Hooks Complete Three-Game Sweep
Published on June 1, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Single runs in the second, third, and fifth innings were enough for the Corpus Christi Hooks to defeat the Arkansas Travelers by a score of 3-1 in front of a crowd of 5941 on Friday night at Dickey-Stephens Park. The win completes a three-game sweep for Corpus Christi and also gives the Hooks their second consecutive sweep over Arkansas.
The Travs (21-32) sent Johnny Hellweg to the mound to avoid the sweep and the 6'9" right-hander would end up working seven complete innings, but Hellweg also pitched in and out of trouble as he gave up seven hits and walked four.
After retiring the side in order in the first inning, Hellweg was taken out of the park to deep right-centerfield as the Hooks' (26-27) Jonathon Singleton launched his 11th homerun of the season. Singleton, who homered in the series opener at Dickey-Stephens on Wednesday, touched up Travs pitchers for three homeruns in the series a week ago. Out of his 11 homeruns on the season, Singleton has hit five off of Travs pitching.
Now trailing 1-0, the Travs would answer back in their half of the second. Carlos Ramirez led off the frame with a single up the middle. A batter later, Darwin Perez singled sharply up the middle as well to put runners on first and second with one out. Rian Kiniry would then reach first base on a fielder's choice after he batted a ball that fell into no-man's land in shallow centerfield and the Hooks' centerfielder Austin Wates collected the ball and forced out Ramirez at third base. Now with runners at first and second and two outs, Jean Segura would single to right field to plate Perez from second base. A fielding error by Adam Bailey in right field on Segura's single allowed Kiniry to attempt to score the go-ahead run, but Bailey was able to gun Kiniry at the plate and get the Hooks out of the inning with the game tied at 1-all.
A couple of Travs errors in the top of the third inning allowed Andrew Simunic to reach base and eventually score the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly. Another sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth inning gave the Hooks their third and final run of the game.
Pitching in relief of Hellweg in the eighth inning was Ysmael Carmona. The relief appearance was the first for Carmona this season as he missed the first part of this season and all of last season with an arm injury. Carmona showed no signs of rust on Friday as he struck out the first two batters he faced on wipeout sliders. Consecutive singles put Carmona in a bit of a jam, but he would collect his third strikeout in the inning on the following batter.
The Hooks were able to get a quality start from Brett Oberholtzer. The left-hander worked six complete innings, scattered seven hits, struck out four, walked two, and allowed one unearned run. Oberholtzer gave way to Henry Villar in the seventh inning and Villar shut down the Travs' lineup by pitching perfect innings in the seventh and the eighth inning.
Just before the bottom of the ninth inning was set to begin, the lights in left-center and right-centerfield went out in Dickey-Stephens Park and prompted an 18-minute delay until the lights came back on. Despite the lengthy delay, Josh Zeid came on for the Hooks looking to close out the game and Zied did so in just five minutes as he retired the side in order.
The Travs have now lost four games in a row.
With the Corpus Christi series now over, the Travs will play host to the San Antonio Missions for a three-game set to conclude the home stand with the first game being played on Saturday night at Dickey-Stephens Park. First pitch is set for 7:10 pm and the Travs will be giving away Mark Trumbo replica jerseys to the first 2,000 adults. Gates open at 6:10 pm.
Texas League Stories from June 1, 2012
- Hooks Complete Three-Game Sweep - Arkansas Travelers
- Cardinals Take Missions 6-2 - Springfield Cardinals
- Frisco Sweeps Tulsa - Tulsa Drillers
- Ninth Inning Rally Drills Drillers - Frisco RoughRiders
- RockHounds Sweep Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Game Notes, June 1 vs. Arkansas - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Travs Lose 15-Inning Marathon Game - Arkansas Travelers
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