Evans Blast Downs Hooks

CORPUS CHRISTI - The Hooks struck early, but were unable to hold on as they fell to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 3-1, Thursday night before a crowd of 4,986 at Whataburger Field.

Fresh off pitching the first five innings of a combined no-hitter, Hooks starting pitcher Chris Devenski tossed another stellar five innings Thursday.

The Hooks (35-17) jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first. After a pitch hit him, untucking his jersey in the process, Teoscar Hernandez stole second and then took third on an errant throw from Naturals catcher Zane Evans. With one out, Andrew Aplin lifted a pitch to center field for a sacrifice fly.

Corpus Christi threatened again in the second with Colin Moran and Jio Mier reaching with singles, but they were not able to push a run across. That base knock extended Mier's hitting streak to 12 games, the best mark of any Hook this season.

After a leadoff walk, Tony Kemp barely beat the tag as he stole second. Naturals manager Vance Wilson charged out of the dugout to argue the call and was subsequently tossed by crew chief Ron Teague.  

The Naturals (32-19) knotted the score in the top of the fifth, breaking Devenski's streak of 15.1 innings without an earned run. An RBI double from Evans tied the score at one, but the Hooks escaped further damage when Conrad Gregor snared a screaming ground ball over his head and tossed the ball to Devenski covering at first to record the final out of the frame.

Devenski continued his hot start to the season, going five innings and striking out seven while allowing just one run on four hits and one walk.

Michael Feliz, who tossed one scoreless inning in his major league debut Sunday with Houston, came on in the top of the sixth as the second half of the tandem starters for the Hooks.

Naturals reliever Ali Williams manufactured some excitement in the bottom of the sixth, walking three straight Hooks to load the bases, but Daniel Stumpf (3-1) struck out fellow lefty Tony Kemp to keep the score 1-1.

The Hooks luck finally ran out in the top of the ninth. A leadoff double by designated hitter Jorge Bonifacio set the table for Evans. Feliz (0-1) could not finish off Evans, who was down 0-2 in the count and had fouled off three straight pitches when he launched a pitch over the left field berm to put the Naturals up 3-1.

The first-place Hooks did not go down quietly, with Chan-Jong Moon knocking a leadoff pinch-hit single in the bottom of the frame. After a Kemp walk, both he and Moon advanced on a wild pitch, putting the tying run in scoring position with no outs. Naturals closer Malcom Culver had other plans, however, inducing a lineout and then catching Moon in a rundown between third and home on a comebacker to the mound. Representing the winning run, Brandon Meredith struck out to end the game.

The loss ends the Hooks three game win streak, but Corpus Christi still took two-of-three from the Naturals in this series.

Before the game, the Hooks honored members of the 1965 Solomon Coles high school baseball team, who won Corpus Christi's first state championship 50 years ago.

The Hooks return to action Friday night when they begin a three-game series with the Arkansas Travelers on Comic-Christi Night, presented by Radiology Associates, as well as Bud Light Friday Fireworks at Whataburger Field. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05.