Hooks Hold to Level Series

AMARILLO -Abraham Toro accounted for the decisive swing Friday night, a two-run double in the ninth inning, as the Hooks edged the Sod Poodles, 8-7, before a sellout crowd of 7,151 fans at Hodgetown.
Corpus Christi (8-8) has won five of the last six games.

The Hooks carried an 8-4 into the home ninth with Amarillo (6-10) sending the bottom third of its lineup to bat. Kit Scheetz had retired seven in a row before issuing a walk to Chris Baker. Nate Easley dumped a soft-liner into center field, putting two on with one out. Rodrigo Orozco and Edward Olivares then doubled, making it a one-run affair.
Brendan Feldmann, who struck out two in a perfect eighth in the series opener, stranded the tying run at third base after recording the final two outs. Toro, Corpus Christi's third baseman, ended the ballgame by tracking down a Brad Zunica popup near the retaining wall down the left-field line.
Feldmann picked up his second career Double-A save.
Amarillo jumped out to a two-run lead on a first-inning home run by Olivares.
Corpus Christi countered in the second on clouts to left field from Granden Goetzman and Anibal Sierra. The two-run shot by Sierra, his first homer of the year, struck the scoreboard.
The Sod Poodles pushed ahead, 4-3, in the third by sending nine men to bat, knocking Brandon Bielak out of the game. Ronel Blanco was summoned from the pen to get the last two outs, leaving the bases loaded.
Blanco (2-0) would go on to strikeout out six over 3 2/3 shutout frames. He picked off one of the two baserunners permitted.
J.J. Matijevic leveled the score at 4 in the fourth. Matijevic singled and advanced to second on a two-out knock by Carmen Benedetti. He scampered home thanks to a balk and a wild pitch from Pedro Avila (0-1).
Chas McCormick, celebrating his 24th birthday, handed the Hooks a 6-4 lead with an opposite field home run down the right-field line.
McCormick walked twice and recorded a key single in the ninth to go along with his first dinger of the year.
The Hooks aim for a series win Saturday night with Gabriel Valdez on the hill. Reggie Lawson is slated to take the ball for Amarillo. First pitch 7:05.