Longhi, Aklinski blast Rockers past Legends

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The High Point Rockers unleased their most furious offensive attack of the season on Thursday night, posting an 18-8 win over Lexington at Legends Field.

The Rockers scored a season-high 18 runs, pounded out 17 hits and hit three home runs.

DH Nick Longhi and right fielder Ben Aklinski accounted for nine RBI. Longhi was five-for-six with five RBIs while Aklinski drove in four runs and scored four times. Jordan Luplow added a three-run homer.

The Rockers now own the best record in the Atlantic League at 13-5 and own a one-game lead in the South Division over 12-6 Lexington.

Lexington tallied a solo run in the second when Xane Washington’s sac fly scored Brian Fuentes who had led off the inning with a single.

The Rockers posted their highest scoring inning of the season with eight runs in the third. D.J. Burt contributed a sac fly, Aklinkski, Drew Mendoza  and Longhi each had an RBI single, Aidan Brewer stole home and Luplow hit his first homer as a Rocker, a three-run shot, that put the Rockers up 8-1.

Lexington clawed back a pair of runs in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Fuentes and an RBI infield ground out by Ryan McCarthy.

Longhi added another RBI single in the fourth as High Point’s lead grew to 9-3. Washington’s homer in the bottom half made it a 9-4 game.

Gonzalez singled in the fifth and scored on a Fuentes double to put Lexington within four at 9-5.

The Rockers tallied their 10^th run in the sixth when Luis Gonzalez singled, moved to second and then third on a pair wild pitches and scored on another Longhi single, his third RBI of the night.

High Point starter Kent Emanuel (W, 2-0) left after five innings, having allowed five runs on 10 hits, a walk and two strikeouts. Lexington’s Colton Eastman (L, 2-2) lasted 2.1 innings and yielded six runs on six hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts.

High Point’s Kyle Halbohn allowed a run in the sixth inning on a single by Brady Whalen and an RBI double from Curtis Terry to make it 10-6.

Zach Vennaro came on in the seventh for the Rockers and gave up a solo homer to Ryan McCarthy as the Legends pulled within three at 10-7.

The Rockers added three more runs in the eighth when Aklinski walked and scored on a double by Evan Edwards. After Dalton Ross replaced Christian Edwards on the mound for Lexington, Longhi greeted him with a two-run shot to left, lifting the Rockers to a 13-7 lead. A five-run outburst in the ninth, featuring an RBI double from Brewer, a sack fly from Luis Gonzalez and a three-run homer from Aklinski sealed the win.

Lexington’s final run came in the bottom of the ninth off a wild pitch from Rockers reliever Jonah Scolaro.

High Point returns home to face the Legends in a three-game series starting Friday night at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. A fireworks show will be held following the game.