HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers shutout the Charleston Dirty Birds for eight innings on Thursday night. Unfortunately, it was the final eight innings of the game after the Birds had put up an eight spot in the first inning and went on to beat the Rockers 8-5 at Truist Point.
It was a valiant effort by the Rockers to chip back all night long given the deficit they put themselves in at the start of the game.
The highlight for the Rockers came in the eighth inning when Ben Aklinski became just the second player in Atlantic League history to record 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in the same season.
The Rockers continue to hold the best overall record in the Atlantic League at 65-43 and are now 24-21 in the second half. Gastonia defeated Lexington to move two games ahead of High Point in the South Division second half standings and 2.5 games in front of third place Lexington.
It was a tough night for lefty Alex Barker (L, 0-1), making his second start for the Rockers after being acquired from the New Jersey Jackals. Barker allowed a lead-off single to James Nelson, followed by a single from Alsander Woman, a three-run homer from Keon Barnum and a solo homer from Zach Daniels. That was followed by two more doubles, a walk and another three-run homer from Demetrius Moorer. When the dust cleared, Charleston had scored eight runs on eight hits.
High Point began its comeback in the bottom of the first with solo homers from Aklinski and Evan Edwards to make it an 8-2 contest.
Jake Gilbert came on in the second and posted his best outing of the year. He went four innings, allowed just one hit and one walk and struck out seven while keeping Charleston scoreless. David Hess followed with three shutout innings and Jameson McGrane struck out two in the ninth as Charleston failed to score after the first inning.
The Rockers offense showed sporadic signs of life. Aklinski added his second homer of the night and his 30th of the season, a solo shot leading off the fifth, to cut the deficit to 8-3. The Rockers added two more in the seventh on a two-run triple from Aidan Brewer to make it 8-5.
But High Point left two men on in the eighth and Luke Napleton led off the ninth with a single to bring the tying run to the on-deck circle. But Charleston turned a 4-6-3 double play and was able to escape with the 8-5 win.
The Birds were led by Barnum and Moorer who each drove in three runs. In fact, after the first inning, the Rockers pitchers allowed just four hits and had only two runners advance to second base.
Charleston reliever Samuel Reyes (W, 4-4) was credited with the win as starter Eddy Demurias went just four innings, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Aklinski walked with two outs in the eighth and stole second to record his 30th stolen base of the season. He joins Charleston James Nelson who earned 30-30 status on Tuesday night as the only ALPB players in the 30-30 club.
Aklinski and Napleton, with two hits each, accounted for four of High Point’s seven hits in the game.
The Rockers now hit the road for a three-game series at Hagerstown, High Point’s only visit to Meritus Park this season. The Rockers will open with Erich Uelmen (4-3, 3.50) on the mound to face Flying Boxcars lefty Quinton Martinez (1-6, 5.65).
Rocker fans can catch all the action on FLOBASEBALL.TV and on the MixLR app.
The Rockers return home to start a six-game homestand with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
