GASTONIA, N.C. – Matt Solter pitched five shutout innings on Friday night to set the pace as the High Point Rockers took a 9-3 decision from the Gastonia Ghost Peppers in the opening game of a three-game series at CaroMont Health Park.
Solter (W, 3-1), who tossed a two hit shutout over nine innings to beat Lexington 17-0 on May 17, continued his scoreless streak over the first five innings on Friday while his teammates did the heavy lifting in the Rockers win.
At 18-7, the Rockers continue to own the best record in the Atlantic League and now own a four-game lead in the South Division over Lexington (14-11).
The Rockers opened the game by scoring four times in the first inning. Gastonia starter Connor Grey (L, 0-2) left after just seven pitches and allowing a pair of hits. Lead-off hitter D.J. Burt hit a ground rule double and Drew Mendoza lined a shot up the middle that connected with Grey’s throwing elbow and led to his departure. Nick Longhi then greeted reliever John Wilson with a two-run double before a pair of Gastonia errors led to the Rockers third run. Ian Yetsko singled home High Point’s fourth run of the frame.
The Rockers added a single run in the third when Tanner Myatt walked three straight batters and Max Viera trotted home on a wild pitch. High Point grew the lead to 6-0 in the fifth on Yetsko’s solo homer.
With five shutout innings coupled with his nine inning shutout in his last outing, Solter stretched his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 14, one shy of the club record. But Gastonia spoiled that mark in the sixth when Dalton Guthrie hit a three-run homer to cut the Rockers lead in half to 6-3.
Solter went six innings, walked three and struck out six while yielding two runs and five hits.
Justin Lewis came on in the seventh inning and put the Peppers down in order. Tommy Doyle tossed shutout frames in the eighth and ninth innings to close out the win.
The Rockers tacked on three insurance runs in the eighth off Nick Horvath to stretch the lead to 9-3. Aidan Brewer and D.J. Burt started the inning with singles. Nick Longhi drove home Brewer with a ground rule double and Evan Edwards doubled to plate two more runs.
Burt, Mendoza, Longhi and Yetsko each finished the night with a pair of hits. Longhi and Edwards each collected three RBI while Yetsko drove in a pair of runs. Edwards has now collected 18 RBI over his last eight games and is riding an 11-game hitting streak.
High Point and Gastonia meet again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at CaroMont Health Park in game two of the three-game series.
