Rockers welcome Flying Boxcars

By: Camden Connolly

Fighting to continue making history, the High Point Rockers look to collect their 11th straight series win against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars starting Friday, May 30 to Sunday, June 1 at Truist Point.

The Rockers lead the Atlantic League’s South Division at 22-8 after two of three games from the Charleston Dirty Birds in Charleston. The Flying Boxcars just wrapped up their series with the York Revolution with a 6-24 record and they have lost their last three contests.

This will be the Flying Boxcars’ first appearance at Truist Point as they hosted the Rockers last year in Hagerstown. Shane Turner will be on the road with the Boxcars for the first time after replacing manager Mark Mason on Sunday, May 25.

High Point’s Evan Edwards had his contract purchased by the Los Angeles Angels late Thursday night. Edwards was having a historic season, leading the league in batting average (.375), home runs (13) and RBI (43). Now the Rockers will turn to their quartet of .300 hitters in D.J. Burt (.319), Jack Conley (.313), Max Viera (.313) and Ben Aklinski (.304).

The Rocker’s Ben Aklinski is trying to become the third player in Atlantic League history with over 100 homers and 100 stolen bases in their career. He currently has 110 homers and 98 stolen bases.

Hagerstown’s offensive leader is Gary Mattis at .343 while Osvaldo Abreu leads the team with seven home runs while Erroll Robinson and Abreu each have a team-high 15 RBI.

The Rockers will be sending RHP Erich Uelmen to the mound Friday night. Uelmen has won his past two games and ranks sixth in the league with a 2.84 ERA. Hagerstown will be starting the series with RHP Daniel Corcino (1-4, 11.63).

The first game of the series will start at 6:35 pm on Friday, May 30, with a firework show after the game. Game two is set for 6:35 pm on Saturday, May 31, and the series finale will start at 4:05 pm on Sunday, June 1.