Atlantic League baseball: Gastonia stymies ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä offense with 12 punchouts

The loss is ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s ninth straight. The Dirty Birds dropped to 21-37 in the second half and 51-70 overall.

Gastonia (36-22 second half, 64-57 overall) led 2-1 through five innings before tallying four times in the sixth. Cole Roederer’s bases-clearing double was the big blow.

Roederer and Nate Scantlin had two hits apiece for the Ghost Peppers. Shed Long Jr. and Justin Wylie each scored twice. Eric De La Rosa went deep.

Connor Grey limited ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä to one run on three hits over five frames, with eight punchouts and two walks, to get the win.

Zach Daniels and Jaylen Smith each had two hits for the Dirty Birds.

Marc Davis was the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä pitcher of record. He yielded two earned runs on three hits over five innings, with nine strikeouts and four walks.

The Ghost Peppers’ lead on Lexington in the second-half standings is four games with five left to play. Friday’s edition incorrectly reported that Gastonia clinched the second-half playoff berth on Thursday night.