Sunk in the seventh

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (JUNE 11, 2014) - A scoreless game changed drastically in the seventh inning when the Corpus Christi Hooks exploded for seven runs in the frame and knocked off the Frisco RoughRiders 7-0 on Wednesday night at Whataburger Field.

With the loss for Frisco (38-26), the door remains open in the Texas League South Division playoff race. Second-place Midland (35-30) defeated the San Antonio Missions 7-6 and the RoughRiders' magic number remains at two games with five to play in the first half.

Corpus Christi (32-33) snaps a three-game losing streak and wins for the fifth time in 13 tries against the 'Riders this season.

Alec Asher (6-5) suffered the loss for Frisco to snap a personal three-game win streak. He pitched a brilliant six innings and allowed one baserunner over that span with no walks and eight strikeouts. The big righty retired 16 straight batters at one point and left in the seventh when Nolan Fontana opened the inning with an infield single.

Tyson Perez (2-0) earned the win in relief of starter Luis Cruz. In his first appearance against the RoughRiders this season, Perez tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings and gave up five hits and two walks.

The game progressed with a hop in its step until the seventh inning. Jimmy Reyes entered the game for Asher with no outs and Fontana on first base. His first batter faced, Andrew Aplin, reached on an error by third baseman Joey Gallo and touched off a monster run at the plate for the Hooks.

By the time the seventh inning ended, Corpus Christi sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs on seven hits. Nine of the first ten batters reached in the frame for the Hooks, who chased Reyes from the game after the southpaw registered one out. Kyle Lotzkar retired the side as the third pitcher in the inning.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, Jonathan Meyer cleared the bases on an RBI triple to left center. Jake Smolinski and Jake Skole both dove for the ball and both came up empty.

Meyer scored on the ensuing at-bat when Carlos Perdomo drove a single up the box. Two more extra-base hits in the form of a two-RBI double by Tyler Heineman and an RBI triple by Ruben Sosa blew the game open by a seven-run margin.

Opportunity presented itself on numerous occasions of the 'Riders, but they failed to capitalize and send runs home. Teodoro Martinez, batting leadoff for the first time this season, grounded into two inning-ending double plays with runners in scoring position.

Frisco hit into three twin killings on the night and lost another golden opportunity when Andrew Aplin robbed Ryan Rua of a run-scoring base hit to end the RoughRiders' sixth.

Frisco continue its four-game series in Corpus Christi on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on the CBS Sports Network as part of the network's MiLB "Game of the Week" series. Visit www.ridersbaseball.com for more information.

Coverage on the RoughRiders Baseball Network begins at 6:40 p.m. on www.ridersbaseball.com with the Frisco RoughRiders Pregame Show. For tickets to see the 'Riders in 2014, call 972-731-9200, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.ridersbaseball.com.