Game Notes, August 17 at Arkansas

August 17, 2012

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Corpus Christi (32-20, 69-53) @ Arkansas (26-26, 53-69)

An early offensive barrage and a solid outing by Bobby Doran was the formula last night as Corpus Christi snapped a four-game losing streak against Arkansas with a 5-1 triumph at Dickey-Stephens Park. Drew Locke belted the second inside-the-park home run in club history to put the Hooks up 2-0 in the first. Corpus Christi tacked on two more runs in the third but no one was concerned about the score. With two out, Bobby Borchering drilled a double down the right field line, plating Jon Singleton. Jacob Goebbert tried to score on the play as well, racing home from first base. Goebbert collided with catcher Alberto Rosario just as he was receiving the relay throw. The ball was jarred loose and Rosario would not get up under his own power. Following a 20-minute delay, he was taken via ambulance to an area hospital and was later released after X-rays and a CT scan came back negative.

Doran faced two over the minimum following Paul McAnulty’s solo home run in the first. He yielded three hits and two walks while striking out six in seven innings. Doran retired the last seven men in order and struck out six. Jake Buchanan authored two scoreless frames of relief to slam the door.

Corpus Christi leads San Antonio by five games in the Texas League South second-half race with 18 to play.

Tonight’s Matchup: LHP Rob Rasmussen (4-2, 4.74) vs. RHP Orangel Arenas (4-9, 5.69)
Rasmussen, acquired by Houston as part of the trade that sent Carlos Lee to Miami, makes his eighth start with the Hooks. He earned the victory last Saturday at Whataburger Field, tossing 6.2 innings of two-run ball against Springfield. Rasmussen scattered nine hits and did not walk a batter, striking out three. He has won his last three starts, holding the opposition to a pair of runs in each outing. During this stretch, Rasmussen has struck out 18 batters and walked four over 20.0 innings. He was saddled with an ERA of 7.00 through his first four starts with Corpus Christi, allowing 23 hits and three home runs in 18.0 innings. Rasmussen was 4-7 with a 3.90 ERA for Jupiter of the Florida State League. The lefty struck out 75 and walked 36 over 87.2 innings pitched for the Hammerheads, holding the circuit to a .250 batting average. He permitted one run in each of his last three starts with Jupiter, going 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA. Four of Rasmussen’s seven losses occurred over his first five starts despite a 3.62 ERA. He entered the season as Miami’s No. 7 prospect according to Baseball America and was rated by the publication has having the top slider in the Marlins system. Selected in the 2nd round of the 2010 draft out of UCLA, Rasmussen led the 2010 Bruins to a school-best 51-17 record and a trip to the College World Series. He went 11-3 with a 2.72 ERA, fanning 128 over 109.1 innings.

12-10 with a 3.64 ERA in 27 starts for the Hammerheads last season (118 Ks | 71 BBs | 148.1 IP)
4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in the ’09 Cape Cod League...selected to start the all-star game at Fenway Park
Currently enrolled at UCLA, majoring in History with a minor in Economics

Arenas, signed by the Angels as a non-drafted free agent in May of 2007, makes his 21st start and 24th appearance for Arkansas tonight. Last Saturday, he surrendered four runs on 10 hits and five walks over six innings in San Antonio. Arenas has lost his last two starts while posting a 7.25 ERA, 13 walks and 17 strikeouts thru the past four. His last victory was a complete-game, one-run, two-hit effort July 21 against Tulsa. June was a forgettable month as Arenas was tagged for 16 earned runs in 6.2 innings spanning four appearances and two starts. He dropped four in a row from May 23 to June 9. The slide began at Whataburger Field as the Hooks shelled Arenas for nine runs on 12 hits in five innings. Five of those markers came courtesy of home runs by Brandon Barnes and Jonathan Villar. He began the season well, holding opponents to three earned runs or less in seven of his first eight starts. Last year, Arenas was 9-10 with a 4.48 ERA in 25 starts for the Travelers. He started strong out of the gate, going 5-0 with a club-best 2.76 ERA in his first five starts but slumped in the second half (3-7, 5.31 ERA). Arenas divided 2010 between Cedar Rapids and Cucamonga. He notched a composite 11-8 record and a 3.64 ERA in 26 starts, striking out 107 against 60 walks.

