Game Notes, August 3 at Midland

August 3, 2012

Audio | Video | Live Stats

Corpus Christi (27-13, 64-46) @ Midland (17-22, 52-57)

In a series which saw 16 baseballs leave the park, Corpus Christi played the part of a heavyweight boxer who ran out of steam last night. San Antonio smashed three home runs for the third-consecutive game and held off a ninth-inning rally by the Hooks as the Missions salvaged the set with an 8-7 victory in the finale at Whataburger Field.

San Antonio scored four times in the first against Ross Seaton but Corpus Christi answered quickly with five runs in its first two times at-bat. Drew Locke clubbed a two-run blast in the opening frame and Marc Krauss hit the first of two home runs in the second, a two-run poke to left field. He made it a game in the ninth, bringing the Hooks to within one with a laser shot to left field with Jose Martinez at first base, becoming the fifth Hook this season to post a multi-homer game. Krauss, acquired in the Chris Johnson trade with Arizona, is 5-for-11 (.455) with Corpus Christi. He has hit four home runs and one double while driving in nine.

The Hooks now have won four consecutive series and nine of their last 11. Corpus Christi, 46-21 since May 21, leads San Antonio by six games in the Texas League South second-half race.

Tonight’s Matchup:
RHP Asher Wojciechowski (1-0, 2.25) vs. LHP Carlos Hernandez (4-4, 5.60)
Wojciechowski, acquired by the Astros in the 10-player trade with Toronto, makes his third start with the Hooks. He matched up against Hernandez on Sunday and worked five innings, allowing two runs on four hits, two hit batters and three walks while striking out five. In his Double-A debut July 24 at San Antonio, Wojciechowski tossed seven innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits and three walks. He fanned six batters and threw 62 of 95 pitches for strikes, retiring the last eight Missions in order. The 23-year-old out of Charleston was with Dunedin in the Florida State League and went 7-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 18 starts. He struck out 76 and walked 22, holding the league to a .261 batting average. Wojciechowski went 5-1 with a 1.51 ERA over his last seven starts as a Blue Jay with 34 strikeouts against 11 walks. He won league Pitcher of the Week honors for May 21-29 after permitting just one run over two outings, fanning 12 batters against one walk in 12.0 innings pitched. Those two performances stood in stark to contrast to the rest of the month (1-1, 6.94 ERA). Toronto made Wojciechowski the highest draft pick in the history of the Citadel when it selected him with the 41st overall pick in the 2010 draft after his junior season. A consensus second-team All-American in ‘10, he went 12-3 with a 3.58 ERA in 17 starts, posting 155 strikeouts in 125.2 innings.

Ranked by Baseball America has Toronto’s No. 10 prospect entering the season
Pitched for Team USA as a sophomore at the Citadel | Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year as a junior
11-9 with a 4.70 ERA for Dunedin last year, striking out 96 against 31 walks while allowing 15 home runs

Hernandez, a 35th-round selection of the A’s in the 2007 draft out of West Valley College in California, makes his 23rd appearance and eighth start of the season. Hernandez posted a quality start but settled for a no-decision Sunday at Whataburger Field. He allowed three runs, two coming on a home run by Kody Hinze, over six innings. Hernandez walked one and struck out six. He earned the victory July 24 against Frisco, allowing two runs - both via home runs - on five hits over six innings. The lefty walked one and struck out four. Hernandez beat the Hooks on July 19 at Citibank Ballpark despite being touched for four runs and nine hits in 5.1 innings. Jacob Goebbert’s three-run blast in the sixth did most of the damage. Hernandez, who has won his last three decisions, is 4-0 with a 2.75 ERA in seven outings as a starter. He has walked eight and struck out 31 over 36.0 innings while posting an opponents’ batting average of .234. The veteran southpaw began the year as a reliever, going 0-4 with a 9.45 ERA in 15 appearances out of the bullpen. He opened the year in Sacramento and went 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three games of relief. Hernandez finished last year with the RiverCats, going 8-7 with a 5.27 ERA in 19 starts. He opened the 2011 campaign as a RockHound, posting a 4-1 record and 5.27 ERA in eight starts. In six seasons as a pro, Hernandez is 49-24 with a 4.37 ERA and 456 strikeouts against 181 walks in 572.2 innings.

