Meredith Saves the Day

SPRINGDALE, AR - Brandon Meredith belted a two-run home run in the ninth inning Tuesday night as Corpus Christi roared past Northwest Arkansas 5-4 at Arvest Ballpark.

Trailing 4-2, Leo Heras opened the ninth with a double off Naturals closer Andrew Triggs. One out later, Conrad Gregor punched a single into center field, scoring Heras from second base. Meredith was next and smashed a 3-1 pitch over the fence in left-center. The blast marked Meredith's second at Double-A and the first for the Hooks in the last six games.

Mitchell Lambson (2-0), who tossed three scoreless innings, dispatched Northwest Arkansas in the ninth to secure the victory.

Corpus Christi (20-25, 54-61) scratched out a run in the first against Matt Murray. Delino DeShields, Jr., coaxed a lead-off walk. DeShields moved to second on a passed ball and raced home on Colin Moran's two-out single to left.

The Naturals (21-23, 46-68) took the lead in the second with the first two batters reaching against Mark Appel. Justin Trapp leveled the score with a sac fly. Ethan Chapman plated the second run by sending a single thru the right side past a drawn-in Tony Kemp. Appel escaped the inning with the bases loaded. He faced eight men and made 36 pitches.

With one away in the fourth, Heras and Rene Garcia executed a hit and run. Garcia's base hit to right enabled Heras to drop anchor at third base. Gregor was next and lifted a sac fly to left field, squaring the score at 2.

Appel kept Northwest Arkansas off the board during the next two frames before running into trouble in the fifth. Cheslor Cuthbert reached via an infield single and scored when Orlando Calixte ripped a double to the gap in left. David Rollins entered for Appel and issued a walk to Hunter Dozier. Mitch Maier then stroked a line drive into left for an RBI single and a 4-2 Northwest Arkansas lead.

Rollins stranded two in the fifth and pitched a scoreless sixth.

The tandem of Jordan Jankowski (3-5, 4.18) and Mike Hauschild (2-7, 4.26) pitches for the Hooks Thursday night. J.C. Sulbaran (7-8, 3.13) is slated to start for the Naturals. First pitch is 7:05.