TL1 Corpus Christi Hooks

Game Notes, August 10 - Corpus Christi at Arkansas

Published on August 10, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


Corpus Christi (17-27, 42-72) @ Arkansas (20-24, 56-55)

The Hooks open a six-game road trip with the first in a three-game series at Dickey-Stephens Park tonight against the Travelers. Monday, the Hooks fell to Midland 1-0 as the RockHounds swept the four-game series at Whataburger Field. Matt Sulentic's ground-rule double with two outs in the seventh plated the game's only run.

The Travelers collected a 2-1 win in 10 innings Monday to gain a split in their four-game series at Northwest Arkansas. The Travs, first-half winners in the North, have split their last 10 games.

The Hooks are 2-4 against Arkansas this year; 1-2 in both locales.

Tonight's Matchup:

RHP Paul Clemens (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Loek Van Mil (3-5, 2.35)

Clemens, acquired by the Astros along with two other pitchers and outfielder Jordan Schafer in the deal that sent outfielder Michael Bourn to Atlanta, makes his second start for the Hooks. Last Thursday in San Antonio, Clemens was sharp in his Hooks debut, holding the Missions to one unearned run on two singles over six innings. He walked five, struck out seven and threw exactly 100 pitches. He took a no-decision, as the Missions rallied for five against the pen in the eighth for a 6-1 final. Prior to the trade, Clemens pitched for the Mississippi Braves of the AA Southern League, where in 20 starts he was 6-5 with a 3.73 ERA and a South Division All-Star. Originally a seventh-round selection of the Braves in the 2008 draft out of Louisburg (NC) Junior College, Clemens split his time last season between Rome in the South Atlantic League and Myrtle Beach of the Carolina League, going a combined 2-4 with 3 saves and a 3.23 ERA in 35 games and eight starts.

· In 114.2 innings this season has allowed 105 hits and 49 walks with 100 strikeouts

· Has 9 quality starts this year and 15 starts with 2 or fewer earned runs allowed

· Has given up just 1 HR in his last 9 starts (spanning 45.0 IP)

Van Mil, the "player to be named later" in the deal last August that sent LHP Brian Fuentes to the Minnesota Twins, makes his 24th appearance and first start for the Travelers. Van Mil gets the spot start in place of Garrett Richards, who starts tonight for the Angels at Yankee Stadium. Van Mil's most recent outing came Sunday at Northwest Arkansas when he allowed three unearned runs on four hits in one inning on the hill to suffer the 8-5 loss. While he has given up nine runs in his last four appearances and been tagged with three losses, only two of those nine runs have been earned, giving him a 1.74 ERA in that stretch. In fact, in 11 second-half appearances, Van Mil is 2-3 with a 0.72 ERA.

· Has held Texas League opponents to a .238 batting average

· Made one appearance against the Hooks May 28 at DSP (1.2-3-1-1-3-0, ND)

· His longest outing this year was 4.0 innings in a June 27 win vs. NW Ark. (4.0-2-0-0-3-2)

· At 7'1" is the tallest player in professional baseball

Shut out

The Hooks suffered their eighth shutout loss Monday. Three of those eight losses have occurred in the last seven games. During the club's current eight-game losing streak, the Hooks have scored 18 runs, with eight of those runs coming in Sunday's 11-8 loss to Midland.

The strain on the offense comes in the wake of big-league (Jose Altuve, J.D. Martinez, Jimmy Paredes) and AAA call-ups (Jacob Goebbert) and recent injuries to Jimmy VanOstrand and Chris Wallace. In the first 37 games of the second half, the Hooks had not been shut out, and in those 37 games were batting .276 (347x1259) and averaging 5.41 runs per game. The club had scored 3 or more runs in 34 of those 37 games.

Since August 2, with Altuve, Martinez, Paredes and Goebbert all gone, the Hooks are 0-7 with a .218 (49x225) batting average and are scoring at a clip of 2.14 runs per game.

Wallace to the DL

The Astros announced today that catcher Chris Wallace (right wrist) has been placed on the disabled list retroactive to August 8. Wallace last saw action August 3 at San Antonio. He was removed midway through that game with pain in his right wrist.

The move leaves the Hooks with 23 on the active roster.

Villar still setting table

Shortstop and leadoff man Jonathan Villar continues to produce at the top of the order. With his 2-for-4 effort Monday, Villar has hits in four of the last five games (8x22, 3 doubles) and has hit safely in 18 of the last 22 (27x86, .314). Fourteen of his last 27 hits have gone for extra bases (8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 HRs), and Villar has scored 19 runs in the last 22 games.

Major League debuts

We mentioned earlier that Garrett Richards, who would have started tonight against the Hooks, instead gets the start for the Angels in New York against Ivan Nova and the Yankees. Richards, 12-2 with a 3.06 ERA for the Travelers, becomes the first pitcher to make his major league debut in the new Yankee Stadium.