1-2 with a 2.74 ERA thru 4 starts in April...allowed just 2 home runs (15 total are tied for 3rd in TL)
Has been better at home (3-2, 4.08 ERA, 8 starts & 11 app) than on the road (1-7, 6.46, 12 starts)
In 2 starts against the Hooks last year was 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA

No. 70
Corpus Christi is searching for its 70th victory of the season, a first for the franchise since the 2006 Texas League Championship campaign. The 2006 club finished the regular season 13 games over .500 at 76-63. This year’s team will have to go 8-10 the rest of the way to finish with the best record in Hooks history.

Locke-y strike
Drew Locke’s inside-the-park home run last night was just the second in club history, following Tommy Manzella’s on May 18, 2008 at Midland. The Hooks won that game 10-1 and Manzella finished the night 2-for-5 with two runs scored and 2 RBI. It was Manzella’s second homer of the season and he would go on to hit four in 54 games with Corpus Christi.

The Hooks had an inside-the-parker hit against them August 3rd of this season by Midland’s Leonardo Gil at Citibank Ballpark. It was a three-run, game-tying shot that came in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 6-5, 10-inning RockHounds win. It was Gil’s first home run of the season.

Series business
Corpus Christi has lost just two of its last 18 series, winning 12 while splitting four. Since claiming three of four June 6-9 vs. Midland, the Hooks are 42-24 (.636) and could make it 13 wins in 19 series with a win tonight. Corpus Christi posted the best record in the Texas League in both June (18-8) and July (20-10). The 20 victories in July set a club record for wins in a month.

Spelling relief A-B-R-E-U
Wednesday night’s game was the first time the Hooks bullpen did not allow a run since August 4 at Midland. In that game Bobby Doran started for Corpus Christi and allowed six earned runs on 11 hits in six and one-third innings. Erick Abreu and Arcenio Leon combined for two and two-third innings of shutout relief as the Hooks won 17-6.

Abreu pitched two and one-third scoreless innings last night in relief of starter Asher Wojciechowski to end the streak of games with a run allowed by the Hooks bullpen. Jake Buchanan continued the ‘pen’s good work with two shutout innings last night after Doran went the first seven innings.

In eight games from August 5-13, the relief corps allowed 23 runs, 20 earned, in 33.2 innings for a 5.35 earned run average and the team went 3-5. In 372 innings outside of the eight game stretch, the bullpen has posted a 4.14 ERA.

Pitching Rotation at Springfield
Saturday: RHP Matt Heidenreich (1-1, 5.40) vs. RHP Scott McGregor (5-1, 5.40)
Sunday: RHP Paul Clemens (1-2, 5.32) vs. RHP Richard Castillo (7-4, 3.69)
Monday: RHP Asher Wojciechowski (1-2, 3.46) vs. LHP Kevin Siegrist (1-1, 4.40)

HOOKS PLAYER NOTES

Adam Bailey

0-for-2 in Springfield series...both ABs came as a PH
2 for his last 13 with two doubles and two RBIs
Has played in just five games in August (two starts)
Hit .308 with 2 doubles, 1 home run and 7 RBIs thru 17 games in July
Batting .248(26-105) vs. RHP; .300(6-20) vs. LHP; .286(10-35) 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

2-for-3 with 2 RBIs, a 2B & a 3B last night... 3 H & 4 RBIs in last 8 G (23 ABs, 8 Ks, 3 BBs)
Notched 2nd four-RBI game with CC Saturday (3-R HR & SF)...lone start vs. SPR (ankle)
Went 1-for-10 with a run, a walk and 4 Ks in series vs. Arkansas
7-for-16 with 4 runs, two doubles, two home runs and 4 RBIs in series at Midland
In first six games with the Hooks went 8-for-20 (.400) with 3 HR and 10 RBI
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 454 times compared to 145 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

2-for-11 with 2 RBIs (bases-loaded BBs) vs. SPR | 5-for-30 (.166) in 8 G since rejoining club
Has hit safely in 21 of the last 30, 29-103 (.282) w/ 7 2B, 4 HR, 17 R & 20 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
Batting .225(21-111) vs. RHP; .295(13-44) vs. LHP; .240(12-50) w/RISP
Has a career caught-stealing percentage of 38.9 (170 of 436)
In 8 seasons in the Mariners and Twins systems, hit .244-16-162 in 439 games

