Rockers Fall at Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Genomes hit five home runs and held the High Point Rockers to just five hits as the Genomes posted an 11-3 win at Wild Health Field on Tuesday night. The Rockers led 3-1 in the third inning but were held hitless over the final six innings.

The Rockers fell to 28-13 on the season after suffering their fourth straight loss. Charleston tripped Gastonia (27-14) 7-5 on Tuesday night as High Point maintained a one-game lead in the Atlantic League South Division.

High Point took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second with consecutive singles by Michael Martinez and Jay Gonzalez before Johnny Field drew a walk to load the bases. Martinez would score on a sacrifice fly by Chris Proctor.

High Point tallied a pair of runs in the third when, after again loading the bases, Martinez lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Aklinski and giving High Point a 2-1 lead. Gonzalez followed with a seeing-eye grounder up the middle that scored Jerry Downs who had reached on a single.

Kentucky took the lead in the bottom of the third, using a double by Chris Shaw and back-to-back home runs from Samir Duenez and Chase Vallot for a 4-3 advantage.

Moises Sierra doubled home a run in the fourth to put the Genomes up 5-3. Kentucky then tallied three times in the fifth on a Felix Pie homer and an RBI single from Luke Becker.  Vallot would hit his second homer of the night, a two-run shot off reliever John Hayes, in the sixth for a 10-3 Kentucky advantage before Becker hit a solo homer in the seventh to account for the final score.

Becker and Vallot each finished with three RBI for the Genomes.

High Point starter Colt Webb (1-1) went 4.2 innings and gave up eight hits and eight runs while walking five and striking out one. Kentucky lefty Robbie Scott (3-3) pitched five innings and allowed all five hits while walking three and striking out three.

High Point and Kentucky will continue their three-game series at noon on Wednesday at Wild Health Field.