Late homers gives Gastonia series opener

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Gastonia’s Justin Wylie hit a solo homer in the top of the ninth inning to give the Baseball Club a 3-2 win over the High Point Rockers on Tuesday night at Truist Point.

With Charleston taking an 11-9 decision from Lexington, the Rockers fell two games out of first place in the Atlantic League’s South Division. Charleston leads the division with a 21-10 second half record while the Rockers are second at 19-12. Gastonia is third at 18-14, 1.5 games behind High Point.

High Point starter Derrick Adams, making his first start at Truist Point, was perfect through three innings and retired the first 11 batters of the game. Josh Stowers doubled with two outs in the fourth and he scored on a single by Jake Gatewood for a 1-0 Gastonia lead.

The Rockers knotted the game at 1-1 in their half of the fourth off Gastonia starter Morgan McSweeney. Connor Owings drew a one out walk before McSweeney walked Evan Edwards. Trent Fennell came in from the bullpen and walked Michael Martinez to load the bases. Aklinski came home on a Fennell wild pitch.

A double by Eric De La Rosa to lead off the sixth led to Gastonia taking a 2-1 lead. De La Rosa moved to third on Richie Martin’s ground out to first then scored on a wild pitch by High Point reliever Justin Lewis.

Aklinski scored the tying run in the bottom of the sixth, reaching base after being hit by a pitch from Cory Thompson. Thompson then walked Edwards and Martinez bounced to a 4-6-3 double play that moved Aklinski to third. A wild pitch then brought home the tying run.

Will Carter put Gastonia down in order in the eighth and closer Dakota Chalmers struck out the first two men he faced in the ninth before Wylie launched his homer to left for a 3-2 Gastonia advantage. Gabe Klobosits (W, 5-4) struck out the side in the ninth to preserve the Gastonia win.

Gastonia finished with five hits in the game and the Rockers had four.

Game two of the series will take place on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point.