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TL1 Corpus Christi Hooks

Missions rally past hooks 6-4

May 20, 2005 - Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


(CORPUS CHRISTI, TX) – The San Antonio Missions rallied for four runs on five hits in the top of the seventh, capping the rally with a safety squeeze for a run, and the visitors would go on to win 6-4 over the Hooks Thursday night at Whataburger Field.

Thursday's game began well enough for the home team, as Corpus Christi bolted to a three-run lead in the first against Missions' starter Ryan Rowland-Smith. With runners at first and third and one out, clean-up hitter Carlos Rodriguez punched a single into right field to plate Josh Anderson for a 1-0 score. Later, with the bases full and two men out, Mike Rodriguez sliced a single into left-center to bring in two more runs, and the Hooks were up 3-0 with people still filing into the park.

That lead grew in the home third when with one out third baseman Ray Navarrete slugged his fifth homer of the year and his second in as many nights to make it 4-0 Corpus Christi. Navarrete is now tied with Carlos Rodriguez and Dax Norris for the team lead in homeruns.

Through the third inning, the Hooks had a 4-0 lead and had out-hit the Missions 6-3. From the fourth inning on, the Missions would score six unanswered runs while out-hitting the Hooks 10-1.

The comeback began in the fourth. Missions' third baseman Jesus Guzman delivered a two-out, run-scoring double to put San Antonio on the board at 4-1. Guzman struck again in the sixth, leading off the frame with his fourth homer of the year to make it 4-2. Those first two runs came against Hooks' starter Fernando Nieve, who gave up six hits and two walks in six innings while striking out eight.

Kevin Hodge (1-4) was called upon to relieve Nieve in the seventh, and that's when the Missions made their move. With two on and one out, Jon Nelson ripped a single to center to score Yuniesky Betancourt from second, and the Missions were to within a run at 4-3. Jaime Bubela followed with a hit-and-run RBI single to center, and the game was knotted 4-4.

Philip Barzilla came on to replace Hodge, and Guzman greeted him with a single to right that glanced off the glove of diving second baseman Brooks Conrad. Nelson scored from second to put the Missions ahead for the first time at 5-4, and Bubela made it to third on the play. That brought catcher Luis Oliveros to the plate, and he laid down a safety squeeze bunt to get Bubela home for a 6-4 San Antonio advantage. The Missions attempted a suicide squeeze on the very next pitch, but Eddy Menchaca bunted through the ball, hanging Guzman out to dry between third and home where he was tagged for the second out in the inning. The damage, though, was done.

The Hooks managed single base runners in each of the final three innings but could not advance anyone past second base. Renee Cortez (1-0) collected the win with two innings of shutout relief, striking out five of the seven men he faced in the process. Sean Green earned his league-best 12th save with a scoreless ninth.

The two teams will battle again Friday night in another 7:05 start. RHP Jon Huber (2-2, 4.26) will pitch for San Antonio against Hooks' RHP Jason Hirsh (4-3, 3.42). Live coverage of Friday's game on 103.7, KOUL gets under way at 6:45 pm.

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