LEXINGTON, Ky. – The High Point Rockers dropped their second consecutive game, falling 11-4 at the Lexington Legends at Legends Field in the opening game of a three-game series. It marked just the third time this season the Rockers have dropped back-to-back games.
The Rockers (35-14) magic number to clinch the Atlantic League’s South Division title stands at eight as second place Southern Maryland (27-21) lost at Gastonia, 5-2.
The Rockers started the day with the fifth-best record in professional baseball at .729. They trailed Pecos League members Garden City (17-2, .895), Tucson (16-4, .800), and San Rafael (18-6, .750) and Mexico City (38-14, .731) in the Mexican Baseball League.
The Rockers trailed 4-3 in the fifth inning before Lexington scored five unanswered runs to take an 8-4 lead. The Legends added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh and High Point tallied once in the ninth for the 11-5 final.
Lexington jumped on the board in the bottom of the first when, with two outs, Brady Whalen doubled and scored on an error by Rockers shortstop Aidan Brewer on a ball hit by Curtis Terry. Terry then scampered home on an error by catcher Jack Conley.
The Rockers tied the game with two runs of their own in the top of the third when Carlos Amezquita singled to right and scored on a double by Luis Gonzalez. Drew Mendoza followed with an RBI single to plate Gonzalez and knot the game at 2-2.
The Legends surged to a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the third on back-to-back doubles from Whalen and Terry and an infield ground out by Pedro Gonzalez.
High Point cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth on Gonzalez’s eighth homer of the season, a solo shot.
But Lexington went up 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth on Whalen’s third double of the game and a two-run homer from E.J. Cumbo.
The Legends chased Rockers starter Cooper Casad (L, 1-2) in the sixth when J.T. Riddle doubled and scored on Dylan Rock’s two-run homer. Casad left after 5.1 innings, having allowed 11 hits and eight runs, six earned, and two strikeouts.
Jake Gilbert came on in relief and walked Whalen who then moved to second on a balk and advanced to third on an infield single by Curtis Terry. Whalen then scored on a wild pitch from Gilbert to put the Legends in command at 9-3.
Lexington starter Ben Ferrer (W, 1-1) exited after six innings, having scattered eight hits and allowing three runs on two walks and four strikeouts.
Reliever Michael Esposito came on in the seventh and walked Gonzalez and Mendoza to start the inning before inducing Ben Aklinski to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. After Esposito walked Braxton Davidson, Lexington manager Paul Fletcher pulled Esposito in favor of Jimmy Loper. Jack Conley greeted Loper with an RBI single to score Gonzalez. Alex Dickerson singled through the left side to load the bases but Loper fanned Brewer to escape the jam.
In the bottom of the seventh, Riddle line a shot into the left field corner that scored Jerry Huntzinger to put the Legends up 10-4.
Conley added an RBI single for the Rockers in the top of the ninth, one of his three hits on the day. Whalen went four-for-four for the Legends with four runs scored and an RBI.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday night at Legends Field with a 7 p.m. first pitch.
NOTES: Rockers pitching coach Frank Viola was ejected in the bottom of the seventh inning during a mound visit.
