Rockers winning streak snapped at 8

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The High Point Rockers suffered their first loss of the season, falling 2-0 to Lexington on Wednesday afternoon at Counter Clocks Field. The loss snaps High Point’s eight-game winning streak but leaves the Rockers in first place of the Atlantic League’s South Division with a 10-2 record.

The game was a classic pitcher’s duel with neither team scoring through the first seven innings. High Point starter Ben Braymer, who had not allowed a hit in his first two starts covering 12 innings, allowed five hits over his six innings of work with a pair of walks and five strikeouts. Gabriel Castellanos threw a scoreless seventh for the Rockers before yielding to A.J. Cole (L, 0-1) in the eighth. Lexington starter Yeudy Garcia went six innings and allowed High Point just three hits while striking out four.

The Rockers tried to break the ice in the top of the eighth against Lexington reliever Logan Salow. With one out, Salow walked John Dalay and John Nogowski to put two aboard before Lexington manager Barry Lyons turned to Aaron Ochsenbein (W, 2-0) out of the pen. Ochsenbein walked Zander Wiel to load the bases before Ben Aklinski was called out on strikes to end the threat.

In the bottom of the eighth, Lexington’s Manuel Geraldo was safe on a soft infield single leading off the inning and then moved to second on a wild pitch by Cole. After a fly ball out moved Geraldo to third, Cole intentionally walked Thomas Dillard who then promptly stole second. With two men in scoring position, J.C. Encarnacion singled through a drawn-in infield to plate both runners and give the Clocks a 2-0 advantage.

Lexington closer Garrett Schilling put the Rockers down in order in the ninth to earn his league-leading fifth save of the year.

The Rockers left eight runners aboard and were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Wiel was the only Rocker to collect a pair of hits. The Rockers were held to five hits while the Clocks managed eight hits, all singles.

High Point and Lexington will play the final game of their three-game series on Thursday at 6:45 p.m at Counter Clocks Field. The Rockers will return home on Friday, May 12 to start a three-game homestand with Gastonia. It is a Fireworks Friday at Truist Point with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Tickets are available at HighPointRockers.com or through the Truist Point box office.