Jannis wins 7th game, Rockers roll 8-3

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point’s Zander Wiel drove in a pair of runs with a double and a triple and knuckleballer Mickey Jannis became the first Atlantic League pitcher to reach seven wins as the Rockers defeated the Lexington Counter Clocks 8-3 Tuesday night at Truist Point.

The game was called after the top of the sixth inning with the Rockers holding an 8-3 lead. After a 37-minute rain delay, the game was declared final.

Jannis (W, 7-1) struck out seven in his 5.2 innings of work, yielding five hits and three runs before leaving for Bryce Hensley in the top of the sixth. When Hensley retired Josue Huma with a ground out to third, the umpires halted the game before canceling the remainder of the contest 37 minutes later.

The Rockers put up a pair of four-run innings. Trailing 1-0 in the third, the Rockers used an RBI double from Shed Long, Jr.,  a sac fly from Michael Russell, and an RBI triple from Wiel to take a 3-1 lead. Wiel would score on a wild pitch to move ahead 4-1.

In the fourth, Russell and Wiel banged back-to-back run-scoring doubles before Ben Aklinski and Ryan Grotjohn delivered RBI singles for an 8-1 advantage.

The Counter Clocks scored twice in the top of the sixth off Jannis with Hector Roa smacking a two-run triple on the rain-slickened field. One batter later, the game was over.

Yeudy Garcia (L, 2-5) went all five innings for Lexington, allowing the eight runs on eight hits while walking three and striking out two.

High Point and Lexington will play game two of the three-game series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. The Rockers will send Joe Johnson to the mound to face Lexington’s Pat Ledet.