WALDORF, Md. – The High Point Rockers hit five home runs and held Southern Maryland to just five hits in an 11-5 win Friday night at Regency Furniture Stadium.

Tyler Ladendorf hit two home runs and drove in four in leading the Rockers’ offense. High Point starter Ivan Pineyro (W, 4-1) went 6.1 innings, held Southern Maryland to three runs on three hits while walking three and striking out four.

High Point began the scoring in the second inning when Blue Crabs starter Mitch Lambson hit Quincy Latimore with a pitch to start the frame. Latimore moved to second on an infield single by Jay Gonzalez and scored on a single by Giovanny Alfonzo for the Rockers’ first run. A wild pitch by Lambson moved Gonzalez and Alfonzo to second and third before Gonzalez scored on a groundout by Dakota Mulcay.

The Rockers extended their lead to 5-0 with a three-run third. Ben Aklinski started the inning with a solo homer and was followed by a double off the bat of Jerry Downs. Downs moved to third on another Lambson wild pitch before Gonzalez hit a two-run homer, his third of the year.

Ladendorf led off the fourth inning with a solo homer to give the Rockers a 6-0 lead. The Blue Crabs scored their first run of the night in the fourth on a Michael Wielansky double and a pair of infield groundouts.

Zander Wiel’s solo homer in the fifth, his 25^th homer of the year, provided the Rockers a 7-1 lead. That lead ballooned to an 8-1 advantage in the sixth when Mulcay walked, moved to second on a single by Michael Russell then scored on an Aklinski double.

Southern Maryland chased Pineyro in the seventh. The Blue Crabs scored four times in the seventh to pull within 8-5. Michael Baca and Jack Sundberg each delivered two-run singles in the inning.

Ladendorf’s second homer of the night, a three-run shot in the ninth scoring Wiel and Alfonzo who had each singled, put High Point up 11-5.

High Point is now 45-42 overall and 6-15 in the second half of the Atlantic League season.

 

 

 

High Point and Southern Maryland will meet in the second game of the three-game series on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Regency Furniture Stadium.

LEXINGTON, Ky., – Zander Wiel hit his 24^th home run of the year and drove in four runs to lead the High Point Rockers to a 9-7 win over the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes on Thursday night at Wild Health Field.

Wiel singled in two runs in the third inning and added a two-run homer in the seventh as Craig Stem threw seven innings and earned the win to improve to 3-3 on the year.

The Rockers scored four times in the third off Kentucky starter Max Povse. Povse retired the first six batters he faced but ran into trouble in the third. Tyler Ladendorf reached on a fielding error by Kentucky second baseman Luke Becker. After a flyout from Giovanny Alfonzo, Ladendorf stole second as Povse walked Mike Gulino. The pair then each moved up by stealing a base. A walk to Michael Russell loaded the bases and Jerry Downs double home two runs. Wiel then singled to score two more runs and give the Rockers an early 4-0 advantage.

The Genomes closed the gap in the bottom of the third when Stem allowed singles to Gavin Johns and Luke Becker to start the frame before Chis Shaw hit his ninth homer of the season to make it a 4-3 High Point lead.

High Point extended its lead to 5-3 in the fourth when Quincy Latimore reached on a throwing error by third baseman Jimmy Paredes then moved to third on a double by Alfonzo. Povse then committed a balk to bring Latimore in to score.

The Rockers went ahead 6-3 in the sixth when Ladendorf reached again on a error. He scored easily from second on Alfonzo’s liner off the wall though Alfonzo was thrown out trying to stretch the single into a double by rightfielder Teodoro Martinez. Samir Duenez hit a solo homer in the sixth for Kentucky to leave the Rockers with a 6-4 lead.

In the seventh, Downs led off with a single to left and scored on Wiel’s 24^th home run of the year to give High Point an 8-4 lead.

Stem went seven innings and allowed nine hits and four runs while striking out five and throwing 101 pitches.  Bryce Hensley came on in the eighth and allowed a single to Martinez and a walk to Duenez before Austin Rei homered to close Kentucky’s deficit to 8-7. Ryan Dull entered following the Rei homer and retired Johns for the final out of the eighth.

The Rockers added an insurance run in the ninth when Aklinski walked, Downs and Wiel were hit by pitches and Jay Gonzalez lifted a sac fly to center to score Aklinski for a 9-7 lead.

Dull gave up a pair of hits in the ninth but kept the Genomes scoreless to earn his seventh save of the season.

High Point improved to 5-15 in the second half and 44-42 overall. Kentucky is also 44-42 leaving the two clubs tied for the moment in the Atlantic League wild card race.

The Rockers will open a three-game series at Southern Maryland on Friday at 6:35 at Regency Furniture Stadium.

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.