YORK, Pa. – The High Point Rockers built a 6-2 lead before falling to the York Revolution 10-6 on Wednesday night at WellSpan Park in the second game of a six-game series.
The loss drops the Rockers 5.5 games behind South Division leader Lexington. The Rockers are now 18-23 in the second half and 47-57 for the season. York continues to lead the North Division at 29-12 and 64-40.
The two teams traded solo homers through the first two innings. High Point’s Luke Napleton, slotted into the first spot in the batting order for the first time this year, opened the game with a home run. York’s Jackson Ross tied the game with a solo shot with one out in the second.
The Rockers plated three runs in the third to take a 4-1 lead. Hogan Windish started the rally with a single and moved to third on a double by Ivan Melendez. Colin Davis hit a sac fly to right to bring home Windish ahead of Nick Longhi’s two-run homer to center that put the Rockers up by three.
The Revs made it a 4-2 game in the third on a walk by Tomo Otosaka, a stolen base, and an RBI single from Brian Rey.
The Rockers added two more runs off York starter Julian Costa in the fourth as Nolan Watson and Napleton each hit solo homers to extend the Rockers lead to 6-2.
York answered right back, scoring two in the bottom of the fourth to keep pace at 6-4. Former Rocker Shed Long, Jr. hit a solo homer and Andrew Ramirez scored after reaching base on a walk.
High Point starter Yuhi Sako (L, 7-9) ran into trouble in the fifth, allowing a pair of singles and an RBI double among the first four hitters he faced. After a defensive error, Mike Rosario and Otosaka each delivered run-scoring singles as the Revs scored four times to take an 8-6 lead.
A solo homer from Andrew Rosario made it a 9-6 game after seven and the Revs tacked on a run in the eighth on a wild pitch. York reliever Shane Gray (W, 8-3) earned the win with 1.1 innings of relief work, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Napleton, Melendez and Braxton Davidson each finished with a pair of hits with Napleton and Nick Longhi each driving in a pair of runs.
Game three of this six-game series will start at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at WellSpan Park. RHP Justin Dunn (0-0, 0.00) takes the mound for the Rockers to face York’s RHP Zach Mort (0-0, 5.40). Rocker fans can follow the action live on DugoutTV.org or the audio broadcast on the free app MixLR.
