Cards Rally to Win in 10

Box Score

CORPUS CHRISTI – Mike Antico’s two-out RBI single in the 10th inning Sunday afternoon was the difference in a 3-2 Springfield win over the Hooks before 3,123 fans at Whataburger Field.

Despite dropping back-to-back games, Corpus Christi is 7-3 in its last 10. In taking four of six from the Cardinals, the Hooks finished the season series against Springfield with an 8-4 record.

In Sunday’s finale, Corpus Christi trailed, 1-0, until C.J. Stubbs and Grae Kessinger struck for back-to-back home runs. The solo shots came after Gordon Graceffo had retired 12 of 14 Hooks to start the game.

Corpus Christi has clubbed 19 home runs in its last eight contests, with Stubbs and Kessinger each going deep twice in the series.

Jaime Melendez was forced to exit with two away in the third due to an elevated pitch count of 62.

Freylin Garcia bridged the gap to Adrian Chaidez by retiring all four Cards he faced.

Chaidez, who boasts a 1.26 ERA in his last three appearances, employed two double plays and struck out five over four shutout innings to get the Hooks to the ninth with a 2-1 lead.

Devin Conn entered for the save that came undone because a lead-off fly ball double from Masyn Winn which found grass in shallow center. Winn later stole third base and scored on a groundout.

In the 10th, Matt Ruppenthal dispatched pinch-hitters Justin Toerner and Jordan Walker, but Antico’s flare knock into right was enough to plate the automatic runner.

Michael Brettell and Dalton Roach teamed to hold the Hooks to one hit over the final five innings.