Hooks Win Forged in Steele

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - T.J. Steele drilled a double down the left field line with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, lifting the Hooks from a one-run deficit and sending the home team on to a 6-3 win over Midland Saturday night at Whataburger Field.

The Hooks (16-26) have captured the first two games in this series against the RockHounds (17-25), who have lost seven straight.

The late rally started when Wladimir Sutil singled to left-center with one out.  Brandon Wikoff's single inside the left field line chased Sutil to second.  Jimmy Paredes sliced a double inside third base, plating Sutil and sending Wikoff to third, trimming Midland's advantage to 3-2.

J.D. Martinez was intentionally walked to load the bases and was replaced by pinch runner Andy Simunic.

Reliever Neil Wagner (0-2) was lifted at that point in favor of southpaw Trey Barham, summoned to face lefty-hitting Jon Gaston.  Barham struck out Gaston for out number two, but couldn't get past Steele, who pounded a 1-0 pitch onto the left field line, dumping the bases for a 5-3 Corpus Christi lead.

Steele scored moments later when Jacob Goebbert singled sharply to right field.

The five-run outburst made a winner of reliever David Berner (1-1), who recorded the final out in the top of the seventh.  Patrick Urckfitz kept Midland off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth to notch his first save.

Jonnathan Aristil turned in his third quality start for the Hooks.  He allowed three runs on four hits and three walks over 6.2 innings while striking out five.  Aristil surrendered a two-run home run by Tyler Ladendorf in the first and a solo shot by Adam Heether in the sixth.

Wikoff's single in the seventh extended his hitting streak to seven games.

Saturday's crowd of 6,947 is the largest this season at Whataburger Field.

The two clubs go at it again Sunday in a 2:05 p.m. start.  Ross Seaton (1-2) takes on Midland lefty Anthony Capra (0-2).