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(Houston Astro Geoff Blum was in Corpus Christi, playing for the Hooks, on a 3-day rehab assignment. Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)
By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2010 TexSport Publications
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (July 31, 2010) The game came down to the bottom of the 11th inning, and Hooks right fielder Freddy Parejo decided it was time to go home, or rather send two runners home, as Corpus Christi downed the Midland Rockhounds 3-2 on Saturday evening at Whataburger Field.
Swinging on the first pitch from Midland relief pitcher Neil Wagner, Parejo tagged a grounder down the right side of the 1st base line to score Jimmy VanOstrand and David Cook from second and third, respectively.
The win takes Corpus Christi to 2-0 in the series, with their third game slated for a 6:05pm start Sunday.
The Rockhounds drew first blood on a 2nd inning on a home run by right fielder Val Majewski.
On a 1-2 count, Majewski’s hit cleared the right field fence, landing in the swimming pool for the round tripper.
Geoff Blum, on a 3-day rehab assignment from the Houston Astros, started at shortstop for the Hooks.
He is the first position player and third player overall to rehab with the Hooks this season. Pitchers Chris Sampson and Felipe Paulino each made one rehab start for the Hooks.
Blum played five innings and looked strong in the field, going 0-1 at the plate with a walk and popping out.
Jordan Lyles also looked strong on the mound for the Hooks, pitching 5.2 innings, striking out 8 and giving up one run on six hits.
In ran into trouble in the 6th inning and was replaced by right hander Erick Abreu. Abreu finished out the 6th inning by striking out Alex Valdez with the bases loaded.
Lyles has had problems against Midland this season, going 0-3 in five starts with a 4.97 ERA prior to tonight’s game.
The Hooks finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 8th inning. Second baseman Albert Cartwright hit a double off the wall to deep right-center field. Right fielder Freddy Parejo scored from first to even the score.
The Rockhounds came back in the 11th on an unearned run by DH Matt Sulentic to give Midland the lead.
Then Parejo came to the plate and claimed the 2 RBI that won the game. That raises his RBI total to nine for the season.
Left handed pitcher Edwin Walker got the win, raising him to 3-1 for the season.
Right hander Neil Wagner was credited with the loss, dropping him to 4-2.
Game time was 3 hours 35 minutes with 6,701 fans in attendance.
(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)
By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2010 TexSport Publications
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (July 30, 2010) After a 9th inning surge by the Midland Rockhounds that saw the bases loaded with one out, the Corpus Christi Hooks hung on to defeat the Midland 4-3 before 7,638 fans at Whataburger Field.
Corpus Christi is now 47-57 on the season while Midland posts a 55-49 record.
The Hooks jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning on a David Cook sacrifice fly to score Michael Affronti from third. Affronti hit a triple off Rockhound pitcher Anthony Capra to get the first hit of the game.
Catcher Jonathon Fixler put the Hooks up 2-0 on a homerun on a 3-2 count in the bottom of the third. It was his 5th round tripper of the season.
In the top of the 5th, a line drive by Midland catcher Gabriel Ortiz hit Hooks pitcher Jeremy Johnson in the right thigh, bring the fans at Whataburger field to their feet. He quickly recovered; headed to first to get the out on a throw by first baseman Jimmy VanOstrand.
Fixler contributed to contribute on a 5th inning RBI, which scored third baseman Jhon Florentino from 2nd base. Filxer picked up the RBI on the single; advance to second on the throw by Rockhounds left fielder Val Majewski.
Midland finally got a hit in the top of the 6th on a single by shortstop Josh Horton. They picked up their second hit of the game on the very next batter, when 3rd baseman Adrian Cardenas got a single, advancing Horton to second.
Alex Valdez then hit a drive the right field, getting on base and sending Horton home for Midland’s first run of the night.
Midland gained its second run of the evening when Gabriel Ortiz advanced to first on an error by Florentino; scoring right fielder Matt Sulentic
Right fielder Jon Gaston was charged with a throwing error, allowing Valdez and Cardenas to advance to second and third, respectively. The error was Gaston’s first of the season.
Pitcher Jeremy Johnson finally got out of the inning, fanning 1st baseman Shane Peterson and center fielder Archie Gilbert to close out the 6th.
Things fell apart in the top of the 9th went relief pitcher Evan Englebrook gave up singles to Gilbert and Matt Sulentic, a walk to Ortiz and an RBI single to Weeks to load the bases and score Gilbert from third.
Corpus Christi got the second out of the inning on a fielder’s choice single, with a throw to home by Van Ostrand. They closed out the inning and the game on a fly to Martinez in left field.
Starter Jeremy Johnson was given the win, while Englebrook was credited with the save. The Rockhounds Anthony Capra earned the loss.
With the trade of Roy Oswalt to the Philadelphia Phillies a done deal and of Lance Berkman obviously headed to the New York Yankees; it is clear that the Houston Astros are attempting, and I do mean attempting, to build for the future.
With the minor league season having a scant 38 days remaining, there is a possibility that some of these Corpus Christi Hooks may be brought up to fill out the Astros 40-man roster as their season winds down.
Gaston, along with pitchers Jordan Lyles and Chia-Jen Lo, all who play for the Hooks were three of my pre-season prospects as future stars for the Astros.
Tonight, Gaston went 0-4 with two strikeouts while Lo and Lyles did not see action.
The Hooks will face off again against Midland tomorrow with a 7:05pm start.
Texas A&M-Kingsville quarterback Daniel Ramirez was in the stands to support the Hooks on Friday evening. (Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)
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