Rockers-Blue Crabs Series Preview

High Point Rockers vs. Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

The Rockers and Blue Crabs will continue their 6-game set with the first of three games at Truist Point beginning Friday, May 10. These three games are the first of a nine-game homestand for High Point as they face two other South Division foes in the Lexington Legends and Charleston Dirty Birds. Southern Maryland and High Point are in the midst of back-to-back three-game sets that saw the first three played at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf. The Rockers dropped the first and final game of that series, but were able to take the middle game in dominant fashion. Starter Ryan Weiss tied a club record for 12 strikeouts and the Rockers burst out for nine runs on 13 hits offensively. Last season the Rockers won the season series vs the Blue Crabs 15-6. This year the Rockers will square off against Southern Maryland 18 times, with nine games at home and nine on the road..

About the Rockers:

            The Rockers come into this game at (7-6) tied with Gastonia for second in the South Division, three games back of the Charleston Dirty Birds who the Rockers dropped a series to earlier this year. After the Rockers got off to a scorching start winning their first five games, they’ve since dropped six of their past eight. It is vital for the Rockers to get the lead. There has not been a lead change in any of the 13 Rockers games this season. Every game the Rockers have won they’ve scored first, and every game they’ve lost, it has been the opponent scoring first.

Key Players:

Ben Aklinski:

            When Ben Aklinski is rolling, the Rockers are rolling. Aklinski started the season with four homers and 15 RBIs, but since then has hasn’t picked up an RBI. In order for the Rockers to thrive, so must their three-year veteran outfielder.

Nick Longhi:

Longhi has been the Rockers most impactful offensive contributor this season. He has launched a league leading seven homers and has driven in a league leading 17 runs. In his past five games Longhi has hit three homers with two of those vs Southern Maryland in the three-game set at Waldorf. The Rockers need his bat to stay hot and continue to drive in runs.

Zander Wiel:

            If there was a player on the team against Southern Maryland that historically has come through for High Point, it would be Zander Wiel. In Wiel’s first two seasons with the Rockers, he launched 12 homers vs the Blue Crabs, the most he has vs. any Atlantic League club. In his Atlantic League career Wiel sits at 62 home runs and on Wednesday picked up his 200th Atlantic League RBI. Wiel has hit well against Southern Maryland before, and the Rockers will need him to do it again to turn the tide.

Keys Trends:

HR ball:

The Rockers have the most homers in the Atlantic league with 18 and have won every game this season that they out-homered their opponent. More than 57% of their offense production comes via the home run, demonstrating how vital it is to the Rockers success.

Taking Ball 4:

High Point walked more than anyone else in the league last year racking up 548 free bases. This season that trend has continued as the Rockers have drawn the second most walks. High Point has only won one game this year where its opponent has walked more than them. The Rockers have to take their walks and get on base for their power bats.

Containing the running game:

During the Rockers four game losing streak, High Point has surrendered 15 stolen bases. For the season they’ve allowed the second most stolen bases with 23 and have only caught two baserunners. However, over the past four games the Rockers have done a better job conceding just three SBs and stealing four themselves. This season the Rockers have won every game that they have as many or more stolen bases than their opponent.

About the Blue Crabs:

Southern Maryland comes into this three-game series at 6-7 just one game behind High Point, and four behind the division pacing Charleston Dirty Birds. The Blue Crabs lost their first two series of the year to Gastonia and Lexington but have since won their next two series vs Staten Island and High Point. They have yet to sweep an opponent or be swept by one.

Keys Players:

Anthony Brocato:

Brocato made his name known to Rocker fans this past series at Southern Maryland. He went 5-for-13 and smacked two homers in the rubber match on Thursday. He joins Ciaran Devenney as the only other Rocker opponent to hit two homers in a game vs them this season. Brocato has been doing damage against everyone this year though, his five homers puts him at second in the league, only behind the Rockers Nick Longhi. Brocato will have to continue his hot hitting to give the Blue Crabs a shot.

Juan Kelly:

Juan Kelly has been a thorn in the side of the Rockers this season. He went 3-for-9 in Waldorf and went back-to-back with Brocato in game three on Thursday. Kelly is hitting .341 on the season and his 14 RBIs ranks him third in the Atlantic League.

Key Trends:

Which offense shows up:

Southern Maryland ranks in the middle of the league in hits and runs, however they have the least doubles in the league with 11, in part explaining for their .388 slugging percentage, which ranks as the second-lowest mark in the Atlantic League. Yet, in all but one of the Blue Crabs victories they have scored seven or more runs. They did so Tuesday and Thursday against the Rockers. In game one they strung together 15 hits in the ballgame, 10 of which came against the Rockers starter Peter Solomon. And in game three they compiled 11 hits. However, in game two, the Blue Crabs mustered just three hits all game. Which version of the Blue Crabs offense shows up in High Point will greatly impact this three-game set.

Avoiding the Rockers strength:

The Rockers lead the Atlantic League in home runs and have drawn the second-most walks in the league. The Blue Crabs pitching has been their weakness. They have allowed the third-most earned runs, second-most homers and have conceded the third-most walks. The Southern Maryland pitching staff will have to bear down, limit the walks, and keep the ball in the park against High Point if they want to give themselves a shot.

Clean defense:

Southern Maryland has committed the second-most errors in the league with 14 and made four errors in the three-game set in Waldorf. They have allowed the third-most stolen bases and turned the third-fewest double plays. The team that plays clean defense will give themselves the best chance to take this series.

Pitching Matchup:

Fri: SMD – Garrett Martin vs HP – Jeremy Rhoades

Martin: 6.1IP (2G-1GS) / 1ER (1.42 ERA) / 3BB / 7Ks / 0HR allowed

Rhoades: 10IP (2GS) / 3ER (2.70 ERA) / 4BB / 11Ks

Sat: SMD – Daryl Thompson vs HP – Brandon Leibrandt

Thompson: 8.1IP (4G) / 0ER / 2BB:9Ks

Leibrandt: 9IP (2GS) / 0ER (0.00 ERA) / 1BB / 11Ks

Sun: SMD – Ian Kahaloa vs HP – TBA

Kahaloa: 14.2IP (3GS) / 10 ER (6.13 ERA) / 14BB:13Ks / 2HR allowed

TBA

Keys for Rocker Starters:

Rhoades has had a couple of strong starts to begin the year for High Point and Leibrandt has been nothing short of brilliant, but the key to their success this series is attacking the strike zone and being unpredictable. Rockers pitchers have conceded the fewest walks in the league and at times other teams have taken advantage, ambushing first pitch strikes. The Rockers pitchers must continue to throw strikes, but be “effectively wild.”

Milestone Watch:

Stan Cliburn, the Blue Crabs’ skipper, stands 28 wins away from 500 Atlantic League wins  and 33 from 2,000 career managerial victories. Rockers manager Jaime Keefe, has the third-best active win percentage in the Atlantic League and is six wins away from 300 Atlantic League Ws and 18 games away from 2,000 games managed.

How Can I Tune In?

            Friday and Saturday our coverage will start at 6:20 p.m. EDT with a first pitch time of 6:35 p.m. EDT. Our pregame coverage for Sunday’s 4:05 p.m. EDT game will begin at 3:50 p.m. EDT. Tune into the game on MixLR or watch the game on FloSports.