Rockers win 8th straight, turn back Clocks 8-5

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The High Point Rockers won their eighth straight game with an 8-5 victory over the Lexington Counter Clocks on Tuesday night at Counter Clocks Field.  Designated hitter Beau Taylor drove in three runs with a two-run homer and a sac fly to lead the Rockers offensive attack.

The Rockers are now 10-1 on the season and continue on the best start in the four-year history of the franchise. High Point now holds a 2.5 game lead in the South Division as Gastonia and Lexington are each 7-3 following Tuesday’s nights games.

The Rockers opened the scoring with three runs in the second inning. Ben Aklinski doubled to start the frame, and following a walk to shortstop Ryan Grotjohn, Daikan Yoh singled to bring home Aklinski. A wild pitch by Lexington starter Jerad Eickhoff (L, 2-1) brought home Grotjohn before D.J. Burt doubled to score Yoh.

The Rockers extended their lead to 5-0 with two runs in the third. John Nogowski led off the frame with a walk and moved to second on a single to center by Zander Wiel. Ben Aklinski delivered an RBI single to score Nogowski and Wiel then raced home on a passed ball by Lexington catcher Logan Brown.

The Counter Clocks tallied for the first time in the third when High Point starter Liam O’Sullivan allowed a pair of singles before walking Thomas Dillard to load the bases. A walk to Connor Owings brought home a run before O’Sullivan was able to pitch out of the jam.

Taylor’s sac fly in the fourth scored Tyler Blaum to put the Rockers back up by five at 6-1. Lexington notched a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth in closing High Point’s lead to 6-3. Taylor’s two-run homer in the seventh put High Point back up 8-3 before Owings hit a solo homer off Rockers’ reliever Bryce Hensley (W, 2-0) to make it an 8-4 game after seven. Lexington DH Jake Gitter homered with nobody on in the eighth off Kyle Halbohn to pull the Clocks to within three at 8-5 but they would get no closer. Ryan Dull closed out the game with a one-two-three ninth inning to earn his second save of the year and the 15th of his High Point career.

The Rockers finished the game with 10 hits, the eighth time in 11 contests that they have managed to reach double figures in hits. Burt finished with a pair of doubles while rookie John Daly went two-for-two. Wiel and Aklinski each finished with two hits.

The Rockers continue on the road and will play game two of the three-game series against the Counter Clocks at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday. High Point will send lefty Ben Braymer (2-0, 0.00) to the mound to face Lexington RHP Yeudy Garcia (1-0, 3.27). Following a Thursday game in Lexington, the Rockers will return home and start a three-game series at Truist Point against Gastonia on Friday at 6:35 p.m.