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TL1 Corpus Christi Hooks

Chances come and go, Hooks fall, 4-3

July 20, 2005 - Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


(MIDLAND, Texas) - Corpus Christi's 11 hits could not compete with Jason Perry's two home runs. Midland's left fielder slugged a solo shot in the sixth and added a two-run blast in the seventh to give the RockHounds a 4-3 win over the Hooks Tuesday night at Citibank Ballpark. Corpus Christi drops to 14-11 in the second half with its third straight loss, while Midland improves to 15-10 with its fifth win in a row.

For the Hooks, the opening game of the series was a night of missed opportunities. Corpus Christi tallied 11 hits to just six for Midland, and add to that the fact that Hooks' batters also drew eight walks and one hit batsman. The end result was a one-run loss in which the Hooks stranded 14 base runners compared to only two for the RockHounds.

Hooks' first baseman Hector Gimenez produced his first four-hit game of the year, going 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Third baseman Mark Saccomanno went 2-for-4 with a walk, one run and one RBI. Designated hitter John Fagan walked four times and drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk in the seventh.

That was the good news. The bad news - the Hooks stranded multiple base runners five times, and left at least one man on base in every inning but the fourth. One runner was picked off of first base, while another got caught in a rundown between first and second. In both cases, the Hooks scored in each inning even after the runners were out.

With the score knotted at 2-2 in the home seventh, the Hooks had a chance to exit the inning the way it started. Andre Ethier hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Tommy Whiteman with a runner at first and one out. The Hooks got the force at second, but could not complete the double play, allowing for Ethier to be safe at first on a fielder's choice. That would prove costly, as Perry followed with his second homer, an opposite-field blast that came with two men out and gave Midland a 4-2 lead.

Kyle Crowell (3-1) collected the win in relief while Nick Mattioni earned his third save by recording the last six outs. Jamie Merchant (1-2) suffered the loss, surrendering the second of Perry's homers during his one inning on the hill. Tim McClaskey started for the Hooks and retired the first 12 Midland batters of the evening. He finished with two runs allowed on four hits over six frames.

Newcomer Peter Bauer made his debut for the Hooks, working a perfect eighth. The veteran pitcher was recently signed by the Astros and assigned to Corpus Christi after spending most of the 2005 season with AAA Albuquerque.

Hooks' pitcher Jason Hirsh was again singled out as the Texas League's Pitcher of the Week for the period July 11-17. In two starts last week, Hirsh was 1-1 with a 0.60 ERA, having allowed just one earned run over 15 innings. Hirsh, who was also accorded the honor in the opening week of the second half, gave up just seven hits last week and did not walk a batter. Plus, he struck out 19 batters in 15 innings to raise his league-leading total to 110 for the season. Hirsh is scheduled to pitch again Friday at Midland.

LHP Philip Barzilla (2-3, 3.67) will take the mound Wednesday for the Hooks. The RockHounds will respond with RHP Mike Nannini (1-0, 4.58).

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