Lexington Rallies past Rockers in 11
AtL High Point Rockers

Lexington Rallies past Rockers in 11

July 31, 2025 - Atlantic League (AtL)
High Point Rockers News Release


LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Lexington Legends erased a 5-1 deficit in the ninth inning and went on to defeat the High Point Rockers 7-6 in 11 innings on Thursday night at Legends Field.

The Rockers fell to 11-10 in the second half of the season while Lexington improved to 14-6.

The contest was a tale of two distinctly different games. The first eight and half innings were all Rockers. The last 2.5 innings belonged to the Legends.

Ben Aklinski and Alex Dickerson each hit solo homers and Fin Del Bonta-Smith threw six innings of two-hit baseball as the Rockers led 2-1 after six innings.

The Rockers built a 2-0 lead on a pair of solo homers. Ben Aklinski blasted his 22nd of the year in the first and Alex Dickerson knocked his 10th of the year in the fourth.

Del Bonta-Smith allowed just two hits over his six innings of work while not issuing a walk and striking out five. Making just his fifth start of the season and seeking his first win despite entering the game with a 2.36 ERA, DBS cruised through the first four innings, allowing just a single hit and nary a walk while striking out four. He retired the first seven batters he faced, allowed a ground rule double to Isaias Quiroz with one out in the third, then set down the next eight batters in order. Quiroz led off the sixth with a solo homer as the Rockers' lead was cut to 2-1.

Holding a 2-1 lead in the seventh, the Rockers put D.J. Burt and Aidan Brewer aboard following walks from Lexington reliever Julio Dilone. The Legends turned to Jack Lynch who tossed a wild pitch to move both runners up a base. The Rockers then hit three consecutive ground balls in the infield to score three runs. Burt avoided a tag at the plate on a grounder to short, Brewer scored when the catcher, Quiroz, couldn't hang on to a throw from third and Mendoza came around when Dickerson's ground ball to second was misplayed for an error. The Rockers led 5-1 after seven innings.

Jake Gilbert came on in the seventh and put the Legends down in order in both the seventh and eighth innings. Lexington rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth with Brady Whalen drawing a walk and Dylan Rock knocking a single to center to put runners at the corners. The Rockers brought in Jameson McGrane from the bullpen. Ryan McCarthy singled to score Whalen before Curtis Terry hit a hard grounder that ricocheted off McGrane's leg leading to an RBI single and pulling the Legends within a pair at 5-3. The ground ball that hit McGrane left him writhing on the ground and he left the field with assistance. Zach Vennaro came on and struck out Pedro Gonzalez before allowing a pair of singles and a wild pitch as the Legends tied the game at 5-5.

Max Viera, the ghost runner who started the 10th inning at second, moved to third on a ground out by Braxton Davidson and scored on a sac fly from Jack Conley to put the Rockers up 6-5.

The Rockers called on Scott Rouse in the bottom of the tenth as the Legends placed Xane Washington at second. Quiroz laid down a sacrifice bunt with an 0-2 count and the Rockers' throw to third was not in time to catch Washington. Rouse intentionally walked Brady Whalen to load the bases. Dylan Rock grounded to Burt at second and his throw home appeared to beat Washington but he was ruled safe, tying the game at 6-6 and leading to the ejection of Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. The Rockers then brought in Viera from the outfield as they fielded a five-man infield. Rouse struck out McCarthy for the first out of the inning before Jerry Huntzinger grounded into a 5-2-3 double play to keep the game tied at 6-6 going to the 11th.

The Rockers were unable to score in the top of the 11th. In the bottom of the 11th, Rouse walked Pedro Gonzalez and E.J. Cumbo was safe on a sac bunt that turned into an infield single, loading the bases. Acting manager Frank Viola then visited the mound, leading to a lengthy discussion with the umpires and Viola's ejection.

High Point brought in Win Scott and Andy Atwood singled up the middle to plate Huntzinger with the winning run.

Aklinski was the only Rocker with multiple hits. Rouse (L, 0-1) was credited with the loss while Lexington's Carson Lambert (W, 2-1) earned the win.

NOTES: RF Luis Gonzalez missed his second straight game after being hit by a pitch on Tuesday night. .. The ball that hit McGrane was clocked at 106 MPH off the bat. .. the game lasted an even 4:00.

Check out the High Point Rockers Statistics



Atlantic League Stories from July 31, 2025


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