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TL1 Corpus Christi Hooks

Miller, Varner Lead Hooks Past Midland

July 16, 2007 - Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Josh Miller pitched seven innings and Noochie Varner cracked a two-run home run to lead Corpus Christi past Midland 9-3 Monday in Texas League action at Whataburger Field.

Corpus Christi improved to 12-12 in the second half of the TL race. Midland is 9-15.

The Hooks took a 1-0 lead in the second on Varner's lead-off double to right and a single up the middle by Jonny Ash. Ash stole second with one out, but Ben Fritz struck out Francisco Caraballo and Lou Santangelo to prevent further damage.

Corpus Christi mounted another threat in the third but came away empty. Tommy Manzella opened with a single and moved to second on Drew Sutton's grounder, which was mishandled by shortstop Cliff Pennington. J.R. Towles popped up a bunt attempt to catcher Anthony Recker, Todd Self flew out to left and Varner hit into a fielder's choice for the final out.

Richie Robnett knotted the score at one with a two-out solo home run into the Midland bullpen in the fourth. Miller retired the first 11 RockHound batters before Robnett's blast, his 13th of 2007.

The RockHounds struck twice in the fifth for a 3-1 advantage. Brian Snyder led off with a single and scored on Casey Myers' triple, which eluded a diving Varner in right field. Myers moved home on a sacrifice fly by Luke Appert.

Varner's two-run shot, his sixth homer of the year, highlighted a three-run Corpus fifth. Manzella stroked his second lead-off single of the evening before Sutton's RBI double to the wall in left-center, which broke an 0-for-11 drought. Two outs later, Varner belted Fritz' 2-2 offering 360 feet over the berm in left field.

Fritz (8-7) exited after the fifth and the Hooks took advantage of a Pennington error and reliever Adam Thomas' control problems to load the bases. Thomas recovered in time to get Varner on a fly to right for the final out.

Thomas didn't fare as well in the seventh. One-out singles by Ray Sadler and Caraballo preceded Santangelo's triple to the gap in right-center for a 6-3 Hooks lead. Sutton then plated Santangelo on a fielder's choice. After Towles singled off Bobby Cramer, Self's liner glanced off the glove of third baseman Eddie Cornejo for a two-base error, scoring Sutton and Towles to make it 9-3.

Miller (3-3) allowed four hits, walked one and struck out four in becoming the winningest pitcher in Hooks history with 14 victories. Manzella is 10-for-22 in his last seven games.

Midland lefty Mario Ramos (1-2) faces Felipe Paulino (3-5) Tuesday at 7:05 in the third game of a four-game series.

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