Rockers drop opener to Ducks

HIGH POINT, N.C – The Long Island Ducks scored a single run in five consecutive innings and held on to beat the High Point Rockers 5-4 on Tuesday night at Truist Point.

The Rockers have now lost six straight to fall to 11-14 on the season. The Ducks improved to 13-12 with the win.

Long Island starter Harrison Francis (W) improved to 4–0 on the season after grinding through five innings of work on the mound. The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits while working around five walks and struck out six to keep the Ducks in front before handing the game over to the bullpen.

Long Island scored a single run in each inning between the second and sixth innings, taking a 3-0 lead in the fourth before the Rockers got on the scoreboard with three runs in the fourth.

Alex Dickerson and Ethan Skender both had solid days at the dish. Dickerson reached base safely four times, and Skender was the only Rocker to collect multiple hits with his pair of knocks.

Former big leaguer Wilmer Difo produced the game’s first run in the second inning, driving one in on a fielder’s choice to hand the Ducks an early 1–0 advantage.

Long Island kept the pressure on later in the frame after Jacob Robson doubled and Gavin Collins reached on a single to open the inning. Marcus Chiu followed with an RBI base hit to right field, plating Robson and stretching the Ducks lead to 2–0.

Chris Roller opened the fourth inning with a double and later came around to score when Alsander Womack lined an RBI single, extending the Long Island advantage to 3–0.

The Rockers answered in the home half of the frame, and it was Bryson Parks using his speed to spark the rally. Known for covering ground in the outfield, Parks legged out an RBI infield single that brought Alex Dickerson home from third to put High Point on the board.

Moments later, Anthony Servideo snapped an 0 for 24 skid in a big way, lining one down the right field line that plated Parks from third and cut the deficit to one.

With Servideo standing on first and Patrick Sanchez at third, Servideo took off for second, and an errant throw from Ducks catcher Hernandez skipped away, allowing Sanchez to race home and tie the game at three apiece.

The tie game was short lived, as the Ducks answered immediately in the next half inning with their fourth consecutive one run frame. Anthony Garcia came through with a go ahead RBI double in the fifth, allowing Long Island to reclaim a 4–3 lead.

Long Island continued its streak of one run innings into the sixth, capitalizing on a Rockers miscue when Collins reached on an error that allowed Roller to score and extend the Ducks lead 5-3.

Following three consecutive walks, the Rockers were able to claw back within one in the sixth when a wild pitch allowed Parks to come home and score as the Rockers trailed 5-4.

Fin Del Bonta-Smith made the start for the Rockers and battled through five innings on the mound, surrendering a run in four of his five frames of work. The right hander allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out three. Del Bonta-Smith would be tagged with the loss as he falls to 0-3 on the season.

Game two of this six-game set is slated to start at 6:35 pm Wednesday at Truist Point. Rockers will send righty Yuhi Sako (1-3) to the hill opposed by Long Island’s Michael Dominguez (0-1). Rocker fans can follow the action live on HomeTeamLive.com (DugoutTV) or the audio broadcast on the free app MixLR.