Castro Caps Fun Fifth
CORPUS CHRISTI - Corpus Christi rode Ross Seaton's right arm and a five-run fifth to a 6-4 decision over San Antonio before 7,718 Monday night at Whataburger Field.
Seaton, who pitched into the eighth, was responsible for three earned runs. Houston's 2008 third-round draft pick out of Houston Second Baptist threw 107 pitches (72 strikes).
Jorge De Leon closed with a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
The Hooks (16-14; 58-42) sit a game and a half behind San Antonio (18-13; 56-44) in the Texas League South second-half standings. Corpus Christi won the first half.
Rocky Gale's bloop hit into right field scored Jake Blackwood (one-out single) for a 1-0 San Antonio second-inning advantage.
The Missions posted another in the third. Rico Noel roped a lead-off single and advanced to second on Seaton's errant pick-off attempt. Noel covered the final two legs via Reymond Fuentes' sacrifice bunt and an Adam Buschini single.
Corpus Christi used five hits and an error to pull ahead 5-2 during the fifth. Erik Castro punctuated the onslaught with a two-run blast off the batter's eye in center field, his 14th bomb of 2013. Jonathan Meyer's two-out RBI double broke a 2-2 deadlock. Rene Garcia collected a run-scoring single and Drew Muren crossed after shortstop Jeudy Valdez threw the ball away while trying to complete a double play. Enrique Hernandez and Jiovanni Mier sparked the storm by connecting for consecutive frame-opening singles.
San Antonio starter Donn Roach (6-9) went on to work a 1-2-3 sixth before exiting. His summary: 79 pitches, seven hits, one walk, two strikeouts, a wild pitch and three hit batsmen. Roach benefited from two double plays; Seaton had three behind him.
The Hooks extended a rude welcome to Missions reliever Matt Lollis. Muren taxed the big right-hander for a 16-pitch plate appearance before walking and scored when Garcia doubled to right-center. Preston Tucker then doubled and Meyer drew a base-on-balls, compelling San Antonio manager Rich Dauer to call on Josh Geer with the bases loaded and one out. Geer fanned Max Stassi and Domingo Santana to escape further damage.
San Antonio forced Seaton from the game in the wake of Yeison Asencio's two-run homer after two were gone in the eighth. Seaton survived 10 hits and struck out two while running his record to 3-1.
Stassi owns a seven-game hitting streak; Meyer has hit in six straight.
Ruben Alaniz (5-7) is the scheduled starter for Corpus Christi Tuesday at 7:05 against Eddie Bonine (0-2). AutoNation presents Half-Price Group Night, so grab 19 of your closest friends/co-workers and call Andy Steavens at 361-561-4677 for discounted tickets.