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TL1 Corpus Christi Hooks

Missions strike down Hooks in ninth

July 25, 2005 - Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


Castro and Bubela spur SA uprising

(CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas) - Sunday night the Hooks and San Antonio Missions met for the first time in the second half of the season. Nothing has changed.

Trailing by a run, the Missions rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth to hand the Hooks a 4-3 loss at Whataburger Field in the first of a four-game series. The victory moves the Missions into a first-place tie in the West with Midland, while the Hooks, now 15-15 in the second half, remain three games back.

San Antonio defeated the Hooks in 11 of 14 first-half contests, and many of those were close games. Six, in fact, were decided by one run, with the Missions winning four of those six. Sunday's result makes it five of seven now for the Missions in one-run decisions against the Hooks.

The Missions' rally came against Hooks' reliever Jailen Peguero (2-2), who had worked 1.2 innings in Saturday night's win at Midland. Peguero recorded the final out in the top of the eighth Sunday, but ran into trouble in the ninth at the bottom of the Missions' order.

Adam Jones, Seattle's first-round pick in 2003, beat out an infield hit with one out to get the Missions going. Peguero walked Brian Moon, who was replaced by pinch runner Jon Nelson. Ismael Castro followed with a single to right to plate Jones and move Nelson to second, and the game was deadlocked 3-3.

Jaime Bubela, who had beaten the Hooks and Peguero back on May 22nd at Whataburger Field with a game-winning hit in the top of the ninth, did it again Sunday. He poked a 1-1 pitch past third baseman Mark Saccomanno for a double that got Nelson home for a 4-3 San Antonio lead.

A subsequent walk to Jesus Guzman brought about Peguero's exit. Monte Mansfield came on to record the last two outs with the bases full to keep it a one-run game and give the Hooks a chance in the home ninth.

Josh Anderson walked to open the bottom of the ninth and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Eric Riggs. Missions' closer Emiliano Fruto fanned Hector Gimenez for the second out. Fruto then tried to pick Anderson off second, but his throw whizzed into center, allowing Anderson to move to third.

The error proved only to be more torture for Hooks' fans, as Anderson was left stranded at third when Fruto struck out Saccomanno to end the game. The save was Fruto's 11th this season.

Renee Cortez (5-3), who ironically enough was also the winning pitcher against the Hooks back on May 22nd, earned the victory Sunday by tossing a shutout eighth. The Missions have now won all six games played by the two clubs in Corpus Christi this season.

Guzman gave San Antonio the early lead with a solo homer in the first. The Hooks responded with a big second, scoring three times against Missions' starter Jared Thomas. Tommy Whiteman's two-run double into the right field corner keyed the frame, which also included a bases-loaded walk by Gimenez.

The Hooks, though, would leave the bases full in the second, and stranded a total of 10 men during the night.

LHP Philip Barzilla (2-4, 3.66) will try to break the San Antonio hex in Monday's 7:05 pm tilt. His opponent will be Missions' RHP Michael Bumstead (0-0, 0.00), who like Thomas recently joined the San Antonio staff from AAA Tacoma.

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