Rockers Comeback and Beat Lexington 8-6
August 12, 2021 - Atlantic League (AtL)
High Point Rockers News Release
HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point Rockers scored four runs in the seventh inning without the benefit of a base hit to come from behind and beat the Lexington Legends 8-6 Thursday night at Truist Point.
The Rockers were trailing 5-3 following the seventh inning stretch. Lexington's Robert Carson, who had relieved starter J.J. Hoover at the start of the sixth, walked the first two men in the seventh before getting a fly ball out. Harold Myles (0-1) came on in relief of Carson and walked five hitters to force in four runs as the Rockers sent 10 men to the plate in the inning. None collected a base hit.
"We let the ball come to us and we were not in attack mode that inning," said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. "If you don't throw the ball over the plate, you pay the consequences."
High Point starter Cooper Casad (6-1) went seven strong innings, allowing eight hits and five runs, four earned, while striking out one. He exited after the Rockers took the 7-5 lead. John Hayes came on and allowed an unearned run in the seventh as Lexington closed the gap to 7-6.
But the Rockers got the run back in bottom of the eighth when Michael Martinez led off with a double to right and scored on a ground rule double by Stuart Levy.
On the seven walks the Rockers received in the seventh, Levy said "We had never seen that guy before. After he was miss-miss-miss, we just sat back and took a strike."
Myles at one point threw 12 straight balls in walking three consecutive hitters.
Ben Aklinski hit a two-run homer with two outs in the second to give the Legends an early 2-0 lead. It was his second homer of the series and his 13th of the year.
In the bottom of the second, Levy led off with a single and moved to third on a double to center by shortstop Giovanny Alfonzo. James McOwen then cleared the bases with a triple to right-center. After a walk to Johnny Field, Martinez singled to plate McOwen and give the Rockers a 3-2 lead after two.
In the fourth, Lexington's Pete Yorgen singled softly up the middle before first baseman Sam Claycamp homered to left for a 4-3 Legends lead.
Lexington added an unearned run in the seventh when the Rockers committed a pair of infield fielding errors around a Roberto Baldoquin single.
Kyle Halbohn earned his second save of the year by setting the Legends down in order in the ninth.
Field, Martinez and Levy each had two hits for the Rockers. McOwen led High Point with three RBI.
High Point will continue on its current homestand and will begin a three-game series with the West Virginia Power. The series opener is Friday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Truist Point.
Atlantic League Stories from August 12, 2021
- Rockers Comeback and Beat Lexington 8-6 - High Point Rockers
- Barnstormers Fall In Finale, 7-5 - Lancaster Stormers
- Southern Maryland Salvages Series Finale against Ducks - Long Island Ducks
- 23rd Ducks Alumnus Called up to Major Leagues - Long Island Ducks
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