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TL1 Corpus Christi Hooks

Streak ends at five

June 14, 2005 - Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


(SAN ANTONIO, TX) – Three straight one-run victories on the road over winning teams, all with dramatic finishes, can sap any club of its energy. And while the Hooks may have suffered a letdown in Monday's 5-3 loss at San Antonio, that loss of energy only lasted a few innings. Corpus Christi got behind early, but rallied late, giving the Missions a good game in the end.

San Antonio, teetering on the brink of first-half elimination, chalked up a run in the first, two in the fourth and one in the sixth to build a 4-0 lead entering the seventh. The Hooks had accomplished nothing on offense through six innings against Missions' starter and eventual winner Thomas Oldham (4-5), who was working on a two-hit shutout. Then came the seventh and sudden change to the flow of the game.

Carlos Rodriguez opened the seventh with a single to center, just the third hit of the night off Oldham. Mark Saccomanno, who had whiffed in his first two tries against the San Antonio lefty, did not miss the 2-2 pitch offered up by Oldham in the seventh. Saccomanno pounded the ball over the wall in center, a little to the left of the batter's eye, to bring the Hooks to within two at 4-2. The blast was Saccomanno's fifth of the season and his fourth on the current road trip.

Saccomanno's poke also knocked Oldham out of the game in favor of right-handed reliever RD Speighs, who retired the next three batters to end the seventh. He would not be as fortunate in the eighth.

Josh Anderson singled with one out and stole second, then moved to third on a wild pitch. Eric Riggs walked, putting runners at the corners for Hector Gimenez. The switch-hitting catcher, batting lefty against Speighs, singled to left to chase Anderson home for a 4-3 score. Speighs was lifted at that point for Emiliano Fruto, who survived his toughest challenge on his second pitch to Rodriguez.

Corpus Christi's clean-up hitter slugged Fruto's 1-0 offering toward the corner in left, where Missions' left fielder Jaime Bubela made a running catch at the edge of the warning track to rob Rodriguez of extra bases. Fruto then fanned Saccomanno to end the inning.

The Missions would tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to cap the scoring at 5-3. First baseman Jesse Hoorelbeke walked on a 3-2 pitch by reliever Monte Mansfield with the bases loaded and two out to force across the game's final run.

Fruto remained in the game and finished up in the ninth to earn his second save of the year. Hooks' starter Tim McClaskey (3-5) suffered the loss, touched for three runs and seven hits over four innings. McClaskey struck out four.

Monday's result not only ended the string of three consecutive one-run victories for the Hooks, but it also snapped the club's season-high winning streak at five games. Corpus Christi is now 25-39 in the first half with six games remaining.

The Astros returned Hooks' third baseman Pat Peavey to Class-A Salem of the Carolina League on Monday. Tuesday, infielder Tommy Whiteman is expected to join the Hooks in San Antonio, coming down from Triple-A Round Rock.

The fourth game of the series with the Missions is slated for Tuesday night at 7:05. Corpus Christi will send RHP Fernando Nieve (4-3, 2.77) to the mound to face San Antonio southpaw Ryan Rowland-Smith (2-4, 4.73).

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