Pena & Riders Harness Hooks

CORPUS CHRISTI - Richelson Peña penned seven innings of one-run ball Thursday night as Frisco edged the Hooks, 2-1, before 4,165 fans at Whataburger Field.
With San Antonio's 8-2 setback vs. Midland, Corpus Christi (35-24) remains two games back of the first-place Missions with 11 contests remaining in the first half.

Hooks lefty Framber Valdez held Frisco (20-39) to four hits in his six innings of work. Three of those singles were scratched out in the fourth, leading to a pair of runs.
Corpus Christi responded in the home fourth. Stephen Wrenn, Taylor Jones, and Randy César cracked singles to open the frame, and load the bases. The Hooks managed only one run. It came courtesy of a one-out sac fly off the bat of Chas McCormick.
Pena (4-3), who spun a complete-game shutout in his last start, retired 11 of the final 12 men he faced.
Adam Parks and Reed Garrett combined for two innings of perfect relief to secure the Frisco victory.
Valdez (2-3), struck out six against only one walk and was relieved by Alex Winkelman who worked two shutout innings.
Riley Ferrell sidestepped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, striking out a pair.
The Riders and Hooks combined for 11 hits, all singles.
Cesar and Jones each had two knocks for Corpus Christi. Cesar has now hit safely in a club record 29 consecutive games.
The Hooks shoot for a series win Friday night. Forrest Whitley, rated by MLB.com as the No.1 pitching prospect in Minor League Baseball, is slated to make his season debut for Corpus Christi. The 20-year-old San Antonio native draws Frisco right-hander Ariel Jurado (2-1, 3.10).