Game Notes, May 17 at San Antonio
Published on May 17, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release
Corpus Christi (17-22) @ San Antonio (17-22)
There are a ton of things that just don't happen when the Hooks are playing at Wolff Municipal Stadium. Like the Hooks having an eight-run lead by the fifth inning. Like the Hooks blowing an eight-run lead, because having an eight-run lead here happens about as often as Halley's Comet. Like establishing the club's season high for hits. Like having a relief pitcher start a winning rally with a two-out walk in the ninth in his second plate appearance of the season. Like having that pitcher, who also happens to be the oldest guy on the team and goes by the nickname of "Tortuga," score the game-winning run.
Well, ALL of those things happened here yesterday as the Hooks got a leg up in the series with an 11-9 triumph over the men from the Alamo City. Erick Abreu, aka El Tortuga, not only drew a walk and scored the winning run, but he tossed an inning of shutout relief to gain his second win this series and his fourth of the season. With 17 career wins in a Hooks uniform, Abreu is now tied with Chance Douglass for the franchise lead in career victories.
Second baseman Jose Martinez (4-for-5, 2 runs) and catcher Ryan McCurdy (3-for-5, 3 RBIs) spearheaded Corpus Christi's offense, which racked up a season-best 17 hits.
Tonight's Matchup:
RHP Jake Buchanan (1-2, 4.75) vs. LHP Mark Hardy (0-0, 0.00)
Buchanan, an eighth-round pick of the Astros in 2010 out of North Carolina State, makes his eighth start this season and his second against the Missions. Last Saturday at Whataburger Field, Buchanan had perhaps his best outing of the year, holding Frisco to a run on six hits and two walks over 7.2 innings. He did not get a decision in a game the Hooks lost 2-1 in 12 innings. Buchanan has gone 6.0 innings or more in five of his seven starts and has held the opposition to four or fewer runs in six of seven. The only game where he gave up more than four runs was played May 6 at Whataburger Field, when Buchanan allowed seven runs on nine hits in only four innings against these Missions. In 25 starts last season for Lancaster in the California League, Buchanan was 5-10 with a 3.91 ERA. Selected as the Astros 2011 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Buchanan became the first Lancaster pitcher to start a minimum of 20 games and finish the season with an ERA under 4.00 since former Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb accomplished the feat in 2001 (28 starts, 3.99 ERA).
- Has a 1.66 GO/AO ratio after 7 starts
- Has been better in his 2 road starts (0-1, 3.00 ERA) than at home (1-1, 5.46 ERA, 5 starts)
- Has thrown 65 percent of his pitches for strikes
Hardy, a 43rd-round selection of the Padres in 2010 out of the University of British Columbia, makes his 2012 debut with the Missions tonight. The southpaw has spent the entire season with Lake Elsinore in the California League, where in eight games and seven starts he was 2-4 with a 5.03 ERA, with seven walks and 37 strikeouts in 39.1 innings. Hardy last pitched on Friday, six days ago, at Lancaster, where he was rudely treated (4.1-11-5-5-1-4, L) by the JetHawks and George Springer. Lancaster won the game 5-3 as Springer belted three homers off Hardy in his first three at-bats. A gold medalist with Team Canada at the 2011 Pan-Am Games, Hardy spent all last season with Fort Wayne in the Midwest League, going 11-10 with a 2.78 ERA in 27 games and 19 starts.
- Has a 2.12 GO/AO ratio this season, yet has allowed 8 HRs (4 last Friday at Lancaster)
- Notched a season-high 10 Ks in 5.0 innings May 2 at High Desert
- Went 17-3 in his junior and senior seasons at UBC, which included a no-hitter in 2010
Poised for series win
Should the Hooks win tonight's game, it would give Corpus Christi its first series win at Wolff Municipal Stadium since July 27-29 of 2010. In that three-game series, the Hooks lost the opener 2-1 but came back to win the final two games 6-2 and 15-7. Since then, the Hooks have lost five consecutive series, going 1-16 in those five series.
Centennial game at the Wolff
As it turns out, tonight's game is the 100th meeting between these two teams at Wolff Municipal. Having won two of three this series, the Hooks are now 33-66 at "The Wolff." It's the 101st game for the Hooks in San Antonio. The Hooks beat the Missions 2-1 on June 12, 2005, at V.J. Keefe Stadium on the campus of St. Mary's College in a special 100th Anniversary celebration game that season. Chris Sampson went the distance to get that win for the Hooks.
Ruby away
Hooks pitching coach Gary Ruby has been granted some time off for personal leave. He may return to the club as early as next week. Rick Aponte, who is scheduled to be the pitching coach for Tri-City later this year when that Short-Season Class A club begins play in June, has filled in for Ruby the last four days. Aponte left the club today, so his shoes are being filled by Hector Mercado.
Mercado, who appeared in 112 major league games with the Reds and Phillies from 2000 through 2003, will likely remain with the club until Ruby returns. A native of Puerto Rico, Mercado is slated to be Greeneville's pitching coach this season. Greeneville is Houston's rookie-level affiliate in the Appalachian League.
A 13th-round pick of the Astros back in 1992, Mercado's pro playing career spanned 15 seasons. He pitched for Jackson (MS) in the Texas League in 1994, helping the Generals reach the TL championship series.