Ranks 8th all-time in franchise history with 23 victories
Member of the RockHounds’ 2009 Texas League Championship Club
1-1 with a 5.89 ERA in 5 appearances vs. the Hooks this season (5 BB | 14 K | 18.1 IP)

Castro rehabs with CC
Astros catcher and former Hook Jason Castro begins his rehab assignment with Corpus Christi tonight. Castro, hitting .254 with two home runs and 20 RBIs this season, has been on the disabled list since July 8 with right knee effusion. The numbers have improved of late as Castro has hit .301 with a .380 on-base percentage in 83 at-bats leading up to the knee injury. He missed all of last season following ACL surgery. A first-round selection (10th overall) in the 2008 draft out of Stanford, Castro hit .293 with three home runs and 29 RBIs in 63 games for the Hooks in 2009.

Seaton to OKC
Following his start last night, Ross Seaton was promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Seaton has struggled in last four starts, losing three decisions while posting an ERA of 9.31. He is 6-8 with a 4.41 ERA in 22 starts with the Hooks, including one complete game. Seaton has struck out 87 against 29 walks in 128.2 innings. From June 15 to July 12, he notched five quality starts over six appearances. The Texas League All-Star pitched at least seven innings while allowing two runs or fewer in those five performances, registering an ERA of 2.36. Seaton fanned 31 while walking six during the run but only had a 1-2 record and three no-decisions to show for it due to poor run support. He was selected by the Astros as Corpus Christi’s pitcher of the month in May, going 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA in six starts.

Bobby Doran, a 6’6’’, 245-pound right-hander out of Flower Mound, TX, takes Seaton’s spot on the roster and starting rotation. Doran is 8-4 with a 3.57 ERA in 17 starts at Class-A Lancaster. He’s holding the California League to a .244 batting average while posting a GO/AO ratio of 1.22. A fourth-round pick of the Astros in 2010 out of Texas Tech, Doran ranks sixth in the circuit in ERA and second among league starters in opponents’ batting average. He made four starts for Corpus Christi in late June and early July, going 3-1 with a 5.57 ERA. He walked three and struck out 13 in 21.0 innings. Doran is in line to start tomorrow night’s game.

Hot Hooks
The Hooks started the season 17-25, but since a 5-2 win at Midland on May 21 Corpus Christi has gone a league-best 46-21, including 27-13 to start the second half. In that May 21st game, Jonathan Villar went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base, Brett Oberholtzer won to improve to 2-2 and Erick Abreu earned his first save of the season.

The stretch started with a five-game winning streak from May 21-26, featured a seven-game streak from June 7-13 and two four game winning streaks. The first, from July 4-7 and the second from July 29-August 1.

The Hooks’ record since May 21 is the best in the Texas League ahead of Springfield (43-23) and the best among all Double-A teams ahead of Trenton (45-26).

Roughed up
Despite winning five of seven on its last homestand, Corpus Christi pitching was knocked around for 45 earned runs (6.43 ERA) against Midland and San Antonio over the last week. Over that stretch the staff allowed 66 hits, 179walks and 17 home runs in addition to hitting eight batters.

The starting rotation’s ERA in that time is 5.56, while the bullpen has posted a 7.20 earned run average. The Hooks did not allow an unearned run on the homestand.

Pitching Rotation at Midland
Saturday: RHP Bobby Doran (3-1, 5.57) vs. LHP Fabio Castro (1-3, 3.40)
Sunday: LHP Rob Rasmussen (2-2, 5.68) vs. RHP Murphy Smith (6-8, 4.42)
Monday: RHP Matt Heidenreich (1-0, 2.08) vs. RHP Shawn Haviland (6-8, 4.84)

HOOKS PLAYER NOTES

Adam Bailey

0-1 as a PH in SA series
4-9 with 2 runs, 1 HR and 3 RBIs in Midland series
Has hit safely in 8 of last 13, 12-32 (.375) with 2 doubles, 1 HR and 7 RBIs
Prior to this stretch, was hitless in previous 10 at-bats
Batting .260(25-96) vs. RHP; .278(5-18) vs. LHP; .333(9-27) w/RISP
Added to roster May 30 from Advanced-A Lancaster
In 47 games with the JetHawks was batting .279-8-25 with 2 SBs
In 23 games at the end of last season with the Hooks hit .323-3-15

Bobby Borchering

Hit .277 with 23 2B, 18 HR and 60 RBIs for Visalia this season
Promoted to Mobile on July 3: .103-2-8 in 21 games for the BayBears
1st round pick of the D-Backs in 2009, rated as best power hitter in their system by BA
Tabbed by MLB.com as Arizona’s No. 11 prospect
Hit .267 with 29 2B, 24 HR and 92 RBIs for Visalia last year
Has struck out 126 times compared to 32 walks in his career
Played exclusively in the OF this season with ARI...161 G at 3B | 68 G at 1B thru first 3 years
Graduated from Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, same alma mater as Chris Johnson

