Hounds Hold in Ninth

CORPUS CHRISTI - The RockHounds withstood a ninth-inning rally Friday night to edge the Hooks, 5-3, before 5,429 fans at Whataburger Field.
Corpus Christi (20-15, 63-41) has lost a season-high six games.
Following the game, the Astros announced a trade which sent right-handed pitcher Jorge Alcala and outfielder Gilberto Celestino to Minnesota for right-handed reliever Ryan Pressly.

Alcala, who was originally scheduled to start for the Hooks Friday night, was 2-3 with a 3.54 ERA and .243 batting average against in nine games for Corpus Christi. The 22-year-old hard-throwing right-hander struck out 37 and walked 17 in 40.2 Texas League innings.
Trailing 5-0 in the ninth, Randy César and Taylor Jones worked walks from Miguel Romero. One out later, Carmen Benedetti launched an opposite-field home run to left field, pulling the Hooks within a pair. Kyle Finnegan entered the game and walked the first hitters but managed a strikeout and come-backer to the hill to end the game.
Seth Brown put Midland on the board in second with a lead-off blast in the second against Akeem Bostick.
The Hounds (12-22, 46-58) scored three in the fourth, a frame highlighted by Luis Barrera's two-out, two-run single into left field.
The production was more than enough for Brian Howard, who held the Hooks to two hits over seven innings. Howard struck out eight and walked two.
Midland added an insurance marker in the sixth with a two-out RBI single by Eli White against Kit Scheetz.
Ralph Garza struck out three over three scoreless innings of relief for Corpus Christi.
The series continues Saturday night with Logan Shore (1-5, 5.07) on the hill for Midland. The Hooks have not announced their starter. First pitch 7:05.