Martinez & SA Pen Shutdown CC

CORPUS CHRISTI – Adrian Martinez scattered six hits and three walks over 5.0 innings Saturday night as San Antonio engineered a 3-0 win over the Hooks before 4,739 fans at Whataburger Field.

Despite the setback, Corpus Christi has won three of its last five, and can take the series with a triumph in the finale Sunday afternoon.

Hooks right-hander Brandon Lawson pitched well in his second start of the year. Lawson was foiled in the second by a two-out double from Allen Cordoba. Following a walk, Kelvin Melean sent an RBI single up the middle to put the Missions on the board.

Lawson kept SA at bay in the third and fourth before running into trouble in the fifth. Eguy Rosario legged out a two-bagger to right-center, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a groundout by Ben Ruta.

Jimmy Endersby took over in the fifth and permitted a lead-off walk to Missions clean-up hitter Jack Suwinski. Two outs later, Dwanya Williams-Sutton chased him home from second with a single into left.

Endersby bounced back by retiring 11 of the final 13 men he faced.

Marty Costes accounted for three of Corpus Christi’s eight knocks. The lone extra-base hit was a Joe Perez lead-off double in the eighth.

The Hooks stranded eight on the night, going 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Henry Henry, Nick Kuzia and Jose Quezada teamed for four frames of scoreless relief for the Missions.

Corpus Christi plans to send lefty Parker Mushinski to the mound Sunday afternoon. Whataburger Field gates open at 11:35 as the first 1,500 receive a Hooks Pink at the Park Cap, presented by AutoNation. First pitch 1:05.