TL1 San Antonio Missions

Missions Win Streak Ends at Six with 6-0 Shutout

Published on June 16, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
San Antonio Missions News Release


The Missions pitching staff made a lot of noise Monday night, but it was the quietly dominant performance of Hooks starter Polin Trinidad that stood out when all was said and done. Corpus Christi combined to four-hit the Missions, overshadowing the San Antonio staff's season-high 19 strikeouts to take a 6-0 victory and even the series at a game apiece.

Trinidad (6-4), the reigning Texas League Pitcher of the Week, quieted a Missions offense that had scored a season-best 11 runs the day before. The lefty was coming off a start in which he tossed 7.0 innings of one-hit, shutout ball to beat Midland on Wednesday, retiring the final 20 batters he faced. On Monday, he limited the Missions to four hits over 8.0 shutout frames, walking three, while striking out seven.

By and large, Trinidad's counterpart Mat Latos (3-1) blew away the Hooks batters as well. He struck out a Missions' season-high 12 on the night, including five batters in a row at one point. Over one stretch between the second and fifth innings, he recorded 10 of 11 outs via the punch out.

But Latos ran into trouble in the fifth. After a leadoff double by Mark Ori, the Hooks first baserunner of the game, Jason Castro blooped a single to left scoring the game's first run. One out later, Felix Molina laid a bunt down on the third-base side in front of Latos. The lanky righty got to the ball with enough time to make a throw, but bounced it past first baseman Craig Cooper and into the bullpen, and Castro raced all the way around to score from first. Latos struck out the final two batters of the inning to end the threat.

Corpus Christi would tack on another run in the sixth to chase Latos, who finished his 5.1 innings with five hits, and three runs allowed (two earned) to go along with his career-high dozen strikeouts. The mark surpassed his previous career high, set August 29, 2007 at Everett while with the Eugene Emeralds.

The 19 total punch outs shattered the Missions previous season-high of 12, achieved twice, most recently June 3rd at Springfield. It matched the Texas League high in 2009, set by Springfield against Northwest Arkansas on May 8th.

Four Corpus Christi batters struck out at least three times. Drew Meyer, Collin DeLome and Mitch Einertson all whiffed three times, while Nick Moresi, playing in just his second game at the Double-A level, went home with the dreaded golden sombrero, fanning in all four of his at-bats.

Seth Johnston was the lone bright spot in the Missions offense, reaching base three times on a single and two walks. But San Antonio would not get a runner past second base after the second inning, as they suffered their fourth shutout loss of the season.

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Texas League Stories from June 16, 2009


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