Sneed Sends Hooks to Victory

FRISCO - Cy Sneed spun seven shutout innings Thursday night as Corpus Christi picked up a 4-1 triumph over the RoughRiders in the series opener at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
The Hooks (19-21, 53-57), who halted their four-game losing streak, now stand 17-8 vs. Frisco (16-25, 47-64) this season.
Sneed scattered six singles and two walks, throwing 56 of 85 pitches for strikes.

The turning point came in the second as the first three RoughRiders reached via singles. Sneed responded by coaxing a shallow fly to right and a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Another double play concluded the sixth. Ramón Laureano made a brilliant sliding catch deep into the right field corner, robbing Scott Heineman of extra bases and an RBI. Laureano then got to his feet and fired a strike to first base, cutting down Andy Ibáñez at first base.
Sneed (9-5), who retired 12 of 14 batters from the end of the second through the sixth, stranded two in the seventh. The 24-year-old Dallas Baptist product has permitted two runs in 14 innings over his last two starts.
The Hooks scratched a run in second against Collin Wiles (0-3). Dexture McCall seared a two-out double to the gap in right-center. Ryne Birk then cracked the first of three hits, an RBI single into left for a 1-0 lead.
Birk doubled the advantage in the fifth with a home run that landed in the lazy river beyond the right-field wall. It marked his second Double-A blast.
Corpus Christi staged another two-out rally in the sixth. Jon Singleton punched a base hit into right, and scored from first on Colin Walsh's double to left-center.
Ramon Laureano cracked a two-bagger in the eighth off Joe Filomeno. Laureano later came around to score on an error by first baseman Eric Aguilera.
Frisco's lone tally came in the ninth and was unearned. Andrew Thome worked a 1-2-3 eighth, and got the first out quickly in the ninth. Luke Tendler walked and Jose Trevino singled, bringing Royce Bolinger to the plate. Thome induced a comebacker to the mound, but his throw to second skipped into center, allowing Tendler to score.
Undeterred, Thome forced another ground ball, this one resulting in a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.   
The Hooks looks to make it two in a row Friday night with Franklin Perez (1-1, 5.25) on the hill. Pedro Payano (2-3, 4.24) is slated to start for the Riders. First pitch 7:05.