Kouba Dazzles as CC Pens One-Hitter

Box Score

MIDLAND - Rhett Kouba permitted two base runners and struck out a personal best 10 batters over six innings Thursday night as the Hooks upended the RockHounds, 4-2, before 3,654 fans at Momentum Bank Ballpark.

Midland's lone knock came on a two-out solo home run in the second. Kouba responded by retiring the next nine RockHounds before a two-out error in the fifth broke the string. The 23-year-old from El Reno, OK, threw 57 of 85 pitches for strikes while turning in the longest outing by a Hooks pitcher this season.

Kouba has combined for 16 strikeouts against four hits and no walks in 10.0 innings over his last two appearances.

A pair of Midland walks to start the seventh led to a run against Devin Conn, who countered with three consecutive outs to end the frame.

Thanks to a line-drive double play, Tyler Brown faced the minimum in the eighth and ninth for his first save of the season.

Thursday marked the ninth one-hitter authored by Hooks pitchers in the 18-year history of the club.

Joey Loperfido, who has hit safely in all six games with the Hooks, notched three RBIs on the night, including a two-run double in the third. Kenedy Corona, who tripled in the first, knocked in a run as well, upping his Double-A hitting streak to all 8 games.