Rockers fall to Blue Crabs 4-3

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs hit a pair of two-run homers and that was all they needed in posting a 4-3 win over the High Point Rockers Tuesday night at Truist Point.

The homers, from Sam Dexter in the second and Brett Barrera in the sixth, spoiled an otherwise outstanding pitching performance from Rockers starter Ben Wereski (L, 2-4). The first-year lefty went six innings, allowed five hits, walked two and struck out eight.

Dexter’s homer in the third was preceded by a walk to Giovanni Digiacomo while Barrera’s blast came after a double by Dondrei Hubbard.

The Rockers are 67-45 on the season and 26-23 in the second half, trailing Gastonia (29-20) by three games.

The Rockers tallied a run in the fourth to close the margin to 2-1 when Alex Dickerson doubled home Drew Mendoza who had drawn a walk from Blue Crabs starter Kyle Virbitsky (W, 1-0).

Down 4-1 in the seventh, the Rockers scored a pair of runs. After Virbitsky allowed a single by Ben Aklinski and walked Dickerson, Jordan Carr came on in relief. Carr walked Evan Edwards to load the bases. Max Viera’s grounder to third was misplayed, allowing Aklinski to score. Braxton Davidson hit into a triple play. His grounder to second was shuttled to the shortstop for the first out, the relay to first retired Davidson for the second out and Edwards, coming from second base, rounded third too wide and was cut down on a throw from first baseman Jamari Baylor to Barrera at third.

High Point had a shot to tie the game in the ninth when Viera doubled into the left field corner. But Davidson’s line drive single to right was played perfectly by right fielder Pearce Howard who threw home. Baylor cut the ball and threw to the plate in time to beat Viera’s head-first slide.

Endrys Briceno (S, 4) pitched the final inning and two-thirds, striking out two while allowing two hits.

High Point finished the night with eight hits to SMD’s seven.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. The Rockers will send RHP Jake Gilbert (1-1, 4.11) to the mound to face Southern Maryland’s Jason Blanchard (0-0, 0.52). Rocker fans can catch all the action on FLOBASEBALL.TV and on the MixLR app.

NOTES: The Rockers released three players prior to the game, all left-handed pitchers in Alex Barker, Win Scott and Sam Clay . . . High Point acquired OF Bryson Parks in a trade from the New Jersey Jackals of the Frontier League . . . Parks played his college baseball at Western Carolina University . . . The Rockers also signed RHP Andre Scrubb, a former High Point University pitcher who spent time in the Major Leagues with the Houston Astros.