LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Lexington Legends banged out 15 hits and the High Point Rockers committed four errors as the Rockers suffered their first series sweep of the season, falling 16-11 at Legends Field on Sunday afternoon.
The Rockers (35-16) have a 5.5 game lead over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (29-21) with 12 games remaining in the first half. High Point’s magic number to win the Atlantic League’s first half South Division title remains at eight.
With recent injuries to starting pitchers Erich Uelmen and Brandon Backman and relievers Daniel Frontera and Justin Lewis, the Rockers were tasked with piecing together parts of the bullpen. Jonah Scolaro (L, 2-2) earned the start and allowed a walk to J.T. Riddle in the first before Dylan Rock homered to give the Legends an early 2-0 lead.
In the second, the Legends scored six times to take an 8-0 lead. Lamar Briggs singled to right to begin the inning and advanced to third on back-to-back walks to Andy Atwood and Jerry Huntzinger. Riddle dropped an “excuse me” bunt in front of the plate which Isaiah Mirabal fielded and threw to first while Briggs scored from third for a 3-0 Legends advantage. A wild pitch from Scolaro plated another run and Brady Whalen hit a three-run homer to extend the lead to 7-0. Pedro Gonzalez’s solo homer finished off the inning with the Legends leading 8-0.
The Rockers scored their first run in the top of the fourth when Ben Aklinski hit his 14th homer of the year leading off the frame. Lexington starter Nick Laio (W, 5-4) then walked Max Viera and Braxton Davidson to set up Mirabal’s RBI single to left to pull the Rockers to 8-2. Aidan Brewer then lined a triple off the wall in right to score Davidson and Mirabal. Brewer was able to scamper home when the throw to the infield escaped the Legends and the Rockers were within three at 8-5.
But the Legends continued to thwart the Rockers comeback as Brian Fuentes hit a grand slam off Daniel Blair to push Lexington’s lead to 12-5 after four innings. The Legends added two more runs in the fifth off Braeden Ogle when E.J. Cumbo reached on a single and an error that scored two.
In the seventh, Lexington reliever Dustin Beggs walked Drew Mendoza, Aklinski and Max Viera to load the bases. Braxton Davidson drew a walk to bring home Mendoza and then, with two outs, Mirabal blasted his second homer of the year, a grand slam, to bring High Point to within four at 14-10. Dalton Ross relieved Beggs and allowed a single to Brewer and an RBI double to Luis Gonzalez to make it 14-11.
Cumbo hit an opposite field homer off Stevie Branche in the seventh to extend the Legends’ lead to 15-11 and the Legends touched Jameson McGrane for a run in the eighth to account for the 16-11 final.
Gonzalez finished with three of the Rockers eight hits this season while Mirabal finished with five RBI. Lexington’s Walen and Cumbo each had four hits while Walen and Fuentes finished with four RBI apiece.
After traveling back from Lexington, the Rockers will start a three-game set at Gastonia on Tuesday with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m.
NOTES: The Rockers signed outfielder Miles Williams prior to Sunday’s game. Williams had played one game with the Rockers in 2022 and has spent time in the Atlantic League with Lancaster, Long Island, Gastonia, Southern Maryland, Charleston and Hagerstown . . . Braxton Davidson drew five walks on Sunday , setting a club record and tying the Atlantic League record . . . The Rockers currently have six players on the injured list including four pitchers . . . The sweep by Lexington marked the first time the Rockers had been swept since dropping three straight to Gastonia at Truist Point August 13-15 of last year . . . This is High Point’s first four-game losing streak since August 2024 . . . High Point started the day as one of just five teams in professional baseball with a winning percentage of .700 or better.
