Another come-from-behind win for Rockers over Gastonia

GASTONIA, N.C. – The High Point Rockers tied the club record for the largest deficit overcome in a win as they opened a three-game set with Gastonia with a 10-8 win on Tuesday night at CaroMont Health Park.  The Rockers overcame deficits of 5-0 and 6-1 by scoring nine runs in their final four at-bats behind three home runs.

High Point had previously overcome five-run deficits on four occasions, most recently after trailing the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes 5-0 in May 2022.

The Rockers started slowly on Tuesday night, trailing 2-0 after the first as Gastonia struck for a pair of runs off High Point starter Neil Uskali. J.C. Escarra hit a solo homer, his eighth of the year with one out and that was followed an out later by third baseman Carlos Franco, also his eighth of the year.

The Honey Hunters added three runs in the fifth for a 5-0 lead. Cole Freeman led off the inning with a double and then stole third. Escarra slapped a single up the middle to plate Freeman. A walk to Franco put runners on first and second and Curtis Terry brought them both home with a double to left.

During the bottom of the third, Rockers first baseman John Nogowski was ejected from the game and manager Jamie Keefe soon followed.

High Point got on the board in the top of the fourth when Michael Russell tripled into the right-center gap and scored on a Michael Martinez ground out.

The Rockers again trailed by five at 6-1 when Gastonia’s Jack Reinheimer singled in the bottom of the fourth to score catcher Scott Manea who had doubled.

The Rockers began their comeback In the top of the sixth as Cam Williamson singled and Martinez hit his first homer of the season, a shot far over the left field wall to pull the Rockers within three at 6-3. High Point added another run when Brian Parriera, Nogowski’s replacement at first, singled and Zander Wiel was hit by a pitch. Ben Aklinski grounded to third and Gastonia was able to force Wiel at second but left Parreira and Aklinski on the corners. Ryan Grotjohn then singled to center to score Parreira and make it a 6-4 contest. Aklinski wound up at third and was able to score on a balk by Gastonia starting pitcher Ian McKinney to cut the deficit to one.

Gastonia added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Manea led off with a single. A bunt by Freeman was fielded by Uskali who threw the ball into right field, allowing Manea to score and leaving Freeman at third with Gastonia leading 7-5. Kyle Halbohn (W, 1-0) entered the game for the Rockers and allowed an RBI double to Escarra as Gastonia pushed its lead to 8-5.

In the top of the seventh, John Daly and Cam Williamson drew walks from reliever Bryan Blanton. Daly stole second and moved to third on a flyout by Russell. Martinez drove in his fourth run of the night when he grounded out to first, allowing Daly to score and make it an 8-6 game.

The Rockers opened the eighth inning against Gastonia reliever David Richardson (L, 2-1) with back-to-back singles by Aklinski and Grotjohn before Beau Taylor blasted a three-run shot to right to give High Point its first lead at 9-8. Russell then added some insurance with a solo homer, his first of the year, for a 10-8 Rocker advantage.

Ryan Dull pitched the ninth for the Rockers, earning his seventh save in seven opportunities. He continues his stretch of scoreless innings as he has now thrown 12 innings without allowing a run and just one hit. Dull has 22 strikeouts and just three walks this season.

Martinez’s four RBI on the night led the Rockers while Taylor accounted for three runs. Russell, Grotjohn and Taylor each had a pair of hits for the Rockers. Escarra finished the night with three hits and four RBI for the Honey Hunters.

High Point and Gastonia will play game two of the three-game series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at CaroMont Health Park. The Rockers will send newcomer RHP Matt Solter to the mound to face Gastonia’s Zach Mort (3-0, 2.65). The game will be streamed live on FloSports and MixLR will carry the Rockers’ audio broadcast of the game.