Game Notes, May 11 vs. Frisco
Published on May 11, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release
Frisco (22-11) @ Corpus Christi (13-20)
The hottest team in the Texas League stayed hot last night. Eight-year major league veteran Brad Hawpe went 4-for-5 with three runs and an RBI while Ryan Strausborger had a 2-for-4 night with a run and three RBIs in Frisco's 10-2 scalding of the Hooks. The RoughRiders pounded out 17 hits - the most given up by the Hooks in a single game this season. Frisco also had 17 hits off Corpus Christi pitching April 29 at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
Barret Loux became the circuit's first seven-game winner, limiting the Hooks to two runs on four hits over 5.1 innings. Loux is the only pitcher in professional baseball with wins in all seven starts to begin the year. Equally impressive was southpaw reliever Chad Bell, who earned his second save with 3.2 innings of shutout work. The RoughRiders enter play tonight with wins in three straight, five of six and 13 of their last 17.
Tonight's Matchup:
RHP Jake Brigham (2-1, 3.11) vs. LHP Brett Oberholtzer (1-2, 6.67)
Brigham, a sixth-round pick of the Rangers in 2006 out of Central Florida Christian Academy, makes his seventh start this season and his third against the Hooks. Last Saturday at home against Midland, Brigham held the Hounds to a run on four hits over six innings. He took a no-decision in Frisco's 3-2 triumph. Over his last two starts, Brigham is 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA, with 1 walk and 15 strikeouts in 13.0 innings. Last year, Brigham went 6-6 with a 4.49 ERA in 35 games and 14 starts for Frisco. Added to the Rangers 40-man roster in November, Brigham missed the entire 2008 season after having "Tommy John" surgery.
- Holding Texas League hitters to a .221 average
- In 2 starts against the Hooks is 1-1 with a 3.95 ERA, with 3 walks and 15 Ks in 13.2 IP
- Is a nephew of Ron Karkovice, who played 12 seasons (1986-1997) for the Chicago White Sox
Oberholtzer, acquired by the Astros last July in the Michael Bourn deal with Atlanta, makes his sixth start for the Hooks and his second against Frisco. Here Saturday against the Missions, Oberholtzer allowed four runs on five hits and three walks over six innings in a 6-0 loss. He struck out five but fell victim to Cody Decker, who homered twice off Oberholtzer, accounting for three runs. The lefty also surrendered a solo home run to Jedd Gyorko. It's the first time in his five-year pro career that he's allowed more than two home runs in an appearance. This is Oberholtzer's second start since returning from AAA Oklahoma City. He suffered the loss (5.1-7-4-4-1-3) at Albuquerque April 30. In six starts with the Hooks last season after the trade, Oberholtzer went 2-3 with a 5.27 ERA. A Southern League All-Star with Mississippi last year, Oberholtzer is listed as the No. 7 prospect in the Astros system according to Baseball America.
- Has a 2.80 GO/AO ratio in 5 starts with the Hooks
- Four of his five starts to date have come at home (1-2, 5.56 ERA)
- Has allowed 25 HRs over 427.1 innings in five pro seasons (1 HR for every 17.1 innings)
Big margins
For the 20th time this season, the Hooks played a game that was decided by more than five runs. Last night's 10-2 result gives the Hooks a record of 10-10 this year in games where the margin of victory has been five or more runs. Quick math tells you that 61 percent of Corpus Christi's games have been "blowouts" (5+ runs).
This means, of course, that the Hooks are just 3-10 in games decided by four or fewer runs.
Eight of the nine games played between these two clubs this year have been decided by five or more runs. The only game that offered any drama was the one played here on April 22 when the Hooks prevailed 5-3...Corpus Christi's lone win this season by two runs.
Long ball lowdown
Jose Felix clubbed a solo home run off Erick Abreu in the ninth last night - the 41st home run allowed by Hooks pitching this season. The Hooks lead the Texas League, and all of AA baseball, in home runs allowed.
In fact, of the 120 full-season minor league affiliated clubs in organized professional baseball, only the Salt Lake Bees of the AAA Pacific Coast League have given up more home runs (46) than the Hooks.
GIDPs
This stat hasn't seen the light of day on these pages this season, since the Hooks have done a good job of staying away from hitting into ground-ball double plays. Last night, though, the Hooks grounded into four double plays - three over the final four innings.
Adding in the four last night, the Hooks have grounded into a total of 16 double plays this year. No player has grounded into more than four DPs for the Hooks, and one regular, Jonathan Villar, has yet to bounce into a twin killing this season in 126 total plate appearances.
Bodie milestone watch
Manager Keith Bodie remains one win away from milestone victory number 1,000 in his pro career. In this his 16th season as a manager in the minor leagues, Bodie enters play tonight with a career regular-season record of 999-945 (.514 winning percentage). Adding this season to his four years at the helm with Wichita, Bodie's managerial record in the Texas League stands at 319-267.
