Valdez’s Ninth-Inning Dinger Dashes Drillers

TULSA – A two-out, three-run blast by Enmanuel Valdez in the ninth inning Saturday night sent the Hooks to a 7-5 come-from-behind win over the Drillers in front of 8,102 fans at ONEOK Field.

Corpus Christi has won five of its last seven and can claim a series victory Sunday afternoon.

Tulsa mustered four runs in the eighth against Misael Tamarez and Joe Record, washing away a 4-1 Hooks advantage.

With the home club up 5-4, Ross Adolph and Jose Alvarez reached base via walks to start the ninth. Jordan Leasure countered by striking out the next two hitters, bringing Valdez to the plate. The 23-year-old lefty slugger drove the first pitch the other way and into the first row of the terrace inside the left-field corner for his fourth home run of the year.

HOOKS WIN!!!!!

Down to their final out, Enmanuel Valdez turns in the swing of the year.

Devin Conn slams the door in the 9th for his first save. pic.twitter.com/4dOIdhvQr5

— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) May 1, 2022

Valdez accounted for the first Hooks knock, an RBI single off Bobby Miller in the fourth. Miller, the Dodgers top pitching prospect by MLB.com, struck out seven over four one-hit frames while firing triple-digit fastballs.

Jaime Melendez made the start for the Hooks, limiting Tulsa to a James Outman solo home run in 3 2/3 innings.

Yainer Diaz gave Corpus Christi its first lead of the day with an RBI double to right field in the sixth. Diaz also doubled in the ninth.

The Hooks capitalized on two hit batsmen to start the seventh, sending seven men to the plate in a two-run frame. Alvarez and Luis Guerrero contributed with their first Double-A RBIs on a single and sac fly, respectively.

Corpus Christi and Tulsa meet Sunday afternoon to wrap up the series. First pitch 1:05.