Glove Work & Stout Pitching Carry the Day for CC

In addition to turning in the game-winning hit, shortstop Edwin Díaz threw out the potential tying run a home plate on a double-steal attempt in the ninth.

July 2, 2022

Box Score FRISCO – Jaime Melendez struck out 10 while twirling six innings of one-hit baseball Saturday night, pacing the Hooks in a 3-2 victory over Frisco at Riders Field. Corpus Christi has won 11 of its last 15 games. The Hooks turned in a number of great defensive plays,

Box Score

FRISCO – Jaime Melendez struck out 10 while twirling six innings of one-hit baseball Saturday night, pacing the Hooks in a 3-2 victory over Frisco at Riders Field.

Corpus Christi has won 11 of its last 15 games.

The Hooks turned in a number of great defensive plays, among them two outstanding catches by Justin Dirden in center field. In the seventh, he slammed into the fence while taking an extra-base hit away from Blaine Crim. With the tying run at second and the Hooks clinging to a 3-2 lead, Dirden made a leaping catch at the wall, robbing a home run from Dustin Harris to end the eighth.

Derek West returned to the mound in the ninth for his third inning of work. Following a walk and a base hit, the RoughRiders had runners at the corners with one out. With David Garcia at the plate, Josh Stowers took off for second base, prompting J.P. Martinez to break from third. Shortstop Edwin Díaz received the throw from catcher Cesar Salazar and fired a strike back to home plate to cut down the potential tying run.

West then struck out Garcia for his second save of the series.

Melendez permitted just two baserunners and retired the final 10 men he faced. The 20-year-old from Puebla, Mexico struck out five of six to finish his performance.

Melendez, the Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June, owns a 1.48 ERA in his last five assignments. Counting his effort last week against Amarillo, Melendez has struck out 22 against three hits and one walk in 11 innings.

Wilyer Abreu, Shay Whitcomb and Grae Kessinger each had two knocks Saturday.

Of the 10 CC hits, the lone extra effort was a Kessinger RBI double in the fourth. Díaz immediately followed with a base hit into center, scoring Kessinger from second as the Hooks netted a pair of two-out runs to break the 1-1 stalemate.

Back-to-back hits by Abreu and Jordan Brewer in the third produced the initial Corpus Christi marker.

The Hooks, taking aim at a 4-2 series win, go with lefty Julio Robaina Sunday evening. First pitch 6:05.