Game Notes: High Point Rockers vs. Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
June 18, 2021 - Atlantic League (AtL)
High Point Rockers News Release
High Point Rockers vs. Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
Friday - 7:05 p.m. - High Point, N.C. - Truist Point (4,500) - Game 19 of 120 - Radio: Rockers Baseball Network (MixLr)
Saturday RHP Cooper Casad (0-0, 8.64 ERA) vs. RHP Austin Glorius (0-1, 4.30 ERA) 7:05 P.M. Sunday RHP Craig Stem (0-3, 10.50 ERA) vs. RHP Sam Burton (0-2, 8.31 ERA) 5:05 P.M.
Tuesday (@ WV) TBA vs. TBA 7:05 P.M.
Wednesday (G1) TBA vs. TBA 5:05 P.M.
High Point News & Notes
The Wrong End: The High Point Rockers were up 7-2 after four innings Thursday night, but an eight run inning by Lexington led to a 12-7 loss and saw the Rockers on the wrong end of a sweep. High Point exploded for seven unanswered runs after Lexington scored two in the first. The Rockers hit back-to-back home runs for the first time this year when Jared Mitchell and Stuart Levy hit solo bombs in the third inning. Ricky Knapp allowed just four hits in his six-plus innings, including three solo home runs. The loss dropped the Rockers to a .500 record for the first time since they were 1-1 on May 30.
Sweeping >> Swept: The Rockers were swept for the first time in 10 series after Thursday's loss to the Legends. The Sugar Land Skeeters swept the Rockers in a series from 8/30-9/1/19, in Texas. The only other time the Rockers have been swept in franchise history was by the New Britain Bees in 2019. The Rockers were outscored 23-12 this past series, including allowing 13 runs in the seventh inning alone.
Offense!: Thursday marked the first time the Rockers scored more than five runs in a game since 6/11 @ West Virginia, when they took game one of the series 7-2. It was the most runs scored in a loss in 2021, and the most since a 13-7 loss to the York Revolution on 7/16/19. The offense tallied three home runs, the most in a game this year, and went 3-8 with runners in scoring position.
RBI Riser: James McOwen's three-run blast in the second inning yesterday gave him the new team lead in RBI with 13. It's the first time all season McOwen led the team in any category. His career-high for RBI in a season is 82 in 2009 with the High Desert Mavericks of the California League in the Mariners system. He's on track for 92 in 2021. This year is McOwen's first season in pro baseball since 2018 with the Capitales de Quebec of the Frontier League.
Pitching in a Pinch: Thursday night marked the first time the Rockers have allowed more than 10 runs in a game since 6/9 when they allowed 12 against Long Island in a 12-2 loss. The 12 runs were the most allowed in a game in 2021. Three home runs allowed is the most in a Rockers game this season, and tied for the fourth-most allowed in a game during the 2021 ALPB season.
Musically Inclined: Friday's starting pitcher, Bryce Hensley, is currently in the midst of releasing his first EP, titled "The Small Town Dreams." One song will be released every two weeks starting next Friday (6/24) with "Cowboy in Me." Hensley will be the opening act for Jake Owen's concert at the football stadium at Archbishop Hogan High School in Akron, OH on 6/22/21.
Pinching the Crabs: The Rockers and Blue Crabs met 21 times during the 2019 season, with the Rockers winning 11 games. High Point has won four of the last seven at Truist Point, including a doubleheader split in the final meeting of 2019 on 9/4. The Blue Crabs missed the playoffs in 2019, and have not recorded a winning season since 2011 when they went 65-57. Today marks the first of 12 meetings against the Blue Crabs in 2021, including six at Truist Point.
Atlantic League Stories from June 18, 2021
- Revs Unable to Slow Down League's Hottest Team in Opener against Legends - York Revolution
- Lancaster Retakes First with 6-5 Win - Lancaster Stormers
- Rockers Drop Fourth Straight after Southern Maryland Rallies - High Point Rockers
- Ducks Rally Twice But Drop See-Saw Affair to Barnstormers - Long Island Ducks
- Team Israel to Play at Fairfield Properties Ballpark July 20 - Long Island Ducks
- Game Notes: High Point Rockers vs. Southern Maryland Blue Crabs - High Point Rockers
- A Look at the Coming Homestand - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Espinal's Walk-Off Blast Provides the Heroics in Win #500 at PeoplesBank Park - York Revolution
- Espinal Homer Downs Lancaster - Lancaster Stormers
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