Opportunistic Hounds Rally to Claim Opener

MIDLAND – The RockHounds notched six two-out runs over their final three turns at-bat to knock off the Hooks, 9-4, in Tuesday night’s blustery series opener at Momentum Bank Ballpark.

Corpus Christi (11-17) carried a 3-2 lead into the sixth inning thanks in part to a resilient start by Julio Robaina, who blanked the Hounds in his last three frames after making 36 pitches in a two-run first.

Second-inning singles by Luke Berryhill, Shay Whitcomb, Justin Dirden and Bryan Arias paved the way toward the first two Hooks runs.

Grae Kessinger, who reached base four times out of the lead-off spot, worked a one-out walk from David Leal in the fifth. Kessinger went first to third on a Wilyer Abreu knock and then scored via a sac fly by Yainer Diaz for a 3-2 CC edge.

Derek West relieved Robaina and fashioned a scoreless fifth in his Double-A debut.

Tyler Brown entered in the sixth and was greeted by an opposite-field home run from nine-hole hitter Kyle McCann. A bunt base hit and a walk setup Devin Foyle’s two-out, two-run single to right field.

The RockHounds (14-14) scored three more times in the seventh and mustered an unearned marker in the eighth. All of those runs came with two away.

Corpus Christi committed a season-high four errors, leading to four unearned markers. Hooks hurlers walked seven, with four RockHound runs coming via the free pass.

The Hooks look to level the series Wednesday night with Jaime Melendez on the mound. Ryan Cusick is slated to pitch for Midland. First pitch 6:30.