Pitching Rotation at Midland
Friday: RHP Jarred Cosart (2-2, 2.84) vs. RHP Dan Straily (1-4, 4.37)
Saturday: RHP Ross Seaton (2-3, 3.65) vs. RHP Sonny Gray (1-2, 4.54)
Sunday: RHP Jose Cisnero (2-4, 5.18) vs. RHP Shawn Haviland (1-3, 5.60)
Monday: LHP Brett Oberholtzer (1-2, 6.18) vs. RHP Murphy Smith (3-0, 2.76)
HOOKS PLAYER NOTES
Brandon Barnes
- Hits in 5 of his last 7 games, 8-23 with 6 walks, 3 doubles, 4 runs and 3 RBIs
- Leads TL in doubles (17)
- 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 .308(28-91) vs. RHP; .342(13-38) vs. LHP; .324(12-37) w/RISP
Jay Fernandez
- Is 2-7 in his last 3 games with 1 double, 1 HR, 1 run and 2 RBIs
- 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
Jacob Goebbert
- Hits in 3 of the last 4 games, 4-15 with 1 triple, 1 HR, 2 runs and 4 RBIs
- Has RBIs in 4 straight
- 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 .234(22-94) vs. RHP; .303(10-33) vs. LHP; .355(11-31) w/RISP
Kody Hinze
- Is 2-25 in his last 9 games with 3 walks and 1 RBI
- Ended 11-game RBI drought with 5th-inning groundout yesterday
- Batting .258(16-62) at home; .146(7-48) on the road
- Batting .192(15-78) vs. RHP; .250(8-32) vs. LHP; .125(4-32) w/RISP
- Ranked 4th last year in the minors in walks (94) and 15th in OPS (.961)
Jordan Kreke
- Is 5-15 in his last 7 games with 1 double and 3 runs
- Played 1B May 1 for the first time in his career (replaced Singleton)
- Has 134 career games at 3B, 126 at 2B and 49 at SS
- Originally a 13th-round pick of the Braves in 2009
Jose Martinez
- Hits in 8 of the last 10 games, 17-41 with 4 walks, 4 doubles, 1 HR, 8 runs and 5 RBIs
- Is 5-13 this series with 1 double and 3 runs
- CC's defensive player of the month in April (47 PO, 56 A, 0 E)
- Batting .295(28-95) vs. RHP; .361(13-36) vs. LHP; .429(15-35) w/RISP
- Played just 6 games in the three-year period 2009-11
Ryan McCurdy
- Hits in 4 of his last 6 games, 7-18 with 2 walks, 1 double, 1 triple, 2 runs and 4 RBIs
- Batting .360(9-25) vs. RHP; 0-7 vs. LHP; .333(3-9) w/RISP
- 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
- Hits in 4 of the last 5 games, 7-18 with 4 runs
- 4-RBI night April 21 his first since July 29 last season
- Batting .338(25-74) vs. RHP; .143(3-21) vs. LHP; .208(5-24) 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 1,344 plate appearances
Jon Singleton
- Is 3-14 in the last 4 games with 4 walks, 1 HR, 2 runs and 6 RBIs
- Has 11 walks in his last 9 games
- Batting .341(28-82) vs. RHP; .167(7-42) vs. LHP; .323(10-31) w/RISP
- Has started 24 games at 1B; 10 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
- Is 2-5 this series with 1 run
- Batting .184(7-38) vs. RHP; .115(3-26) vs. LHP; .211(4-19) w/RISP
- Ranks fourth on the Hooks all-time stolen base chart with 31
J.C. Thompson
- Third-inning single Saturday night his first hit since April 30
- Is 1-11(.091) in May with 1 run
- 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
- Has 5-game hit streak, 7-18 with 1 walk, 1 double, 4 runs and 3 RBIs
- Has 6 RBIs in the last 8 games
- Leads the league with 16 stolen bases
- Batting .225(20-89) vs. RHP; .255(12-47) vs. LHP; .306(11-36) w/RISP
- Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in the Astros system
Austin Wates
- Hits in 6 of the last 8 games, 12-37 with 3 walks, 2 triples, 8 runs and 2 RBIs
- Leads the league with 48 hits
- Batting .321(36-112) vs. RHP; .255(12-47) vs. LHP; .343(12-35) w/RISP
- Named Lancaster's MVP in 2011, led the JetHawks in 8 statistical categories
Texas League Stories from May 17, 2012
- Frisco Drops Finale to Midland - Frisco RoughRiders
- Four-Game Series, All Naturals - Tulsa Drillers
- Cardinals Fall One Shy in 9-8 Loss - Springfield Cardinals
- San Antonio's Seven-Run Fourth Inning Highlights Victory - San Antonio Missions
- Naturals Sweep Drillers - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cardinals Back Home Tomorrow - Springfield Cardinals
- Game Notes, May 17 at San Antonio - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Travs Welcome Jimmy Swift to Club - Arkansas Travelers
- Naturals to Host Second Beerfest at May 25 Game - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Jedd Gyorko Promoted To Triple-A Tucson - San Antonio Missions
- Walk-Off Walk Gets Travs Back in Win Column - Arkansas Travelers
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