Hooks Even Series with Wild Win

Box Score

AMARILLO - Thanks to gritty pitching performances, Corpus Christi made eight hits stand up Friday night as it bested the first-place Sod Poodles, 6-3, before 5,614 fans at Hodgetown.

The Hooks, who have won 13 of their last 17 games, are 12-10 vs. their rival from the Texas Panhandle.

Corpus Christi benefited from two home runs. Joey Loperfido's fourth-inning blast was his second in as many nights. In the fifth, Jordan Brewer cashed in a Loperfido double with an inside-the-park home run. The sinking line drive that skipped past a diving centerfielder A.J. Vukovich is just the fifth inside-the-park homer in the 18 seasons of Hooks Baseball.

Julio Robaina, who ranks second in the Texas League with eight wins and third in the circuit with a 3.72 ERA, scattered one run, three hits and one walk over four innings. With the tying run on deck, Robaina struck out former Hook Seth Beer to finish the game.

In relief of starter Ryan Gusto, Jonathan Sprinkle struck out the lone man he faced to strand a pair in scoring position in the fifth.

Gusto, who fanned five in 4 2/3 innings, Sprinkle, and Robaina teamed to leave 10 on base. Of the Sod Poodles 10 hits, eight were singles. Amarillo entered the contest averaging over seven runs per game in its home ballpark.

Loperfido led the offensive charge by going 3-for-5 with three runs, a double, and his 19th long ball of the year.

Will Wagner went 2-for-4 with an RBI in his return from hand surgery.