Hooks Take 2 from Missions

CORPUS CHRISTI - The Corpus Christi Hooks (32-35; 66-71) swept a Texas League doubleheader from San Antonio (37-32; 78-61) Sunday evening at Whataburger Field before 4,498.
With a Frisco win over Midland and a Hooks victory vs. the Missions Monday, Corpus Christi qualifies for the South Division playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons.
Both Labor Day contests begin at 4:05.
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Game 2 - Hooks 4, San Antonio 3
Hooks Win in Extra Innings
Singleton, Laureano Late-Inning RBIs
Ramón Laureano's sacrifice fly scored Ryne Birk with one out in the eighth to push Corpus Christi past San Antonio 4-3.
Birk began the decisive frame by doubling to right center and advanced two bases on Kyle Tucker's single. Jake Esch intentionally walked Jon Singleton to set the stage for Laureano's heroics.
Consecutive no-out singles from Arturo Michelena, Myles Straw, and Birk (2 RBIs) provided Forrest Whitley and the Hooks with a 2-0 third-inning lead. Straw maneuvered into scoring position when left fielder Nick Torres misplayed his hit.
San Antonio quickly responded, Fernando Tatis' lead-off single followed by a two-run, line-drive homer to left from Auston Bousfield.
Whitley, on a 70-pitch count, was lifted by Hooks skipper Rodney Linares after fanning Torres for the first out of the fifth. Houston's top pitching prospect allowed two hits and struck out six in his Whataburger Field debut. The 19-year-old right-hander retired the first nine Missions in order.
Singleton, the second Corpus Christi hitter of the sixth, broke the 2-2 deadlock by powering a 406-foot solo moon shot over the CITGO sign in right field for his 18th homer of 2017. The Missions again matched, Stephen McGee's bases-loaded single plating Noah Perio, who opened with a single off Sean Stutzman. Ralph Garza struggled out of the Hooks bullpen, singles by Torres and McGee sandwiching a walk of Nick Schulz. Nick Hernandez came on to record all three seventh-inning outs, and Framber Valdez (5-5) covered the eighth in 1-2-3 fashion.
Jake Esch (0-3) pitched a complete game for San Antonio. He gave up three earned runs, 11 hits, a walk, and struck out three.
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Game 1 - Hooks 4, San Antonio 0
Hooks Walk Way to Win in 6th
Tucker Adds 2-Run Double
Missions starter Cal Quantrill was aided by first- and second-inning double plays. In the third, first baseman Josh Naylor's two-base fielding error put Arturo Michelena at third and Myles Straw at second with one away. Quantrill then got Ryne Birk to fly to left and Kyle Tucker on a ground ball Naylor's way.
Quantrill left the bases loaded the next inning; he collided with Naylor while securing Michelena's pop fly for the third out. Corpus Christi had at least one runner achieve scoring position during each of its first five offensive turns but came up empty. That changed in the sixth. Quantrill (1-5) gave up Jason Martin's lead-off double and walked Ramon Laureano before retiring Antonio Nunez on a foul pop and whiffing Carlos Canelon. Enter César Vargas, who couldn't find the strike zone. He walked pinch-hitter Jon Singleton to load the bases, and then issued run-scoring free passes to Straw and Birk before Tucker produced a two-run double to right-center.
Cionel Pérez faced two over the minimum while cruising through the first four frames for Corpus Christi and averted a fifth-inning threat. Consecutive singles from Nick Torres and Nick Schulz preceded a Webster Rivas 4-6-3 double-play ball and Perez fanned Javier Guerra.
Perez, who allowed three hits, one walk, and struck out four, exited with two outs in the sixth after plunking Naylor. Riley Ferrell (2-2) then fanned Reyes. Ferrell faced three in the seventh by rolling a double-play ball off Schulz's bat.
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Corpus Christi's Akeem Bostick (5-6) takes the ball Monday at 4:05 in the season finale. The Missions counter with Jacob Nix (1-1).
Mrs Baird's presents $1 Hot Dogs & Soda.