STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The High Point Rockers rallied from a 5-0 deficit to finish off a sweep of the Staten Island FerryHawks with a 6-5 win on Thursday night at SIUH Community Park. Braxton Davidson hit a three-run double in the top of the ninth to erase a 5-3 deficit and put the Rockers ahead for good.

At 30-12, the Rockers set a club record for the fewest games needed to reach 30 wins. The 2023 club was 30-15. High Point maintains an 8.5 game lead over Southern Maryland in the race for the South Division of the Atlantic League.

The game got off to a rocky start when High Point starter Erich Uelmen had to leave the game with an injury after facing just one batter. Uelmen threw three pitches to Staten Island’s leadoff hitter Damon Dues who popped out to third. After two pitches to Shayne Fontana, Uelmen summoned the trainer and manager Jamie Keefe to the mound before exiting through the dugout.

The Rockers brought in newly-signed Jake Gilbert, a 6-7 right-hander who had pitched in the Cincinnati Reds organization after spending four seasons at the Air Force Academy. Gilbert allowed a pair of runs in the first and another in the third before leaving for Braeden Ogle and the Rockers found themselves trailing 5-0 after four innings.

High Point broke into the scoring column in the sixth on Drew Mendoza’s solo homer, his 10^th of the season. The Rockers closed the gap to 5-3 with a pair of runs in the seventh when Staten Island’s Trayson Kubo walked Aidan Brewer and D.J. Burt. The runners each moved up a base on Mendoza’s fielder’s choice and Brewer then scored when Kubo’s pickoff throw to second sailed into centerfield. Burt would score on a wild pitch and the Rockers trailed by two.

Jameson McGrane threw two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Stevie Branche (W, 1-1) came on in the eighth and struck out the side.

With two outs in the ninth, FerryHawks reliever Robbie Baker (L, 2-2) walked Ben Aklinski before Luis Gonzalez beat out an infield single to short. Max Viera drew a walk to load the bases, bringing Davidson to the plate. Davidson lined a double over the head of the centerfielder to clear the bases and give the Rockers a 6-5 lead.

Zach Vennaro entered in the bottom of the ninth struck out two batters while pitching around a walk in earning his first save of the season.

The Rockers will continue their road swing to New York, opening a three-game set at the Long Island Ducks on Friday night at 6:35 p.m.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The High Point Rockers used a pair of three-run homers to sweep a doubleheader from the Staten Island FerryHawks on Wednesday night at SIUH Community Park. The Rockers won the opener 5-4 and took the nightcap 5-1. Max Viera provided the Game 1 critical homer while Ben Aklinski did the same in Game 2.

The sweep moves the Rockers to 29-12 and maintains their eight-game lead over second place Southern Maryland and Charleston (21-20).

The Rockers took the opener 5-4 behind Viera’s fifth inning three-run homer. High Point had trailed 3-0 after three as Staten Island’s Matt Scheffler hit a two-run double and Mark Contreras contributed an RBI single.

The Rockers scored their first run in the fourth when Jack Conley hit a solo homer to bring the score to 3-1

After Viera gave the Rockers a 4-3 lead with his fifth inning homer, the FerryHawks knotted the game in the bottom of the fifth on Scheffler’s solo homer.

The Rockers won the game in the top of the sixth when Drew Mendoza drew a bases loaded walk off Staten Island reliever Robbie Baker (L, 2-1).

High Point starter Matt Solter (W, 6-1) became the first six-game winner in the Atlantic League as he scattered seven hits over five innings of work, walking two and striking out seven. Jameson McGrane (S, 1) pitched around a single to retire the side in the seventh and earn his first save of the season.

 

In the nightcap, Mendoza staked the Rockers to a 1-0 lead with a first inning homer off Staten Island starter Christian Allegretti (L, 3-1). Staten Island tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth when Shayne Fontana singled hom Tim Borden off High Point reliever Daniel Blair (W, 1-0).

The Rockers broke the 1-1 tie in the sixth when Aklinski singled and eventually scored from third on a wild pitch by Allegretti.

 

In the top of the seventh, Hawks reliever Luis Guzman walked Nolan Watson to start the inning. Watson moved to second when D.J. Burt was hit by a pitch and Aklinski then blasted a three-run homer to provide the insurance needed in the 5-1 win.

Tommy Doyle made his first start as a Rocker and held the Hawks to just two hits over four innings while walking four and striking out one.  Zach Vennaro followed Blair to the mound and struck out two in his one inning of work while Steve Branche struck out the side in the seventh to seal the win.

NOTES: The Rockers have swept all four doubleheaders this season and are now 8-0 . . . Daniel Blair was signed over the weekend and made his first appearance on Wednesday. Blair most recently pitched in the San Francisco Giants organization after pitching collegiately at Winthrop and the University of Texas . . . On Wednesday, the Rockers signed 6-7 righty Jake Gilbert who pitched for four seasons at the Air Force Academy . . . The Rockers will send RHP Erich Uelmen (2-1, 2.70) to the mound in the third and final game of the series.

By Camden Connolly

HIGH POINT, NC- With the game tied 4-4 in the eighth, Charleston designated hitter James Nelson hit a solo home run to give the Dirty Birds a 5-4 win over the High Point Rockers in the series opener on Tuesday night at Truist Point.

Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth, the Rockers struck for two runs to tie the game at 4-4. Luis Gonzalez led off with a bloop double to left and Drew Mendoza drew a walk. Max Viera followed with a run-scoring double and Jack Conley delivered a sacrifice fly to knot the game.

Rockers reliever Stevie Branche (L, 0-1) fanned the first two batters he faced in the top of the ninth before Nelson homered to left to put Charleston ahead 5-4. Charleston’s Joe Record set the Rockers down in order in the ninth to record his third save of the season.

Even with the loss the Rockers continue to lead the Atlantic League’s South Division at 25-9. The win brings the Birds to 18-16.

Charleston did not make the first inning easy on the Rockers, scoring three times with the Chad Sedio and Travis Demeritte each providing an RBI single off Rockers’ starter Cooper Casad. Nelson scored on a double to center field by Benjamin Blackwell to give the Dirty Birds a 3-0 lead.

High Point attempted to battle back with Ben Alinkski driving in D.J. Burt on an infield groundout in the first.

Charleston increased its lead to 4-1 in the second on back-to-back doubles by Alsandr Womack and Sedio.

High Point reliever Tommy Doyle came on in the fourth and threw three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four.

The Rockers cut the lead to 4-2 in the fourth when Max Viera was hit by a pitch and, after stealing second, scored on a single by Jack Conley.

Charleston’s Eddy Demurias (W, 1-1) pitched the eighth and, while allowing the Rockers to score twice, set himself up for the win.The Rockers will look for revenge against the Dirty Birds Wednesday, June 4th at Truist Point. Expect to see a large crowd for the game, as free entry is allowed to anyone who has proof of High Point residency.

NOTES: RHP Jameson McGrane was activated as a pitcher for the Rockers earlier Tuesday. A Limestone University alum, McGrane pitched for High Point for the first half of 2024 and was the Rockers team leader with 14 saves. McGrane pitched a scoreless seventh inning on Tuesday night.