Staten Island FerryHawks 2, York Revolution 1
On Sunday, the Hawks took on the York Revolution with a chance to secure the three-game series. Riding the momentum of one of their best performances of the season — a 10-0 shutout on Saturday, their first complete game shutout of the year — the Hawks kept things rolling, edging York 2-1 to take the series.
The standout story for Hawks fans continues to be Christhian Rodriguez. After an electrifying debut last night, where he went 2-for-4 with a grand slam, Rodriguez followed up with another strong performance, going 2-for-3 at the plate and flashing impressive skills at shortstop. The Hawks have been searching for a steady presence at the position, and they may have found it in the 23-year-old from Venezuela. Rodriguez, who previously spent time in the Marlins’ minor league system, is already showing the potential to be a key part of the Hawks’ future.
It was a quiet start at SIUH Community Park, with both teams scoreless until the bottom of the third. That’s when Eddy Diaz ripped a ball into the right-center gap to bring home Rodriguez and give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. The defense was sharp all afternoon — Diaz turned an unassisted double play with a slick move at second base, and Pablo Sandoval showed off his glove with a force out at third to end a threat.
On the mound, starter Ryan Williamson was dominant, tossing five innings of one-hit ball. Trayson Kubo took over in the sixth and delivered a clean inning before giving way to Reinier Parra to start the seventh. Parra’s outing got off to a rough start as he gave up a solo home run that tied the game at 1-1. He later found himself in a bases-loaded jam but came up big, striking out Marty Costes to escape the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Kolby Johnson — who also made his debut last night — sparked the offense with a shot into left-center, reaching third base. Diaz followed with a single to drive him in, picking up his second RBI of the game and restoring the Hawks’ lead at 2-1. That would hold up, as the bullpen slammed the door and sealed the series win.
The Hawks will look to build on this momentum as they hit the road. They return home to SIUH Community Park on the Fourth of July.
Hagerstown Flying Boxcars 3, Charleston Dirty Birds 2
Hagerstown, Md. Cary Arbolida’s explosive performance carried the Flying Boxcars to
a 3-2 win over the Charleston Dirty Birds Sunday afternoon as the Right Filder went
three for three with 2 home runs to left field.
After a scoreless top of the first, Dante Leach singled with one away and then was
driven home via Cary Arbolida’s first home run. (2-0)
The back-and-forth game that we saw between the Dirty Birds and Flying Boxcars
Saturday night resumed as the Dirty Birds claimed a run of their own in the top of the
second with a RBI double from Joseph Rosa. Rosa struck again in the top of the fourth
with a home run to deep right-center field. (2-2)
Arbolida couldn’t let Rosa steal the show as the Right Fielder drilled another home run
to left field in the bottom of the fourth to reclaim the lead for the Boxcars. (3-2)
Ossie Abreu also added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh as he singled up
the middle to score Tyler Williams. (4-2)
David Richardson started for the Boxcars and threw a quality start. The Righty went
five innings, allowing 2 runs on eight hits, one walk, and three strikeouts.
The Flying Boxcar bullpen was on their A-game as well, as the bullpen collected 4
innings pitched and allowed no runs on one hit, three walks, and six strikeouts
Richardson was awarded the win, and Closer Rafael Kelly claimed the save for the
game. Charleston’s starter, Luis Romero, was handed the Loss in the 4-2 Flying
Boxcar victory.
Arbolida was also named the Player of the Homestand as he batted 7-12, totaling two
home runs, four RBI, and two runs.
The Flying Boxcars get Monday off, but return to Meritus Park on Tuesday to start the
second series of the Black Eyed Brawl against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
Lancaster Stormers 7, Long Island Ducks 6 (10 innings)
The Lancaster Stormers had multiple chances to produce a decisive run in the late innings on Sunday afternoon.
It took extra innings for Lancaster to get the winning man across the plate.
Yeison Coca hit a bases loaded sacrifice fly in the bottom of the tenth inning as the Stormers took the Long Island Ducks, 7-6, to complete a three-game sweep of the Ducks at Penn Medicine Park.
It was Lancaster’s first walkoff win of the season.
After the Ducks turned a variety of double plays over three straight innings with the lead or winning run in scoring position, Long Island was able to take the lead in the top of the 10th inning as Roldani Baldwin singled up the middle with one out off Jackson Rees (4-1), scoring ITB runner Taylor Kohlwey from second. Rees retired the next two batters, giving his team its chance.
Nick Lucky opened the bottom of the tenth with a bunt single along the third base line, advancing Joseph Carpenter to third with the tying run. Danny Amaral, who had pinch run in the eighth inning, drilled a 1-2 offering from Jacob Asa (2-1) into right center to score the tying run.
Asa hit Andrew Semo with a pitch to load the bases. Dave Matthews was retired on a short pop fly to right for the first out, but Coca was able to drive a ball deeper into left, forcing Kohlwey to retreat, enabling Lucky to score the winning run easily.