Also tonight, former Hook Henry Sosa has been called up by the Astros to get the start tonight in Phoenix against the Diamondbacks. Sosa, obtained by the Astros along with RHP Jason Stoffel in the Jeff Keppinger deal with San Francisco, made just three starts with the Hooks (2-0, 2.89) and only one start for AAA Oklahoma City last Friday at Las Vegas (7.0-5-0-0-3-3, ND).

In what has been an unprecedented season for major league call-ups, Sosa becomes the seventh former Hook to make his Houston debut this year (Jordan Lyles, David Carpenter, Jose Altuve, J.D. Martinez, Jimmy Paredes, J.B. Shuck).

Pitching Rotation at Arkansas

Thursday: LHP Brett Oberholtzer (0-0, 3.00) vs. RHP Eddie McKiernan (6-10, 5.33)

Friday: RHP Erick Abreu (5-4, 3.98) vs. LHP Andrew Taylor (2-9, 4.75)

HOOKS PLAYER NOTES

Brandon Barnes

· Rejoined Hooks August 1 from the temporarily inactive list

· In 71 games with AAA OKC batted .197-8-27 with 5 SBs

· Hits in 11 of his last 12 games, 14-44 with 3 doubles, 1 HR, 6 runs and 4 RBIs

· Overall this year in 98 games batting .230 (76x331) w/18 doubles, 5 triples, 12 HRs and 43 RBIs

· Batting .266(17-64) vs. RHP; .368(14-38) vs. LHP; .346(9-26) w/RISP

· Led all Astros farmhands with 28 HRs last year

Brian Esposito

· Returned to club Saturday from AAA Oklahoma City

· Had been on the DL (right knee)

· Went 1-5 in Midland series with 1 run

· Batting .174(8-46) vs. RHP; .105(2-19) vs. LHP; .308(4-13) w/RISP

· Has thrown out 5 of 27 (18.5%) would-be base stealers

David Flores

· Rejoined club last Thursday from Lancaster

· In 50 games with the JetHawks hit .311(57x183) with 14 doubles, 12 HRs and 48 RBIs

· In 5 games since his return is 3-16 with 2 runs and 1 RBI

· Batting .188(19-101) vs. RHP; .255(12-47) vs. LHP; .281(9-32) w/RISP

· Has 67 PO, 72 A, 5 E (Fielding pct. of .965)

Emerson Frostad

· Returned to club July 1 from AAA Oklahoma City

· Played in just one game for OKC (June 26 at RR), going 1-for-3 with 1 walk

· Signed by the Astros as a free agent June 1

· In 15 games with the Lancaster Barnstormers batted .280-2-11

· Is 0-12 in his last 5 games; 1-20 in his last 7

· Tossed one inning of shutout relief July 22 (3rd career app as a pitcher)

· Has thrown out 7 of 31 (22.6%) would-be base stealers

Jon Gaston

· Active since June 24 - was on the temporarily inactive list twice in June

· Hits in 5 of the last 6 games, 6-22 with 1 double and 3 RBIs

· Has 13 RBIs in his last 17 games

· Batting .249(61-245) vs. RHP; .221(19-86) vs. LHP; .219(23-105) w/RISP

Kody Hinze

· Joined Hooks July 7 from Lancaster in the Cal League

· Ranked third among all full-season minor leaguers in OBP (.438), fourth in walks (83) and eighth in OPS (1.032)

· Hits in 11 of his last 14 games, 13-51 with 1 double, 2 HRs, 6 runs and 7 RBIs

· With the JetHawks in 80 games hit .323(92x285) w/20 doubles, 22 HRs and 70 RBIs

· Led the Cal League at the time of his promotion in OBP (.458) and HR/AB ratio (1/12.95) and was tied for the league lead in HRs

· Selected twice as the Cal League Batter of the Week (May 30-June 5 & June 13-19)

· Owns Lancaster's longest consecutive-games on-base streak this year (25 games)

· Had 3 2-HR games, 1 7-RBI game and 1 6-RBI game with the JetHawks

· Leads Astros minor leaguers in HRs (28) and RBIs (86)

T.J. Steele

· Was 2-14 in Midland series with 1 HR, 1 run and 1 RBI

· His HR leading off the 4th Sunday night was his first HR since July 15 at Frisco

· Has single-season career highs in games (103), at-bats (370), hits (75), doubles (12), HRs (8), RBIs (43) and steals (16)

· Batting .170(45-264) vs. RHP; .283(30-106) vs. LHP; .178(19-107) w/RISP

Wladimir Sutil

· Rejoined Hooks Friday night from AAA Oklahoma City

· In 31 games with the RedHawks hit .222 with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs and 2 SBs

