HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point’s Michael Martinez and Martin Figueroa combined for eight hits and four RBI in leading the Rockers to an 8-3 win over the Charleston Dirty Birds on Friday night at Truist Point.
Figueroa was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, banging out a pair of doubles, a single and a two-run homer. Martinez flew out in his first at-bat but then collected two doubles and two singles to account for his four-hit night.
The win put the Rockers (18-10) just a game back of Charleston (19-9) in the race for the South Division second half title.
Charleston took an early lead with a pair of runs off High Point starter Matt Solter (W, 1-1). Tillman Pugh led off the second inning with a double, moved to third on an infield out by Jared Carr then scored on a single by Rusber Estrada. Estrada then scored from first on a double by Jesus Tavarez.
But the Rockers scored eight unanswered runs to take a commanding 8-2 lead after eight innings. During a four-run outburst in the fourth, Ben Aklinski plated a run with a sac fly, Connor Owings delivered an RBI single and Martinez belted a two-run double.
Figueroa’s two-run homer in the fourth put the Rockers ahead 6-2. The score remained that way until Quincy Nieporte hit a mammoth home run to left with Figueroa aboard in the eighth to forge an 8-2 lead.
Charleston added a solo run in the eighth off reliever Jacob Edwards. With two outs, Willy Garcia doubled into the rightfield corner and then scored on a Tavarez single before Edwards ended the game by inducing a groundout to short by Juan Santana.
The Rockers will play the second game of the three-game series against the Dirty Birds on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. The Rockers will celebrate Mental Health Awareness Night with players wearing specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off for charity.
NOTES: Matt Solter earned his first win as a Rocker since beating Lexington on June 22, 2023… Nieporte is now six-for-12 in his three games as a Rocker… Figueroa was bidding to become the first Rocker with a cycle since Michael Russell on July 20, 2022 at Charleston. Figueroa doubled in the third, homered in the fourth, singled in the sixth and was held to a double in the eighth.
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