HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Gastonia Baseball Club scored three runs in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and would go on to defeat the High Point Rockers 4-1 on Tuesday night at Truist Point.
Gastonia struck first with a lead-off solo homer from Jake Gatwood in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead.
In the third inning Gastonia starter Gunnar Kines allowed a single and a pair of walks to load the bases but the Rockers could not capitalize, leaving all three runners stranded.
High Point responded in the fourth frame when Evan Edwards smacked a solo homer to tie the game 1-1. It was Edwards 10th home run of the season.
Gastonia scored three runs in the sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead. Richie Martin was hit by a pitch from Jacob Edwards (L, 6-2) and stole second before moving to third on an infield groundout by Marc Flores. A walk to Gatewood put runners on the corners before Justin Wylie singled to give Gastonia a 2-1 lead. With two aboard, Clint Coulter hit a fly ball to center that High Point’s Ben Aklinski lost in the lights. The ball fell in for a two-run double and a 4-1 Gastonia advantage.
Five Gastonia pitchers held the Rockers to just four hits in the game, two from Edwards including a sixth inning double. D.J. Burt was stranded after a single in the third and Connor Owings had a two-out single in the first.
Gastonia’s Brett Matthews (2-0) pitched two innings in relief of starter Gunnar Kines to earn the win. Gabe Klobosits (S, 7) set the Rockers down in order in the ninth to earn the save.
The Rockers are 10-6 in the second half and hold a one-game lead in the Atlantic League’s South Division race over Gastonia (9-5). Charleston (9-6) is tied for second as well.
The High Point Rockers face the Gastonia Baseball Club in game two of the three-game series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point.
NOTES: The Rockers turned a double play for the 10th consecutive game, a club record… Quincy Latimore was hitless on Tuesday and has 296 career hits as a Rocker… The Rockers are now 1-9 vs. Gastonia this year with 17 meeting left in the second half.
