STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The High Point Rockers rallied from a 5-0 deficit to finish off a sweep of the Staten Island FerryHawks with a 6-5 win on Thursday night at SIUH Community Park. Braxton Davidson hit a three-run double in the top of the ninth to erase a 5-3 deficit and put the Rockers ahead for good.
At 30-12, the Rockers set a club record for the fewest games needed to reach 30 wins. The 2023 club was 30-15. High Point maintains an 8.5 game lead over Southern Maryland in the race for the South Division of the Atlantic League.
The game got off to a rocky start when High Point starter Erich Uelmen had to leave the game with an injury after facing just one batter. Uelmen threw three pitches to Staten Island’s leadoff hitter Damon Dues who popped out to third. After two pitches to Shayne Fontana, Uelmen summoned the trainer and manager Jamie Keefe to the mound before exiting through the dugout.
The Rockers brought in newly-signed Jake Gilbert, a 6-7 right-hander who had pitched in the Cincinnati Reds organization after spending four seasons at the Air Force Academy. Gilbert allowed a pair of runs in the first and another in the third before leaving for Braeden Ogle and the Rockers found themselves trailing 5-0 after four innings.
High Point broke into the scoring column in the sixth on Drew Mendoza’s solo homer, his 10th of the season. The Rockers closed the gap to 5-3 with a pair of runs in the seventh when Staten Island’s Trayson Kubo walked Aidan Brewer and D.J. Burt. The runners each moved up a base on Mendoza’s fielder’s choice and Brewer then scored when Kubo’s pickoff throw to second sailed into centerfield. Burt would score on a wild pitch and the Rockers trailed by two.
Jameson McGrane threw two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Stevie Branche (W, 1-1) came on in the eighth and struck out the side.
With two outs in the ninth, FerryHawks reliever Robbie Baker (L, 2-2) walked Ben Aklinski before Luis Gonzalez beat out an infield single to short. Max Viera drew a walk to load the bases, bringing Davidson to the plate. Davidson lined a double over the head of the centerfielder to clear the bases and give the Rockers a 6-5 lead.
Zach Vennaro entered in the bottom of the ninth struck out two batters while pitching around a walk in earning his first save of the season.
The Rockers will continue their road swing to New York, opening a three-game set at the Long Island Ducks on Friday night at 6:35 p.m.
