Hooks Force Decisive First Half Showdown

SAN ANTONIO - The Hooks edged past the San Antonio Missions in a back-and-forth battle on Sunday afternoon at Wolff Stadium, 8-6, as Corpus Christi stayed alive in the Texas League South Division's first half race. The winner of Monday night's game between the two clubs will become the division's first half champion.

Left-hander Cionel Pérez made the start for Corpus Christi and allowed two earned runs over four innings. Kit Scheetz replaced Perez in the fifth and tossed a scoreless frame.
The Hooks trailed 2-0 as the ballgame entered the sixth inning, with San Antonio starter Jerry Keel holding the Hooks scoreless through five innings. Keel allowed a two-out single to Taylor Jones in the sixth, which was followed by a towering two-run homer from Yordan Alvarez to right field.
The game-tying blast was Alvarez's first "official" home run since returning from the disabled list. Alvarez belted a pair of homers in Saturday's game at Midland before the contest was cancelled due to inclement weather.
With the game tied, Webster Rivas clubbed a solo homer off Framber Valdez to give the Missions a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the sixth.
Corpus Christi answered in the seventh as they plated four runs. After allowing a couple of baserunners, Keel was replaced by righty Eric Yardley. Anibal Sierra greeted Yardley with an RBI single to tie the contest at 3-3.
Stephen Wrenn, Josh Rojas, and Alvarez followed with a parade of run-scoring singles to give the Hooks a 6-3 lead in the seventh.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Valdez ran into immediate trouble when he walked Michael Batten and allowed a base hit to Rod Boykin. Josh Naylor collected an RBI single to make it 6-4 while Ty France tied the game with a two-run single moments later.
Riley Ferrell replaced Valdez and escaped further damage in the inning by striking out Rivas to leave a pair of runners on-base. The game was tied at 6-6 after seven innings.
The Hooks once again rallied in the eighth against right-hander Rowan Wick. With two outs and the bases empty, Chas McCormick worked a walk and Sierra followed with a single. Wrenn then dribbled a grounder to France, which the third baseman bobbled for an error as McCormick raced home with the go-ahead run. Josh Rojas then scorched a liner off the glove of Batten at second base to bring Sierra home, as the Hooks took an 8-6 advantage.
Ferrell, who grew up in College Station, TX, shut the door by retiring the side in the eighth and ninth innings. Ferrell has not allowed an earned run in his last ten games, striking out 18 against just two walks in 13 innings.
The Hooks and Missions conclude the season's first half on Monday evening at Wolff Stadium. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. Corpus Christi sends right-hander Forrest Whitley to the mound while the Missions counter with righty Colin Rea.
SAN ANTONIO - The Hooks edged past the San Antonio Missions in a back-and-forth battle on Sunday afternoon at Wolff Stadium, 8-6, as Corpus Christi stayed alive in the Texas League South Division's first half race. The winner of Monday night's game between the two clubs will become the division's first half champion.
Left-hander Cionel Perez made the start for Corpus Christi and allowed two earned runs over four innings. Kit Scheetz replaced Perez in the fifth and tossed a scoreless frame.
The Hooks trailed 2-0 as the ballgame entered the sixth inning, with San Antonio starter Jerry Keel holding the Hooks scoreless through five innings. Keel allowed a two-out single to Taylor Jones in the sixth, which was followed by a towering two-run homer from Yordan Alvarez to right field.
The game-tying blast was Alvarez's first "official" home run since returning from the disabled list. Alvarez belted a pair of homers in Saturday's game at Midland before the contest was cancelled due to inclement weather.
With the game tied, Webster Rivas clubbed a solo homer off Framber Valdez to give the Missions a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the sixth.
Corpus Christi answered in the seventh as they plated four runs. After allowing a couple of baserunners, Keel was replaced by righty Eric Yardley. Anibal Sierra greeted Yardley with an RBI single to tie the contest at 3-3.
Stephen Wrenn, Josh Rojas, and Alvarez followed with a parade of run-scoring singles to give the Hooks a 6-3 lead in the seventh.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Valdez ran into immediate trouble when he walked Michael Batten and allowed a base hit to Rod Boykin. Josh Naylor collected an RBI single to make it 6-4 while Ty France tied the game with a two-run single moments later.
Riley Ferrell replaced Valdez and escaped further damage in the inning by striking out Rivas to leave a pair of runners on-base. The game was tied at 6-6 after seven innings.
The Hooks once again rallied in the eighth against right-hander Rowan Wick. With two outs and the bases empty, Chas McCormick worked a walk and Sierra followed with a single. Wrenn then dribbled a grounder to France, which the third baseman bobbled for an error as McCormick raced home with the go-ahead run. Josh Rojas then scorched a liner off the glove of Batten at second base to bring Sierra home, as the Hooks took an 8-6 advantage.
Ferrell, who grew up in College Station, TX, shut the door by retiring the side in the eighth and ninth innings. Ferrell has not allowed an earned run in his last ten games, striking out 18 against just two walks in 13 innings.
The Hooks and Missions conclude the season's first half on Monday evening at Wolff Stadium. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. Corpus Christi sends right-hander Forrest Whitley to the mound while the Missions counter with righty Colin Rea.