Hooks score nine in fourth, Riders fall on Friday
FRISCO, Texas (May 20, 2022) – Despite scoring seven unanswered runs, the Frisco RoughRiders couldn’t overcome a nine-run deficit Friday night at Riders Field and fell to the Corpus Christi Hooks, 11-9. Jonathan Ornelas and J.P. Martinez combined for six hits at the top of the lineup in the Friday
FRISCO, Texas (May 20, 2022) – Despite scoring seven unanswered runs, the Frisco RoughRiders couldn’t overcome a nine-run deficit Friday night at Riders Field and fell to the Corpus Christi Hooks, 11-9. Jonathan Ornelas and J.P. Martinez combined for six hits at the top of the lineup in the Friday loss for Frisco, who have dropped their last three.
Frisco (20-17) knocked nine of their 12 hits in the final four innings, launching a barrage of seven runs in that span. A nine-run fourth and two more runs in the sixth for Corpus Christi (15-22) were enough to absorb the Riders run down the stretch.
RoughRiders starter Jack Leiter (1-4) struck out six batters in 3.2 innings Friday night and exited before the end of a fourth inning that included a grand slam and nine total runs on eight hits offensively for Corpus Christi.
Frisco scored first in the bottom of the first inning when Ornelas came all the way around on a “little-league home run”; He singled to right field before two throwing errors from the Hooks defense allowed him to score. Martinez homered in the following at-bat off Hooks starter Jimmy Endersby (1-1), giving the Riders a quick 2-0 lead.
Leiter’s first three innings included no runs on one hit and five strikeouts before the nine-run fourth, with seven falling on his line. Frisco reliever Tyler Thomas entered for the final out of the fourth but gave up a grand slam to Luke Berryhill before ending the inning with a 9-2 Hooks advantage.
The largest lead of the night for Corpus Christi came after two runs in the sixth, facing Frisco with an 11-2 deficit on Friday. With two scoring in the sixth, Blaine Crim poked two in on a double in the seventh and Justin Foscue scored two on a single in the eighth to dwindle the Hooks’ lead to 11-8. After putting Dustin Harris and Trey Hair aboard to begin the ninth, the Riders brought the winning run to the plate but only scored one to finalize Friday’s score, 11-9.
Frisco reliever Chase Lee helped hold the Hooks scoreless in their final three innings with two strikeouts in an inning. Lee’s scoreless streak continued Friday night, and still hasn’t allowed an earned run in his 16 innings of work behind 21 strikeouts.
Lucas Jacobsen held the Hooks without action in the ninth inning behind two strikeouts. Jacobsen has only allowed three runs in his 12 games this season, featuring an 0.79 WHIP against opponents in 12.2 innings.
Game five of the six-game series is scheduled for Saturday night at Riders Field with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. Frisco LHP Cole Ragans (3-1, 2.79 ERA) makes his seventh start of the season for the Riders and his first on Saturday night. Corpus Christi sends former Astros’ third-round 2020 pick Tyler Brown (0-5, 10.14) to the mound on Saturday.
The RoughRiders continue Hometown Heroes Weekend on Saturday with Armed Forces Night and will take the field in commemorative jerseys. Following tomorrow’s game, the RoughRiders feature another Sky-Lit Saturday with postgame fireworks. For tickets and more information about the Frisco RoughRiders, visit RidersBaseball.com or call 972.731.9200.
About the RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. The team was founded in 2003 and has finished first among all Double-A franchises in attendance for 15 consecutive seasons (2005-2019). In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. Since then, the new ownership group, together with the City of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise enhancements, investing over $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, InTouch Grille, Riders Outpost Team Store and the world's largest water feature in a sports facility, the massive Lazy River. These enhancements earned the Riders and the City of Frisco Ballpark Digest's prestigious "Best Ballpark Renovation" award for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). More than 170 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact [email protected].