The High Point Rockers have made a number of roster moves in the last few days. Here is a recap of all the activity:

 

Austin Glorius, RHP: Retired. The righthanded pitcher from Orlando, Fla. joined the Rockers this season after being acquired from Gastonia in a trade for catcher Stuart Levy. Glorius posted a 3-6 record with a 6.22 ERA in 18 appearances including 12 starts. He was the winning pitcher on Opening Night 2022 with a win over the Wild Health Genomes.

Johnny Barbato, RHP: Retired. Barbato spent his entire time with the Rockers on the Injured List while trying to regain the form that led him to an 11-year professional baseball career. Drafted by the San Diego Padres in the sixth round of the 2010 draft, he appeared in the Majors with the Yankees, Pirates and Tigers.

Chris Proctor, C: Traded to Lancaster. A former Duke catcher, Proctor spent the last half of June and the first half of July on the Injured List and in his absence, the Rockers acquired catcher Dakota Mulcay. With Proctor’s recent return, the Rockers were carrying three catchers and one was available. Proctor hit .296 with High Point with nine doubles and 17 RBI.

Cole Aker, RHP: Acquired from Lancaster for Chris Proctor. The Northwest Guilford High School graduate played at North Carolina in 2016-17 and at the University of Tampa in 2018. Aker spent three seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and joined the Lancaster Barnstormers for the 2022 season. Aker was 2-2 with a 5.64 ERA with the Barnstormers this season in 20 appearances, all in relief. Aker earned wins against Long Island and Staten Island and made two appearances against the Rockers this season.

Gabriel Castellanos, LHP: Signed as a free agent. Castellanos spent his entire professional career in the Miami Marlins organization including a number of years in Greensboro. He and current Rocker Giovanny Alfonzo were teammates in both Batavia, NY and Greensboro. A starter for most of his career, he has also been a reliever and will help the Rockers in the bullpen initially.

Cam Cotter, LHP: Signed as a free agent. The former Northern Guilford High star moved to NC State for his college career which was disrupted by a number of injuries. Now healthy, he looks to regain the form that made him an all-state player in high school and will work out of the Rockers bullpen.

Chasen Bradford, RHP: Retired. The former Major League reliever who owns a 7-0 MLB record, started the year as High Point’s closer. After a stint on the Injured List, Bradford returned to action out of the bullpen where he had earned seven saves. But at 32, Bradford chose to retire and has returned home.

Jonah Scolaro, LHP: Signed by the White Sox. Signed out of Florida State not long after the Seminoles’ season ended in the NCAA Regionals, Scolaro made six starts for the Rockers and posted a record of 2-3. The lefthander, who would have most-likely been selected in the MLB Draft had he remained at Florida State, was signed by the Chicago White Sox as an undrafted free agent and made his first appearance for Class A Kannapolis on July 27.

Cesar Trejo, OF: Signed as a free agent. Trejo initially joined the Rockers in 2021 and hit .280 in 26 games. He was traded to Southern Maryland in June and in 2021 has played with Cleburne, Gastonia and the Gateway Grizzlies. The Rockers re-signed Cesar on July 26.

J.R. DiSarcina: Signed as a free agent. The infielder spent all of 2021 with the Rockers as an apprentice in the infield, learning the craft from Michael Martinez, Giovanny Alfonzo, and Michael Russell. He spent the first part of 2022 with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association and was re-acquired by the Rockers on July 26.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The High Point Rockers fell to the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes 8-7 on Wednesday afternoon at Wild Health Field.

The Rockers built an early 6-0 lead but the Genomes bounced back with eight unanswered runs to take a 2-0 lead in the three-game series.

The Rockers are now 43-42 overall and 4-15 in the second half of the ALPB season.

With one out in the first, High Point’s Ben Aklinski drew a walk from Kentucky starter Dustin Beggs (W, 8-4) and moved to third on a single by Jerry Downs. Zander Wiel grounded out with Aklinski coming across to score the first run of the game. Logan Morrison followed with a single to center to score Jerry Downs.

In the third, Aklinski singled with one out and scored from first on a double by Downs. Morrison again singled to center to plate Downs to give the Rockers a 4-0 lead.

Michael Russell hit a solo homer in the fourth to put the Rockers ahead 5-0. Aklinski followed with a walk, stole second, and scored on an RBI single from Wiel for a 6-0 advantage.

