Rockers stuff Blue Crabs, 7-5

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Ryan McCarthy banged out three hits and drove in three runs to lead the High Point Rockers to a 7-5 win over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Sunday afternoon in front of a crowd of 2,421 at Truist Point.

The win gives the Rockers a 3-3 split in the six-game series. High Point improves to 18-24 on the season while Southern Maryland continues to lead the Atlantic League’s South Division at 28-14.

McCarthy had a two-run homer in the fifth inning and an RBI single in the seventh to pace the Rockers’ 11-hit attack on Sunday. D.J. Burt, Luke Napleton and Chase Nixon each added a pair of hits.

The Rockers jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first when Burt singled, moved to second on a single by McCarthy and scored on a single by Max Viera. The Rockers increased the lead to 2-0 in the second when Nixon singled, moved to second when Nolan Watson was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on Bryson Parks’ fielder’s choice and scored on a sac fly from Luca Danos.

Rocker starter Ben Wereski went three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four while working under a strict pitch count limit. Wereski threw 48 pitches and exited with a 2-0 lead.

Reliever Matt Colucci came on in the fourth and walked lead-off batter Phillip Sikes then yielded back-to-back homers to Ezquiel Pagan and Danny Bautista, Jr. as the Blue Crabs took a 3-2 lead.

The Rockers jumped ahead 4-3 in the fifth against Southern Maryland starter Connor Overton. After Burt hit a one-out triple to right, McCarthy followed with his fifth home run as a Rocker, hitting the scoreboard in right to score Burt ahead of him.

The Rockers’ Matt Solter came on in the seventh to relieve Colucci as the Blue Crabs regained a 5-4 lead as Brody Fahr doubled and Phillip Sikes hit a two-run homer.

But the Rockers rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to surge to a 7-5 advantage. Danos was hit by a pitch and sacrificed to second by Patrick Sanchez before SMD reliever Dylan Beck walked Burt. McCarthy then singled home one run and Napleton followed with another RBI single. Viera’s sac fly plated Napleton with the third run of the inning.

Nick Timpanelli threw a 1-2-3 eighth inning for the Rockers and Ryan Chasse came on in the ninth to earn his second save of the season.

After an off-day on Monday, the Rockers will head to Charleston, W. Virginia to start a six-game series with the Dirty Birds with the opening game set for Tuesday night. Rocker fans can follow the action on DugoutTV.org or listen on the MixLR free app on their mobile device.