Rockers blast Dirty Birds in home opener
May 1—HIGH POINT — The Rockers opened their home schedule with a bang.
High Point hit four home runs on offense, allowed just three hits on defense and powered past the Charleston Dirty Birds 8-0 in Atlantic League baseball Tuesday in its home opener Tuesday at Truist Point.
Ben Aklinski, Connor Owings, Zander Wiel and D.J. Burt homered for the Rockers, who moved to 5-0 for the first time in team history. Burt finished with three hits and an RBI, while Owings had two hits, also hitting a double, and two RBIs and Aklinski had one hit and three RBIs.
High Point led 4-0 through three innings after Owings and Wiel hit back-to-back solo home runs to highlight the third. Aklinski added a three-run home run in the fourth, and Burt hit a solo home run in the eighth. The Rockers totaled eight hits for the game.
David McKay picked up the win in short relief after Brandon Leibrandt pitched four innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out seven.
The teams continue their three-game series Wednesday and Thursday at Truist Point, first at 6:35 p.m. each night.
