LEXINGTON, Ky. – In a back-and-forth game between the top two teams in the Atlantic League’s South Division, the High Point Rockers dropped an 8-6 decision to the Lexington Legends on Saturday night at Legends Field.
The Rockers are now 53-33 overall and 12-11 in the second half. Lexington is 15-7 in the second half and lead the Rockers by 3.5 games
Lexington jumped out to a 1-0 lead when E.J. Cumbo hit a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the first off Rockers starter Mike Devine (L, 1-1). With two outs, Pedro Gonzalez walked, stole second, and scored on a bloop single to center for a 2-0 Legends advantage.
The Rockers responded with three runs in the top of the second. Max Viera walked and was followed by singles from Braxton Davidson and D.J. Burt to load the bases. Isaiah Mirabal singled home one run in front of Ian Yetsko ground rule double that plated two more and gave the Rockers a 3-2 lead.
Lexington in the fourth loaded the bases before the Rockers recorded an out. Cumbo singled, Brady Whalen doubled and Pedro Gonzalez hit a come-backer that bounced off Devine and rolled to Drew Mendoza at third who wisely held onto the ball. Brian Fuentes drew a walk that tied the game at 3-3. Ryan McCarthy then bounced into a 4-6-3 double play as Whalen scored to put the Legends up 4-3. Andy Atwood followed with a two-run homer for a 6-3 Legends advantage.
Ben Aklinski tripled with one out in the fifth and scored on Drew Mendoza’s single to right to make it a 6-4 game.
Whalen doubled off the wall in the bottom of the fifth, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac fly from Fuentes for a 7-4 Legends lead.
Atwood homered again, leading off the bottom of the sixth, to put Lexington up 8-4.
Dustin Beggs (W, 4-0) went six innings and struck out four Rockers while allowing six hits, three walks and four runs. Devine tossed a complete game for High point, yielding eight hits and eightr runs with three walks and four strikeouts.
Lexington reliever Jack Lynch hit Luis Gonzalez with a pitch in the seventh and then walked Aklinski to put two aboard. Mendoza doubled to left to score Gonzalez and pull the Rockers to within 8-5.
In the top of the ninth, the Rockers mounted a comeback. Aklinski reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on a single by Mendoza. Dickerson then singled to score Aklinski and make it a two-run game at 8-6. But Lexington reliever Jonathan Haab was able to secure the final out and give the Legends the win.
Mendoza finished with three of the Rockers nine hits on the night.
The sixth and final game of the series is slated for a 2 p.m. start on Sunday at Legends Field. The Rockers will send LHP Ben Wereski (0-1, 5.00) to the mound to face Lexington RHP Ben Ferrer (2-2, 6.37). Rocker fans can catch all the action on FLOBASEBALL.TV and on the MixLR app.
