Frisco Earns Series Split

CORPUS CHRISTI - Brett Nicholas drove in four runs and Carlos Pimentel struck out nine over five innings as Frisco beat Corpus Christi 5-2 Sunday afternoon at Whataburger Field before 5,629.

Pimentel (4-1), who issued two walks, threw 88 pitches - 54 for strikes. Wilmer Font notched his sixth save in six opportunities. He yielded Jiovanni Mier's two-out liner to left-center but wrapped the contest by securing a loud out to the warning track off the bat of Enrique Hernandez.

Pimentel didn't allow a hit until Corpus Christi's two-run fifth. After successfully pitching around consecutive one-out walks during the fourth, Pimentel coughed up a one-out single to Zach Johnson before Mier's fourth homer of the year pulled the Hooks to within two.

Pimentel's replacement, Phil Klein, walked two of his own to load the bases with two gone in the sixth, but center fielder Ryan Strausborger tracked down Johnson's drive to the right-center field gap.

Frisco (19-17) drew first blood by posting a three-run third, Nicholas' eighth home run accounting for the scoring. Guilder Rodriguez and Odubel Herrera set the table with a two-out walk and single, respectively.

The RoughRiders added on two innings later, Strausborger's fourth home run a lead-off shot onto the left-field berm. Nicholas produced an RBI single off Kenny Long in the eighth.

Ruben Alaniz, who toiled the first five innings for Corpus Christi (21-15), was tagged for six hits and walked and struck out one. Alaniz is winless in four decisions.

The Hooks send Carlos Quevedo (1-3) to the mound Monday at 7:05 as San Antonio comes calling for the first of four. The Missions counter with Donn Roach (2-3). All fans enjoy Dollar Hot Dogs & Soda from Mrs Baird's.