This Little Piggy Went All Nine Innings
July 20, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Chad Pinder of the Midland RockHounds
(Midland RockHounds, Credit: Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds)
The Houston Astros, parent club of the Corpus Christi Hooks, utilize what is known as a "piggy-back" system with their starting pitchers (two pitchers are designated, in advance, to pitch in selected games). The Hooks needed no such thing Sunday, as Kyle Westwood recorded a complete game victory over the RockHounds, allowing seven hits (five in succession in the sixth inning), walking two and striking out six.
The Hooks gave Westwood a big cushion early, scoring five times in the first inning (see "Stat of the Day," below), the last three coming on Conrad Gregor's three-run home run to right field. The clubs exchanged single runs in the second and the Hooks scored three more in the third, with Colin Moran driving in three of Corpus Christi's last four tallies. The Hooks led, 9-1, at the end of three.
Westwood's only "speed bump" was the sixth, when the RockHounds collected five of their seven hits, all five in succession. Colin Walsh, Rangel Ravelo and Renato Nuñez each singled to load the bases and Chad Pinder drove in a pair of runs with a single to base of the left field wall (Nuñez held at second). Matt Olson followed with a ground rule double, a shot of more than 400 feet that bounced over the wall just to the left of the batter's eye, cutting the lead to 9-4. Ryon Healy then hit a flair to center fielder Brett Phillips, who made the catch in shallow center and continued on to second, catching Olson off the bag for the somewhat rare outfielder's unassisted double play.
The RockHounds
... are 14-9 in the second half and 49-44 overall (after reaching a season high seven games over .500 at 49-42) ... have dropped two straight ... won 5-of-their-last-8 ... are 5-12 in the season series with the Hooks (2-7 at Whataburger Field and 3-5 at home) ... are 29-17 at Security Bank Ballpark and 20-27 on the road ... are 30-27 vs. the South Division and 19-17 vs. the North.
- Texas League South: San Antonio and Corpus Christi again tightened the South Division race with wins over Frisco and the RockHounds, respectively. While the Missions broke open a close game late to defeat the RoughRiders, 9-1, at San Antonio. The RockHounds hold their half-game lead over Frisco (13-9) with first half champ Corpus Christi (12-11) now just two games out and San Antonio (10-13) four back.
Kibbles & Bits
STAT OF THE DAY: What a difference one pitch can make (this is an observation, not a complaint). In the first inning, with one on and one out, Jake Sanchez narrowly missed with a 2-2 pitch to Colin Moran. On the ensuing (3-2) pitch, Moran singled to right and the Hooks went on score five (and Jake would throw 42 pitches) in the first. Had the borderline pitch to Moran been called a strike, the inning would have ended 0-0. A strikeout would have been out number two and was followed by a double (runners at second and third) and a fly ball out. Instead the Hooks scored five, the final margin of victory in the game.
- Chad Pinder extended his hit streak to 13 games, going 2-for-4 with an infield single and a two-run single off the base of the wall in left field in the three-run sixth. Chad is hitting .364 (20-for-55) in the 13-gamer and is now fourth in the Texas League with a .306 season average. With two more runs driven in Sunday, he is now alone in second place in the league with 53 RBI (Arkansas' Brian Hernandez leads the TL with 57).
- Colin Walsh (1-for-3, run, walk) has hit in eight straight games (13-for-31, .419) and ranks among the league leaders in 10 offensive categories.
- Corpus Christi scored nine runs on 11 hits, all of that against starter Jake Sanchez, who threw 95 pitches in three innings of work. Relievers Kris Hall and Tucker Healy then pitched a combined five innings, allowing no runs or hits, walking two and striking out seven. Six of the whiffs came from Hall, who set personal season highs for innings pitched (four) and strikeouts.
Images from this story
 Chad Pinder of the Midland RockHounds (Frank Longobardo / Midland RockHounds) |
Texas League Stories from July 20, 2015
- Late Homers Rally 'Riders Past Missions - San Antonio Missions
- RockHounds Rumble Past Hooks - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Reyes and Cardinals Topple Travs with 8-2 Win - Springfield Cardinals
- Cotton Impressive in 6-0 Win over Naturals - Tulsa Drillers
- Reyes Dominant in Cardinals 8-2 Victory - Arkansas Travelers
- Williams' Ninth Inning Blast Finishes Missions - Frisco RoughRiders
- 'Riders Even Series Behind Late Homers - San Antonio Missions
- Yeison Asencio Named TL Player of the Week - San Antonio Missions
- McGowin Whiffs Nine Again in Travs 3-2 Win - Arkansas Travelers
- This Little Piggy Went All Nine Innings - Midland RockHounds
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