Uelmen, Edwards combine to down Peppers

GASTONIA, N.C. – High Point’s Evan Edwards continued his torrid hitting streak on Saturday night, leading the Rockers to a 6-2 win over Gastonia at CaroMont Health Park.

Edwards hit two home runs to increase his Atlantic League-leading season total to 13 and drove in two runs, moving his season total to 41, also tops among ALPB players.

The win allows the Rockers to continue to maintain the top record in the ALPB at 19-7 and puts High Point four games in front of second place Lexington (15-11).

For the seventh straight game, the Rockers scored multiple runs in the first inning, this time victimizing Gastonia starter Kevin Smith (L, 0-2). Smith walked the first two batters he faced, D.J. Burt and Luis Gonzalez, and then hit Nick Longhi with a pitch. With the bases loaded, Drew Mendoza drew a walk to force in Burt before Jack Conley beat out an infield single to plate Gonzalez.

High Point starter Erich Ulemen (W, 2-1) threw 6.1 shutout innings, allowing just three hits and a walk while fanning four.

The Rockers scored a single run in the third on Edwards’ first homer of the night, added a run in the fourth on Burt’s RBI double and tallied their fifth run in the fifth on Longhi’s solo blast. Edwards capped the night with a solo homer in the ninth.

Gastonia’s two runs came in the seventh off High Point reliever Jonah Scolaro who yielded a two-run homer to Jack Reinheimer.

Edwards is now riding a 12-game hitting streak in which he has gone 19-for-45 (.422) with five home runs and 21 RBI.

At 19-7, the Rockers have tied the franchise mark for the best start to a season, matching the 2023 club which started the year 21-7.

Game three of the series is set for Sunday afternoon at CaroMont Health Park with first pitch at 4 p.m.