GASTONIA, N.C. – The Gastonia Ghost Peppers broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the eighth inning to claim a 3-2 win over the High Point Rockers Saturday night at CaroMont Health Park.
The Rockers are now 40-22 in the first half and have wrapped up the South Division’s first half championship. Sunday’s contest at 4 p.m. at Gastonia will be the final game of the first half.
On Saturday, the Rockers faced 35-year-old righty Craig Stem who went 16-22 as a starting pitcher for the Rockers from 2019-2023. Stem went five innings and held the Rockers to three hits and two runs while walking two and striking out five.
Gastonia went up 1-0 in the first inning when Nate Scantlin led off the frame with a solo homer off Rockers starter Jared Henry.
The Rockers took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Stem loaded the bases and Ian Yetsko reached on an error by the shortstop that allowed one run to score. Luis Gonzalez then drew a walk with the bases full to force in a second run.
Gastonia tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth when Narciso Crook scored from second on an errant pickoff throw from Rockers catcher Nolan Watson.
The game remained 2-2 until the eighth inning.
Facing Zach Vennaro (L, 0-1) in the eighth, Gastonia’s Brian O’Grady started the inning with a single and moved to second on a single by Narciso Crook. A double steal put the runners and second and third before Kevin Watson, Jr. grounded out to second, allowing O’Grady to score the go-ahead run.
Gastonia’s Bryan Blanton put the Rockers down in order to earn the save. Art Warren pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Peppers to earn the win (W, 1-0).
Max Viera finished with two of High Point’s five hits on the night.
NOTES: The Rockers activated INF Carlos Amezquita and RHP Justin Lewis from the injured list prior to Saturday’s game . . . Amezquita started in left field.
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