Jacob Goebbert

5-game hit streak snapped Wed. (0-1 as PH), 10-16 (.625) with 7 R, 3 2Bs, 1 3B and 3 RBIs
5-for-10 with 3 runs, 2 doubles and an RBI in Springfield series
Has hit safely in 6 of last 10 games, snapping a 2-for-15 spell | 5 RBIs in last 23 games
From July 18-July 28 hit .405 (15-37) to raise average from .267 to .286
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 .272(65-239) vs. RHP; .351(26-74) vs. LHP; .329(27-82) w/RISP

Robbie Grossman

Has hits in 14 of his 19 games with CC
0-7 following 4-game hit streak, 9-16 with 6 runs, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 BB & 4 K
Went 3-for-12 in Arkansas series, including first HR as a Hook last Friday
Batting .345(19-55) vs. RHP; .263(5-19) vs. LHP; .250(3-12) w/RISP
Acquired from PIT with LHPs Rudy Owens and Colton Cain for LHP Wandy Rodriguez
Hit .266 with 20 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 36 RBI and 9 SB in 95 games for Altoona (.378 OBP)
Was 5th in the Eastern League with 59 runs scored and first in walks (59) before the trade
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

Enrique Hernandez

0-4 last night snapped a three-game hit streak (4-11 with 2 R, 1 2B and 1 RBI)
Went 3-for-12 with two runs, 1 double and 1 RBIs in Springfield series
Promoted from High-A Lancaster Friday...went 0-for-4 in Double-A debut
With the JetHawks, hit .275 (104-378) with 52 R, 25 2B, 7 3B, 5 HR and 49 RBI in 100 games
Let the CL 2B in fielding percentage (.971) and double plays (71) turned
In June, hit .330 (30-91) with 15 RBI | His 9.56 PA/K ration ranked 3rd in the circuit
Played for Lexington in 2011 and hit .247-2-17; with Tri-City in 2010, hitting .280-3-33
Named the ValleyCats’ P-o-M for August as Tri-City went on to win the NYPL Championship
Was the Gulf Coast League Astros MVP for 2009, after hitting .295
Selected by HOU in the 6th round of the 2009 draft out of the American Military Academy in PR

Drew Locke

Clubbed second inside-the-park home run in club history last night
Entered in a double switch Mon. (0-1), snapped 3-game hit streak, 4-12 w/ 5 R, 1 HR & 2 RBIs
1-for-11 in Arkansas series with 4 Ks
Has hit safely in 18 of last 22, 31-81 (.383) with 7 2B, 1 3B, 17 R, 3 HR and 20 RBIs
Hits in 27 of last 35: 51-136 (.375), 4 HR, 10 2B, 1 3B, 26 R & 28 RBI
Named the Astros Double-A Defensive Player of the Month for July
Went 5-for-5 July 19 at Midland, owns two of the five 5-hit games in club history
Thru 26 games in July: .371 with 15 runs, 7 doubles, 1 HR and 19 RBIs
Batting .321(52-162) vs. RHP; .306(19-62) vs. LHP; .379(25-66) w/RISP
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)

Ben Orloff

Posted career highs for hits (5) & RBIs (4) Sunday night...5-5 with 3 R, 2B, & 3B
Has hit safely in 10 of last 15, 17-54 (.315)
Batting .246(16-65) vs. RHP; .375(6-16) vs. LHP; .231(3-13) 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

Andy Simunic

4-game hit streak snapped Wed., 6-16 (.375) with 1 2B, 3 R & 1 RBI
3-for-12 in Arkansas series
Has hit in 13 of last 16 games, going 20-61 (.328) with 2 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBI & 7 BB
Batted .316 thru 21 games in July, scoring 17 runs and driving in 9
Hit 2nd pro grand slam July 20 & drove in career-high 5 runs
Has hits in 22 of last 27 games, 35-105 (.333) with 22 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 12 RBI and 10 BB
Rejoined Hooks June 14 from AAA Oklahoma City, where he was 0-9 in 8 games
Hit .391 with 4 doubles and 7 RBIs during 16 games in June
3rd in the league in hitting (.307)
Batting .305(78-256) vs. RHP; .316(24-76) vs. LHP; .242(23-95) w/RISP
Finished last year at Lancaster: .295-5-28 in 67 games

