CORPUS CHRISTI -- Eli Iorg's one-out single scored Rob Cosby from second base with one out in the 12th inning to give Corpus Christi an 8-7 victory over Northwest Arkansas Monday night at Whataburger Field before 6,217.The Hooks are 5-0. Northwest Arkansas drops to 1-4.
Cosby opened the 12th with a single to left field and was sacrificed to second by Ole Sheldon. Iorg then drilled a 1-1 pitch from Paul Mildren (0-1) to center field for his second game-winning hit in extra innings this season.
The Hooks were down to an out in the ninth with no baserunners when Cosby drove an 0-1 pitch from Julio De La Cruz over the fence in left field, knotting the game at 7.
It was Cosby's 900th career hit.
Kila Kaaihue and Geraldo Valentin paced the Naturals offensively. Kaaihue hit a three-run homer and Valentin had four hits -- including two doubles and a solo home run -- and three RBIs.
Cosby, Chris Johnson and Lou Santangelo had three hits for the Hooks.
Kaaihue gave the Naturals a 3-0 first-inning lead with a blast into the Corpus Christi bullpen. Angel Sanchez stroked a one-out single up the middle and Mario Lisson walked before Kaaihue struck.
Corpus Christi cut the lead to 3-1 in its half of the first. Drew Sutton and Tommy Manzella extended their hitting streaks to five games with consecutive singles. After they moved up a base on Mitch Einertson's ground out, Cosby smoked a liner to Valentin in left and Sutton sprinted home ahead of the throw.
The Hooks chipped, then powered ahead in the second. Singles by Iorg, Johnson and Billy Hart produced Corpus Christi's second run. Santangelo then hit a towering home run over the berm in left field for a 5-3 lead.
In the next inning, Northwest Arkansas regained the lead, 6-5, on Valentin's two-run double and a single by Brian McFall.
The Naturals continued their game-long trend of scoring after two outs when Valentin hit a solo shot off Brian Gordon over the left-field wall for a 7-5 advantage in the fifth.
Corpus Christi pulled back to within a run in its half of the frame. Cosby led off with a double to right and later scored from second on Johnson's single to left. That prompted a pitching change by Northwest Arkansas, who replaced starter Blake Johnson with Devon Lowery. Johnson lasted 4 1/3 innings and was responsible for 11 hits, six runs and a strikeout. Lowery, who stood to win the game if not for Cosby's heroics, held the Hooks at bay for 3 1/3, exiting with two down in the eighth for De La Cruz.
Hooks starter Sean Walker pitched four innings, permitted eight hits, six runs and a walk. He also struck out three before turning the ball over to Gordon, who worked two, allowed two hits and a run. Ryan McKeller, Evan Englebrook and Chris Blazek (1-0) each followed with two innings of scoreless relief.
The teams meet Tuesday in the series finale with Corpus Christi's Brad James (0-0) facing Carlos Rosa (0-0). Astros second baseman Kazuo Matsui, currently on the 15-day disabled list, is expected to begin a rehab assignment with the Hooks Tuesday night.
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