Jay Fernandez

Rejoined the club Wed. from OKC and went 0-4, snapping a 7-game hit streak
Has hit safely in 17 of the last 21, 23-76 w/ 5 2B, 4 HR, 14 R & 15 RBIs
Promoted in mid-July, was 1-for-8 w/ 2 RBIs for the RedHawks...hip-flexor injury limited action
Selected Texas League Player of the Week June 11-17, hit .524-1-5 with 3 doubles
Now has 6 games experience at 3B in his 9-year career
Batting .233(21-90) vs. RHP; .343(12-35) vs. LHP; .275(11-40) w/RISP
Has a career caught-stealing percentage of 39.7 (169 of 425)
In 8 seasons in the Mariners and Twins systems, hit .244-16-162 in 439 games

Jacob Goebbert

0-1 as a PH in SA series
2-for-13 with 3 runs and 1 RBI in Midland series
Hits in 12 of last 20 games: 22-67 (.328) with 16 R, 4 2B, 2 HR and 10 RBIs
Hit .282 with 4 2B, 1 3B, 20 BB, 16 K, 2 HR and 10 RBIs in July
Promoted to OKC on June 9...went 4-for-30 (.133) with 2 R, 1 2B and 1 RBI in 16 G
His walk-off, 3-run HR April 9 the first walk-off HR in his pro career
Named Texas League Co-Player of the Week (April 5-15), hit .429
Batting .253(55-217) vs. RHP; .362(25-69) vs. LHP; .316(24-76) w/RISP

Robbie Grossman

Has hits in 6 of his 8 games with the Hooks...4-15 with 1 R, 2 2B, 1 3B & 1 RBI vs. SA
Acquired from PIT with LHPs Rudy Owens and Colton Cain for LHP Wandy Rodriguez
Opened season with Double-A Altoona in the Eastern League
Hit .266 with 20 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 36 RBI and 9 SB in 95 games with the Curve (.378 OBP)
Was 5th in the Eastern League with 59 runs scored and first in walks (59) before the trade
Had a 13 game hitting streak from 6/16-6/29 in which he hit .380 (19-50)
Named Pittsburgh’s Player of the Year last year, led the FSL in runs (124) and walks (104)
Hit .292 with 13 home runs, 56 RBIs and 24 stolen bases for Bradenton, posting a .381 OBP
Originally a 6th round pick of the Pirates in 2008 out of Cy Fair High School in Houston
Ranked by Baseball America as Pittsburgh’s No. 7 prospect entering 2012

Ben Heath

2-for-4 last night...only offensive action vs. SA
2-for-10 with one double, one walk, a sac fly and four RBIs in Midland series
Made 2012 Hooks debut July 23 against Frisco; went 0-for-3, R, BB
.298 with nine doubles, five home runs and 29 RBIs in 50 games at Lancaster
Hit safely in his last four games with the JetHawks / .407-3-16 during June
Hit .252 with 22 doubles, 10 home runs and 42 RBIs between Lancaster and Lexington last year
Played in 4 G w/ the Hooks in September of 2010, going 6-for-12 with a double and four RBIs

Kody Hinze

0-1 as PH in SA series | 1-3 with a 2-R HR in Midland series...has played in 5 G since July 17
In 12 July games, batted .167 (6-36) with 2 HR and 7 RBI
Hit .306 (22-72) in June with 2 doubles, 5 HRs, 10 runs and 17 RBIs
Struggled in May: .106-0-5 with 9 walks and 24 strikeouts in 66 at-bats
Batting .261(31-119) at home; .189(24-127) on the road
Batting .203(36-177) vs. RHP; .275(19-69) vs. LHP; .183(15-82) w/RISP
Ranked 4th last year in the minors in walks (94) and 15th in OPS (.961)

Marc Krauss

Second Hook to hit HR in first AB with the club this season: Carlos Lee -- 6/14 at FRI
.283-15-61 for Double-A Mobile this season with 29 2B and an OPS of .924 in 104 G
Leaves Southern League among leaders in R (75, 1st), OBP (.416, 1st), XBH (46, 2nd), walks (73, 2nd), 2B (T-2nd), RBIs (3rd), SLG (.509, 4th) & TB (176, 4th)
Featured an 11-game hit streak from June 22 to July 2, .462 w/ 5 2B, 1 HR, 12 BB, 3 K & 6 RBIs
Notched on-base streak of 24, 5th longest in the circuit
2nd round pick of Arizona in 2009 | D-Backs No. 20 prospect as rated by MLB.com
.242-16-65 RBIs for Mobile last season | .302-25-87 for Visalia in 2010

