CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The High Point Rockers fell behind 7-0 before scoring five runs late but could get no closer in a 7-5 loss to the Charleston Dirty Birds on Friday night at GoMart Park.
The Rockers are now 59-38 overall and 18-16 in the second half. They trail South Division leading Gastonia by 2.5 games.
Rockers starter Ben Wereski (L, 0-3) cruised through the first inning then allowed three consecutive singles to load the bases in the second. He walked Ariel Pestano, Jr. to force in Charleston’s first run and, after striking out Benjamin Blackwell, walked Demetrius Moorer to bring home a second run. James Nelson plated the third run of the inning with a sac fly before Joseph Rosa blooped a two-run double to left to give the Dirty Birds a 5-0 lead.
Charleston increased its lead to 7-0 in the third when Alsander Womack hit a two-run homer.
Charleston starter Eddy Demurias (W, 4-4) threw six shutout innings and struck out 10 without issuing a walk to earn the win. Wereski went three innings, allowing seven runs and two walks while striking out three.
The Rockers began to chip away at the lead. Ian Yetsko hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Ben Aklinski added a two-run shot of his own in the sixth the make it a 7-4 game. Drew Mendoza hit a solo homer in the eighth to pull the Rockers within two at 7-5.
Charleston relievers Samuel Reyes (eighth inning) and Lance Lusk (ninth inning) kept the Rockers off the scoreboard over the final two frames to secure the win with Lusk earning his fifth save of the season.
Mendoza was the only Rocker with multiple hits, collecting two of High Point’s eight hits. Womack had a pair of hits for the Dirty Birds while he and Rosa each drove in two runs.
Game five of the six-series is slated for a 6:35 p.m. start on Saturday at GoMart Park. High Point will send RHP Mike Devine (2-1, 4.74) to the mound to face Charleston’s LHP Luis de Avila (3-1, 5.26). Rocker fans can catch all the action on FLOBASEBALL.TV and on the MixLR app.
NOTES: The Rockers activated C Nolan Watson from the injured list . . . He went on the IL on July 19 . . . High Point placed 1B/DH Braxton Davidson on the inactive list.
