Rhoades hurls Rockers to win

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The High Point Rockers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over the Charleston Dirty Birds on Saturday night at GoMart Ballpark.

The win brought the Rockers (20-16) a game closer to first place in the South Division. Charleston (24-13) continues to lead but by just 3.5 games. Gastonia (21-15) remains a game in front of High Point.

Rain delayed the start of the game and when a starting time was announced, there was insufficient time for each club’s starting pitcher to get ready. So both the Rockers and Dirty Birds began the game with “openers” on the mound, reliever Kyle Halbohn for High Point and reliever Joan Matinez for Charleston. Each of them went two innings.

Ben Aklinski put the Rockers ahead 1-0 in the first inning with a solo homer off Martinez, , his 21st of the season.

Charleston tied the game in the bottom of the first as Halbohn allowed three singles to open the game, loading the bases. Rusber Estrada’s fly ball turned into a sacrifice fly for the Dirty Birds, tying the game.

The Rockers took a 3-1 lead in the fifth when Connor Owings singled and moved to second base on a wild pitch. D.J. Burt then hit a two-run homer off the light stanchion in left to move the Rockers in front.

Phillip Ervin tied the game with a two-run homer to right off Jeremy Rhoades (W, 3-3) in the bottom of the fifth.

High Point scored three times in the seventh off Adrian Almeida (L, 6-3) when Trey Martin walked, moved to second on a ground out by Brian Parreira and scored on Martin Figueroa’s single to left. Ryan Grotjohn followed with a single, moving Figueroa to second. Bryan Quillens replaced Adrian Almeida on the mound for Charleston and walked Aklinski to load the bases. Quincy Nieporte then rolled a single up the middle, scoring Figueroa and Grotjohn and giving the Rockers a 6-3 lead.

Rhoades went six innings and scattered seven hits while walking two and striking out nine.

Garrett Schilling came on to earn the save in the ninth. After allowing a single and a walk, Schilling struck out Ervin before Keon Barnum sent a one-hopper back to the mound and Schilling initiated a 1-6-3 game-ending double play.

The fourth and final game of the series is slated for Sunday at 4:05 p.m. at GoMart Park. The Rockers then return home to face Gastonia on Tuesday, August 20 at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point.

NOTES: Rain delayed the start of the game for 45 minutes. Each team selected a reliever to start the game before bringing in the scheduled starter in the third inning. Charleston’s Adrian Almeida entered the game in the top of the third and High Point’s Jeremy Rhoades came on in the bottom of the third… Ryan Grotjohn singled in the top of the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, the longest by a Rocker this season.