Cron Leads Travelers

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - C.J. Cron belted a grand slam in the second inning Saturday night as Arkansas dispatched the Hooks 9-3 to level the series at Dickey-Stephens Park.

Corpus Christi (32-23, 74-51) engineered a short-lived lead with a bases-loaded walk by Erik Castro in the first. Michael Roth (4-3) escaped the jam without further damage, stranding three.

Randal Grichuk jumped on lefty Kyle Hallock with a lead-off blast in bottom half. Doubles by Cyle Hankerd and Cron shortly followed, handing the Travs (28-27, 61-63) a 2-1 advantage. A two-out infield hit from Travis Witherspoon scored Cron from third to cap the inning. 

Enrique Hernandez answered in the second with a two-out double to right-center. Raoul Torrez promptly served a single into center for his first RBI of the night.

Hallock (0-3) was touched for a single and two walks to load the bases in the third. He worked the count to 2-2 on Cron before Arkansas' clean-up hitter blistered a line drive over the fence in straightaway center for a 7-2 advantage.

T.J. Geith entered in the third and permitted a pair of runs. With two away, Grichuk cracked a triple to the gap in left-center, scoring Carlos Ramirez from first base. Grichuk's slide into third beat the relay throw from Jio Mier. The ball sailed past Jonathan Meyer, allowing the runner to come all the way home.

Luis Cruz, making his Double-A debut, worked a perfect seventh for the Hooks.

Corpus Christi put its third run on the board in the eighth. With two out, Drew Muren laced a single into center. Hernandez placed runners at second and third with his third hit of the night - a double to left. Torrez mustered a slow-roller to second base, scoring Muren.

The Hooks shoot for the series victory Sunday night with Mike Foltynewicz (5-3, 2.85) on the mound. He'll be opposed by Mark Sappington (1-1, 3.38). First pitch 6:10.