Rockers drop 5-3 decision to Blue Crabs

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers dropped a second straight game to Southern Maryland, falling 5-3 on Friday night at Truist Point in front of a season-high 2,650 fans. Game two of the series is slated for a 6:35 p.m. start on Saturday night.

Southern Maryland took two of three games earlier in the week from the Rockers in Waldorf, Md.

High Point went on top first as Martin Figueroa led off the bottom of the first with a double. After moving to third on a Ben Aklinski fly out to left, Figueroa scored on an RBI single from Connor Owings.

In the fourth, the Blue Crabs tied the game on a Juan Kelly double and a Josh Broughto RBI single. Southern Maryland then took the lead for good in the fifth when Michael Wielansky slammed a solo homer for a 2-1 advantage.

The Blue Crabs added two ore runs in the top of the sixth for a 4-1 lead. Kelly hit a solo homer before Aaron Hill doubled and stole third, scoring on a single by Broughton.

The Rockers battled back in their half of the fifth when Figueroa walked and scored on Aklinski’s home run to left to make it 4-3.

But Southern Maryland added an insurance run in the eighth on a single by Broughton and an RBI double off the bat of Alan Alonso to account for the 5-3 final.

Jeremy Rhoades (L, 1-2) allowed six hits and four runs in his 5.1 innings of work while fanning seven. Blue Crab starter Garrett Martin (W, 2-0) also went 5.1 innings, yielding five hits and three runs. Endrys Briceno put the Rockers down in order in the ninth to earn his fourth save of the year.

Figueroa was the lone Rocker to collect two hits. Broughton led the Blue Crabs with three hits and two RBI.

NOTES: The Rockers added LHP Braeden Ogle to the roster on Friday afternoon… He will take the spot of Peter Solomon whose contract was purchased by the Texas Rangers… The Rockers also added former North Carolina A&T and Wesleyan Christian Academy outfielder Greg White to the roster on Friday.