HIGH POINT, N.C. – Luke Napleton drive in four runs including a three-run homer to lead the High Point Rockers to a 6-2 win over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Wednesday night at Truist Point. The win snapped Southern Maryland’s seven-game winning streak and ended the Rockers’ five-game drought.
The Rockers improve to 16-22 while Southern Maryland continues to lead the South Division at 26-11.
Napleton drove in four of the six Rocker runs, three coming from a big three-run homer that gave the Rockers a 3-1 lead in the first inning.
Matt Solter turned in a much-needed quality start, tossing five innings while only surrendering two runs on five hits, and punching out a pair. The big righty earned his first win in nearly a month.
“Matty made a solid start and we needed that,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “Then Brayden Matthew gave us three really strong innings in relief and Ryan Chasse slammed the door in the ninth.”
Chase Nixon, signed earlier in the day, made his professional debut and collected his first pro hit and came around to touch home for the first time as a Rocker. Nixon is the son of 2004 world series champion Trot Nixon.
The potent Southern Maryland offense wasted no time getting on the board, as Ezequiel Pagan lined an RBI single in the opening frame to give the Blue Crabs an early 1–0 advantage.
High Point answered immediately in the home half of the inning. With runners stationed on the corners, Napleton stepped to the plate and launched his fourth home run of the season, a three-run blast that quickly swung the lead back in favor of the Rockers.
Southern Maryland chipped away in the second when longtime Major Leaguer Alejandro De Aza ripped a double and later came around to score.
Napleton plated his fourth run of the night in the sixth, driving in Ryan McCarthy from third with a sacrifice fly.
Patrick Sanchez gave the Rockers some late insurance in the seventh, lining a double into left field that plated Nixon. After a couple knocks and a free pass loaded the bases, Braxton Davidson got credited for an RBI base on balls to push the High Point lead to 6-2.
Matthews continued to impress out of the pen, chucking three innings of one hit, scoreless baseball. The young righty has only surrendered one run in his first professional season. The Rockers pitching staff held Southern Maryland to just six hits on the night.
McCarthy and D.J Burt each collected a pair of hits in the win.
Game three of this six game set is slated to start at 6:35, Thursday night at Truist Point. High Point will send righty David Hess (1-3, 4.89) to the mound to face Blue Crab lefty Justin Sanchez (0-1, 7.62). Rocker fans can follow the action live on DugoutTV.org or the audio broadcast on the free MixLR app.
