NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



 Corpus Christi Hooks

Game Notes, April 16 at Tulsa

April 16, 2012 - Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


Corpus Christi (5-5) @ Tulsa (7-3)

They (being wise people we never get to see) say that baseball has its own rhythms, and that there are rhythms to the season. Welcome to baseball arrhythmia. The Hooks and Drillers play a 12:35 p.m. game today for the middle game of this series. And the boys will have to summon up something pretty good to top what we saw here yesterday, a 2-1 Tulsa win on Sunday afternoon (Sunday day games being a part of those aforementioned rhythms).

Nolan Arenado's solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth gave the Drillers that 2-1 lead. But the difference in yesterday's game was Tulsa's defense. Plays in the field by Arenado at third, left fielder Tim Torres, catcher Lars Davis and second baseman Josh Rutledge robbed the Hooks of at least four hits and three runs.

Today's Matchup:

RHP Henry Villar (1-1, 7.88) vs. RHP Joe Gardner (0-0, 4.76)

Villar, signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in July of 2005, makes his second consecutive spot start for RHP Jarred Cosart, who misses his turn again today. Cosart continues to deal with a blister on his pitching hand. Last Tuesday at Whataburger Field, Villar matched up against Drew Pomeranz and these Drillers and got roughed up to the tune of six earned runs and nine hits allowed over three innings. Tim Torres, Angelys Nina and Lars Davis all got two hits that night off Villar.

- In 2011 was a combined 4-5 with 2 saves and a 5.45 ERA in 42 games and 7 starts between OKC and CC

- Had success on the road (1-0, 1 save, 1.17 ERA) last year with the Hooks (1-4, 1 save, 6.04 at home)

- In 8 relief appearances with the Astros in 2010 was 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA

It's been exactly a week since the Hooks faced Gardner, who makes his second start here today. One of the players acquired by the Rockies from Cleveland at last year's trade deadline in the Ubaldo Jimenez deal, Gardner was charged with four runs, three earned, on nine hits in his 5.2 innings of work against the Hooks. He did not issue a walk while striking out five. Gardner had allowed just one run through five innings, but hit a snag in the sixth when he surrendered an RBI double to Chris Wallace and a two-run home run to T.J. Steele. Originally a third-round pick of the Indians in the 2009 draft, Gardner was a First Team All-Big West selection his junior year at UC Santa Barbara, finishing fourth in the conference in strikeouts (69) and sixth in ERA (3.40).

- Was a combined 10-11 with a 4.31 ERA in 25 starts between Akron and Tulsa in 2011

- Was a Carolina League All-Star with Kinston in 2010 (12-6, 2.65 ERA, 22 starts)

- Led all Indians farmhands in wins (13) and strikeouts (142) in 2010

Flores here and ready

RHP Adalberto Flores made it here to ONEOK Field during yesterday afternoon's game. Reassigned from AAA Oklahoma City, Flores had made four relief appearances for the RedHawks this season, posting a record of 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA, with 10 hits, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Signed by the Astros as a free agent in November of 2011, Flores was originally a 32nd-round pick of the Marlins in 2005.

The former Frisco (2010-11) hurler has 319 career strikeouts in 304.1 innings. Last year in 41 appearances and two starts for the RoughRiders, Flores went 5-4 with 1 save and a 3.32 ERA.

RHP Josh Zeid was placed on the disabled list with an undisclosed injury in advance of Flores' addition to the roster.

Barnes, Goebbert Co-Players of the Week

The Texas League announced this morning that Hooks outfielders Brandon Barnes and Jacob Goebbert were selected as Co-Players of the Week in the circuit for the extended first week (April 5-15) of the season. Entering play today, Barnes (.432) and Goebbert (.429) are 1-2 in the league in hitting. Barnes leads the loop in doubles (8), extra-base hits (9) and total bases (27), while Goebbert tops the circuit in slugging percentage (.821).

Keep it in the park!

Goebbert's solo home run in the fourth was Corpus Christi's only run in yesterday's loss. Home runs, usually a harbinger of good things, have not translated well for the Hooks here in the first couple of weeks of the season. The Hooks are now 1-4 in games in which they have hit at least one home run.

Day baseball

We've mentioned this before...the Hooks and day games do not mix well. Yesterday's setback gives the Hooks a record of 0-2 in day games this year and a mark of 18-42 (.300) over the past five seasons. Last year, the Hooks were 4-9 in games played during the day, and, while that may look bad, it is decidedly better than the 3-14 mark posted by the 2009 club.

The last time the Hooks posted a winning record for a season during the day was 2007. Dave Clark's final club in Corpus Christi went 15-7 in day games.

