Ducks' big inning dooms Rockers
Jun. 15—HIGH POINT — A return home did nothing to change the Rockers fortunes Tuesday.
Long Island went from having no hits to having seven runs in the fourth inning and prevailed 10-5 as High Point lost for a franchise record 10th consecutive time.
Down 4-0, the Ducks took off as they sent 13 batters to the plate as they used just four hits, four walks and a hit batter in putting together the big inning against three Rockers pitchers. Kyle Mott, who recently ended his career at the University of North Carolina, walked four in the first three innings without damage then he walked the first batter in the fourth, hit the second with a pitch and was pulled by Rockers manager Jamie Keefe.
Joe Johnson replaced Mott and offered a pitch that Rusney Castillo hit over the left field seats. Johnson then walked L.J. Mazilli, hit Joe DeCarlo with a pitch and misplayed a bunt that allowed Deven Marrero to reach on an infield single.
Mazilli was thrown out at the plate on a force play but DeCarlo scored the tying run on a ground ball to second. After another walk, Johnson was replaced by Nathan Bates, who uncorked a wild pitch that allowed the go-ahead run to score and then gave up a two-run single that pushed the lead to 7-4. Bates gave up another single and another walk but forced a popup for the final out of the inning.
Travis belted a solo homer in the sixth. A sacrifice fly pushed another Ducks' run across in the seventh, and Travis walked and scored on an RBI single in the eighth, pushing the margin to the final score.
The Rockers allowed eight hits, walked 10 and hit two batters.All but two Ducks either walked or were hit by a pitch. Johnson, who was charged with five runs, suffered his first loss of the year (0-1). Akeel Morris got the win.
Alejandro De Aza walked three times and went 1 for 2 with a double. Castillo walked twice and belted a homer and double in his other three trips to the plate. Travis and Mazilli also walked twice.
Long Island's comeback ruined a solid start for High Point, which dropped to 28-19 but stayed four games out of first in the Atlantic League South Division as Gastonia also lost.
Tyler Ladendorf ripped his seventh double of the year in leading off the first. Logan Morrison walked and that set the stage for Xander Weil belting his ninth homer of the year, a three-run shot over the seats in left.
The Rockers added a run in the third when Weil was hit by a pitch, Quincy Latimore walked and Mike Gulino ripped a single that scored Weil with his second run. Weil led off the seventh with a single, went to second on a bunt, moved to third on a single and scored High Poin's final run when Gulino lined his second RBI single.
The Rockers left 11 on base and went 4 of 14 with runners in scoring position.
Ladendorf, Ben Aklinski and Jay Gonzalez went 2 for 5, and Gulino and Weil were 2 for 4.
The teams meet again Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. in the second game of a three-game series.
