Gastonia rallies past Rockers
Jun. 12—GASTONIA — Gastonia went ahead in the eighth against the Rockers bullpen and scratched out a 6-4 victory Saturday at CaroMont Health Park.
The loss was the eighth in a row for the Rockers, who fell to 28-17 and dropped three games behind the first-place Honey Hunters (31-14) in the Atlantic League South Division race,
Trailing 4-3, Gastonia scored three times in the bottom of the eighth inning. Jake Skole tied the game with a home run. Adam Choplick then walked Reece Hampton. Cassen Bradford replaced Choplick, walked Stuart Levy and then yielded a go-ahead RBI single to Jack Reinheimer. Levy then scored on an RBI single by Joseph Rosa.
High Point took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Giovanny Alfonzo singled, moved to second on a walk to Ben Aklinski and scored on Jerry Downs' single to center. Luis Roman's solo homer in the fourth knotted the game at 1-1.
The Rockers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth when Zander Wiel led off with a homer, his first since coming off the injured list earlier in the week.
High Point starter Neil Uskali went six innings and held Gastonia to just three hits while walking two and striking out five. He turned it over to the bullpen with a 2-1 lead.
Gastonia took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh when Jonathon Crawford loaded the bases with one out on a pair of walks and a hit batter. Choplick (L, 3-3) relieved Crawford and Herlis Rodriguez greeted him with a two-run double to put Gastonia ahead 3-2.
High Point went back on top with two runs in the top of the eighth. Johnny Field hit a solo homer to tie the game and Logan Morrison followed with a double. Giovanny Alfonzo's single plated Morrison and the Rockers had a 4-3 advantage.
High Point and Gastonia will play the final game of the three-game series on Sunday at 4:15 p.m. at CaroMont Health Park. The Rockers will send Colt Webb (1-1, 7.71) to the mound to face the Honey Hunters' Reilly Hovis (2-2, 5.75)
