TL1 Corpus Christi Hooks

Game Notes, June 14 at Frisco

Published on June 14, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


Corpus Christi (34-30) @ Frisco (38-26)

And the beat goes on. The Hooks stretched their winning streak to seven games with last night's come-from-behind 10-6 victory over San Antonio. Corpus Christi spotted San Antonio a 4-0 lead in the first, pecked away at that lead for a few innings, then erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the eighth, an inning that was highlighted by Drew Locke's grand slam - his second slam in as many nights. Locke had plenty of help, as back-ups Jay Fernandez (2-for-2, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and Jordan Kreke (2-for-5, 1 RBI) joined newcomer Drew Muren (1-for-3, triple, 2 runs, 1 RBI) in picking up the slack.

While their chances are slim, the Hooks at least have chances. The seven-game winning streak - the longest for the club since May of 2007 - has put Corpus Christi to within four games of the RoughRiders with six to play in the half. A sweep is pretty much in order, but the club has at least positioned itself to have a shot here at the beginning of this four-game series.

Tonight's Matchup:

RHP Jarred Cosart (3-3, 4.50) vs. LHP Tim Murphy (2-7, 6.62)

Cosart, acquired by the Astros in the Hunter Pence deal with Philadelphia last July, makes his 10th start for the Hooks and his fourth against the RoughRiders. This past Saturday at home against Midland, Cosart allowed five earned runs on seven hits and three walks over six innings in a 6-5 win over the Hounds. Cosart did not get a decision. Cosart has allowed either four or five runs in each of his last four starts and in that time is 1-1 with a 6.20 ERA. Selected by Baseball America as the second-best prospect in the organization, Cosart is also ranked by the periodical as the No. 50 prospect in the game, with the "Best Fastball" and "Best Curveball" in the system. His final seven starts last year came with the Hooks (1-2, 4.71 ERA). A graduate of Clear Creek High School in League City, Texas, Cosart was the winning pitcher in the XM All-Star Futures Game last July in Phoenix.

- Has a 1.78 GO/AO ratio in 9 starts with the Hooks

- In 3 starts against Frisco is 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA

- Made his AAA debut with OKC May 8 vs. Las Vegas (6.0-10-4-4-2-5, L)

Murphy, a third-round selection of the Rangers in 2008 out of UCLA, makes his 13th start this year and his third against the Hooks. Saturday at San Antonio, Murphy was touched for five runs on five hits and three walks over three innings in a 9-4 loss to the Missions. Murphy has struggled over his last five starts, going 1-4 with a 9.74 ERA. Murphy is in his fourth season of pro ball, returning to the mound after missing the entire 2011 campaign following elbow surgery. In 2010, he worked primarily in relief, combining to go 2-2 with 1 save and a 2.61 ERA with Bakersfield and Frisco.

- Pitching for just the 5th time at home (0-2, 5.21 ERA) compared to 8 road starts (2-5, 7.47 ERA)

- In 2 starts against the Hooks is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA

- An outfielder to begin his college career, went 10-10 with a 4.34 ERA and 207 Ks in 3 years w/UCLA

Lee joins club on rehab

Astros 1B Carlos Lee, currently on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, begins a rehab assignment tonight with the Hooks. According to the Astros, Lee will DH tonight for Corpus Christi, then play first base tomorrow and Saturday.

A 14-year veteran of the major leagues, Lee has played 49 games this season for the Astros, hitting .297 with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HRs and 23 RBIs. His last action came June 1 in a home game against Cincinnati.

In 2,001 games over the course of his 14 years in the bigs, Lee has 353 home runs and 1,309 RBIs.

Kreke, Simunic also on the move

Infielders Jordan Kreke and Andy Simunic essentially switched places today. Kreke, who went 2-for-5 last night with a double and an RBI in the 10-6 win over the Missions, has been reassigned to AAA Oklahoma City. Simunic rejoins the Hooks tonight from OKC. In eight games with the RedHawks, Simunic was 0-for-9 at the plate.

Simunic last appeared for Corpus Christi as a pinch hitter June 2 at Springfield and delivered a single in that at-bat. In 46 games this year with the Hooks, Simunic is batting .273 (41x150) with 4 doubles, 1 HR, 13 RBIs and 5 SBs.

Seven in a row

The team's current seven-game winning streak is the longest this season and the longest for the club since May 20-31 of the 2007 season, when the Hooks won 10 in a row.

Locke(d) and loaded

Last week at this time, Drew Locke was flying back from the east coast with his Sugar Land Skeeters' teammates. After five games with the Hooks, Locke has picked up at least one hit in all five games and has 3 HRs and 12 RBIs. This includes grand slams in each of the last two games.

Locke's blasts the last two nights give the Hooks four slams this season. Locke also has four career slams for the Hooks, tying him with Mark Saccomanno for the franchise lead.

Martinez streak at 12

Second baseman Jose Martinez is batting .346 (18x52) during his current 12-game hitting streak. During the streak he has 3 doubles, 1 HR, 9 runs and 12 RBIs. This is Jose's second 12-game hitting streak this season. He also hit safely in 12 straight from May 15-28.