The Genomes began their comeback with four runs in the fourth, coming on an RBI groundout by Samir Duenez, an RBI double from Anderson Miller, an RBI single from Gavin Johns and a throwing error by Rockers’ catcher Dakota Mulcay.  The Genomes took a 7-6 lead in the fifth on a Duenez three-run homer that chased Rockers starter Liam O’Sullivan (L, 0-3). O’Sullivan went 4.2 innings and allowed six hits and tghree walks while yielding seven runs and striking out five.

Chris Shaw’s RBI single in the sixth scored Clayton Mehlbauer to put the Genomes up 8-6.

The Rockers made it an 8-7 game with a single run in the eighth on a solo homer by J.R. DiSarcina who rejoined the Rockers on Tuesday of this week. Kentucky’s Robbie Ross, Jr. pitched a scorless ninth to earn his first save of the year.

High Point and Kentucky will play the final game of the three-game series on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. at Wild Health Field.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Kentucky’s Khris Davis hit two home runs and drove in five in the Wild Health Genomes 10-4 win over High Point on Tuesday night at Wild Health Field.

High Point scored its four runs on four solo homers, one each by Quincy Latimore and Jerry Downs and  a pair of home runs by Zander Wiel. Wiel hit his 22^nd homer of the year in the fourth and his 23^rd in the ninth. Latimore’s round-tripper was his 13^th of the year while Downs hit his 13^th as well.

The Rockers signed lefty Casey Grimm (L, 0-1) prior to the game to make the start. Grimm went three innings and allowed five hits and five runs while walking one and striking out two.

Kentucky tied the game at 1-1 in the third on a sac fly by Austin Rei and then took a 4-1 lead when Davis hit a two-run blast later in the inning.

Wiel’s first homer of the night made it a 5-2 game in the fourth and the score remained that way until the bottom of the eighth. High Point relievers Nathan Bates, Cam Cotter, and Gabriel Castellanos threw four shutout innings to hold the Genomes at bay.

Jonathon Crawford came on in the eighth and lasted one-third of an inning, allowing four hits and a walk while the Genomes plated five runs. Joe Johnson relieved in the eighth to earn the final two outs as the Genomes surged ahead 10-2.

Wiel’s second homer of the night made it a 10-3 score in the ninth before Jerry Downs added a solo shot to account for the 10-4 final.

Kentucky’s Ryan Kellogg (W, 3-2) went six innings and struck out six while allowing five hits and two runs. Wiel, Downs and Jay Gonzalez each had two hits for the Rockers.

The Rockers are now 43-41 overall and 4-14 in the second half.

High Point and Kentucky will play a matinee on Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m. from Wild Health Field.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Ben Aklinski hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the High Point Rockers to a 7-6 win over Gastonia on Sunday evening at Truist Point.

The High Point rally began when Cesar Trejo doubled to left-center with one out in the ninth and the Rockers trailing 6-2. Tyler Ladendorf grounded out to second before pinch-hitter Adam Taylor delivered an infield single to score Trejo and make it a 6-3 game.  Giovanny Alfonzo then drew a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch from Gastonia reliever Henry Martinez (L, 2-1) before Michael Russell added an infield single to load the bases.

Aklinski hit a 1-0 pitch deep over the wall in left off Martinez to score the three baserunners ahead of him and deliver a 7-6 win to the Rockers. It was Aklinski’s third walk-off hit of the season, his second walk-off homer, and the first walk-off grand slam in Rockers history.

“I’ve been struggling lately in sacrifice fly situations,” said Aklinski following his blast.  “I just told myself to hit the ball 300 feet in the air. It wound up going farther than that.”

Four Gastonia pitchers had held the Rockers to just five hits all game before the ninth inning. Honey Hunter starter John Anderson was perfect through four innings until allowing Wiel’s lead-off double in the fifth.

“We had zero momentum all day,” until the ninth inning, said Aklinski.

The Honey Hunters had built a 4-0 lead on a pair of home runs by Emmanuel Tapia, a three-run shot in the second off starter Sam Burton and a solo homer in the fourth. The Rockers made it a 4-1 game in the fifth when Zander Wiel doubled and scored on an infield out by Ladendorf. High Point cut the deficit to 4-2 in the sixth on a Giovanny Alfonzo double and an RBI double by Jerry Downs.

Gastonia went up 5-2 in the seventh on Luis Castro’s run-scoring double and 6-2 in the eighth on a double by Alex Holderbach and a bases-loaded walk issued to Castro.

The walk-off win provided reliever Ryan Dull (W, 3-0) with the victory after he pitched a scoreless top of the ninth.

