Missions Roll in Series Finale

CORPUS CHRISTI – San Antonio secured a series victory by overwhelming the Hooks, 16-3, before 4,041 fans Sunday afternoon at Whataburger Field.

With a 30-MPH prevailing wind, the Missions generated traffic in each inning sans for the fourth, mustering 20 hits and 12 walks.

San Antonio lead-off hitter Esteury Ruiz, who homered in his final plate appearance Saturday night, tripled, doubled and singled in his first three at-bats Sunday. Ruiz finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk. All but one of the Missions starters recorded a base hit, with ninth-place hitter Robbie Podorsky going 4-for-4 with four runs, two RBIs, two walks and a double.

Brandon Dixon paced the SA attached by driving in four runs.

The Missions went 12-for-25 with runners in scoring position and stranded 15 on base.

The 12 walks issued by Corpus Christi hurlers is one shy of the club record.

Enmanuel Valdez, Luke Berryhill, Shay Whitcomb and Cesar Salazar each notched two hits for the Hooks. Valdez plated a pair with an RBI double and an opposite-field home run to left.

Thomas Eshelman, who has made 31 appearances with the Orioles over the past three seasons, picked up the win by working five innings of one-run ball.

The Hooks are off Monday before beginning a six-game series Tuesday night in Midland.