Bukauskas Bullish in the Permian Basin

MIDLAND - J.B. Bukauskas twirled six innings of two-hit ball Friday night as the Hooks ran past the RockHounds, 5-2, before 5,121 fans at Security Bank Ballpark.
Corpus Christi, having won five of the last six against the first-place RockHounds, secured at least a split of the four-game series.

Bukauskas, making his first start since coming back from the Futures Game, did not yield a hit until one away in the sixth inning. Midland managed a run in the frame but the Corpus Christi right-hander was able to strand a pair to finish his night.
The Hooks turned a pair of RockHounds errors into three runs. Bryan De La Cruz was the first to benefit, reaching on a miscue by Nate Mondou to start the game. Lorenzo Quintana capitalized with a two-out RBI single into left field.
Corpus Christi doubled its advantage in the fourth on back-to-back extra-base hits by Ronnie Dawson and Chuckie Robinson.
The Hooks chased Brian Howard after four innings, his shortest outing of the year.
Seth Beer's two-out RBI single in the seventh was against lefty Zack Erwin. It scored Anibal Sierra, who doubled to begin the inning, making the score 3-1 Corpus Christi.
In the eighth, a wild throw by shortstop Kevin Merrell on a force play at second led to two more Hooks runs. Robinson notched his second RBI of the game via a sac fly to right field.
Tommy DeJuneas spun a scoreless seventh and Erasmo Pinales worked the final two innings, withstanding a Mondou solo home run.
The Hooks aim for a series win Saturday evening with Bryan Abreu on the hill. Midland counters with Grant Holmes. First pitch 7 p.m.