Rockers rally from four down, beat FerryHawks 6-5 for fourth straight win

High Point turned a four-run deficit into its fourth straight win Saturday night, beating Staten Island 6-5 behind Ivan Melendez’s three-RBI night and three spotless innings from Brayden Matthews. The Rockers matched their longest winning streak of the season and moved to 4-4 in the second half, a sharp response to the 3-2 loss that opened the series July 7.

High Point had already taken the first three games of the set, winning 9-3, 9-5 and 7-3, and the latest comeback showed a team that can survive a bad inning without letting the game run away. Staten Island, meanwhile, fell to 1-7 in the second half and never fully recovered after its early burst.

The FerryHawks pounced on emergency starter Matt Colucci, who was in the rotation because Ben Wereski had recently been acquired by the Cincinnati Reds. Staten Island loaded the bases with a single, double and walk, then Brandon Wagner cleared them with a grand slam in the third inning to make it 4-0. Luis Garcia added an RBI single in the fourth to push the lead to 5-1, and Colucci finished with 3 2/3 innings, six hits, five runs and one strikeout.

High Point answered immediately. Mikey Kane cut into the deficit in the fourth with his first homer as a Rocker, and the fifth inning flipped the game. Brady doubled to start the rally, Ryan McCarthy singled and D.J. Burt walked to load the bases. Luke Napleton drove in a run with a groundout, then Melendez unloaded a three-run homer to left to tie it 5-5. McCarthy finished with two hits, and Melendez had two hits to go with his three RBIs.

The Rockers took the lead for good in the seventh. Napleton walked, moved up on a Melendez single, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a hit from Ethan Skender. Dusty Baird worked 2 1/3 innings and allowed just one hit and one walk, then Matthews retired all nine batters he faced over the final three innings for his second save. High Point and Staten Island were scheduled to finish the six-game series Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at SIUH Community Park.