Bodie milestone watch

Manager Keith Bodie is 9 wins away from milestone win number 1,000 in his pro career. In this his 16th season as a manager in the minor leagues, Bodie enters play today with a career regular-season record of 991-930 (.516 winning percentage). Adding this season to his four years at the helm with Wichita, Bodie's managerial record in the Texas League stands at 311-252. His TL winning percentage of .552 ranks as the eighth-best career winning percentage in Texas League history for managers with at least 500 games experience.

Pitching Rotation at Tulsa

Tuesday: RHP Ross Seaton (0-1, 5.63) vs. LHP Edwar Cabrera (1-1, 2.25)

HOOKS PLAYER NOTES

Brandon Barnes

- Has scored runs in 8 of 9 games played

- Has 5-game hit streak, 12-22 with 7 doubles, 1 HR, 6 runs and 7 RBIs

- Has doubles in 5 straight

- Last year hit .238-15-54 in 125 games with CC and OKC

- Was Lancaster's MVP in 2010 (.269-27-80)

Jay Fernandez

- Picked up his first hit last Tuesday night - a double in the 4th inning

- Has a career caught-stealing percentage of 40.1 (163 of 406)

- In 8 seasons in the Mariners and Twins systems hit .244-16-162 in 439 games

- Signed by the Astros as a free agent in January, 2012

Jacob Goebbert

- Last Monday night's walk-off, 3-run HR the first walk-off HR in his 4-year pro career

- Has 6-game hit streak, 12-24 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HRs, 9 runs and 10 RBIs

- Hit .290-12-67 in 132 games last year with Lancaster, CC and OKC

- With the Hooks in 75 games last year batted .305-5-34

Kody Hinze

- Is 3-16 in the last 5 games with 4 walks, 4 runs and 1 RBI

- Has runs in 7 of the 9 games he's played

- Batting .389(7-18) vs. LHP; 0-13 w/RISP

- Ranked 4th last year in the minors in walks (94) and 15th in OPS (.961)

Jordan Kreke

- Was 1-9 in NW Ark series with a triple and 2 runs

- Has played 302 games in four pro seasons

- Has 129 career games at 3B, 124 at 2B and 49 at SS

- Signed by the Astros as a free agent in January, 2012...originally a 13th-round pick of the Braves in 2009

Jose Martinez

- Hits in 7 of the last 8 games, 11-31 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 6 runs and 13 RBIs

- Played just 6 games in the three-year period 2009-11

- Last full season was 2008 with Springfield (.253-8-67 in 127 games)

- Batting .462(6-13) vs. LHP; .533(8-15) w/RISP

Andy Simunic

- Went 1-4 yesterday in his first start this road trip

- Hit .263-5-32 in 104 games last year with CC, OKC and Lancaster

- Played every position in the field last year except catcher and 1B

- In five pro seasons has bounced into just 10 DPs in 1,245 plate appearances

Jon Singleton

- Has 7-game hit streak, 11-25 with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 7 runs and 4 RBIs

- Last year hit .298-13-63 in 128 games with Clearwater and Lancaster

- Hit all 13 of his home runs last season off RHP

- Ranked by Baseball America as the top prospect in the Astros system and the No. 39 prospect in the game today

T.J. Steele

- Has RBIs in 5 of his 6 starts

- Batting .333(4-12) w/RISP

- Is tied for fourth on the Hooks all-time stolen base chart with 29

- Has started 158 games in CF for the Hooks - second most in club history

J.C. Thompson

- Was 1-4 last Monday night for his first hit of the season

- Hit .273-10-46 in 87 games last year with Lancaster and CC

- With the Hooks in 18 games hit .115-0-0

- Batted .440-10-62 in 59 games with Western Oklahoma State College in 2009

Jonathan Villar

- Leads the league with 7 stolen bases

- Last year hit .241-14-52 with 34 stolen bases in 130 games with Lancaster and CC

- Clubbed a walk-off homer in his Hooks debut last June 1 vs. Springfield

- Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in the Astros system

Chris Wallace

- Hits in 4 of his last 6 games, 4-23 with 4 doubles, 2 runs and 7 RBIs

- Hit .271-20-78 in 102 games last year with Lexington and CC

- His HR (20) and RBI (78) totals ranked third among Houston farmhands last year

- Only Hook to club two grand slams last season (July 3 and July 12)

Austin Wates

- Went 2-4 yesterday for his fifth multi-hit game this season

- Tied with Brandon Barnes for league lead in hits (16)

- Was 1-10 in NW Ark series with 1 run and 2 RBIs

- Hit .300-6-75 with 26 stolen bases in 132 games last year with Lancaster

- Named Lancaster's MVP, led the JetHawks in 8 statistical categories


• Discuss this story on the Texas League message board...

Texas League Stories from April 16, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Corpus Christi Hooks Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central