Jon Singleton

4-game hit streak snapped last Wed, 7-19 with 7 R, 2 2B, 3 HR and 9 RBIs
2-for-12 in Arkansas series... 15 RBIs in last 12 games
Has 6 HR in last 66 games / 11 HR thru first 50 games
Hits in 22 last 32 games, 35-121 (.289) with 26 R, 7 2B, 3B, 5 HR & 23 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 (83), 2nd in walks (76), T-3rd in XBH (46)
.347-3-14 with 9 2B, 2 3B, 18 BB & 25 K over 28 games in July to earn CC P-o-M honors
.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 .284(84-296) vs. RHP; .250(28-112) vs. LHP; .300(36-120) w/RISP
Batted .350 with 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR 13 RBIs, 12 walks, 16 Ks thru 22 G in April

George Springer

1-for-3 with 1 2B, 1 R and 1 BB in first AA start
HBP on the head in 9th last Friday vs. ARK...missed 3 games
Hit .316 with 18 2B, 10 3B, 22 HR, 82 RBI and 28 SB in 106 games for Advanced-A Lancaster
8th in the California League in BA (.316), t-3rd in HR (22), 5th in RBI (82), 2nd in H (137)
In July hit .389 with 6 HR and 24 RBI and 9 SB; had a .464 OBP and a .657 SLG
Mid-season all-star, voted CL Player of the week ending 5/14, 12-for-23 (.522), 5 HR & 10 RBIs
Posted 3 HR night on 5/11 vs. Lake Elsinore, 16-game hit streak from 6/23 to 7/8
Rated as the No. 3 prospect in the HOU system by both Baseball America and MLB.com
BA rated him as the best defensive outfielder and best outfield arm in the organization
Played in eight games last season for Short Season A Tri City last year and went 5-for-28
Received the second highest signing bonus in Astros history at $2.525 million
Selected in the first round (11th overall) in the 2011 draft out of the University of Connecticut
Became the highest draft pick in UConn history
Named the 2011 Big East Player of the Year after hitting .343 with 12 HR, 77 RBI and 31 SB

Chris Wallace

Rejoined the Hooks Wednesday following a 3-week stint at Triple-A OKC
Has hit safely in 7 of last 10, 13-29 (.448) w/ 5 R, 5 BB, 2 2B & 5 RBIs
3-for-3 June 22 at FRI with 4 R, 1 2B, 1 HR & 3 RBIs
Has hits in 9 of last 16 (.377), 17-45 with 10 R, 3 2B & 7 RBIs
Went 10-for-37 (.270) with 3 2B & 7 RBIs in 15 games with the RedHawks
.167-1-7 in 16 June games / .467-1-3 in 11 July games
Batting .242(29-120) vs. RHP; .268(11-41) vs. LHP; .250(12-48) w/RISP
His HR (20) and RBI (78) totals ranked third among Houston farmhands last year
Posted a .291 average in 4 years for the Cougars, led Houston with 10 HRs as a senior

Austin Wates

Went 3-for-3 with 3 R, 1 2B & 2 RBIs last Sunday following 3-week stint on DL (groin)
Has hit safely in 9 of last 12 games; 15-41 (.366) with 11 R, 2 2B, 1 HR & 4 RBIs
Hit his first walk-off HR as a pro July 12 vs. Frisco (3-for-5 with 6 RBIs)
4th player in Hooks history to drive in six RBIs in one game
Tied for 5th in the league with a .304 average | SB last night...previous: May 31 at Arkansas
Hitting .317 (33-104) since the beginning of June with 6 2Bs, 2 HRs and 16 RBIs
Struck out 5 times July 5 at NWA - a career and franchise high
Batting .318(76-239) vs. RHP; .257(19-74) vs. LHP; .338(24-71) w/RISP
Named Lancaster’s MVP in 2011, led the JetHawks in 8 statistical categories