Jordan Kreke

0-4 with 2 RBIs and 1 SF in SA series | 2-for-14 in Midland series
Grand slam Sunday night, first of his career, broke on 0-25 stretch with the Hooks
4 RBIs Sunday also a career high...last HR was 9/4/11 with Mississippi at Carolina
Rejoined the Hooks Wednesday after third stint with OKC
12-44 (.273) in 21 games for OKC with 9 R, 3 2B, and 3 RBIs
Batting .207(17-82) at home; .160(8-50) on the road
Batting .202(22-109) vs. RHP; .115(3-26) vs. LHP; .119(5-42) w/RISP
Originally a 13th-round pick of the Braves in 2009

Drew Locke

Riding a 3-game hit streak, 5-12 with 3 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR & 6 RBIs
Has hit safely in 11 of last 12, 19-42 (.452) with 4 2B, 1 3B, 9 R, 1 HR and 14 RBIs
Hits in 20 of last 25: 39-97 (.402), 2 HR, 7 2B, 1 3B, 17 R & 22 RBI
Went 5-for-5 July 19th, the first five-hit game by a Hook this season
Thru 26 games in July: .371 with 15 runs, 7 doubles, 1 HR and 19 RBIs
.341-4-26 at home | .299-2-13 on the road
Batting .316(43-136) vs. RHP; .327(16-49) vs. LHP; .386(22-57) w/RISP
Hit safely in first 5 games with the Hooks: 8-21 (.381) with 3 HRs & 12 RBIs
Had played 40 games this season for Sugar Land Skeeters (.285-4-24)
Was the Texas League’s batting champion with the Hooks in 2009 (.338)
Holds franchise single-season records for average (.338) and RBIs (109)

Jose Martinez

Has hit in 9 of last 10 games, 12-38 (.316) with 8 R, 1 2B and 2 RBIs
3-10 with 6 runs and 3 walks in SA series
Current stretch combats a 1-for-15 stretch during Frisco series July 20-23
.318-4-22 during 15 games in June
Hit .342 with 8 doubles, two triples, 3 home runs and 17 RBIs in May
6th in TL AVG (.302), 3rd PA/K (11.36), 2nd in H (120) & 4th RBI (72)
Reached base safely in 23 consecutive games (May 4-28) w/.352 avg. and .402 OBP
CC’s defensive player of the month in April (47 PO, 56 A, 0 E)
Batting .291(89-306) vs. RHP; .341(30-88) vs. LHP; .382(42-110) w/RISP

Ben Orloff

2-12 with 1 R & 1 2B in SA series | 3-16 with 1 run and 1 RBI in Midland series
Has hit safely in 6 of last 9, 8-36 (.222)...1-for-13 in prior 4
Batting .212(11-52) vs. RHP; .182(2-11) vs. LHP; .100(1-10) w/RISP
Was hitting .288 with 8 doubles, 29 RBIs and 7 steals in 77 games at Lancaster
Featured the lowest K/PA ratio (15.09) in the California League...32 BB / 22 K
Featured a .972 fielding percentage, tops among CL shortstops
.284-2-31 with 15 doubles and 51 RBIs in 96 games at Lexington last year
MVP for Tri-City in 2010...ValleyCats went on to win NYPL Championship
Hit .307 with 52 R, 4 2B, 16 RBIs, 34 BB, 19 Ks & 23 SB in 63 games that season

Jon Singleton

0-5 last night snapped a 5-game hit streak, 9-21 with 8 R, 2 2B and 4 BB
Tuesday, hit first HR since July 13 and notched first RBI since July 23 - both vs. Frisco
Has 4 extra-base hits in his last 17 games
Hits in 16 last 20 games, 24-73 (.329) with 16 R, 4 2B, 3B, 2 HR & 8 RBIs
7-for-17 July 2-9 w/ 3 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs & 4 BB to earn TL POW honors
1st in the league in runs (73), 2nd in walks (69)
.347-3-14 with 9 2B, 2 3B, 18 BB & 25 K over 28 games in July
.148-1-6 with 4 2B and 20 BB thru 25 games in June
Named the Texas League’s Player of the Week (May 21-27), hit .500-4-12
CC’s offensive player of the month in May (.281-7-24, .931 OPS)
Batting .296(76-257) vs. RHP; .263(26-99) vs. LHP; .297(30-101) w/RISP
Batted .350 with 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR 13 RBIs, 12 walks, 16 Ks thru 22 G in April