Pitching Rotation vs. Frisco
Saturday: LHP Tim Murphy (1-3, 5.04) vs. RHP Jake Buchanan (1-2, 5.56)
Sunday: RHP Justin Grimm (6-1, 1.60) vs. RHP Jarred Cosart (1-2, 2.84)
HOOKS PLAYER NOTES
Brandon Barnes
- Is 3-14 this home stand with 7 walks, 1 double, 3 runs and 1 RBI
- Has just 2 extra-base hits in his last 15 games (2 doubles)
- Leads TL in doubles (15)
- Corpus Christi's offensive player of the month in April (.353-4-21, 22 games)
- Named Texas League Co-Player of the Week (April 5-15), hit .432
- Names Texas League Player of the Week (April 16-22), hit .391
- Batting .313(25-80) vs. RHP; .324(11-34) vs. LHP; .323(10-31) w/RISP
Jay Fernandez
- Is 2-17 in his last 6 games with 1 run
- Has a career caught-stealing percentage of 40.0 (165 of 412)
- 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
- Is 5-17 this home stand with 1 double, 3 runs and 2 RBIs
- Hits in 4 of the last 7 games, 8-25 with 1 double, 1 triple, 1 HR, 6 runs and 4 RBIs
- His walk-off, 3-run HR April 9 the first walk-off HR in his pro career
- Named Texas League Co-Player of the Week (April 5-15), hit .429
- Batting .225(18-80) vs. RHP; .357(10-28) vs. LHP; .417(10-24) w/RISP
Kody Hinze
- Is 1-23 in his last 8 games with 2 walks, 1 RBI and 11 Ks
- Is 0-10 in his last 4 games
- Batting .259(14-54) at home; .171(7-41) on the road
- Batting .200(13-65) vs. RHP; .267(8-30) vs. LHP; .154(4-26) w/RISP
- Ranked 4th last year in the minors in walks (94) and 15th in OPS (.961)
Jordan Kreke
- Has 3-game hit streak, 3-9 with 1 double and 2 runs
- Played 1B May 1 for the first time in his career (replaced Singleton)
- Has 133 career games at 3B, 126 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 6 of the last 9 games, 14-35 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HRs, 3 runs and 7 RBIs
- Has 4-game hit streak, 9-18 with 2 doubles, 1 HR, 2 runs and 4 RBIs
- CC's defensive player of the month in April (47 PO, 56 A, 0 E)
- Batting .278(22-79) vs. RHP; .379(11-29) vs. LHP; .433(13-30) w/RISP
- Played just 6 games in the three-year period 2009-11
Ryan McCurdy
- Is 4-14 this home stand with 1 double, 1 triple, 2 runs and 1 RBI
- Had played just 2 games w/ Lancaster this season, was 2-3 with 1 HBP
- Played 53 games in 2 seasons (2010-11), hitting .285-0-18 in 130 at-bats
- Signed by Houston as a non-drafted free agent in June of 2010...played at Duke
Andy Simunic
- Is 3-20 this home stand with 1 double, 1 run and 2 RBIs
- 4-RBI night April 21 his first since July 29 last season
- Batting .317(19-60) vs. RHP; .118(2-17) vs. LHP; .217(5-23) w/RISP
- Played every position in the field last year except catcher and 1B
- In five pro seasons has bounced into just 11 DPs in 1,323 plate appearances
Jon Singleton
- Is 1-11 this home stand with 6 walks, 1 HR, 4 runs and 1 RBI
- Has just 2 RBIs in his last 11 games
- Last year hit .298-13-63 in 128 games with Clearwater and Lancaster
- Batting .362(25-69) vs. RHP; .182(6-33) vs. LHP; .318(7-22) w/RISP
- Has started 20 games at 1B; 8 games in LF
- Ranked by Baseball America as the top prospect in the Astros system
T.J. Steele
- Clubbed CC's first pinch-hit HR of the season April 29 at Frisco
- Was 0-5 in SA series
- Batting .176(6-34) vs. RHP; .095(2-21) vs. LHP; .222(4-18) w/RISP
- Ranks fourth on the Hooks all-time stolen base chart with 30
J.C. Thompson
- Is 1-20 in his last 9 games
- Hit .273-10-46 in 87 games last year with Lancaster and CC
- Batted .440-10-62 in 59 games with Western Oklahoma State College in 2009
Jonathan Villar
- Is 3-15 this home stand with 3 RBIs
- Hits in 4 of the last 7 games, 6-23 with 1 triple, 1 run and 3 RBIs
- Second in the league with 12 stolen bases
- Batting .211(16-76) vs. RHP; .231(9-39) vs. LHP; .258(8-31) w/RISP
- Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in the Astros system
Austin Wates
- Hits in 4 of the last 6 games, 7-27 with 1 triple, 1 HR, 4 runs and 1 RBI
- Batting .326(30-92) vs. RHP; .282(11-39) vs. LHP; .393(11-28) w/RISP
- 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
Texas League Stories from May 11, 2012
- Missions Take Both Games Of Double-Header Against Rockhounds - San Antonio Missions
- Hooks Manage Eighth Inning Escape - Frisco RoughRiders
- Drillers Beat Travs 3-2 Friday - Arkansas Travelers
- Whittleman Powers Naturals to Win - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Turn Tables on Travs - Tulsa Drillers
- Cards Fall to Naturals 8-2 - Springfield Cardinals
- Cody Decker Powers San Antonio to Victory - San Antonio Missions
- Game Notes, May 11 vs. Frisco - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Drillers & Marshall Brewing Announce New Beer - Tulsa Drillers
- Bats Gone Wild - Frisco RoughRiders
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.
