TULSA - The Raspas scored the first eight runs Tuesday night, and withstood a late Petroleros surge to win the series opener, 10-6, at ONEOK Field.The 10 runs were the most scored by Corpus Christi (31-20, 74-46) since an 11-6 triumph over Midland July 11.
TULSA - The Raspas scored the first eight runs Tuesday night, and withstood a late Petroleros surge to win the series opener, 10-6, at ONEOK Field.
The 10 runs were the most scored by Corpus Christi (31-20, 74-46) since an 11-6 triumph over Midland July 11.
Abraham Toro put the Raspas on the board with a two-out RBI double in the first.
Tulsa (28-21, 62-57) right-hander Justin De Fratus could not work around three errors in the second. Carmen Benedetti capped a three-run frame by plating a pair on a two-out single into right field.
Houston's top pitching prospect Forrest Whitley tossed two scoreless innings, in what his first action since early July. Whitley, who threw 17 of 35 pitches for strikes, was activated from the disabled list earlier in the afternoon.
In the Raspas third, Josh Rojas lined a single into right field, stole second, and came home on a base hit by Chas McCormick. Anibal Sierra opened the fourth with a home run into the terrace in left field. Both of Sierra's Double-A dingers have come in the last eight games.
Stephen Wrenn later doubled, putting a pair in scoring position for Benedetti, who lifted a sac fly to center for his third RBI of the game. With two away in the fourth, Rojas ripped a triple into the right-field corner, making it 8-0 Corpus Christi.
Justin Ferrell (6-1), who grew up in nearby Wagoner, OK, earned the win by working two frames of relief. The lone marker against him was a Keibert Ruiz home run to right-center in the fourth.
Tulsa made it an 8-5 contest by scoring four runs in the sixth against Brandon Bailey. Ruiz's second homer of the night, a three-run shot, was the big blow.
Facing Nolan Long in the eighth, the Raspas netted insurance on another RBI double by Toro. A sac fly by McCormick pushed across Corpus Christi's 10th run.
Bailey kept Tulsa off the board in the seventh and eighth and sustained a Gavin Lux solo homer in the ninth to pick up his first Double-A save.
The Hooks aim for the series win Wednesday evening with right-hander Brock Dykxhoorn (2-1, 3.13) on the hill. The Drillers counter with lefty Ben Holmes (1-0, 0.64). First pitch 7:05.
