GASTONIA, N.C. – The first two batters of the game for the High Point Rockers belted home runs and set the tone for the Rockers’ 11-5 win in the final game of the four-game series over Gastonia at Caromont Health Park. The win gave High Point the series win by a 3-1 count and High Point’s six home runs tied a club record for homers in a game.
Third baseman Michael Russell went five-for-five with three doubles and a homer while Ben Aklinski and Tyler Ladendorf each collected three hits as part of High Point’s 14-hit attack. Ladendorf hit homers in the fifth and ninth innings.
High Point improved to 50-46 overall and 11-19 in the second half of the Atlantic League season.
Russell led off the game with his fourth home run of the year to stake the Rockers to a 1-0 lead. Aklinski followed with his 17th homer of the season to put High Point up 2-0. In the ninth, Logan Morrison and Ladendorf would also hit back-to-back homers.
Gastonia’s Zach Jarrett brought home the Honey Hunters’ first run with a sac fly that plated Jack Reinheimer.
High Point added two more runs in the second RBI singles by Russell and Giovanny Alfonzo. Gastonia made it a 4-2 game in the third on a Luis Roman RBI single. The Rockers tallied three times in the fourth to take a 7-2 lead. Mike Gulino pounded a two-run homer and Aklinski singled to score Russell who had doubled. Tyler Ladendorf’s solo homer in the fifth gave High Point an 8-2 lead.
High Point starter Craig Stem (W, 4-3) allowed a three-run homer to Jarrett in the fifth Gastonia pulled within three at 8-5. But High Point went back up at 95 in the eighth when Russell walked, stole second and third and scored on a double by Aklinski.
Ladendorf and Morrison’s homers in the ninth gave the Rockers an 11-5 lead.
Stem went five innings and allowed eight hits and a walk while striking out three and giving up five runs. Junior Rincon shut the Honey Hunters down in the sixth and seventh while Cole Aker threw a shutout eighth inning. Tyler Higgins kept Gastonia scoreless in the ninth. Gastonia’s Roger Bernal (L, 2-1) allowed eight hits and seven runs in 3.1 innings of work.
The Rockers will have an off-day on Monday and then play at Southern Marylaned in a three-game set starting on Tuesday, August 9.
The post Rockers Homer Way Past Gastonia, 11-5 appeared first on High Point Rockers Baseball.
The post Rockers Homer Way Past Gastonia, 11-5 appeared first on High Point Rockers Baseball. High Point Rockers Baseball Read More
Interested in web3 and pro baseball? If so, get your own web3 (NFT) baseball domain name! Click this link to discover more information.
If you are looking for savings and free shipping on baseball equipment and gear then Click Here or click on this image:
Discover more about the available NFTs specific to affiliated and independent minor league baseball teams and players: Independent Minor League Baseball NFT non-fungible tokens and digital art
Get notified of upcoming independent baseball tryouts from either of these services: first service or the second service. Prospective players can find some helpful resources here
See the list of former / folded independent baseball teams since 1993 and get non-official merchandise featuring those teams: Former Independent Baseball Teams And Merchandise
Do you collect or sell baseball cards and other sports memorabilia? If so, then here are some helpful resources plus where to get independent baseball merchandise from folded teams. Click Here to discover more.