Theroux's Walk-Off Hit Gives Hounds Much Needed Win

RockHounds 7, Corpus Christi Hooks 6 (11 innings)
Saturday, July 12, 2019
Security Bank Ballpark
Collin Theroux has been outstanding for the RockHounds behind the plate. Saturday night he was the hero AT the dish.
Theroux belted a walk-off single to deep right field in the last of the 11^th inning, giving the 'Hounds a 7-6 win over the Corpus Christi Hooks at Security Bank Ballpark.
The clubs were tied, 5-5, after five innings and were still deadlocked after a scoreless 10^th (third baseman Nate Mondou made a brilliant play in the top of the inning to help keep the Hooks off the board).
Granden Goetzman's one-out RBI single broke the tie in the top of the 11^th, but Trey Cochran Gill (who pitched the 10^th and 11^th) got the next two batters, allowing only the (unearned) run with the designated runner scoring.
Mondou sent a sharp ground ball to the right side to open the home half of the inning, pushing (designated runner) Brallan Perez to third. Edwin Diaz drew a walk and Kevin Merrell delivered a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game. On the next pitch, Theroux sent a ball over the head of right fielder Ronnie Dawson, bringing Diaz home with the game-winning run.
The Hooks led, 4-0, after two innings on two-run swings from Stephen Wrenn (a single in the first) and Goetzman (a double in the second).
The 'Hounds scored by every method short of VISA and Mastercard, eventually tying the game in the home half of the fifth. Merrell and Theroux (each with a single and a walk) both scored twice, and Chase Calabuig scored a run and drove in two more (double, sac fly).
Both bullpens were outstanding. The Hooks (Willy Collado, Christian Javier, Riley Ferrell and Colin McKee) pitched shutout ball from the sixth through the 10^th, allowing just two hits. The RockHounds' pen (Norge Ruiz, Jesus Zambrano, Seth Martinez and Cochran-Gill) gave up just two runs (one earned) on four hits from the top of the fourth through the end of the game (including the 11^th).
Texas League South
Amarillo made it three straight over the RoughRiders, posting a shutout win (9-0) at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco.
The RockHounds (13-10) lead Amarillo (12-11) by one game ... Corpus Christi (10-13) by three ... and Frisco (8-14) by 4½ games.   
The Sod Poodles win came in the Double-A debut of MacKenzie Gore , rated the # 3 prospect in all of baseball. The left-hander went 5⅓ innings and allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out four.
The # 2 and # 3 hitters in Frisco's lineup were both Major Leaguers - - Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Hunter Pence , both with the RoughRiders on re-hab assignments from the Texas Rangers. One of the two hits the 20-year-old allowed came in Kiner-Falefa's second at-bat, but Gore retired Pence twice and struck out both big leaguers in the last of the first inning (his second and third batters faced at Double-A).
Notable
Chase Calabuig has hit in six consecutive games (9-23, .391) with five runs, three doubles, a home run and eight RBI. Chase, who ranks seventh in the Texas League with a .372 on-base percentage, went 2-for-4 Saturday night, with a run, a double, and two RBI.
Collin Theroux chose the perfect night to bust out of a rough stretch at the plate and it made for a great story (any knowledgeable baseball fan knows how challenging the position of catcher can be).   He walked and scored in the third and broke an 0-for-20 stretch with a single (and scored) in the fifth before launching the walk-off drive in the 11^th (2-for-4, two runs, walk, game-winning RBI).
Kevin Merrell also broke out of a tough stretch (5-for-42 in his previous 12 games) with a terrific night. The 'Hounds' second baseman went 1-for-2, scored two runs, drove in the game-tying run in the 11^th, drew two walks and stole his 13^th base of the season (in 17 attempts).
Jesus Zambrano went 2⅓ shutout innings Saturday and continues to emerge as a major presence in the RockHounds' bullpen. Since being called up from (Advanced-A) Stockton on the last day of May, Jesus has posted a 1.44 ERA, with a 1.16 WHIP, in 14 appearances. In 25.0 innings, he has allowed 22 hits and eight walks with 17 strikeouts. Over his last nine outings, he has allowed two earned runs in 15⅓ innings (a 1.15 ERA). The 22-year-old native of Valencia, Venezuela, began his pro career with the A's in 2013 (at age 16).
In four appearances since being called up from Stockton, Seth Martinez has been outstanding. Oakland's 17^th round draft choice in 2016 (Arizona State University) has allowed one run (earned) in eight innings of work (a 1.13 ERA) and has given up just five hits and two walks while striking out 10 batters.
Trey Cochran-Gill has allowed one earned run (two total) on three hits in his last five outings (three walks and seven K's) for a 1.04 ERA.
Tyler Ramirez has hit in 11-of-his-last-14 games (15-51, .294) with seven runs, two doubles, one triple and eight RBI.
Dairon Blanco has reached safely in eight straight games (.222). In his last 12 games, Dairon is hitting .273 with 15 runs scored and four stolen bases (he was caught stealing Saturday but ranks third in the league with 27 steaks in 34 attempts)
Next Game
Sunday, July 14    vs. Corpus Christi Hooks
Security Bank Ballpark           2:00 p.m. (Gates open 1:30)
Postgame Fireworks   
- Final of a four-game series and of a seven-game homestand
- Radio: NewsTalk 550 with Bob Hards ... airtime 1:47 p.m.
Probable Starters
CC:                       Brett Adcock       (LH, 1-7, 7.06)
RH:                       Daulton Jefferies            (RH, 0-1, 3.35) tandem with Matt Milburn (RH, 5-5, 5.11)