Newly-signed Sam Burton made his first starter and went five innings while allowing four runs on four hits and six walks. Two other new members of the Rockers, Gabriel Castellanos and Cole Aker, each threw an inning of relief as did lefty Bryce Hensley.

“Seeing (Aklinski’s) smile coming around the bases said it all,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “He’s been struggling lately. But we know we just needed to keep ourselves in the game and when you have the top of the order coming to bat, you’ll have a chance.”

The Rockers are now 43-40 overall and 4-13 in the second half while Gastonia moves to 58-24 and 14-3.

The Rockers will enjoy a day off on Monday and then head to Lexington, Ky. to face the Wild Health Genomes in a three-game series starting Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers rallied late but came up short in a 5-3 loss to Gastonia on Saturday night at Truist Point.

The Rockers trailed 5-1 in the ninth and were facing Gastonia’s ace closer Jesus Balaguer. Jerry Downs opened the inning with a single and moved to third on a double by Quincy Latimore. Balaguer then unleased a wild pitch that scored Downs with Latimore moving to third. Ladendorf lined a single to left to score Latimore and make it a 5-3 game. But Balaguer fanned Jay Gonzalez and pinch-hitter Cesar Trejo before Giovanny Alfonzo’s sinking liner to center was caught by a sliding Jake Skole to end the threat and cement Gastonia’s 5-3 win.

High Point had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when Zander Wiel walked, moved to second on a single by Downs and scored on Latimore’s RBI single. The Honey Hunters tied the game in the fourth on an infield single by Reece Hampton and an RBI double by Zach Jarrett.

Gastonia nudged across a run in the sixth off reliever Junior Rincon (L, 0-1). Hampton, who scored three of Gastonia’s five runs, started the inning with a double and scored on a sac fly by Joseph Rosa to put Gastonia ahead 2-1.

Following High Point’s single run in the second, the Rockers managed just one more hit until the ninth inning, that being an infield single by Ben Aklinski in the third that was erased when Downs hit into a 4-6-3 double play.

Gastonia scored three times in the eighth inning off High Point reliever Kyle Mott. Hampton drew a walk then scored from first on a double by Jack Reinheimer. Rosa followed with a two-run homer to put the Honey Hunters ahead 5-1.

High Point starter Ivan Pineyro went five innings and allowed just three hits and one run while striking out three. Rincon allowed the lone run on two hits and struck out two in his two innings of work.

Gastonia starter Mason McAlister (W, 2-0) went five innings and allowed three hits and one run while walking two and striking out two.

The Rockers are now 3-13 in the second half while Gastonia improved to 14-2. The Rockers are 42-40 overall and tied with Kentucky for the top spot in the wildcard race in the Atlantic League.

The two clubs face-off in the final game of the three-game series on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. at Truist Point.

NOTES: Two Rockers pitchers retired following Saturday night’s game . . . Johnny Barbato and Austin Glorius each announced the ending of their career . . . Former Norther Guilford High School pitcher and NC State alum Cam Cotter made his professional debut on Saturday, throwing a scoreless ninth inning for the Rockers . . . He struck out Hampton for his first professional strikeout.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Quincy Latimore launched a two-out solo homer to left in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie and lift the High Point Rockers to a 2-1 lead over Gastonia in front of 2,471 fans at Truist Point.

The Rockers were just 1-11 against Gastonia this season as the Honey Hunters won the Atlantic League’s South Division first half championship and built a solid lead in the second half with a 13-2 start. The Rockers are now 3-12 in the second half.

Latimore’s home run came off Gastonia’s Sam Bordner (L, 9-5).

High Point took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Giovanny Alfonzo drew a walk off Gastonia starter Onas Farfan, moved to second on a single by Ben Aklinski and scored on a single by Zander Wiel.

Gastonia tied the game in the top of the fifth as Joseph Rosa started the frame with a walk off High Point starter Craig Stem. Rosa went to third on a single by Zach Jarrett and scored when Luis Roman grounded out in the infield.

Bryce Hensley (W, 2-2) put the Honey Hunters down in order in the seventh and eighth and earned the win. Ryan Dull struck out two in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.

“Any time you can put the game in the hands of Bryce Hensley and Ryan Dull, you know you’re in good shape,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe.  “We had some opportunities early and didn’t capitalize on them. Gastonia has had our number all year and this is the first time they didn’t capitalize on our mistakes.”

High Point and Gastonia will play the second game of this three-game series on Saturday night at Truist Point with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.