HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Double the fun, in more ways than one.
ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s Keon Barnum and Zach Daniels hit back-to-back home runs as part of a big inning that helped the Dirty Birds double up High Point 10-5 in an Atlantic League series opener on Tuesday night at Truist Point.
Barnum’s three-run round-tripper in the top of the third broke a 2-2 tie and lifted visiting ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä in front to stay. Three pitches later, Daniels followed with a solo shot.
Barnum homered twice and James Nelson and Joe DeLuca added moonshots to give the Dirty Birds five homers against the league’s top team.
Daniels registered three of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s 13 hits. Nelson, Alsander Womack, Barnum, DeLuca and Benjamin Blackwell produced two base knocks apiece.
Barnum knocked in four runs. Womack and DeLuca each drove in two. Nelson, Barnum and Daniels all scored twice.
Starter Anthony Diaz collected the win for ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä (18-25 second half, 48-58 overall), allowing three earned runs on four hits over six frames. He walked four Rockers and fanned five.
Alex Dickerson had three hits, including a homer, for High Point (23-20 second half, 64-42 overall). He knocked in four runs. Evan Edwards chipped in two safeties. Ben Aklinski tallied two runs.
Jonah Scolaro took the decision for the Rockers, yielding seven earned runs on eight hits in five innings. He struck out eight Dirty Birds and walked two.
