High Point 7, Lexington 2
LEXINGTON, Ky. – High Point’s Zander Wiel and Brian Parreira each homered as part of a 14-hit attack and the Rockers defeated Lexington for the second straight night 7-2 at Counter Clocks Field. Rockers centerfielder D.J. Burt reached base for the 50^th consecutive game, tying what is believed to be an Atlantic League record.

The Rockers improved to 61-34 overall and 20-12 in the second half of the Atlantic League season. The Rockers took a one-game lead in the South Division over Gastonia as the Honey Hunters dropped a 2-1 decision at home to York on Wednesday night to fall to 19-13 in the second half.

After a scoreless first inning, Quincy Latimore started the second with a single to left off Lexington starter Aaron Ochsenbein (L, 7-5) and stole second. Latimore moved to third on Beau Taylor’s fly ball to center before scoring on Zander Wiel’s single to left to give the Rockers a 1-0 lead. Daikan Yoh and Emmanuel Tapia each followed with singles to load the bases. Ryan Grotjohn’s single scored both Wiel and Yoh and gave High Point a 3-0 lead after two.

Lexington tallied its first runs in the third when Mitch Ghelfi singled off Neil Ramirez (W, 2-2) and Zach Watson homered to left to make it a 3-2 game.

In the fourth, Tapia was on second via a ground rule double when Grotjohn singled him home to put the Rockers up 4-2.

A solo homer from Wiel leading off the sixth, his 22^nd of the year, put the Rockers up 5-2. That lead grew to 7-2 in the seventh when Ben Aklinski singled, stole second, and scored on a homer by Brian Parreira.

Ramirez went five innings and limited the Counter Clocks to four hits while striking out one and issuing one walk. Taylor Guerrieri threw a scores sixth and Sam Selman did the same in the seventh. Jameson McGrane fanned two in shutting out the ‘Clocks in the eighth and Ryan Dull worked around a leadoff double by J.C. Encarnacion in the ninth to retire the final three batters of the game.

Grotjohn finished with a game-high three RBI along with three hits.

Thursday’s series finale will start at 6:45 p.m. at Counter Clocks Field. The game will be streamed live on FLO Baseball and also available on the Mixlr app.

NOTES: High Point’s D.J. Burt singled in the fifth inning to reach base for the 50^th consecutive game… That matches the streak of York’s Carlos Franco in 2022… It is the longest streak in the Atlantic League since 2019… It is believed to be the longest streak in Atlantic League history… Wiel’s home run was the 54^th of his High Point career, putting him one in front of Latimore for the franchise career record.

Long Island 3, Lancaster 0

(Lancaster, Pa., Aug. 16, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks shut out the Lancaster Barnstormers 3-0 on Wednesday night in the middle game of a three-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Boog Powell immediately put the Ducks on top when he led off the game with a solo home run to right field off Barnstormers starter Nile Ball. An RBI single to left field by Ruben Tejada in the third extended his on-base streak to 25 consecutive games and extended the Ducks lead to 2-0. It stayed that way until the ninth when Brantley Bell beat out an RBI fielder’s choice grounder to push Long Island’s advantage to three.

Ducks starter Robert Stock (8-2) earned the win, tossing six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out four. Ball (6-6) suffered the loss, yielding two runs on seven hits over seven innings with two strikeouts. Jose Jose picked up his first save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Powell led the Ducks offensively with three hits, an RBI and two runs, coming within a triple of the cycle. Carlos Castro added two hits and scored a run.

The Ducks and Barnstormers wrap up their three-game series on Thursday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Clipper Magazine Stadium. Fans can follow the action live on Flo Baseball by CLICKING HERE. Left-hander Ian Clarkin (2-2, 5.18) toes the rubber for the Ducks against Barnstormers righty Jeff Bain (3-2, 4.09).

Long Island returns home on Friday, August 18, to begin a three-game set against the Charleston Dirty Birds. The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Cooling Towels, courtesy of Merch & Swag. It’s also a Tap Room Friday at the ballpark, and Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons for 20% off your entire meal at The Tap Room as fans exit the ballpark following the game. It’s a Grand Slam Friday as well, and the sixth inning will be designated as the Grand Slam Inning. If the Ducks fourth batter of the inning launches a home run with the bases loaded, one lucky fan will win $25,000. Tickets to the game, and all Ducks home games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.

Long Island 7, Lancaster 6 (Completion of Tuesday suspended game)

(Lancaster, Pa., Aug. 15, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers 7-6 on Wednesday evening in the continuation of Tuesday’s suspended series-opener at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Brantley Bell's RBI double to left field and Ernie Geraci's RBI single to left, his first hit and RBI as a Duck, gave Long Island a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Lancaster tied the game at two in the sixth on a two-out, two-run single to right by Wilson Garcia.

