BROCKTON, Mass. – Donnie Ross stroked a leadoff triple to spark a three-run fifth inning Thursday night to help the Bangor Lumberjacks earn a 7-4 Northeast League baseball victory over Brockton.

Derry Hammond belted his league-leading 17th home run for the Lumberjacks, who moved into a tie with North Shore for first place in the North Division.

Brockton rallied for two runs in the ninth inning, but were unable to overcome the five-run deficit.

Whitesides sold to White Sox

Lumberjacks outfielder Jake Whitesides, who hit a double and a three-run home run during Tuesday night’s Central League/Northeast League All-Star Game, has been sold by Bangor to the Chicago White Sox organization, the Lumberjacks announced Thursday.

Whitesides, a former fifth-round draft pick of the Houston Astros, was batting .307 with six home runs, 30 RBIs and 15 stolen bases for Bangor, and ranked among the top 10 in the Northeast League in batting, stolen bases, hits (58), doubles (15), triples (4) and extra-base hits (25).

“Jake has done exactly what a player needs to do to be signed, and that is basically to sit at the top of the league leaders in almost all offensive categories. That will attract attention,” said Lumberjacks manager Kash Beauchamp.

“A strong performance at the all-star game sealed the deal, and he is well deserving of this.”

Whitesides, a Columbia, Mo., native, will report to the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators of the South Atlantic League, the White Sox’s high Class A affiliate.