

The Ducks and Honey Hunters continue their three-game set on Saturday night. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). Following the game, all fans in attendance will be treated to the first Fireworks Spectacular of the season. It’s also a Lucky Seat Saturday, presented by Long Island MacArthur Airport. During the game, the Ducks will be selecting a lucky fan in the ballpark, who will win two roundtrips on Breeze Airways to any of their six non-stop destinations from Long Island MacArthur Airport. A Ducks starter to be determined takes the mound against Honey Hunters righty Zack Godley (0-0, 0.00).

 

So. Maryland 2, Charleston 1

 

 

 



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