LEXINGTON, Ky. – The High Point Rockers took advantage of eight walks and three Lexington Legends errors to down the Legends 10-4 Saturday night in Lexington.

The game was delayed nearly an hour due to rain.

Connor Owings led the Rockers with three hits while Clayton Mehlbauer and Evan Edwards each hit home runs to support the outstanding pitching of Neil Ramirez. Ramirez allowed just two hits over his five innings of work while walking one and striking out nine. David McKay (W, 2-0) earned the win with 1.1 innings of no-hit relief. Rockers’ pitchers struck out 16 in the game.

The Rockers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Lexington starter Alex MacKinnon walked D.J. Burt and Evan Edwards to put runners on first and second. A throw to first following Ben Aklinski’s routine ground ball to short pulled Lexington first baseman Drew Jemison off the bag, allowing Burt to score from second.

The lead grew to 2-0 when Mehlbauer hit a solo homer leading off the fourth inning.

Ramirez did not allow a hit until the fifth inning when Keenan O’Brien singled. Gabe Howell followed with a single before Aldenis Sanchez lifted a high pop fly in the infield that fell untouched. The Rockers were able to retire Howell at second but O’Brien scored to cut High Point’s lead to 2-1.

Braeden Ogle came on in relief in the bottom of the sixth and after allowing a single to Osmy Gregorio, walked the bases loaded then walked a third consecutive batter to bring home the tying run. Ogle then struck out O’Brien and Howell before walking Sanchez as the Legends took a 3-2 lead.

The Rockers battled back in the top of the seventh with Edwards and Aklinski collecting one-out singles. A third consecutive single by Connor Owings scored Edwards and Aklinski scored on a fourth straight single by Colin Moran. Zander Wiel’s sac fly brought home Owings to put High Point up 5-3.

Lexington tallied a run in the bottom of the seventh as Payton Robertson reached on an error, stole second and scored on a ground out by Matt Bottcher.

High Point received a pair of insurance runs in the eighth when Edwards unloaded a two-run homer with Burt aboard to put the Rockers up 7-4. High Point added three more runs in the ninth, taking advantage of a pair of errors and a wild pitch to increase their lead to 10-4.

Ryan Meisinger struck out the side in the eighth inning while Jameson McGrane fanned two of the three hitters he faced in the ninth.

The Rockers trail Gastonia by two games in the race for the first half South Division title. Gastonia (22-12) lost a 5-0 decision at Staten Island on Saturday.

The fourth and final game of the series is slated for a 2 p.m. start on Sunday at Legends Field.

 

HIGH POINT N.C – A five-run eighth inning for Lexington proved to be the difference as the Legends took game two of their series with the High Point Rockers by a 10-6 score on Wednesday night at Truist Point.

Lexington held a 5-2 lead entering the eighth when it sent nine men to the plate and scored five times with Drew Jemison and Osmy Gregorio each delivering two-run base hits.

Trailing 10-2 in the bottom of the eighth, the Rockers made a strong push to tie the game. A double by Colin Moran, a walk to Zander Wiel and a throwing error on Lexington pitcher Carlos Martinez loaded the bases. Martinez then walked Jack Washer and Brian Parreira to bring home a pair of runs. D.J. Burt hit a sac fly for the third run of the inning and Ryan Grotjohn delivered an RBI single as the Rockers cut the margin to 10-6. But neither team scored in the ninth.

A solo homer from Ben Aklinski in the first put the Rockers up 1-0. Aklinski now leads the team with eight home runs this season.

The Legends responded in the second inning with an RBI double from Jemison and an RBI single from Gregorio to take a 2-1 lead.

High Point drew even at 2-2 in the bottom of the second after Evan Edwards doubled, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a passed ball.

The Legends plated three runs in the third to take a 5-2 lead. An RBI double from Pedro Gonzalez and another RBI single from Gregorio brought home two runs. Keenan O’Brien scored on a sac fly from Aldenis Sanchez for Lexington to grab a 5-2 advantage.

