Fontana's Fourth Single Wins Marathon
April 23, 2014 - Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release
CORPUS CHRISTI - Second baseman Nolan Fontana had four hits for Corpus Christi Tuesday night.
His last one was the biggest, a two-out single to right that scored Jio Mier from second base as the Hooks defeated Midland 6-5 in 12 innings at Whataburger Field before 4,162.
RockHounds right fielder Conner Crumbliss (0-1), called on to work the 12th, took the loss.
Crumbliss opened by getting Tyler Heineman to pop up before fanning Joe Sclafani. Mier singled to the right of second base and advanced into scoring position when Chris Epps walked. Fontana's game-winner came on a first-pitch offering, ending the 4-hour, 22-minute affair.
Andrew Robinson (3-0), who stranded five RockHounds over two innings, capped an outstanding night by the Corpus Christi bullpen. Alex Sogard, Jordan Jankowski, Travis Ballew and Robinson covered 8 2/3 scoreless innings as Midland left 11 of 14 total base runners. The RockHounds had at least one base runner in every inning but the seventh.
Midland has stranded 74 over its last six games.
The RockHounds quickly took a 2-0 first-inning lead against Aaron West. Lead-off man Billy Burns legged out a bunt single and motored home on a hit-and-run when Crumbliss doubled just inside the right-field line. An out later, Max Muncy generated a sacrifice fly to center field.
Midland added on in the second as Crumbliss stroked a two-out, three-run double over the head of right fielder Preston Tucker. West walked Chad Oberacker and Beau Taylor and Burns reached with another infield hit to load the bases for Crumbliss.
Corpus Christi then took a big bite out of the lead. Epps' two-out grand slam off Nate Long into the Hooks bullpen plated Matt Duffy (lead-off single), Heineman (walk) and M.P. Cokinos (single).
West failed to make it out of the fourth, giving way to Sogard after 3 1/3 innings, six hits, two walks, two strikeouts and 65 pitches.
Long, pulled for Blake Hassebrock as Corpus Christi came to bat in the fourth, permitted five hits, two walks and fanned one during a 61-pitch outing.
The Hooks jumped on Hassebrock, their two-out surge resulting in a 5-5 tie. Epps' walk and a Fontana hit-and-run, soft opposite-field safety through the hole at shortstop vacated by Dusty Coleman preceded a bounding RBI single to center from Andrew Aplin.
Corpus Christi left 15 men on base, including three in the sixth when Jesus Castillo vanquished Tucker with a breaking pitch for the final out. Robinson stranded three RockHounds in the 11th, whiffing Muncy and Coleman to retire the side.
Oberacker reached base five times and Crumbliss had three hits.
Hooks left-hander Luis Cruz (2-1) takes the mound Wednesday at 7:10 vs. Chris Jensen (1-0). It's Whataburger Family Day, so fans can take advantage of a buy-one, get-one free ticket offer.
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