· Named Corpus Christi's offensive and defensive player of the month in April

· Hit safely in first 16 games of the season (.418, 28x67)

· Batting .239(32-134) vs. RHP; .391(25-64) vs. LHP; .262(11-42) w/RISP

· Has 71 PO, 153 A, 5 E (Fielding pct. of .979)

· Is Corpus Christi's franchise leader in games (344), at-bats (1,250) and hits (341)

Jonathan Villar

· Hits in 18 of the last 22, 27-86 w/8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 HRs, 19 runs and 12 RBIs

· In 47 games with Lancaster hit .259-4-26 with 20 stolen bases

· In 103 games overall this year batting .248(100x403)-12-46

· Batting .256(41-160) vs. RHP; .203(14-69) vs. LHP; .263(10-38) w/RISP

· Has 80 PO, 146 A, 14 E (Fielding pct. of .942)

· Rated as Astros #3 prospect entering the 2011 season by Baseball America

Brandon Wikoff

· Hits in 10 of his last 13 games, 14-42 with 3 runs and 1 RBI

· Named the TL's Batter of the Week April 25-May 1 (.600, 18x30)

· Named CC's May defensive player of the month (15 PO, 48 A, 1 E, .984 FP)

· Hit first career HR April 27 at Midland in his 657th pro at-bat

· Has 20 multi-hit games, including three 4-hit games

· Batting .337(65-193) vs. RHP; .257(18-70) vs. LHP; .327(17-52) w/RISP

· Has 87 PO, 184 A, 7 E (Fielding pct. of .975)

BULLPEN REPORT

Starters: 29-40, 4.85 ERA, 625.2 IP, 78 HR, 207 BB, 482 K, .269 AVG

Relievers: 13-32, 5.32 ERA, 380.2 IP, 41 HR, 208 BB, 352 K, .279 AVG

Jonnathan Aristil

· Last appearance: Yielded 2 R, 3 H, 1 HB and 1 BB over 1.2 frames Sunday night vs. MID

· Is 3-8 with a 6.75 ERA in 21 games as a starter this season

· His 60 BB and 19 HR, rank third and are tied for 5th, respectively, in the Texas League

· Acquired in December as part of the deal that sent RHP Matt Lindstrom to Colorado

· Pitched for the Rockies top three affiliates in 2010, making 11 of his 33 appearances with Tulsa

· Was 1-1 with a 4.39 ERA in 11 appearances and 3 starts last year for the Drillers

· Originally signed by the Rockies as a non-drafted free agent in July of 2003

· Former infielder, converted to pitching while with the DSL Rockies early in 2006

Chris Hicks

· Last appearance: Blanked the Hounds over 1.1 frames Monday night

· (.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H) Inherited Wes Timmons who scored the winning run in the 9th Saturday

· Has not been charged with a run in 7 of his 9 appearances as a Hook

· Hooks debut July 20 vs. Midland: allowed 1 hit and 1 walk in a scoreless 8th

· Went 2-1 with a 3.28 ERA in 15 relief appearances for Lancaster: 28 K, 5 BB, 24.2 IP

· Yielded 4 ER over last 11 appearances with the JetHawks (17.1 IP)

· Missed all of 2010 due to shoulder surgery

· Made 26 starts for Lancaster in 2009, posting a 9-11 record and 6.12 ERA: 103 K, 39 BB, 129.1 IP

· Won pitcher of the month honors for April, going 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA...20 K, 5 BB

Blake King

· Last appearance: Allowed 1 hit and 1 walk while fanning 2 in a scoreless 9th Sunday vs. MID

· Shutout the Hounds in the 7th Friday, notching a strikeout against 1 walk

· Has yielded 2 earned runs (1.46 ERA) over last 9 outings (12.1 IP, 22 Ks, 9 BBs)

· Charged with 6 earned runs (1.95 ERA) over last 20 appearances (27.2 IP, 37 Ks, 18 BBs)

· Allowed 4 runs in first four appearances (3.2 IP), walking 7 against 5 Ks

· Claimed off waivers from the Cardinals on May 26

· Was 2-0 with a 11.08 ERA in 15 games at Memphis / Yielded 2 runs on in 1.1 IP with Springfield

· Rated by BA as having the best slider in the St. Louis system in 2010

· Went 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA at Springfield last season, tossed 84 Ks over 68.0 IP

· Held the opposition to a .171 batting average, tops among Texas League relievers

Arcenio Leon

· Last appearance: Touched for 2 R on 4 H Sunday vs. Midland, posting 1 K and 1 BB

· Charged with 3 R (2 ER) over 1-plus last Thursday at San Antonio

· Had yielded 2 runs and 6 hits in prior 7 appearances: 11 K, 3 BB, 7.0 IP

· (1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K) Yielded a 3-run HR to Jonathan Greene July 15 at Frisco...broke a string 9 appearances without allowing an ER: 18 Ks, 6 BBs in 13.0 IP