The Legends reached High Point starter Neil Uskali (L, 0-2) for six hits and five runs during his three innings of work. Lexington starter Jose Acuna (W, 1-3) worked five inning, holding the Rockers to two hits while walking six and striking out seven.High Point relievers David McKay and Braeden Ogle held off the Legends with two hitless innings each heading into the eighth. Lexington scored all five runs off reliever Garrett Schilling who yielded four hits with a walk and a strikeout.

The Rockers slipped to 18-12 for the season and now trail Gastonia (22-9) by 3.5 games in the race for the Atlantic League’s South Division first half title.

The final game of the three-game series with Lexington will take place on Thursday, May 30th at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point.

HIGH POINT, N.C- Powered by the bottom of the batting order, the High Point Rockers erased a 5-2 deficit and downed the Lexington Legends 6-5 on Tuesday night at Truist Point.

Evan Edwards, Brian Parreira, Ryan Grotjohn and D.J. Burt combined to go six-for-14 with four runs scored and all five RBI in the win.

Lexington leadoff hitter Gabe Howell started the game with a home run to put the Legends up 1-0 early.

The Rockers responded in the second when Parreira reached on a fielder’s choice and Burt blasted his second homer of the year, putting High Point up 2-1.

Lexington reached High Point starter Taylor Guerrieri for four runs in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run homer by Pedro Gonzalez, a triple by Keenan O’Brien and a two-run single from Osmy Gregorio to grab a 5-2 advantage.

Ryan Grotjohn’s fourth home run of the season in the fourth inning cut the Rockers deficit to 5-3.

High Point closed the gap to 5-4 in the fifth inning after Zander Weil scored on a sac fly from Evan Edwards.

The Rockers were able to take advantage of a pair of errors by Lexington second baseman Matt Bottcher in the seventh to plate two runs and grab a 6-5 lead. Colin Moran reached on a ball that slid underneath Bottcher’s glove but was erased at second when Wiel grounded into a 5-4 fielder’s choice. A walk to Edwards put two men aboard with Parreira driving home Wiel with a single. A grounder by Grotjohn to second was misplayed by Bottcher, allowing Edwards to score the go-ahead run.

Austin Ross (W, 2-0) earned the win by retiring the final man of the seventh inning and pitching a 1-2-3 eighth. Jameson McGrane worked around a pair of hits in the ninth to earn his fifth save.

Lexington reliever Aldry Acosta (0-1) took the loss.

“We really fought for that one,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe.  “We had to grind it out until the end and I’m happy with the way we battled. Huge hit for Parreira, and the bullpen threw lights out again. It seems like every night we’re saying that but it’s true. They shoved again and they’re a massive part of what’s made us successful to this point in the year. Just a good solid win tonight.

The Rockers improved to 18-11 on the season while Lexington slipped to 7-22. High Point remains 2.5 games behind Gastonia (21-9) which defeated Long Island 9-4 on Tuesday night.

Game two of this three game series between High Point and Lexington will be Wednesday, May 28th at 6:35 p.m.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The High Point Rockers won their sixth consecutive game, overcoming an early 4-0 deficit and finally emerging with an 11-10 win over Lexington at Legends Field on Tuesday night.

The win allowed the Rockers to remain in a tie for first place in the Atlantic League’s South Division at 15-8. Gastonia defeated Lancaster 8-5 on Tuesday to keep pace with the Rockers.

In a game that included four lead changes, it was two runs in the top of the 10^th game that helped the Rockers break a 9-9 tie and down the Legends.

In the top of the tenth, Ben Aklinski’s ground out moved ghost runner Connor Owings to third with one out. Owings then scored on a wild pitch to put High Point ahead 10-9. After Colin Moran drew a walk, the Rockers pinch-ran Gavin Johns. A hard grounder to first by Evan Edwards was fielded by Keenan O’Brien but his throw to second sailed into left field, leaving the Rockers with runners at first and second.  Brian Parreira then singled to right, scoring Johns and giving High Point an 11-9 lead.

