Rockers Take Lexington Series with 7-5 Win

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers rapped out 18 hits and cruised past the Lexington Legends 7-5 on Thursday night at Truist Point.

MLB veteran Michael Martinez led the Rockers with four hits, all singles, while DH Jerry Downs collected three hits. High Point starting pitcher Justin Nicolino earned his fourth win of the year with 5.1 inning of work including seven strikeouts.

High Point scored three times in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Martinez singled to start the frame and scored on a triple by Chris Proctor. Giovanny Alfonzo followed with an RBI single as did Johnny Field. The Rockers made it 4-0 in the fourth when Downs singled and scored on a ground out by Proctor.

The Legends got on the board in the fourth when Isaias Tejeda singled and scored on a single by Montrell Marshall. Courtney Hawkins’ solo homer in the fifth, his league-leading ninth blast of the year, made it a 4-2 game.

The Rockers put up single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Giovanny Alfonzo doubled and scored on a Jay Gonzalez single in the fifth and Downs singled and scored on a Michael Russell single in the sixth to make it a 6-2 game.

Nicolino went 5.1 innings and scattered six hits while striking out seven in earning his fourth win of the season.

The Rockers extended the lead to 7-3 with three consecutive singles, the final one by Aklinski that drove home Jay Gonzalez.

The Legends tallied twice in the top of the ninth off High Point closer Chasen Bradford. Tillman Pugh hit a two-run homer to account for the 7-5 final score.

The Rockers will remain at home through the weekend and will start a three-game series with the Staten Island FerryHawks. The first game is set for Friday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. The FerryHawks feature the only woman playing professional baseball in Kelsie Whitmore.