Aklinski leads Rockers to 5-3 win

by Alexix Taylor

HIGH POINT, N.C.— Jameson McGrane his second consecutive save as the High Point Rockers closed out a 5-3 victory over the Lexington Legends Friday night at Truist Point in front of a crowd of 2,559. A standout night from Ben Aklinski, featuring a go-ahead home run and a highlight-reel diving catch, fueled the Rockers to their second straight win to tie the series with Lexington at two games apiece.

The Rockers jumped on the board in the bottom of the third inning after DJ Burt was hit by a pitch, followed by a Martin Figueroa walk. Aklinski came through with an RBI single to center, scoring Burt. Two more runs crossed the plate on an Evan Edwards ground out an a Lexington error to give High Point a 3-0 lead.

Lexington responded in the top of the fourth. Korry Howell doubled and came home on Kole Cottam’s sac fly. Pedro Gonzalez then launched a solo home run to left field, narrowing the gap to 3-2. But Aklinski turned heads again with an impressive diving catch in foul territory to end the inning and stop the Legends’ momentum.

The Legends tied it in the fifth with Austin Bates’ solo homer, but Aklinski answered back immediately in the bottom half, smashing a solo homer—his second in two games and 27th of the year— to restore High Point’s lead, 4-3.

The Rockers added an insurance run in the sixth after a costly balk from Gerald Ogando allowed Connor Owings to score, pushing the lead to 5-3. High Point’s bullpen took over from there. Justin Lewis and Dakota Chalmers combined to retire seven straight Legends, and McGrane slammed the door in the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning, notching his second save in as many nights to seal the win.

With the victory, the Rockers (32-23) will aim to keep building on their momentum in the last two games of the Rockers’ final homestand on Saturday night at 6:35 p.m.

The Rockers moved into a tie for second in the South Division as Gastonia lost 2-1 at Southern Maryland. Charleston (36-18) was losing to Long Island in the ninth inning on Friday.