Evan Edwards leads Rockers over Ducks

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. – High Point first baseman Evan Edwards hit a pair of home runs and drove in five runs in leading the Rockers to a 7-2 win over the Long Island Ducks at Fairfield Properties Ballpark on Wednesday night. The win keeps the Rockers’ hopes for an Atlantic League postseason berth alive.

The Rockers (34-25) are tied for second in the South Division along with Gastonia. Charleston, which took an 8-4 decision from Gastonia on Wednesday, leads the division at 37-22. Both High Point and Gastonia are three games back with four contests remaining.

Edwards hit a solo homer leading off the third inning then added a three-run homer in the seventh. He added an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Each team loaded the bases in the first inning but only Long Island was able to capitalize. With two outs, Joe DeLuca lined a single to center to score Taylor Kohlwey and put the Ducks on top 1-0.

High Point tied the game at 1-1 with two outs in the second when D.J. Burt doubled to left and scored when Martin Figueroa lined a double into the rightfield corner.

Evan Edwards blasted a homer to right leading off the third to put the Rockers in front 2-1.

Long Island used back-to-back two-out hits to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth off High Point starter Yuhi Sako. Kole Kaler singled and stole second before scoring on a single by Nick Heath.

High Point took a 3-2 lead in the fifth. With two outs, Ben Aklinski doubled to left. Edwards then ripped a shot to the right side that Ducks’ second baseman Alexis Pantoja dove and stopped but his throw to starting pitcher Nick Tropeano (L, 4-2) covering first pulled him off the bag. Aklinski never stopped running and scored without a throw. Connor Owings then blooped a base hit to right that fell in and Edwards was able to score while Owings took second on the throw to the plate.

Edwards struck again with a three-run homer in the seventh, plating both Martin Figueroa and Ryan Grotjohn who each drew a walk from Ducks reliever Justin Alintoff. Edwards’ blast put the Rockers up 7-2.

Sako went 4.1 innings, allowing eight hits and two runs while walking three and striking out eight. Justin Lewis (W, 1-0) tossed 1.2 innings of hitless relief while Zach Vennaro put the Ducks down in order in the seventh. Austin Warner allowed one hit and a walk while striking out four in his two innings of work to close the game.

Edwards was three-for-four on the night with five RBI while Figueroa and Owings each drove in a run. Owings and Figueroa each had three hits to contribute to High Point’s 12-hit attack. DeLuca led the Ducks with a pair of hits and an RBI.

Thursday the Rockers will send knuckleballer Mickey Jannis (2-0, 4.26) to the mound to face Long Island’s Mitchell Senger (0-1, 7.10). Game time is 6:35 p.m. at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.