Hooks Author Another Shutout, Win Fifth Straight

SPRINGFIELD, Missouri - Austin Wates fell a double shy of the cycle and the 6-1 Hooks engineered their second consecutive shutout as Corpus Christi dispatched Springfield 5-0 on a frigid Thursday night at Hammons Field. 

Right-handers David Martinez and Asher Wojciechowski continued the club's dominant mound work.  Martinez (1-0) yielded just two hits, two walks and one hit batsman over five innings.  He struck out three and, at one point, retired nine in a row.  Wojciechowski worked around three walks and one hit to pick up the four-inning save.  

The Hooks' team ERA now stands at 1.57.

Wates opened the ballgame with a blast, an opposite-field shot to right off Cardinals (2-5) right-hander Scott McGregor.  After sailing thru the next three frames, McGregor (1-1) yielded a pair of runs in the fifth on a Wates triple to right-center and a two-bagger off the bat of Jiovanni Mier.

Domingo Santana led off the sixth with his second home run of the season.  Lefty Justin Wright then entered the game and loaded the bases by sandwiching a couple walks between Rene Garcia's single to center field.  With two away, Mier coaxed a free pass to score Corpus Christi's fifth run of the night.

Michael Burgess also tossed in a couple doubles, extending his hit streak to five. 

The series continues Friday night when Matt Heidenreich and Ruben Alaniz take on Springfield lefty Anthony Ferrara.  First pitch is 7:09.