High Point 7, Lancaster 4
 

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point’s Quincy Latimore blasted a three-run homer with two outs in the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie and lift the Rockers to a 7-4 win over the Lancaster Barnstormers on Wednesday night at Truist Point.

Latimore’s homer helped High Point overcome an early 4-1 deficit and it was a measure of redemption for the 34-year-old outfielder who has been with the Rockers from their birth in 2019 but is coming off a knee injury that kept him out of action until this month. He had also struck out in each of his first three at-bats against Lancaster starter Dominic DiSabatino. But in the seventh, Latimore was facing reliever Brandyn Sittinger (L, 4-7).

“It looked like old times in the seventh but not in my first three at-bats,” said Latimore following the game. “But I came through when we needed it the most and that’s what counts.”

After this third strikeout, Latimore had sought the advice of hitting coach George Greer.

“What am I going to do?” Latimore asked the veteran coach. “George told me to shorten up (my stride), widen (my stance) and take a two-strike approach. I got (the count) to 2-0 and I chased a low pitch but the swing felt good, I wasn’t fooled by it. Then he came with a 2-1 fastball and I got all of it.”

Latimore’s homer broke a 4-4 tie and set the table for Rockers relievers Jameson McGrane, in the eighth, and Ryan Dull, in the ninth, to shut the door on the Barnstormers over the final two innings. The save was Dull’s 14^th of the year.

“I knew he was down on himself,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe of Latimore. “He didn’t look like himself but I knew George would talk to him.”

Just prior to the momentous home run, Keefe called time to speak with Latimore along the third base line.

“I just told him to relax and get something good to hit,” said Keefe. “I told him ‘they’re not going to pitch around you.’ I can’t feel better for anybody more than I do for him. I’m pumped up for him.”

Much like Tuesday’s game, Lancaster came out swinging right from the very start. After Melvin Mercedes beat out an infield single to lead off the top of the first, Yeison Coca doubled to put runners on second and third. Andretty Cordero delivered a sac fly to left and Coca scored on a groundout by Ariel Sandoval for a 2-0 ‘Stormer lead.

The Barnstormers added a run in the third on a single by Mercedes and an RBI double from Cordero to put Lancaster up 3-0.

High Point cut into the lead in the fourth when Daikan Yoh walked and scored from first on a double in the gap by Ryan Grotjohn. The ‘Stormers make it a 4-1 game in the fifth when Mercedes singled, his third consecutive hit, and scored on Ariel Sandoval double.

The Rockers tied the game with three runs in the fifth. After Brian Parreira and Shed Long, Jr. started the frame with singles off Lancaster starter Dominic DiSabatino, D.J. Burt cleared the bases with a triple to right center and Ben Aklinski followed with a sac fly that brought Burt home to knot the game at 4-4.

Mitch Atkins started the game for High Point and went five innings after allowing seven hits and four runs but left with the game tied 4-4. Bryce Hensley (W, 6-1) pitched the sixth and seventh innings, allowing just one hit and earning his sixth win of the year.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Thursday night at Truist Point. It will be Thirsty Thursday with drink specials in the ballpark. The game will be streamed live by FLO Baseball and also available on the Mixlr app.

NOTES: Latimore’s home run was his first of the season but the 49^th of his Rockers career. He and Zander Wiel are tied for the franchise lead with 49 homers each… Ryan Dull’s 14^th save of the year sets a club record for saves in a season. Dull already holds the club record with 27 career saves… The win for Bryce Hensley gave him the Rockers’ all-time lead in victory as it was the 14^th of his career. Craig Stem has 13 career wins as a Rocker… Lancaster has blasted 10 doubles in the first two games of the series… Thursday’s pitching matchup will have the Rockers going with RHP Ryan Weiss (5-3, 4.61) against Lancaster righty Brent Teller (6-4, 7.34)

Long Island 10, Spire City 8

(Central Islip, N.Y., July 26, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Spire City Ghost Hounds 10-8 on Wednesday night in the middle game of a three-game series at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.

Spire City took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Luke Becker’s solo home run to center field and a wild pitch by Ducks starter Matt Solter that plated Jose Marmolejos. Three more runs in the third on a two-run single by Jimmy Paredes and an RBI single by Moises Sierra made it a 5-0 game. 

Long Island sent 12 men to the plate in the third and scored eight runs off Ghost Hounds starter Jake Fisher to take an 8-5 lead. Joe DeCarlo’s solo homer to left-center, Alejandro De Aza’s two-run double, RBI doubles by Sam Travis, Alex Dickerson and Wilson Ramos and a two-run homer to right-center by Carlos Castro did the damage. 

The Ghost Hounds trimmed their deficit to 8-7 in the fourth on a passed ball that scored Scott Kelly and an RBI infield single by Marmolejos. However, the Ducks pushed the lead back up to three on Brantley Bell’s RBI fielder’s choice in the fifth and Travis’ sac fly to center in the sixth. An RBI single through the right side by Becker in the eighth closed the gap to 10-8, but Spire City would get no closer. 

Solter (5-4) picked up the win despite allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and four walks over five innings while striking out four. Fisher (1-5) suffered the loss, surrendering eight runs on nine hits in just two and two-thirds innings with two strikeouts. Kevin Quackenbush picked up his 11th save of the season after striking out the side in the ninth. 

