Gastonia takes series opener, 4-3

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Gastonia Baseball Club used a pair of home runs to edge past the High Point Rockers 4-3 on Tuesday night at Truist Point.

Josh Stowers smacked a two-run homer in the third inning to break a 1-1 tie and Justin Wylie hit a solo shot in the eighth that provided the key insurance run to the Gastonia Baseball club.

Gastonia opened the scoring in the first inning when Wylie doubled and scored on an RBI ground out. High Point responded with a lead-off triple from Ryan Grotjohn who scored on Evan Edwards’ infield ground out to tie the game.

Stowers’ homer in the third pushed Gastonia ahead 3-1 after Alan Alonso reached on an outfield error by the Rockers. High Point closed the gap to 3-2 in the sixth when Zander Wiel walked moved to second on a ground out by Jake Washer and scored on a Connor Owings single to right.

Wylie’s homer came in the top of the eighth off reliever Jacob Edwards and moved Gastonia in front 4-2.

The Rockers rallied in the ninth inning when Jake Washer’s pop out in shallow center field was dropped for a two-base error. D.J. Burt singled to right to plate Washer and pull the Rockers to within one.

Neil Ramirez (L, 4-5) went five innings for the Rockers and allowed four hits and three runs while walking two and striking out five. Mike Wright, Jr. (W, 1-1) went six innings, yielded four hits and three walks while striking out five. Phoenix Sanders (S, 10) allowed a run in the ninth but earned his 10th save of the season for Gastonia.

Game two of the series with Gastonia is slated for Wednesday, July 3 at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. Wednesday’s game marks the start of three straight nights of postgame fireworks at Truist Point.