Rua Slams CC

FRISCO, TX - Ryan Rua belted a grand slam off Matt Heidenreich in the ninth inning Wednesday night, propelling the RoughRiders to a 10-6 victory over Corpus Christi at Dr Pepper Ballpark.

With the game tied at six, Kalian Sams opened the ninth with a single and stole second, promoting the Hooks to intentionally walk Brett Nicholas. Heidenreich (4-5) then plunked Joe Benson to load the bases for Rua who sent the first pitch over the covered patio party area in left.

The Hooks jumped Jerad Eickhoff for a 3-0 lead in the first on back-to-back home runs by Enrique Hernandez and Erik Castro.

Frisco (28-37, 67-68) answered in the home half via a two-run blast by Sams.

Corpus Christi (38-27, 80-55) pushed its fourth run across in the second. Drew Muren led off with a hustling double to right field. Following a sac bunt from Ryan McCurdy, Ronny Torreyes lined an RBI single into centerfield.

Kyle Hallock, making a spot start for Mike Foltynewicz, could not capitalize on the lead. He hit Ryan Strausborger and walked Guilder Rodriguez to begin the second. Luis Sardinas then belted his first Double-A home run, a three-run shot to left-center.

Carlos Quevedo entered for Hallock but had trouble with command, issuing three walks to load the bases. With one away, Rua hit a fly ball to shallow center field. The shortstop Torreyes made a running catch and, from his back foot, fired home. McCurdy applied the tag and absorbed the blow from Rougned Odor for a double play to end the inning.

McCurdy would not return.

Trailing 5-4, Domingo Santana put the Hooks back in front with a two-run laser over the fence in right-center. Santana, activated from the disabled list prior to the game, now features 23 home runs and 60 RBIs.

Quevedo worked five hitless frames and retired the final 10 men he faced in order.

Heidenreich, making his first appearance since returning from extended spring training, yielded a one-out single to Sams in the seventh but fanned the next two batters to escape unscathed.  

Rua led off the eighth and placed an infield single deep in the hole at short. Heidenreich struck Teodoro Martinez with a fastball and then walked Strausborger on four pitches. Rodriguez was next and hit a fly ball to shallow left for the first out. Sardinas then rolled a grounder to second. Hernandez moved far to his right to make the play and threw to second base. Torreyes dropped the ball, allowing each runner to advance, tying the game at six. Odor promptly hit a sharp chopper to second and Hernandez turned it into a 4-2-3 double play to end the inning.

Hooks right-hander Ruben Alaniz (7-9, 4.76) meets Arlett Mavare (3-3, 5.34) Thursday night. First pitch is 7:05.