CORPUS CHRISTI - Kyle Tucker drove in two runs and scored twice as Corpus Christi dropped Northwest Arkansas 5-2 Wednesday night at Whataburger Field before 4,768.
CORPUS CHRISTI - Kyle Tucker drove in two runs and scored twice as Corpus Christi dropped Northwest Arkansas 5-2 Wednesday night at Whataburger Field before 4,768.
After grounding out in his first plate appearance, Tucker walked, homered, walked, and doubled. Over the last 13 games, he's batting .358.
Kent Emanuel (4-5) pitched 5 1/3 scoreless relief innings. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound southpaw allowed five hits and a walk while striking out seven.
Corpus Christi lead-off man Ramón Laureano broke a scoreless tie in the third, his fourth home run traveling 375 feet to left off Spring's Corey Ray (5-5). Hitters No. 2 and 3 reached and scored, too. Tucker worked a walk and crossed when Jon Singleton bounced out to first. J.D. Davis dumped a double inside the right-field foul line and tallied on a fielder's choice off the bat of Jamie Ritchie.
Northwest Arkansas lead-off man Nicky Lopez disrupted a nine-up, nine-down run by rehabbing Astro Collin McHugh. Lopez singled to open the Naturals fourth, and an out later, Samir Dueñez homered into the right-field bullpen for his 11th round-tripper. McHugh threw 53 pitches (37 strikes) over 3 2/3 innings, permitted three fourth-inning hits, and whiffed five.
The last man he faced, Anderson Miller, laced a two-out double into the right-field corner. Emanuel entered and retired Humberto Arteaga on an infield fly.
Tucker's eighth homer, a fifth-inning lead-off shot into the visitors' bullpen, extended the Hooks lead to 4-2. Ray failed to complete the frame, finishing with four runs, six hits, five walks, and three strikeouts. His pitch count was 99 (52).
Tucker accounted for the night's final run, his eighth-inning double against Pedro Fernandez plating Laureano, who beat out a two-out infield single.
The Hooks turn to Akeem Bostick (4-1) for Thursday's 7:05 start vs. lefty Foster Griffin (6-1). Fans enjoy discounted beer and soda from Stripes.
