RockHounds rally past Hooks to end three-game skid

With Corpus Christi leading, 5-3, in the seventh inning Friday night, Jermaine Curtis was hit by a pitch, loading the bases, bringing Viosergy Rosa to the plate. As is always the case, there were some boos from the crowd as a home team player was "plunked." Let's be clear: you buy a ticket, you can boo. But if you really think the Corpus Christi Hooks intentionally hit Curtis to bring Rosa up with the bases loaded? Well, uh, no.

Rosa's history (literally) with the bases loaded against the Hooks is nearly legendary, beginning with a grand slam walk-off home run in the 2016 Texas League South Division Championship Series, a swing that was truly historic. In the first meeting between the clubs this season, he hit another grand slam at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi and Rosa was hitting .338 with five home runs and 20 RBI in this year's season series against the Hooks entering Friday's game. So, no, the hit batsman was not intentional.
So did Rosa hit another grand slam? Of course not. He almost did, missing by a few feet, instead clearing the bases with a double into the left field corner, the game-winning swing in a come-from-behind, 6-5 win.

His performance was one of several exceptional efforts from members of both clubs in a game that saw the Hooks score the first five runs and the RockHounds the last six.
Jack Mayfield put the Hooks up 2-0, with a first-inning home run that extended two personal streaks and Jason Martin made the score 5-0 with a three-run, bases-loaded double of his own in the third. From there, the RockHounds bullpen of Cody Stull, Carlos Navas (two perfect innings with two strikeouts for the win) and Sam Bragg (one strikeout for his third save) shut Corpus Christi out on one hit, two walks and one error the rest of the way.   

The 'Hounds got on the board with a three-run fifth, scoring on five singles and a walk. Richie Martin, Curtis and Rosa each drove in a run to cut the deficit to 5-3.
Jordan Tarsovich had a huge night, reaching base in each of his five plate appearances by 3-for-3, two walks. He led off the seventh with a single, out-hustling pitcher Framber Valdez to the bag on a ground ball to first. B.J. Boyd followed with another infield single, again on great hustle and Curtis was hit by a pitch, drawing the aforementioned smattering of boos and bringing Rosa to the dish in his favorite scenario.
Quick Notes:
The RockHounds are 44-54 overall and 9-19 in the second half ... are 12-10 in the season series versus the Hooks (8-6 at Security Bank Ballpark and 4-4 at Whataburger Field) … are 26-22 at home and 18-32 on the road ... are back to .500 (31-31) against the South Division and 13-23 against the North.
The RockHounds have 113 hits in their last 10 games (11.3 per game) ... have at least eight in each game ... have reached double-digits in eight of their last 10 games ... and have 75 hits (12.6 hpg) in their last six games versus Corpus Christi (all at Security Bank Ballpark).
Jack Mayfield has homered in three straight games overall and in three consecutive games against the RockHounds. Mayfield hit a pair of homers and drove in six runs in Corpus Christi's 13-7 win on July 15 and has homered in each of the first two games of the current series. In this last three overall, the Hooks infielder has three HR and seven RBI and in the last three games between the Hooks and 'Hounds, he has four HR and 10 RBI.
It's cliché but true Cody Stull was, again, an unsung hero for the RockHounds. Entering the game in the fourth after the Hooks got to starter Casey Meisner for five runs, Stull pitched three scoreless innings, keeping the door open for the 'Hounds comeback. In his last outing on July 18 at San Antonio, Stull entered the game in the second after A.J. Puk lasted just one frame. He went three innings against the Missions, surrendering just one run.
Knute Rockne would be proud: With Corpus leading, 5-0, in the fifth, Cody Stull gave up a leadoff single and a four-pitch walk. Manager Fran Riordan, rather that pitching coach Don Schulze, went to the mound for a chat. We're not sure what Fran said, but Stull retired the next six batters he faced and he, Carlos Navas and Sam Bragg collectively retired 15 of the last 16 Hooks hitters the rest of the way.
Jermaine Curtis has now reached base in each of his 23 games with the RockHounds, tying for the seventh-longest on-base streak in the Texas League this season and the longest by a RockHound this season, passing Brett Vertigan's 22-game streak. Curtis is hitting .359 with a .485 on-base percentage. He is 0-for-3 in the series, but has reached base six times in nine plate appearances via four walks and two hit by pitches.
Jordan Tarsovich has hits in nine of his last ten games (15-for-44, .341), all since moving into the leadoff spot on July 12. He is hitting .314 in July.
Tyler Ramirez (1-for-3, run, walk) has hits in 10 of his last 11 games (15-for-40, .375) and is hitting .328 in 19 games with the RockHounds. 
B.J. Boyd (2-for-5, run) has reached base in 10 straight games (17-for-45, .378).
J.P. Sportman (1-for-3, walk, stolen base) has hits in 12 of his last 14 games (22-for-58, .379). 
Max Schrock (2-for-4, double) has hits in four straight games (6-for-16, three doubles) and has reached base in nine straight games (11-for-34, .324).
On Deck:
The RockHounds continue their four-game series on Saturday night at Security Bank Ballpark with first pitch at 7:00 p.m. with fireworks following the game.
Saturday's probable starters: 
Hooks: Franklin Perez (RH, 0-0, 6.00 ERA, 1 SV)
RockHounds: Dustin Hurlbutt (RH, 2-1, 1.99 ERA)
Perez makes his second Double-A start. The 19-year-old is rated Houston's #4 prospect by Baseball America and #6 by MLB.com. He opened the season with the Buies Creek Astros of the Class-A Advanced Carolina League. In his first outing with the Hooks on July 17 at Whataburger Field, he earned a save versus Frisco (in a game started by Dallas Keuchel): 3.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R / 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K).    
Buies Creek (12 G / 10 GS): 4-2, 2.98 ERA, 54.1 IP, 38 H, 16 BB, 53 K (0.99 WHIP / .191 average against / 3.31 K/BB ratio) 
Hurlbutt makes his fifth start since being promoted from Class-A Advanced Stockton. He has allowed one run over 18.1 innings in his last three starts. Selected by Oakland in the 16th round of the 2015 draft out of Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, Hurlbutt was 2-2, with a 3.23 ERA in 15 games (eight starts) with Stockton in the hitter-friendly California League. In 69.2 innings with the Ports, he struck out 74 batters while walking just 16, for a 4.6:1 K/BB ratio.
RockHounds Totals (four starts): 2-1, 1.99 ERA, 22.2 IP, 11 H, 13 BB, 12 K (1.06 WHIP / .141 average against / 0.92 K/BB ratio) 
Last three starts: 2-0, 0.49 ERA, 18.1 IP, 7 H, 7 BB, 10 K (1.25 WHIP / .113 average against / 1.43 K/BB ratio)