Rockers down Legends 11-9 in 10 innings

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The High Point Rockers won their sixth consecutive game, overcoming an early 4-0 deficit and finally emerging with an 11-10 win over Lexington at Legends Field on Tuesday night.

The win allowed the Rockers to remain in a tie for first place in the Atlantic League’s South Division at 15-8. Gastonia defeated Lancaster 8-5 on Tuesday to keep pace with the Rockers.

In a game that included four lead changes, it was two runs in the top of the 10th game that helped the Rockers break a 9-9 tie and down the Legends.

In the top of the tenth, Ben Aklinski’s ground out moved ghost runner Connor Owings to third with one out. Owings then scored on a wild pitch to put High Point ahead 10-9. After Colin Moran drew a walk, the Rockers pinch-ran Gavin Johns. A hard grounder to first by Evan Edwards was fielded by Keenan O’Brien but his throw to second sailed into left field, leaving the Rockers with runners at first and second.  Brian Parreira then singled to right, scoring Johns and giving High Point an 11-9 lead.

Jameson McGrane pitched the bottom of the 10th for the Rockers and struck out the first two batters of the inning before allowing an RBI single to Mikey Reynolds that cut the Rockers lead to 11-10. But McGrane fanned Gabe Howell to end the game.

It was a rocky start for Rockers starter Ben Braymer. The lefty, who went 2-0 for High Point in 2023 before having his contract acquired by the Colorado Rockies, signed with High Point Tuesday afternoon and was on the mound just hours later. But the Legends greeted Braymer with four first inning runs to go up 4-0.

High Point began to chip away, cutting the deficit to 4-1 on a second inning homer from Zander Wiel. Owings then slammed a solo homer to make it a 4-2 game in the top of the fifth.

The Legends added a run in the bottom of the fifth on a walk and a Rockers error to increase the lead to 5-2.

High Point pulled to within a run at 5-4 with two runs in the top of the sixth. Evan Edwards singled and moved to third on a ground rule double by Wiel. Parreira grounded out to second, scoring Edwards and moving Wiel to third. Clayton Mehlbauer and Ryan Grotjohn each received a walk from Lexington reliever Elio Serrano. Martin Figueroa brought home Wiel with a fielder’s choice.

The Rockers tied the game and then took a 7-6 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Moran walked and Evan Edwards singled. Zander Wiel’s bloop single to center plated Moran with the tying run and Parreira’s sac fly to deep left brought home Edwards with the go-ahead run.

The Legends regained the lead with three runs in the seventh inning to go on top 8-6.

High Point answered back with three runs in the top of the eighth for a 9-8 lead. Grotjohn led off the inning with a solo homer to make it 8-7. With two outs, Aklinski drew a walk from Alex MacKinnon and Moran blasted a two-run homer to edge the Rockers in front 9-8.

Lexington tied the game at 9-9 when Aldenis Sanchez stole home in the bottom of the eighth.

Lexington had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth off Rocker reliever Zack Muckenhirn.  Pedro Gonzalez led off the frame with a double. But the lefty retired the next three batters in order, two by strikeout, to send the game to extra innings.

Muckenhirn earned the win for the Rockers improving to 2-0.

The second game of the three-game series is set for a morning start on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for a 10:15 a.m. first pitch.

NOTES: Nick Longhi came off the injured list on Tuesday after having missed 10 days due to an upper body injury. In his first at-bat, Longhi grounded to short and the throw to first drew first baseman Keenan O’Brien off the bag. As Longhi tried to avoid the tag, he went down with an apparent lower body injury and was removed from the game. . . High Point’s six-game winning steak is its longest of the season. It is also the longest active winning streak in the ALPB.