Jameson McGrane pitched the bottom of the 10^th for the Rockers and struck out the first two batters of the inning before allowing an RBI single to Mikey Reynolds that cut the Rockers lead to 11-10. But McGrane fanned Gabe Howell to end the game.

It was a rocky start for Rockers starter Ben Braymer. The lefty, who went 2-0 for High Point in 2023 before having his contract acquired by the Colorado Rockies, signed with High Point Tuesday afternoon and was on the mound just hours later. But the Legends greeted Braymer with four first inning runs to go up 4-0.

High Point began to chip away, cutting the deficit to 4-1 on a second inning homer from Zander Wiel. Owings then slammed a solo homer to make it a 4-2 game in the top of the fifth.

The Legends added a run in the bottom of the fifth on a walk and a Rockers error to increase the lead to 5-2.

High Point pulled to within a run at 5-4 with two runs in the top of the sixth. Evan Edwards singled and moved to third on a ground rule double by Wiel. Parreira grounded out to second, scoring Edwards and moving Wiel to third. Clayton Mehlbauer and Ryan Grotjohn each received a walk from Lexington reliever Elio Serrano. Martin Figueroa brought home Wiel with a fielder’s choice.

The Rockers tied the game and then took a 7-6 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Moran walked and Evan Edwards singled. Zander Wiel’s bloop single to center plated Moran with the tying run and Parreira’s sac fly to deep left brought home Edwards with the go-ahead run.

The Legends regained the lead with three runs in the seventh inning to go on top 8-6.

High Point answered back with three runs in the top of the eighth for a 9-8 lead. Grotjohn led off the inning with a solo homer to make it 8-7. With two outs, Aklinski drew a walk from Alex MacKinnon and Moran blasted a two-run homer to edge the Rockers in front 9-8.

Lexington tied the game at 9-9 when Aldenis Sanchez stole home in the bottom of the eighth.

Lexington had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth off Rocker reliever Zack Muckenhirn.  Pedro Gonzalez led off the frame with a double. But the lefty retired the next three batters in order, two by strikeout, to send the game to extra innings.

Muckenhirn earned the win for the Rockers improving to 2-0.

The second game of the three-game series is set for a morning start on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for a 10:15 a.m. first pitch.

NOTES: Nick Longhi came off the injured list on Tuesday after having missed 10 days due to an upper body injury. In his first at-bat, Longhi grounded to short and the throw to first drew first baseman Keenan O’Brien off the bag. As Longhi tried to avoid the tag, he went down with an apparent lower body injury and was removed from the game. . . High Point’s six-game winning steak is its longest of the season. It is also the longest active winning streak in the ALPB.

HIGH POINT N,C – The High Point Rockers moved into first place in the South Division of the Atlantic League with a Sunday afternoon doubleheader sweep of the Charleston Dirty Birds at Truist Point. The Rockers won the opener 6-2 before Zander Wiel gave High Point a 3-2 win in the nightcap with a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh.

Sunday’s opening game victory also marked the 300^th win for Rockers’ manager Jamie Keefe.

High Point began the day in third place in the South Division, trailing Charleston and Gastonia. With the Gastonia Baseball club splitting a twinbill with Lexington and the Rockers’ sweep of Charleston, High Point moved into a tie for first with Gastonia at 14-8 while Charleston fell to third at 13-9.

Wiel’s walk-off single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh capped an outstanding pitching performance from the High Point staff. Starter Jonah Scolaro allowed a run on two hits in the first inning before setting down 13 consecutive Dirty Bird hitters. Austin Ross tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth as the Rockers’ staff combined to retire 18 consecutive Charleston hitters.

Trailing 1-0 after Delino Deshields led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Jared Carr, High Point scored a pair in the second on a two-run double by Brian Parrieria.