· 17 free passes, 4 WP in 9 game stretch from May 2 to June 8 (12 IP, 6.75 ERA), throwing 124 of 245 pitches for strikes

· Did not allow an ER thru first 7 outings (11 IP)

· Would have ranked fifth among relievers in the South Atlantic League last season with a .201 opponents' batting average, but fell two frames shy of the league qualifier

Danny Meszaros

· Last appearance: Absorbed the loss Saturday night vs. MID, yielding an unearned run on 1 H in 1 IP

· Had been tagged for 5 R (4 ER) in prior two appearances (0.2 IP)

· Failed to record an out July 22 as Frisco hit 2 HRs and scored 6 runs

· Had not yielded an ER in prior 11 outings (11.0 IP) with CC: 5 saves in as many opportunities

· Was 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA for OKC, notching 27 Ks and 14 BBs in 25.2 IP

· 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA over 12 games in first stint with the club this season

· Last season, went a combined 5-2 with a 3.57 ERA and 10 saves in 33 contests between Corpus Christi and Round Rock before being suspended 50 games / Struck out 47 & walked 22 in 40.1 innings

· Began 2009 campaign at Lexington...did not allow a run in first 13 app., going 9-for-9 in save chances

· Promoted to CC in mid May and went on to lead the team in appearances...limited the league to a .207 average at Whataburger Field, posting a 1.75 ERA / 10 total saves led the Houston system

Jason Stoffel

· Last appearance: Struck out 3 without issuing a walk in a scoreless 9th Sunday night

· Yielded a two-run homer to Jeremy Barfield in the ninth Friday, suffering the loss to Midland

· Had not been charged with a run in last four appearances (3.1 IP), going 2-for-2 in save opportunities

· Made Hooks debut July 20 vs. Midland, breezing though a perfect ninth to pick up the save

· Went 1-2 with 13 saves and a 3.98 ERA in 32 appearances for Richmond: 31 K, 16 BB, 31.2 IP

· Allowed 1 ER over first 8 appearances (9.1 IP) with the Flying Squirrels

· 8 of his last 9 appearances at Richmond were of the scoreless variety, going 4-for-4 in save chances

· Posted a 2-4 record and 4.80 ERA at San Jose last season, notching 25 saves in 29 opportunities

· Features 121 strikeouts against 43 walks as a professional

· Selected in the 4th round by San Francisco in 2009 out of Arizona: all-time leader in SV & G

Henry Villar

· Last appearance: (0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R) Matt Sulentic's RBI double in the 7th Monday handed him the loss

· Pitched a perfect 8th Friday night against Midland, striking out 2

· Saddled with the loss June 27 after 6 Frisco singles led to 4 runs in the 9th inning

· Began a 5-game run when he allowed 9 ER over 4.2 IP, ending July 7

· Since then 9 of his last 12 outings have been of the scoreless variety: 5 ER, 13.0 IP, 18 K, 2 BB

· Worked 7 (8.0 IP) consecutive scoreless outings to open 2011 tenure with CC

· Went 2-1 with a 6.81 ERA in 10 appearances (7 starts) at Oklahoma City

· Made his big-league debut last season as a September call-up, yielding 3 ER in 6 IP

· Was 4-7 with a 4.15 ERA for the 2010 Hooks, appearing in 25 of 36 games out of the bullpen

· For his career, has struck out 343 batters while walking 93 over 372.1 innings entering the 2011 season

Josh Zeid

· Last appearance: Worked a perfect 8th Monday night vs. Midland, striking out 1

· Walked a batter and allowed 3 H in the 8th last Thurs at SA...charged w/ 2 unearned runs

· Tagged for 4 R on 4 H over 1.2 frames in losing effort August 2 vs. the Missions

· Notched a K and allowed 1 hit while recording 2 outs July 31 at Midland in Hooks debut

· Made 21 appearances and 11 starts for Reading this season: 2-3 with a 5.65 ERA and 2 saves

· Began the year as a starter (2-3, 6.80 ERA) before shifting to the bullpen (2-for-4 in saves, 2.25 ERA)

· Struck out 24 and walked 2 in 16 innings of relief for the Phillies

· Went 8-4 with a 2.93 ERA and 8 saves last season in 43 appearances and 12 starts for Lakewood

· Featured 111 Ks against 27 walks in 107.1 IP as a member of the BlueClaws

· Was 6-0 with a 4.01 ERA for Tulane in 2009, fanning 45 over 76.1 IP...held the opposition to a staff-best .236 batting average

· Pitched 2 years at Vanderbilt where he helped the Commodores set a school record with a string of 38.2 consecutive scoreless innings in March 2006

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