Errors Cost Hounds in Loss to Hooks

Corpus Christi Hooks 5, RockHounds 2
Friday, July 12, 2019
Security Bank Ballpark
Virtually all season, the RockHounds have been one of the Texas League's top two defensive clubs. Friday night, the "D was the difference" ... but in the wrong direction ... as the Corpus Christi Hooks defeated the 'Hounds, 5-2, at Security Bank Ballpark.
The 'Hounds committed a pair of errors and the two miscues led to three unearned runs in the three-run defeat.
Bryan De La Cruz led the game off reaching on a fielding error by second baseman Nate Mondou and scored the game's first run on a two-out single from Lorenzo Quintana (see below).
Back-to-back extra-base hits in the fourth pushed the Hooks' advantage to 2-0. Ronnie Dawson led off with a triple and scored on Chuckie Robinson's double into the right field corner. The 'Hounds retired Robinson, bidding for a triple, on a nice play from right-fielder Taylor Motter to Mondou to third baseman Edwin Diaz, who made a terrific leaping catch and tag for the out.
After being no-hit by Hooks starter J.B. Bukauskas (see below) for the first five innings, the RockHounds broke through (and got within a run) in the sixth. Collin Theroux drew a leadoff walk ... Chase Calabuig broke up the no-hit bid with a single to center ... and Tyler Ramirez sent a two-out line drive single up the middle, scoring Theroux.
Corpus got the run back in the seventh. After a leadoff double from Anibal Sierra, Brallan Perez made a brilliant catch in deep left-center to take a double away from De La Cruz and Angel Duno struck out Abraham Toro (the league's leading run-producer) but Seth Beer singled to right against Zack Erwin to drive in the run.
J.J. Matijevic led off the eighth with a walk and Dawson sent a ground ball toward the hole at shortstop. Kevin Merrell's throw went wide and at an angle that allowed it to get all the way to the right field line. Matijevic scored on the error and Dawson ended up at third. He scored moments later on Robinson's sac fly, pushing the lead to 5-1.
Nate Mondou's solo home run in the ninth made the final score 5-2, with the three unearned tallies providing the margin of victory/defeat.
Bukauskas recorded his second consecutive quality start against the RockHounds and earned the win. Brian Howard (7-6) took the loss but lowered his ERA to 2.73 (third in the Texas League). His night was limited to four innings thanks to a high pitch count (95), allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
Corpus Christi, after being swept in a three-game series at Frisco, has won the first two of the four-game series. The RockHounds, who took 2-of-3 from Amarillo to open the homestand are 2-3 with Saturday and Sunday's games remaining at Security Bank Ballpark (cross-division play then covers the rest of July with the RockHounds opening that two-week stretch with a seven-game road trip at Arkansas and Tulsa).
Texas League South
Amarillo made it two-in-a-row over the RoughRiders, also winning by a 5-2 score, at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco.
 
The RockHounds (12-10) lead Amarillo (11-11) by one game ... Corpus Christi (10-12) by two ... and Frisco (8-13) by 3½ games.   
The first half race went down to the final day with all four teams still in the running with just 48 hours remaining and that scenario could easily repeat itself in the second half. Take a look at the season-long division records of the four Texas League South clubs:
Amarillo 34-30 ... the RockHounds & Corpus Christi, each 32-32 ... Frisco 30-24.   That's a four-game margin, top-to-bottom, over 64 games.
Notable
When Lorenzo Quintana drove in the game's first run with a single in the top of the first inning, it gave him six RBI in his last three at-bats against the RockHounds. Lorenzo hit a solo home run in the eighth inning last Sunday at Corpus Christi and added a walk-off grand slam in the ninth of that game (he did not play in Thursday's series opener).
J.B. Bukauskas is rated the Houston Astros' # 5 prospect by MLB.com and, while his overall numbers may not show it, he has certainly looked the part in two starts against the 'Hounds. In each game, the right-hander has allowed one run in six innings (a 1.50 ERA). In the two starts, combined, he has allowed two runs in 12.0 innings, with six hits, four walks and 12 strikeouts (a 0.83 WHIP and a 3:1 K/BB ration).
Against the rest of the Texas League, J.B. has a 6.83 ERA, with 64 hits, 42 walks and 66 K's in 58.0 innings (a 1.83 WHIP and a 1.6:1 ratio).
Chase Calabuig has hit in five consecutive games (7-19, .368) with four runs, two doubles, a home run and six RBI.
Nate Mondou has hit in 7-of-his-last-8 games (8-27, .296) with three runs, a double, a home run and three RBI.
Tyler Ramirez has hit in 10-of-his-last-13 games (14-47, .298) with seven runs, two doubles, one triple and eight RBI.
Dairon Blanco lost a four-game hit streak but walked and stole a base and has now reached safely in seven straight games (.217).
The steal was the fourth in his last five games and his 27^th of the season, third in the league (Dairon is hitting .294 in the five games).
Next Game
Saturday, July 13 vs. Corpus Christi Hooks
Security Bank Ballpark           7:00 p.m. (Gates open 6:00)
Postgame Fireworks   
- Third of a four-game series and sixth of a seven-game homestand
- Radio: NewsTalk 550 with Bob Hards ... airtime 6:47 p.m.
Probable Starters
CC:                   Bryan Abreu (RH, 3-2, 5.57)
RH:                   Grant Holmes           (RH, 4-2, 2.81) tandem with Daulton Jefferies (RH, 0-1, 3.35)