And that’s how the game remained until the seventh when Ryan Meisinger came on to close the game. But former MLB player Clint Frazier smacked a solo homer to left that tied the game at 2-2 and brought the Rockers to the plate in the bottom of the seventh.

Charleston reliever Joan Martinez walked Martin Figueroa before Connor Owings doubled to put runners at second a third. Ben Aklinski received an intentional pass to load the bases and Wiel’s soft liner to center just escaped the grasp of Carr.

Meisinger (W, 1-0) earned the victory while Martinez (L, 0-2) took the loss.

The Rockers dominated the first game 6-2 over Charleston with two runs coming home on wild pitches, a pair of home runs by Ryan Grotjohn and Clayton Mehlbauer and 10 strikeouts from starting pitcher Ryan Weiss (W, 2-2).

The Rockers took an early lead after Figueroa scored on a wild pitch to go up 1-0. Charleston forced a tie on a sac fly from Rusber Estrada in the second.

Grotjohn smacked his first home run of the season for High Point to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the second inning. A sac fly from Owings plated Mehlbauer to increase the lead 3-1.

Evan Edwards scored on a wild pitch from Charleston starter Jalen Miller in the third for a 4-1 lead.

The Rockers strengthened their edge in the fourth after a homer from Mehlbauer upped the lead to 5-1.

A Grotjohn triple and a sac fly from Mehlbauer accounted for the 6-2 final.

Charleston’s Jalen Miller (L, 2-2) went three innings in the opener, allowing four runs on five hits.

NOTES: The first game win was No. 300 for Jamie Keefe fifth year as Rockers manager . . . For his career, Keefe is now in his 22^nd season with a 1073-918 mark . . . The Rockers have won five straight games, matching their season-long winning streak set when they opened the season 5-0.

HIGH POINT, N.C – Martin Figueroa singled home Ryan Grotjohn in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the High Point Rockers a 4-3 walk-off win over the Charleston Dirty Birds on Friday night at Truist Point.

Figueroa’s single culminated a game-long effort in which the Rockers continually fought from behind all night before finally knotting the game in the eighth inning.

Charleston opened up with an off the wall triple from Gabriel Cancel in the first before being singled home by Courtney Hawkins for a 1-0 lead.

Hawkins, signed by the Dirty Birds earlier in the day, smacked a homer to right field and gave Charleston a 2-0 lead in the third inning.

Charleston starting pitcher Gabriel Rodriguez held the Rockers hitless until the fifth when Grotjohn singled, moving Clayton Mehlbauer to third after he had drawn a walk. Gavin Johns followed with an RBI single for the Rockers first run.

Jared Carr homered for Charleston in the sixth to put the ‘Birds up 3-1.

High Point closed the gap to 3-2 in the seventh when Brian Parreira reached on a fielder’s choice, went to third on a single by Grotjohn, and scored on Johns’ second RBI single of the night.

The Rockers loaded the bases in the eighth on a walk to Connor Owings, a hit by pitch to Ben Aklinski and another walk to Colin Moran. Parreira’s sac fly plated Aklinski to tie the game at 3-3.

That set the stage for the Rockers’ game-winning rally in the ninth. Facing Charleston reliever Joan Martinez, Grotjohn drew a lead-off walk and Johns smacked his third hit of the night, putting runners on the corners. Figueroa then hit a hot smash that bounced past Charleston first baseman Dariel Gomez and into right, allowing Grotjohn to score the winning run.

Austin Ross (W, 1-0) earned the win by striking out a pair of ‘Birds in the top of the ninth and working around a pair of infield singles.

The win moved the Rockers to within one game of first place in the Atlantic League’s South Division. High Point is now 12-8 on the year while the loss puts Charleston at 13-7. Gastonia, which was rained out on Friday, is also in the hunt at 12-7 on the season.

The second game of the series will take place on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. It will be Veteran’s Appreciation Night with every Military veteran receiving four tickets for themselves and their family with military ID.