Long Island used four singles to take a 2-0 lead off Max Green in the top of the first, but Lancaster responded with four runs off David Griffin in the bottom of the inning. Mason Martin and Carpenter produced consecutive RBI singles to tie the game, and Lucky homered for the third game in a row to stake Lancaster to the lead.
A single by Kohlwey and sacrifice fly by Baldwin tied the game in the third. Chris Roller reached the deck in right field for a go-ahead homer in the top of the fourth inning. Lancaster forged the tie on Lucky’s double to right center in the bottom of the fifth, scoring Mason Martin, who had reached base on the second of his four walks and stolen second.
Both bullpens spun four scoreless innings to force the extra frame. Lancaster had the deciding run in scoring position with fewer than two outs in the seventh, eighth and ninth but could not come through with the big hit.
Lancaster will host York on Tuesday at 6:45. Noah Skirrow (5-3) will make the start for the Stormers, and the Revs will counter with Michael Horrell (2-0). Fans may tune into the game on Blue Ridge 11 or FloBaseball at 6:40.
NOTES: Martin reached base for the 16th straight game…His OBP in that span is .571…Coca lost a 14-game on base streak…Lucky drove home 10 runs in the three games at home against the Ducks…A double play in the ninth allowed Phil Diehl to post his 10th straight scoreless relief appearance despite yielding three singles…Long Island managed 16 hits and the Stormers 13.
Lexington Legends 16, High Point Rockers 11
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Lexington Legends banged out 15 hits and the High Point Rockers committed four errors as the Rockers suffered their first series sweep of the season, falling 16-11 at Legends Field on Sunday afternoon.
The Rockers (35-16) have a 5.5 game lead over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (29-21) with 12 games remaining in the first half. High Point’s magic number to win the Atlantic League’s first half South Division title remains at eight.
With recent injuries to starting pitchers Erich Uelmen and Brandon Backman and relievers Daniel Frontera and Justin Lewis, the Rockers were tasked with piecing together parts of the bullpen. Jonah Scolaro (L, 2-2) earned the start and allowed a walk to J.T. Riddle in the first before Dylan Rock homered to give the Legends an early 2-0 lead.
In the second, the Legends scored six times to take an 8-0 lead. Lamar Briggs singled to right to begin the inning and advanced to third on back-to-back walks to Andy Atwood and Jerry Huntzinger. Riddle dropped an “excuse me” bunt in front of the plate which Isaiah Mirabal fielded and threw to first while Briggs scored from third for a 3-0 Legends advantage. A wild pitch from Scolaro plated another run and Brady Whalen hit a three-run homer to extend the lead to 7-0. Pedro Gonzalez’s solo homer finished off the inning with the Legends leading 8-0.
The Rockers scored their first run in the top of the fourth when Ben Aklinski hit his 14th homer of the year leading off the frame. Lexington starter Nick Laio (W, 5-4) then walked Max Viera and Braxton Davidson to set up Mirabal’s RBI single to left to pull the Rockers to 8-2. Aidan Brewer then lined a triple off the wall in right to score Davidson and Mirabal. Brewer was able to scamper home when the throw to the infield escaped the Legends and the Rockers were within three at 8-5.
But the Legends continued to thwart the Rockers comeback as Brian Fuentes hit a grand slam off Daniel Blair to push Lexington’s lead to 12-5 after four innings. The Legends added two more runs in the fifth off Braeden Ogle when E.J. Cumbo reached on a single and an error that scored two.
In the seventh, Lexington reliever Dustin Beggs walked Drew Mendoza, Aklinski and Max Viera to load the bases. Braxton Davidson drew a walk to bring home Mendoza and then, with two outs, Mirabal blasted his second homer of the year, a grand slam, to bring High Point to within four at 14-10. Dalton Ross relieved Beggs and allowed a single to Brewer and an RBI double to Luis Gonzalez to make it 14-11.
Cumbo hit an opposite field homer off Stevie Branche in the seventh to extend the Legends’ lead to 15-11 and the Legends touched Jameson McGrane for a run in the eighth to account for the 16-11 final.
Gonzalez finished with three of the Rockers eight hits this season while Mirabal finished with five RBI. Lexington’s Walen and Cumbo each had four hits while Walen and Fuentes finished with four RBI apiece.
After traveling back from Lexington, the Rockers will start a three-game set at Gastonia on Tuesday with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m.
NOTES: The Rockers signed outfielder Miles Williams prior to Sunday’s game. Williams had played one game with the Rockers in 2022 and has spent time in the Atlantic League with Lancaster, Long Island, Gastonia, Southern Maryland, Charleston and Hagerstown . . . Braxton Davidson drew five walks on Sunday , setting a club record and tying the Atlantic League record . . . The Rockers currently have six players on the injured list including four pitchers . . . The sweep by Lexington marked the first time the Rockers had been swept since dropping three straight to Gastonia at Truist Point August 13-15 of last year . . . This is High Point’s first four-game losing streak since August 2024 . . . High Point started the day as one of just five teams in professional baseball with a winning percentage of .700 or better.
Gastonia Ghost Peppers 10, Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 9