Every Ducks starter had at least one hit, while five had two hits. Travis finished with two hits, two RBIs and two runs, while Dickerson and DeCarlo each added two hits, an RBI and a run, while Castro chipped in with two RBIs, a run and two walks. 

The Ducks and Ghost Hounds wrap up their three-game set on Thursday night. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks T-Shirts, courtesy of SCOPE Education Services. It’s also a Thirsty Thursday at the ballpark, featuring an EBBS Craft Beer/Fountain Hard Seltzer Takeover. Fans will be able to enjoy samples as well as special deals on EBBS and Fountain products during the game. In addition, the Duck Club restaurant and bar on the suite level will be open for all fans to enjoy. Left-hander Kyle Lobstein (2-2, 4.04) toes the rubber for the Ducks against Ghost Hounds righty Dustin Beggs (3-7, 6.05).

Staten Island 8, Gastonia 3

The FerryHawks defeated the Gastonia Honey Hunters by a score of 8-3 on Wednesday night in Staten Island. It was quite the pregame as former Yankee and World Series MVP, Hideki Matsui and his Matsui 55 Foundation held a clinic for an exclusive group of Staten Island little leaguers.

This game was gridlocked at 0-0 until the 4^th when Gastonia plated a run to make it 1-0. The FerryHawks immediately followed with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning on an Angel Aguilar sacrifice fly to deep center to tie it at 1.

In the following inning, Gastonia pushed across two more runs to take a 3-1 lead. Again, the FerryHawks had an answer and this time in a big way. A Jack Elliott double (11), Luis Castro double (10), and an Angel Aguilar homerun (13) fueled a 6-run 5^th inning that helped the FerryHawks jump out to a commanding 7-3 lead. From there, the bullpen locked it down and the FerryHawks took this one by a score of 8-3.

FerryHawks starter Anthony Quattrocchi ran into some trouble with walks but surrendered only 1 hit to a hard-hitting Gastonia squad. He was relieved by a trio of newcomers that included Cristopher Ogando, William Kirwan, and Andrew Gross who combined for 4.2 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, and 7 strikeouts.

Tomorrow the FerryHawks wrap up this series and the 9-game homestand here in Staten Island. They will hit the road before returning next week with some can’t miss promotions lined up including Italian Heritage Night on August 5^th and Marvel Super Hero Day on August 6^th with an appearance by Captain America!  

York 13, Charleston 4

(July 27, 2023 – Charleston, WV):  The York Revolution offense kicked it back into gear on Wednesday evening, pounding out 17 hits in a 13-4 victory over the Charleston Dirty Birds at GoMart Ballpark. The Revs improve to 10-4 in the second half, moving back into sole possession of first place with the win.

The Revs got behind early as Juan Perez nailed a two-out, two-run double off the fence in right center to spot the Dirty Birds a quick 2-0 lead.

York answered in the top of the second as Nellie Rodriguez ripped a two-run double down the left field line, tying the score at 2-2.

The Revs took the lead in the top of the third on a two-out RBI single into right by Drew Mendoza, plating Tomo Otosaka who had walked and tied teammate Trey Martin for the league lead with his 31st steal earlier in the inning.

Jhon Nunez ripped an RBI single to left an inning later, as the lead grew to 4-2.

Revs starter Nick Raquet had retired nine straight and struck out four in-a-row at one point before the Dirty Birds rallied to tie the game in the fifth. After a pair of leadoff singles from the bottom of the order and a wild pitch put two in scoring position, Jalen Miller blooped an RBI single to shallow center and Dwight Smith Jr. lined a sac fly to left, tying the game at 4-4.

York responded immediately as Alejandro Rivero lined an opposite field homer to right in the top of the sixth, his second in as many nights to put York ahead 5-4.

The Revs added to the lead as Trey Martin smashed a two-out, two-run single up the middle in the top of the seventh, increasing the margin to 7-4.

York blew it wide open in the eighth, scoring three times as Rivero singled in a run, Trent Giambrone roped an RBI double to left, and Otosaka lined a sac fly to left to go up 10-4.

Nunez capped a four-RBI night and closed the scoring with a three-run homer to left in the top of the ninth.

Raquet (9-6) pulled into a tie for the league lead in wins, allowing four runs over six innings of work.

York used scoreless frames from Nelvin Correa, J.P. Woodward, and J.T. Hintzen to close out the victory that became one-sided when the Revs scored nine unanswered over the final four frames.

Notes: York’s 13-run outburst was the Revs’ largest ever in 22 games at GoMart Ballpark. York had averaged just three runs per game at GoMart Ballpark in 10 previous contests on the season, and just two runs per game over the previous six meetings in Charleston. The Revs’ 47-30 record is the franchise’s best through 77 games. The 10-4 second half record is one off the Revs’ best ever to start a half (2007 second half). Martin extended his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games, one shy of a season-high. Rivero is 8-for-13 with two homers and a double over the last three games. Richard Urena became the 14th player in Revs history to hit three doubles in one game; he is now 6-for-13 with four doubles and a home run over his last three games. York righty Carlos Espinal (6-2, 3.57) will face Charleston southpaw Joe Testa (6-2, 3.04) in Thursday’s rubber match at 6:35 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and FloBaseball.TV beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.

Southern Maryland 6, Lexington 3