Charleston 14, Gastonia 7
(Charleston, WV – July 21, 2024) – The Dirty Birds swept Gastonia in three games Sunday night. In the first two games, the Dirty Birds scored seven runs but on Sunday, they plated 14 runs. Juan Santana hit another two home runs before leaving the game to an injury. His season total is now four after hitting three home runs this series.
Joe Gray, Jr. started in his first home game with the Dirty Birds since joining the squad. In his first at bat, he hit a grand slam to drive in the first four runs of the game. Rusber Estrada hit his 15th home run of the season.
The Dirty Birds enjoy on off day on Monday before hosting Lexington for a three-game series on Tuesday.
High Point 3, Southern Maryland 0
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Quincy Latimore hit a two-run homer and five High Point pitchers held Southern Maryland to just three hits in a 3-0 Rockers win on Sunday afternoon at Truist Point.
Neil Ramirez (W, 4-3) kept the Blue Crabs hitless into the fifth when Michael Baca blooped a soft single to left to record the first hit of the day. Ramirez pitched through the fifth and left with six strikeouts, one walk and just one hit allowed. Garrett Schilling, Zach Vennaro, Will Carter and Dakota Chalmers each threw a shutout inning in relief with Chalmers earning his fourth save of the season.
The Rockers didn’t collect their first hit off Southern Maryland starter Garrett Martin (L, 5-5) until Ben Aklinski led off the fifth inning with a single. Latimore then lined a shot over the left field wall to stake the Rockers to a 2-0 lead.
High Point added an insurance run in the seventh when shortstop Aidan Brewer, a recent signee for the Rockers who played at UNCG this past spring, doubled to center and moved to third when centerfielder Josh Broughton didn’t handle the carom off the wall. Gilberto Jimenez then lined a soft single to left to give the Rockers a 3-0 advantage.
Latimore was the only Rocker with multiple hits, going two-for-three with the homer and two RBI.
The win puts the Rockers two games in front of Gastonia in the Atlantic League’s South Division second half pennant race. High Point is 10-4 in the second half and 46-31 on the season while Gastonia, which lost 14-7 on Sunday, is 8-6 in the second half after being swept at Charleston over the weekend.
The Rockers will enjoy a day off on Monday and then begin a critical three-game homestand with Gastonia on Tuesday night at 6:35 at Truist Point.
Lancaster 7, Staten Island 6
Stephen Nogosek ran into far more difficulty than he did on Saturday evening, but the workhouse right-hander still managed to pick up the save as Lancaster topped the Staten Island FerryHawks, 7-6, at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
The win, Lancaster’s eighth straight, completed a three-game sweep of Staten Island and moved the Stormers three games ahead of York in the North Division race.
Nogosek, who earned a six-out save on Saturday evening and had already thrown three times in the week, took a 7-4 lead into the top of the ninth. The former Met hit Andres Noriega to open the inning. One out later, Nate Scantlin singled to right. Pablo Sandoval scorched a single down the first base line to cut the lead to 7-5. With runners at the corners, Luis Castro bounced into a force play as the inning’s second run scored. Alejandro de Aza struck out to end the game as Nogosek earned his ninth save.
Home runs provided the offense over the first few innings. Trace Loehr opened the game with a long ball to right for Lancaster. Castro matched it in the top of the second, and Jeison Guzman led off the visitors’ third with another long ball off Max Green (8-4). Gaige Howard drew Lancaster back even with an RBI single to right in the bottom of the third, the second of his three hits on the afternoon.
Ben Norman’s double down the left field line plated Castro with a go-ahead run in the top of the fourth. Lancaster countered against Christian Allegretti (4-1) in the bottom of the inning. The lefty hit Trace Loehr with a pitch before surrendering a two-run homer to right center as the Stormers went ahead to stay, 4-3.
Niko Hulsizer’s artificial turf triple keyed a two-run sixth for a 6-3 lead, but newcomer Zach Kohn walked the first three batters of his Atlantic League career, opening an opportunity for the FerryHawks. Jackson Rees entered play and got the three outs, stranding two of the inherited runners to maintain a two-run lead.
Hulsizer’s sacrifice fly in the seventh game the Stormers a much needed insurance run.
The Stormers will open a three-game series against the York Revolution at Clipper Magazine Stadium on Tuesday evening. Noah Bremer (8-4) will make the start against York lefty Ethan Lindow (8-4). Fans may tune into the stream on FloBaseball, starting at 6:40.
NOTES: Lancaster has won 11 of its last 12 games against Staten Island…Loehr scored four runs…Howard had his fifth game with three or more hits and raised his average to .317…Shawon Dunston, Jr. stole his 38th base…Hulsizer has 24 RBI in 16 games…Lancaster left the bases loaded in three different innings.
Hagerstown 6, Long Island 3
(Central Islip, N.Y., July 21, 2024) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars 6-3 on Sunday night in the final game of a three-game series at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.
Long Island took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on RBI singles from Jackie Bradley Jr. and Aaron Antonini as well as a sacrifice fly off the bat of Frank Schwindel against Hagerstown starting pitcher Parker Markel. The Flying Boxcars cut the Ducks advantage to 3-1 in the second on Alan Marrero’s RBI base hit off Ducks starter Stephen Woods Jr. and got to within 3-2 in the fourth on Osmy Gregorio’s run-scoring groundout.
