High Point 13, Gastonia 2
GASTONIA, N.C. (August 29, 2024) – The High Point Rockers unleashed a double-digit hitting attack for the sixth straight game in pummeling Gastonia 13-2 on Thursday night at CaroMont Health Park.
The Rockers finished the night with 15 hits, marking a club record sixth straight game with double digit hits. Martin Figueroa and Michael Martinez led the hit parade with three each while D.J. Burt, Connor Owings, Evan Edwards and Brian Parreira each chipped in with a pair of hits. Parreira, Owings, Edwards and Parreira each collected a pair of RBI.
High Point starter Matt Solter (W, 3-2) held Gastonia to four hits in his five innings of work with four walks and five strikeouts. The Baseball Club’s lone run before the ninth inning came in the fourth when Cam Williams hit a solo homer. Reliever Will Carter allowed a triple to Eric De La Rosa in the ninth and he scored on an infield out.
Jacob Edwards, Justin Lewis and D.J. Johnson each threw a shutout inning of relief.
The Rockers tallied a single run in each of the first three innings. In the first, Figueroa led off the game with a double and then a pair of walks from Gastonia starter Morgan McSweeney (L. 1-1)_ loaded the bases. Ben Aklinski then fouled out to the first baseman while Figueroa tagged and scored from third for a 1-0 lead.
In the second, Figueroa singled home Martinez and Martinez returned the favor in the third, singling home Edwards following a one out double.
The Rockers scored three times in the sixth. The frame started with consecutive singles by Martinez and Parreira. Figueroa’s single brought Martinez home and Parreira scored on a wild pitch. Burt then singled home Figueroa and the Rockers held a 6-1 lead.
Edwards drew a walk off Gastonia reliever Bryan Blanton to start the seventh and Parreira smashed a two-run homer to extend the lead to 8-1. The Rockers added three more runs in the eighth on a walk, three hits and a Gastonia error as the lead grew to 11-1.
Gastonia sent first baseman Marc Flores to the mound in the top of the ninth. He allowed two runs on a Ryan Grotjohn sacrifice fly and a Connor Owings ground out.
The Rockers are now 28-19 in the second half and riding a six-game winning streak. They will head to Charleston for a critical four-game series with the Dirty Birds. Charleston leads the South Division with a 32-14 record. Charleston’s home game with Southern Maryland on Thursday night was delayed due to rain. The Rockers are 4.5 games behind Charleston and two games in front of Gastonia,
NOTES: The 13-2 win marks the largest margin of victory for the Rockers over Gastonia, surpassing an 11-1 win in June 2023.
Long Island 7, York 3
(York, Pa., Aug. 29, 2024) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the York Revolution 7-3 on Thursday night in the rubber game of a three-game series at WellSpan Park.
York took a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning on a two-run home run to left centerfield off the bat of Zander Wiel against Long Island starting pitcher Nick Tropeano. The Revolution made it 3-0 in their favor in the second on Ciaran Devenney’s RBI groundout.
The Ducks cut the deficit to 3-2 in the third scoring their first run after JC Encarnacion stole third base for his second bag swiped of the inning and hustled home on a Devenney throwing error and then tallied their second run on a Yonny Hernandez sacrifice fly versus Revolution starter Zach Neff.
The Flock took their first lead of the ballgame at 4-3 in the sixth thanks to an Encarnacion run-scoring fielder’s choice and a bases loaded walk issued to Kole Kaler. The visitors made it 5-3 in the eighth on Kaler’s RBI base knock, and scored a pair of insurance runs in the ninth courtesy of a two-run double off the bat of Taylor Kohlwey,
Tropeano (3-1) picked up the victory after giving up three runs on four hits over five innings pitched, walking three and striking out four. Neff (7-6) was tagged with the loss, surrendering four runs on nine hits over five and two-thirds innings on the mound, walking one while striking out six.
Kaler reached base all four times with three singles, two RBIs, a run scored, a walk and two stolen bases. Yoelquis Cespedes notched his first three-hit game as a member of the Ducks, and Aaron Antonini’s single, walk and two runs scored extended his on-base streak to 25 consecutive games overall.
The Ducks return home on Friday night to begin a four-game set 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). The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive Bucket Hats, courtesy of Merch & Swag. It’s also a Tap Room Friday, and Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons for 20% off your entire check and 50% off your first online or mobile app order as fans exit the ballpark. Left-hander Jimmy Robbins (6-6, 5.35) toes the rubber for the Flock against Stormers right-hander Noah Bremer (9-6, 3.68).
Lancaster 11, Staten Island 5
The Staten Island FerryHawks dropped the series finale against the Lancaster Stormers by a final score of 11-5 Thursday evening.
The Stormers jumped out to a quick 3-run lead as they applied pressure to FerryHawks starter Taylor Lepard early. Leopard would ultimately pitch five full frames, allowing 8 hits and 5 earned runs. The righty matched his four strikeouts with four walks issued throughout the appearance.
Pablo Sandoval took matters into his own hands in the bottom of the third inning, tying the game up with a three-run home run. It was Sandoval’s ninth time leaving the yard on the year, and he now sits at 65 RBI. That was part of Sandoval’s 2-4 night, but outfielder Nate Scantlin also posted an impressive line in the box. Scantlin collected 3 hits in 4 tries, while also knocking in a run and scoring one of his own. The final offensive standout was nine-hole hitter Kyle Dernedde, picking up a pair of hits in his three trips to the plate- also with one run and one RBI.
Following Lepard on the mound for Staten Island was Bryan Warzek, (1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER,) Brennen Oxford, (1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER) and Robbie Baker (1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER).
The FerryHawks head to York for their upcoming four game series against the Revolution, spanning from Friday-Monday, and will be looking to get back in the win column.
Lexington 10, Hagerstown 1
Southern Maryland 5, Charleston 3