Pitching Rotation at Frisco

Friday: RHP Ross Seaton (5-3, 4.28) vs. RHP Nick Tepesch (0-0, 0.00)

Saturday: RHP Jose Cisnero (3-6, 4.21) vs. LHP Chad Bell (2-0, 1.77)

Sunday: LHP Brett Oberholtzer (5-3, 4.44) vs. RHP Barret Loux (11-0, 2.81)

HOOKS PLAYER NOTES

Adam Bailey

- Added to roster May 30 from Advanced-A Lancaster

- Went 4-14 in San Antonio series with 3 doubles, 2 runs and 4 RBIs

- Has 5 RBIs in the last 6 games

- In 47 games with the JetHawks was batting .279-8-25 with 2 SBs

- In 23 games at the end of last season with the Hooks hit .323-3-15

Jay Fernandez

- Hits in 5 of his last 6 games, 8-19 with 2 doubles, 3 runs and 3 RBIs

- Entered game in the 2nd last night to play at 3B - first game at 3B since the 2010 season with New Britain (now has 4 gms experience at 3B his entire career)

- Batting .196(9-46) vs. RHP; .333(4-12) vs. LHP; .188(3-16) w/RISP

- Has a career caught-stealing percentage of 40.0 (166 of 415)

Kody Hinze

- Is 0-3 in the last 3 games as a PH and defensive replacement

- Hitting .357(10-28) in June with 1 double, 2 HRs, 2 runs and 6 RBIs

- Batting .255(25-98) at home; .183(13-71) on the road

- Batting .217(28-129) vs. RHP; .250(10-40) vs. LHP; .182(10-55) w/RISP

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

Drew Locke

- Joined club Saturday as a free-agent signee by the Astros

- Is 2-8 in the last 2 games with 2 grand slams

- Tied with Mark Saccomanno (05-06) for franchise lead with 4 career grand slams

- Has hits in all 5 games since joining Hooks

- Had played 40 games this season for the independent Sugar Land Skeeters, where he was batting .285(47x165) with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HRs, 28 runs and 24 RBIs

- Was the Texas League's batting champion with the Hooks in 2009 (.338)

- Holds franchise single-season records for average (.338) and RBIs (109)

Jose Martinez

- Has 12-game hit streak, 18-52 with 3 doubles, 1 HR, 9 runs and 12 RBIs

- Hits in 24 of his last 25 games, 37-107 with 3 walks, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HRs, 19 runs and 19 RBIs

- Has 19 RBIs in his last 20 games

- Had 6-game RBI streak snapped last night

- Second in the league in hitting (.319) and fourth in RBIs (42)

- Reached base safely in 23 consecutive games (May 4-28) w/.352 avg. and .402 OBP

- CC's defensive player of the month in April (47 PO, 56 A, 0 E)

- Batting .313(55-176) vs. RHP; .340(18-53) vs. LHP; .352(25-71) w/RISP

Ryan McCurdy

- Went 0-6 on home stand with 1 walk and 1 run

- Grand slam May 25 his first pro HR (in portions of 3 seasons had played in 72 games)

- Batting .273(15-55) vs. RHP; 0-9 vs. LHP; .250(5-20) w/RISP

- Had played just 2 games w/ Lancaster this season, was 2-3 with 1 HBP

Drew Muren

- Added to roster yesterday from Class A Lexington

- In 48 games with the Legends batted .279-3-17 with 12 doubles and 4 SBs

- Provided an RBI triple in CC's 7-run bottom of the 8th last night

- A 22nd-round pick of the Astros last June out of Cal State-Northridge

Andy Simunic

- Returns to club today from AAA Oklahoma City, where he was 0-9 in 8 games

- Last played for the Hooks June 2 at Springfield (had a PH single)

- Batting .273 for the Hooks with 4 doubles, 1 HR, 13 RBIs and 5 SBs

- Hits in 7 of his last 8 with CC, 7-28 with 2 walks, 5 runs and 1 RBI

- Batting .293(36-123) vs. RHP; .185(5-27) vs. LHP; .200(8-40) w/RISP

Jon Singleton

- Went 2-13 in San Antonio series with 4 walks and 5 runs

- Has 14 walks in his last 14 games

- Leads the league in runs (47) and ranks fifth in RBIs (40)

- Named the Texas League's Player of the Week (May 21-27), hit .500-4-12

- CC's offensive player of the month in May (.281-7-24, .931 OPS)

- Batting .311(47-151) vs. RHP; .226(14-62) vs. LHP; .344(21-61) w/RISP

- Hitting .316(48-152) when he starts at 1B; .173(9-52) when he starts in LF

- Has started 43 games at 1B; 14 games in LF

- Ranked by Baseball America as the top prospect in the Astros system

Jonathan Villar

- Hits in 4 of the last 6 games, 7-19 with 4 walks, 1 HR, 7 runs and 2 RBIs

- Is 26-78(.333) in his last 20 games with 4 HRs, 21 runs and 15 RBIs

- Leads the league with 29 stolen bases

- Tied franchise record with 4 steals Saturday night vs. Midland

- Batting .263(44-167) vs. RHP; .267(16-60) vs. LHP; .302(19-63) w/RISP

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

Chris Wallace

- Went 4-18 on home stand with 2 doubles, 1 run and 4 RBIs

- Was 3-4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs last night for his 2nd 3-hit game this season

- Batting .228(18-79) vs. RHP; .172(5-29) vs. LHP; .229(8-35) w/RISP

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

Brandon Wikoff

- Joined club May 28 from extended spring, where he'd been recuperating from a wrist injury (left wrist)

- Went 2-10 in San Antonio series with 1 walk, 2 runs and 1 RBI

- Was 7-25 on home stand with 4 walks, 2 doubles, 5 runs and 2 RBIs

- In 103 games last year with the Hooks batted .308 w/ 6 doubles, 3 HRs and 26 RBIs

- Was the Texas League's Player of the Week (April 25-May 1, 2011), hit .600

- Maintained an average of .400 or better from April 25 thru June 6 last year

- Finished last season with four September games w/ OKC (.154-0-0)

Check out the Corpus Christi Hooks Statistics

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