Carlos Castro immediately put the Ducks back in front with a two-run home run to right field in the seventh, making it a 4-2 game. However, a four-run rally with two outs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Yeison Coca’s two-run single and Andretty Cordero’s two-run double, put the Barnstormers on top 4-2.

Alex Dickerson crushed a mammoth three-run homer to right with two outs in the eighth, restoring Long Island’s lead at 7-6. However, the skies opened immediately thereafter, and the game was ultimately suspended on Tuesday night. Following the resumption of the game on Wednesday, Al Alburquerque pitched and a scoreless eighth, and Kevin Quackenbush did the same in the ninth to seal the win.

Neither starter will factor into the decision. Kyle Lobstein tossed six innings of four-run ball for the Ducks, allowing eight hit and three walks with one strikeout. Jared Lakind lasted five innings for the Barnstormers, yielding two runs on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Alburquerque (5-1) earned the win, tossing a scoreless eighth inning, working around two walks. Zach Warren (1-3) took the loss, conceding three runs on a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Kevin Quackenbush picked up his 14th save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Sam Travis led the Ducks offensively with three hits and a run scored. Castro added two hits, two RBIs and a run.

The Ducks and Barnstormers continue their three-game set in approximately 30 minutes at Clipper Magazine Stadium. Fans can follow the action live on Flo Baseball by CLICKING HERE. Right-hander Robert Stock (7-2, 4.13) takes the mound for the Ducks against Barnstormers righty Nile Ball (6-5, 5.61).

Long Island returns home on Friday, August 18, to begin a three-game set against the Charleston Dirty Birds. The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Cooling Towels, courtesy of Merch & Swag. It’s also a Tap Room Friday at the ballpark, and Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons for 20% off your entire meal at The Tap Room as fans exit the ballpark following the game. It’s a Grand Slam Friday as well, and the sixth inning will be designated as the Grand Slam Inning. If the Ducks fourth batter of the inning launches a home run with the bases loaded, one lucky fan will win $25,000. Tickets to the game, and all Ducks home games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.

York 2, Gastonia 1

(August 16, 2023 – Gastonia, NC):  Pedro Vasquez tossed seven spectacular innings as the York Revolution edged the Gastonia Honey Hunters, 2-1 on Wednesday night at CaroMont Health Park, snapping a four-game skid and pulling back within half a game of first place in the second half standings.

York grabbed an immediate lead as Nellie Rodriguez parked a towering opposite field home run to right with two outs in the first, spotting the Revs a 1-0 advantage on his 21st of the season.

Rodriguez lined a two-out RBI double to left center in the third as it squirted off the glove of a diving Zach Jarrett in center field, doubling the lead to 2-0.

Vasquez (7-1) allowed just two hits over seven shutout frames. His only outfield hit came on a double by Eric De La Rosa in a second inning that saw him strike out the other three batters he faced. He did not allow another hit until an infield single in the sixth by Kevin Santa who was promptly erased on a double play grounder.

Vasquez finished his outing by stranding a pair of two-out walks in the seventh, barehanding a tapper by Pedro Gonzalez and throwing to first to end his longest outing of the season. It was the fifth straight winning decision for Vasquez who walked three and struck out a season-high six batters in the win.

Will McAffer handled a scoreless eighth out of the Revs bullpen, erasing a leadoff walk when pinch runner Calvin Butler was thrown out by center fielder Tomo Otosaka after attempting to advance on a fly out.

Gastonia broke up the shutout bid in the ninth.  Luis Curbelo led off with a double to left and advanced to third on a passed ball. Jarrett walked to put runners at the corners, but lefty reliever Zach Neff induced a huge 1-6-3 double play ball which plated Curbelo but got the Revs within an out of victory. Nelvin Correa was brought in to retire De La Rosa on a one-pitch ground out to third, as the Revs finished off the 2-1 victory.

The Revs are one of four teams separated by half a game in the North Division second half standings with an 18-15 mark. York improves to 55-41 overall, tied for the best record through 96 games in franchise history.

York righty Andrew Cabezas (1-2, 5.08) faces Gastonia right-hander Zach Mort (10-2, 5.19) on Thursday 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.

Staten Island 9, Charleston 0 (Game 1)

Staten Island 8, Charleston 5 (Game 2)

Staten Island swept a doubleheader from Charleston at Staten Island. The Ferryhawks were led by Bobby Sparling who had three hits including a home run and two RBI in the opener to support Ofelky Peralta (W, 2-4) who allowed two hits over five innings. A seven-run sixth inning broke open what had been a 2-0 Staten Island lead.

In the nightcap, Staten Island scored six runs in the first and went on to an 8-5 win. Angel Aguilar tallied three hits while Luis Castro hit a grand slam. Ryan Hartman (W, 4-5) earned the win in relief.

Spire City 7, Southern Maryland 6