Heras, Sclafani, Tucker Hooks Heroes

CORPUS CHRISTI - Corpus Christi and Midland combined for seven runs during the first third of Saturday's game at Whataburger Field.

Then they posted 11 straight bagels before the Hooks walked off with a 5-4 victory before 7,530.

Left fielder Leo Heras, who led all players with four hits, stroked his fourth single of the night into right field on a full-count offering from Ryan Dull (3-2) to plate Andrew Aplin with the game-winner. The Hooks' previous batter, Joe Sclafani, tied the contest with a bases-loaded single to left field.

Nolan Fontana (single) and Aplin (walk) reached to open the ninth and moved up 90 feet as the result of Matt Duffy's sacrifice bunt. Dull walked Preston Tucker intentionally to get to Sclafani.

Heras' feat put Andrew Robinson (4-0) in the win column. Robinson allowed two hits and struck out three in a two-inning stint.

Corpus Christi entered the ninth 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The Hooks left 13, Midland 10.

Midland had early traffic on the bases against Matt Heidenreich but failed to cash in. Billy Burns drew a lead-off walk and advanced into scoring position when Anthony Aliotti dumped a one-out single inside the left-field line. Josh Whitaker produced a fielder's choice out and was caught stealing by Tyler Heineman. 

Shawn Haviland walked the bases loaded during a 26-pitch home first, but slipped out of trouble with Sclafani's deep drive to center.

Heidenreich wasn't as fortunate in the second, Kent Matthes' opening double to left becoming a 1-0 RockHounds advantage. Matthes reached third via Jefry Marte's single and home on a Miles Head line out to right.

Matthes also powered the Midland third, cranking a three-run blast to left off Heidenreich following consecutive singles by Aliotti and Whitaker. It was the Alabama product's second round-tripper in as many nights.

Tucker's eighth home run - a two-run shot onto the right-field berm - cut the Midland advantage to 4-3 through three. Aplin's two-out single and a Duffy base-on-balls were table setters for the former Florida Gator.

Heidenreich, lifted after issuing a lead-off walk to Whitaker in the fifth, permitted six hits, walked four and struck out three. He threw 84 pitches (44 strikes).

Haviland lasted 5 2/3 innings, logging six hits, four runs and three strikeouts. Fifty-six of his 92 pitches were strikes. Corpus Christi stranded runners at third in the fourth and fifth; reliever Blake Hassebrock cleaned up two in the sixth by getting Delino DeShields, Jr., on a soft liner to second.

Two frames later, Dull bailed Hassebrock out of peril, retiring DeShields on a fly foul to catcher Beau Taylor with two aboard.

Michael Hauschild (0-0) starts for Corpus Christi Sunday at 1:10 against Nate Long (3-1). Fans can register for the Hooks Great TV Giveaway, presented by First Community Bank. It's also H-E-B Kids Day, so children run the bases postgame.