Hooks Nail Down Win

FRISCO - A sterling start by Misael Tamarez and home runs from Shay Whitcomb, Wilyer Abreu, and Justin Dirden helped the Hooks to a 7-5 triumph over the RoughRiders Wednesday night at Riders Field.

The effort snapped a five-game drought for Corpus Christi.

Whitcomb's 428-foot drive to center field kickstarted a two-run second and Abreu's 440-foot, lead-off shot in the seventh created a 3-3 stalemate.

The Hooks pulled ahead for good in the eighth. Yainer Diaz, 3-for-5 with two runs scored, opened the inning with a single off Justin Slaten. Two-outs later, Bryan Arias cracked a base hit and Grae Kessinger and Luis Guerrero worked walks for a 4-3 edge.

Dirden made it a four-run bulge in the ninth with a three-run poke to right-center, extending his hitting streak to a team-best 11 games.

Justin Dirden makes it an 11-game hitting streak with this big time blast to right-center!!! pic.twitter.com/pG6dMPqygX

— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) May 19, 2022

Frisco rallied for a pair against Joe Record in the ninth, but Jonathan Sprinkle was able to record the final two outs for his second save, stranding the tying run at second base. Record was undone by a hit batsman, two walks and a flare single into left.

After allowing an unearned marker in the first, Tamarez dispatched 13 of the next 14 hitters, striking out six in that span. The Riders cashed in on two walks in the sixth as Tamarez lasted a personal-best 5 1/3 innings.

Kessinger and Luke Berryhill collaborated on Corpus Christi's second run in the second thanks to a double and two-out single, respectively.

The Hooks aim for a second straight win Thursday night with Jose Bravo on the hill. Lefty Cody Bradford is slated to start for the Riders. First pitch 6:35.