Riders Roll for Saturday Night Win

Box Score

CORPUS CHRISTI - Backed by three home runs, Ryan Garcia permitted one run over a season-best seven inning pitched Saturday night as the RoughRiders beat the Hooks, 9-4, before 5,623 fans at Whataburger Field.

Corpus Christi, who had won its last three series, requires a win Sunday afternoon to force a split of the six-game series.

The Hooks managed a first-inning run as Zach Daniels' sac fly chased home Kenedy Corona, who reached base three times via two singles and a walk.

Garcia responded by retiring 17 of the final 20 men he faced.

Peyton Plumlee absorbed the tough-luck loss, allowing three-runs (two earned) over four innings pitched.

Spencer Arrighetti endured a rocky outing in relief as he was touched for six runs over the fifth and sixth. Former Hook Nick Tanielu clubbed a two-out, two-run home run to spark the onslaught.

Arrighetti righted the ship by dispatching nine of 10 to finish his four-inning outing.

Cole McDonald struck out two in a perfect ninth for CC.

The Hooks mounted a ninth-inning rally against Theo McDowell. Chad Stevens lifted an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left for his fifth home run on the year. Stevens, who went deep twice last Saturday in Springdale, AR, is hitting .310 this month.

Following a walk to J.C. Correa, Luis Aviles, Jr., crushed a 415-foot home run to left for his third dinger over a two-game span.