YORK, Pa. – Michael Russell collected four hits and Zander Wiel hit his 32nd home run of the season as the High Point Rockers took an 8-6 decision from the York Revolution at PeoplesBank Park on Saturday night.
After concluding Sunday’s regular season finale, the Rockers will head home and prepare for the start of the Atlantic League Division Series championship with Gastonia. High Point opens the playoffs at Gastonia on Tuesday and Wednesday before returning home for game three at Truist Point on Friday, September 23.
Russell led off the game with a double and moved to third on a single by Michael Martinez. Quincy Latimore brought home Russell with a sacrifice fly just before Wiel blasted a two-run homer to left center that brough Martinez in to score for an early 3-0 Rockers lead.
High Point starter Neil Uskali (W, 5-5) allowed a single run in the third before York tied the game at 3-3 with a pair of runs in the fourth on a homer by Troy Stokes, Jr. and a sac fly from Josue Herrera.
The Rockers regained the lead at 4-3 in the fifth as Russell singled, moved to second on a groundout by Martinez, and stole third. On the steal, York catcher Lenin Rodriguez threw the ball into left field allowing Russell to score.
The Revolution took a 6-4 lead in the fifth when Stokes, Jr. hit a three-run homer. High Point made it a 6-5 game in the sixth when Giovanny Alfonzo singled, moved to second on a groundout by J.R. DiSarcina and scored on a Russell single.
The Rockers put the game away in the seventh when they loaded the bases on three consecutive singles by Latimore, Wiel and Roldani Baldwin. Alfonzo drew a walk that forced in the tying run, DiSarcina grounded to short allowing Wiel to score and Russell’s single brought Baldwin around to the plate and account for the final of 8-6.
Uskali went six innings and allowed all six runs on 11 hits while striking out seven. York’s Brett de Geus took the loss, allowing four hits and three runs in his one inning of relief.
The Rockers will finish out the regular season on Sunday at York with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.
