GASTONIA, N.C. – The High Point Rockers may have led from start to finish but not without a season’s worth of drama in defeating Gastonia 14-12 on Wednesday night at CaroMont Health Park in Gastonia.
The Rockers had an 8-2 lead in the fourth that shrank to a 10-9 advantage after six innings. And after going to the bottom of the ninth leading 14-9, Gastonia rallied to score three times before the Rockers recorded the final out on the warning track.
With the Rockers leading 10-9 in the ninth, singles by Evan Edwards and Colin Moran and a walk to Ben Aklinski loaded the bases for Zander Wiel who then deposited Cory Thompson’s pitch over the wall for a grand slam and a 14-9 High Point lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and closer Jameson McGrane on the mound for the Rockers, Gastonia used a ground rule double by Dean Miller and a single by Hidekel Gonzalez to set the table for a three-run homer from Kevin Watson, Jr. that pulled Gastonia to within two at 14-12. After allowing a double to Joe Gray, Jr., McGrane was able to get Patrick Mazeika to fly out to Evan Edwards on the warning track in right to seal the win for High Point.
The win leaves the Rockers (34-21) trailing Gastonia (38-17) by four games with eight left to play. The two teams meet again on Thursday night in Gastonia then play a three-game set at Truist Point next week.
The Rockers opened the scoring in their first at-bat when Ben Aklinski doubled off the wall in left field and scored when Colin Moran lined a single down the right field line. Zander Wiel followed with a double to left that moved Moran to third. DH Jake Washer then hit a Texas Leaguer to right where it was bobbled by Eric De La Rosa as both Moran and Wiel scored and Washer took second. Brian Parreira then smacked a two-run homer to left to put High Point ahead 5-0.
Josh Stowers answered back with a solo homer for Gastonia in the bottom of the first, making it a 5-1 game. Watson, Jr.’s solo blast in the bottom of the third narrowed High Point’s lead to 5-2.
The Rockers added two more runs in the fourth to forge a 7-2 lead. A solo homer by Washer was followed by a triple by rookie Fritz Genther. D.J. Burt hit a Baltimore chop that cleared the head of third baseman Dean Miller and reached the outfield as Genther trotted home.
Gastonia’s Jake Gatewood singled in the bottom of the fourth, moved to third on a double by Josh Wylie then scored on an infield groundout by De La Rosa to make it an 8-3 game.
In the fifth inning, a double by Wiel and a single back through the box by Connor Owings increased High Point’s lead to 9-3.
Gastonia tagged High Point starter Neil Ramirez for four runs in the fifth including a three-run homer from Justin Wylie as Gastonia pulled to within two at 9-7.
The Rockers pushed the lead to 10-7 in the top of the sixth when Burt doubled and scored on a fielding error by Gastonia reliever Ian McKinney.
In the bottom of the sixth, Gastonia loaded the bases with one out off reliever Braeden Ogle (W, 1-0). After a walk to Joe Gray, Jr. forced in one run, a fly ball to Wiel in left led to a 7-5 double play and the Rockers escaped with a 10-9 lead.
The Rockers left a pair of runners on board in the top of the seventh and High Point reliever Zach Vennaro was able to pitch out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to maintain High Point’s 10-9 lead.
Ryan Meisinger pitched around a single in the eighth as the Rockers maintained their 14-9 lead.
