MIDLAND, TX - The Hooks earned their 60th overall win of the 2018 campaign on Saturday night in the Permian Basin, beating the Midland RockHounds 6-3 at Security Bank Ballpark.
MIDLAND, TX - The Hooks earned their 60th overall win of the 2018 campaign on Saturday night in the Permian Basin, beating the Midland RockHounds 6-3 at Security Bank Ballpark.
Left-hander Ryan Hartman helped the Hooks to a series win with 5.1 solid innings while allowing just two runs (one earned) and striking out seven.
After Hartman allowed the RockHounds to grab an early 1-0 lead on Brett Siddall's sac fly in the first inning, Corpus Christi responded with a huge second against Midland right-hander Norge Ruiz.
Abraham Toro began the frame with a double while Ryne Birk singled to put runners at the corners. Alex De Goti singled through the right side of the infield to plate Toro but Birk was thrown out on a strong throw by RockHounds right fielder Skye Bolt.
With the game tied at 1-1, Hooks catcher Eduardo de Oleo blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence to give Corpus Christi a 3-1 advantage. The Hooks were far from done in the inning, as Anibal Sierra singled and Andy Pineda then tripled to bring Sierra across the plate. Stephen Wrenn put the finishing touch on the five-run frame with sac fly as Pineda scored.
The Hooks led 5-1 in the sixth when Hartman was replaced by righty Ronel Blanco and a throwing error by de Oleo allowed Midland to make it 5-2. In the top of the seventh, Pineda struck again with an RBI single after Anibal Sierra tripled to extend Corpus Christi's lead back to 6-2.
In the seventh, Blanco dealt with a bases loaded situation and one out, but escaped the jam. He first struck out Siddall to get the second out of the inning. Blanco then took a liner off his chest from Richie Martin, but was able to grab the baseball and throw to first base to end the frame. Blanco then tossed a scoreless eighth, including two strikeouts.
Left-hander Alex Winkelman entered for the Hooks in the ninth and walked three batters to load the bases. After allowing a run on a fielder's choice, he induced a fly out from Bolt to end the ballgame.
The Hooks are now a season-best 29 games above .500 at an overall record of 60-31.
They return to Whataburger Field on Sunday evening for the opener of a four-game series against the Frisco RoughRiders. Corpus Christi sends righty Corbin Martin to the hill while right-hander Pedro Payano takes the mound for Frisco. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m.
