Rockers Back Barraclough in Win over Charleston
May 20, 2025 - Atlantic League (AtL)
High Point Rockers News Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The High Point Rockers' Jordan Luplow hit a two-run triple in the first and Evan Edwards added a three-run homer in the third to support the strong pitching of Kyle Barraclough with an 8-2 win over the Charleston Dirty Birds Tuesday night at GoMart Park in the opening game of a three-game series.
The win puts the Rockers at 16-6 on the season, tying their best 22 game start in history with the 2023 club. High Point now has a three-game lead in the Atlantic League's South Division over 13-9 Lexington.
The Rockers scored two in the first when, with two outs, Ben Aklinski drew a walk from Charleston starter Jimmy Endersby (L, 0-2). Endersby walked Edwards before Luplow tripled to center field to plate the pair and give the Rockers a 2-0 lead.
The lead grew to 5-0 in the third when Edwards, the Atlantic League home run leader, added to his total with his 10th homer of the season with a three-run shot in the third inning, scoring Luis Gonzalez who had doubled and Aklinski who reached on a single.
The Rockers added a single run in the fourth to move the lead to 6-0. Jack Conley singled, stole second, moved to third on a single by Max Viera then raced home on a sac fly by D.J. Burt.
Charleston loaded the bases on three consecutive singles in the third with just one out. But Joseph Rosa hit a hard grounder up the middle that Viera fielded and turned into a 6-3 double play to keep the shutout intact.
Barraclough (W, 3-0) went five innings and scattered six hits, allowing just one runner to reach third base, while striking out six and not allowing a walk.
Drew Mendoza led off the top of the eighth with a solo homer, his fourth of the year, to push the Rockers to a 7-0 advantage.
High Point's Jonah Scolaro entered in the sixth and pitched two shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out four. Zach Vennaro allowed a two-run homer to Travis Demeritte in the bottom of the eighth as Charleston closed to 7-2.
High Point tacked on an insurance run in the ninth on a Gonzalez single, a single by Edwards and an RBI single by Luplow. Kyle Halbohn put the Dirty Birds down in order in the ninth to secure the win.
Edwards and Luplow each finished with three RBI while Viera finished with three hits.
The Rockers and Dirty Birds will meet in game two of the series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Go Mart Park.
NOTE: The game was delayed 50 minutes at the start due to rain. .. The current three-game win streak is the Rockers longest since opening the season with five straight wins. .. The Rockers won the series opener after having lost the first game of the series in each of the last five series.
Atlantic League Stories from May 20, 2025
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- Dirty Birds Drop Game One to the Rockers - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Rockers Back Barraclough in Win over Charleston - High Point Rockers
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