Hagerstown took their first lead of the series at 5-3 in the seventh courtesy of a three-run home run to right field produced by Dariel Gomez against Long Island reliever Mack Lemieux and added an insurance run in the ninth for a 6-3 cushion on a solo roundtripper to right center from Cito Culver.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Woods Jr. allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits in six innings pitched, walking two and striking out three. Markel surrendered three runs and five hits across four innings on the mound, walking three while striking out one. Rafael Kelley (2-4) picked up the win as the right-hander retired all three batters he faced in relief. Lemieux (1-5) suffered the loss, giving up three runs on two hits (one home run) in two-thirds of an inning to go with a walk and a strikeout. Aneudy Cortorreal closed out the ballgame in the ninth for his fourth save of the season.
Jackie Bradley Jr. had a pair of hits, an RBI, a run scored, a walk and a stolen base in the losing effort which extends his hitting streak to 28 consecutive games overall and his on-base streak to 35 straight contests.
The Ducks hit the road on Tuesday night to open a three-game series against the Staten Island FerryHawks. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. Fans can follow all the action live on FloBaseball by CLICKING HERE. Left-hander Jimmy Robbins (5-3, 6.09) gets the call for the Ducks against FerryHawks right-hander Taylor Lepard (0-6, 7.06)
Long Island returns home on Friday, July 26 to begin a three-game series against the Lancaster Stormers. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). It’s a Tap Room Friday, and as fans exit the ballpark, Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons for 20% off your entire check (dine-in) and 50% off your first online or mobile app order from Tap Room. Tickets for the game, and all Ducks games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.
Lexington 8, York 6
(July 21, 2024 – York, Pa.): The York Revolution fell short of their bid at a sweep on Sunday afternoon at WellSpan Park, as a ninth inning home run put the Lexington Legends in front, dealing the Revs an 8-6 defeat.
York got the scoring started in the first inning when Matt McDermott and David Washington pulled off a successful double steal. Washington broke for second, and McDermott swiped home on the throw. The Revs tried to pull of something similar with Jacob Rhinesmith at the plate, but Zander Wiel was caught between first and second base for the final out before Washington was able to cross the plate.
Revs starter Michael Horrell was sharp early, facing just one over the minimum through his first four innings. He allowed two baserunners but got an inning ending double play from JT Riddle in the second.
With the bases empty in the bottom of the third inning, York got three consecutive baserunners before Wiel launched a grand slam off the top of the Arch Nemesis to put the Revs up 5-0 early. It was Wiel’s second home run in as many games, and York’s second slam in as many games after Michael Berglund’s sixth inning blast on Saturday.
Pedro Gonzalez finally put Lexington on the board by ripping a solo home run to left center field to lead off the fifth inning.
In the sixth, Lexington strung together a two-out rally for three runs against Horrell. Kole Cottam knocked in a run on a groundout, Matt Botcher doubled home a run, and Gonzalez knocked in his second run in as many trips with a single. After Horrell walked Riddle, he was lifted for Denny Bentley with runners on the corners. Bentley came through, punching out Keenan O’Brien swinging to strand the tying and go-ahead runs on base, keeping York in front, 5-4.
Bentley returned to the mound in the seventh and registered four strikeouts in the inning. After Mikey Reynolds reached on a wild pitch on his third strike, Bentley fanned the next three to maintain the one-run lead while setting a franchise record for consecutive strikeouts in one outing by a reliever with five.
Offensively, York saw nine consecutive hitters retired by Lexington pitching before Rudy Martin Jr walked with two outs in the seventh. After stealing second base, Martin Jr scored on a base hit up the middle from Donovan Casey to add an insurance run, putting the Revs up 6-4.
Frankie Bartow got the first two outs in the eighth inning before issuing two consecutive walks. A broken bat RBI single by O’Brien brought the Legends within a run at 6-5. Matt Turner came on to relieve Bartow, striking out Reynolds to strand the tying run again.
York turned to Brett Schulze for the ninth inning, but the righty walked the first two batters he faced. Brady Whalen followed with a three-run blast to right field to put the Legends up 8-6.
York went down 1-2-3 in the ninth against Nick Gardewine and fell short of the sweep.
The Revs will look to bounce back in a big series at Lancaster beginning Tuesday when Ethan Lindow takes the ball against Lancaster starter Noah Bremer at 6:45 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and FloBaseball.TV beginning at 6:25 p.m.
Notes: Martin Jr stole his league leading 53rd base and is now two shy of tying Wilson Valdez and Darian Sandford for the franchise single season record of 55. Martin Jr and McDermott have now combined for 89 steals as a duo, passing Trey Martin and Tomo Otosaka in 2023 for the second most by a duo in a single season. York has now stolen 218 bases as a team this season, tying the 2009 Somerset Patriots for the sixth-most by a team in a single season in league history. Martin Jr’s steal also extended his franchise record consecutive stolen base streak to 30. Casey extended his on-base streak to 34 games, tying Chris Ashby for the third longest streak in franchise history. Wiel’s grand slam was York’s eighth slam as a team this season, adding to a franchise record.