CORPUS CHRISTI - Mired in a 10-game losing streak, offense had been lacking in recent days for the Hooks.
CORPUS CHRISTI - Mired in a 10-game losing streak, offense had been lacking in recent days for the Hooks.
Over the course of six-plus games and 60 innings during the current homestand, Corpus Christi hadn't mustered more than two runs in any burst.
That finally changed Saturday, when Jon Singleton's 429-foot grand slam over the right-field pool punctuated a six-score uprising in the Hooks 7-1 triumph over Midland before 5,155.
The sixth began in a way reminiscent of many recent sequences, with a lead-off Hook reaching base only to be erased by a double play. Jamie Ritchie and Trent Woodward were the victims on this occasion, but then the tide shifted. Ramón Laureano walked and pilfered second. He was soon homeward bound on Kristian Trompiz's single to left. Consecutive singles from Drew Ferguson and Bobby Boyd pushed the Hooks up, 2-1. Then J.D. Davis rapped an infield single, bringing Singleton to the plate. He took Cody Stull's 0-1, 75-mph curveball well out of the yard.
Singleton added an eighth-inning RBI double off Lou Trivino.
The Hooks (16-19) blustered in their initial offensive turn vs. Corey Walter, but came away empty. Ferguson extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a lead-off single, and Davis and Singleton singled and walked, respectively. Alejandro Garcia then bounced into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Midland (20-15) designated hitter Yairo Muñoz lined a one-out double to left-center in the second. Josh James walked Andy Paz, and after a double steal and another free pass to Richie Martin, Jordan Tarsovich launched a sacrifice fly to center.
James, paired with Rogelio Armenteros (2-1) in the Hooks' piggyback tandem starter system, worked five innings. Munoz's double was the only hit off James, who walked four and fanned four over 82 pitches (50 strikes).
Armenteros left the bases loaded in the seventh and two aboard in the eighth.
Walter was responsible for six hits and walked three over five innings, but managed to post blanks in each frame as Corpus Christi stranded eight men. With Walter gone, the Hooks broke out against Stull (2-2).
y Sneed (1-2) pitches for the Hooks Sunday at 2:05 vs. James Naile (1-0). Driscoll Health Plan presents Mother's Day flowers for all moms in attendance. It's also H-E-B Kids Day, so children run the bases postgame.
