Hooks Strike Late

MIDLAND, TX - Corpus Christi scored four times in the seventh and Carlos Perez belted a two-run home run in the eighth as the Hooks cruised to a 6-3 victory over the RockHounds at Citibank Ballpark. 

Midland (11-8) waltzed thru the first six frames as lefty Carlos Hernandez worked on a two-hit shutout. George Springer got it started in the seventh with a one-out hustling double to center. Perez walked and Jonathan Meyer shot an RBI single up the middle, drawing Corpus Christi within a run at 2-1. 

Rene Garcia, who went 2-for-3 with a double, singled to load the bases. Jio Mier was next and drilled a line drive off the glove of Hernandez. The ball ricocheted into shallow right field, allowing two runs to score. Hernandez (1-3) left the game in favor of fellow southpaw Jeff Urlaub. Burgess was next and bounced a grounder to first. Anthony Aliotti threw home but Garcia slid around the tag of Beau Taylor to score the fourth run of the frame, giving the Hooks (11-8) a 4-2 lead. 

In the eighth, Urlaub yielded a one-out single to Enrique Hernandez and induced a softly-hit grounder back to the mound from Springer. The RockHound lefty got ahead of Perez but Corpus Christi's catcher deposited a 1-2 pitch over the fence in left field for his first home run of the season.

David Martinez, fresh from his perfect five-inning outing Saturday night, earned the victory. Martinez (2-0) allowed one unearned run on three hits over 3.1 innings of relief. He walked two and struck out two. 

Asher Wojciechowski pitched well out of the starting role. The reigning Texas League Pitcher of the Week was touched for two runs on five hits in five innings. He fanned six and walked two, throwing 47 of 80 pitches for strikes. Wojciechowski's franchise record scoreless streak, which dated back to last season, ended at 33 innings when Aliotti hit a sac fly to left in the third. Wojo's ERA is now 0.78. 

Jason Stoffel notched his fourth save of the season, recording the final two outs with the tying run at the plate.    

The Hooks seek the series victory Thursday night. Ruben Alaniz (0-1, 5.40) and Matt Heidenreich (1-1, 12.79) take on Midland right-hander Murphy Smith (2-2, 2.78). First pitch is set for 7:00.