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 22nd homer of the year in the fourth and his 23rd in the ninth. Latimore’s round-tripper was his 13th of the year while Downs hit his 13th 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.
