Bats Break Out for 10-4 Win 

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD - The Hooks launched four home runs as part of a 10-4 win over the Cardinals Wednesday night at Hammons Field.

Three of the blasts came in the third, with Jacob Melton going deep to open the frame for his 10th long ball of the year. Two batters later, Zach Cole snuck a solo shot inside the foul pole in left for his fourth round-tripper in a span of nine games. Jordan Brewer was next and crushed a 3-2 pitch over the berm in left for a 382-foot tater and a 5-0 Corpus Christi lead.

Brewer now has seven home runs this season, with four coming in his last 15 games. The collaboration with Cole resulted in the fourth set of back-to-back homers for Corpus Christi on the year.

Tommy Sacco Jr., who reached base three times from the No. 9 spot, completed the parade of big flies with a two-out blast to right in the sixth as the Hooks matched their season-high for homers in a game.

Luis Angel Rodriguez ran with the support by limiting Springfield to three hits, two walks, and three runs in 5 2/3 innings, his longest outing of the year.

Kasey Ford, making his first appearance since the all-star break, dispatched all four batters he faced in relief of Rodriguez.

The Hooks salted the game by sending 10 men to bat in a four-run seventh. Brice Matthews opened the inning by searing a double to center field. The extra-base hit boasted an exit velocity of 111 miles per hour. The rally materialized with two away when Cole, Brewer, Collin Price, Colin Barber, Sacco, and Jeremy Arocho reached base in consecutive fashion. The first three by way of singles and the balance courtesy of walks.

Arocho set the tone with a double down the left-field line to begin the ballgame. He then stole third and scampered home on a throwing error by the catcher.

Before clubbing his 420-foot bomb in the third, Melton singled in the first, and following a stolen base, came around on Cole's two-out base hit to right.

Lefty Brody Rodning stranded two in a scoreless ninth for his Hooks debut.