I don't want to write this. It's really sad.
Hooks Cap Big Season With Disappointing Loss
The Corpus Christi Hooks have a lot to keep their heads up about as they were the best team in the Texas League in the first and second halves of the season. But, the San Antonio Missions gave them a run for their money in the second half and finally were able to top them in the first round of the Texas League playoffs.
David Rollins took the mound in the win-or-go-home game five of the series with a chip on his shoulder as his last start was the final game of the regular season in which he gave up eight runs to the....San Antonio Missions. Early on, it looked like a repeat as he gave up three runs in the first inning. He gave up a double to Rico Noel to start off the game and was moved over to third by a Cory Spangenburg bunt single. Adam Buschini then drove Noel in on a single. That's when things got better as the he was able to get the next batters before he had a throwing error that scored two runs.
The next two innings weren't much better as there were two fielding errors by Jonathan Meyer and Ronald Torreyes along with Rollins second wild pitch of the game. Had it not been for the arm of Domingo Santana to gun down Yeison Asencio at the plate in the third inning, Rollins would have surrendered a run in both the second and third innings as well.
That was all Keith Bodie could handle and he replaced Rollins with Carlos Quevedo who was able to keep the game there in place until Edgar Gonzalez would give up a run in the 8th inning as well. But, that run wouldn't be a factor.
The offense was mostly shut down for the game until the fifth when they were able to tack on a pair of runs. They threatened to really change the game in the 8th inning as a Preston Tucker walk and a Santana double would put runners on second and third with just one out with Erik Castro at the plate. Castro picked up an RBI, but added an out as he grounded out to first. It was OK though as Matt Duffy was up and had gone 2-3 that night. But, a Missions pitching change to right-hander Leonel Campos to face the right-handed Duffy would lead to the Hooks playing along and pinch hitting Leonardo Heras, the left-handed hitter. It didn't work. He pushed it to a 3-2 count but swung at a pitch in the dirt to strikeout.
In the bottom of the ninth, Drew Muren drew a one-out walk and Michael Burgess pinch-hit for Ryan McCurdy. Burgess would get things a little exciting as he would crush a ball over the fence that was just foul. It would have tied the game, but instead he would single and be followed up by a Torreyes lineout and an Enrique Hernandez infield popout.
- David Rollins-3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 5/1 GO/AO, 43/28 P/S
- Carlos Quevedo-4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 2/5 GO/AO
- Edgar Gonzalez-1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
- Alex Sogard-1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO
- Enrique Hernandez 2B-0-5, 3 SO
- Domingo Santana RF-3-4, 2B
- Matt Duffy DH-2-3
Colton Cain Gets Rocked
Colton Cain didn't do his best Brady Rodgers impersonation as he didn't strikeout eleven over seven and a third innings. He instead gave up five runs in a little under three innings of work. Mike Hauschild would need to finish the third inning for him after Cain gave up back-to-back home runs. Hauschild would complete the next three innings to bridge the gap to the rest of the later inning bullpen arms, but they would all pitch from behind as the offense just couldn't recover from the hole Cain had dug out.
The offense would threaten in the third inning and get within one as they scoured four runs that got started by a pair of walks to Joe Sclafani and Chris Epps. Delino DeShields would get hit by a pitch to load the bases without any outs. Nolan Fontana would pull through with a triple and then score on an Andrew Aplin sac-fly. But, a pair of fly-outs would end the inning and they would get past first base again until a Chris Epps triple to lead off in the seventh inning. That would turn into zero runs as DDJ would get out on an infield popup and Fontana and Aplin would strikeout.
The game would would end 7-4 to tie the series up 1-1.
- Colton Cain-2 2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2 HR, 2/4 GO/AO
- Mike Hauschild-3 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2/7 GO/AO
- Gerardo Sanchez-1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
- Blair Walters-2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
- Jordan Jankowski-2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
- Kenny Long-2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
- Nolan Fontana SS-2-5, 3B, 2 SO
- MP Cokinos 1B-2-4
- Chris Epps RF-1-2, 3B, 2 BB, SO
River Bandits Drop Game 2
Another game, another loss for the system as the second game of the series ends in a 4-3 loss to even the series 1-1. Zach Morton was given his second start for the River Bandits as they piece together their starting rotation. Remember that Morton was a 32rd pick THIS YEAR!
His start didn't go too smoothly as he had an early exit with a high run total early just like the other two starters on the night. He surrendered three runs in the first inning and another one in the second inning before walking away with two runners on and two outs in the second in hopes of Jamaine Cotton to hold the game together, which he would. He was also the only pitcher that the River Bandits would jog out there that wasn't drafted this year. J.D. Osborne and Patrick Christensen would also have scoreless outings.
Anthony Kemp would force his way to third base in the first inning as he singled and then advanced on a wild pitch and a flyout. But, he wouldn't score. He would drive in a run in the second inning though as he picked up his second single of the game in the second inning to score Jobduan Morales. Rio Ruiz also scored earlier in the inning as he walked to lead off the inning and advanced on a pair of groundouts.
The fourth inning would be the next and last time they would score. Jordan Scott picked up a single and would advance on a throwing error. He would get moved over on a Morales groundout. Kemp would join him with a two-out walk. Teoscar Hernandez would drive Scott in with a single. Carlos Correa then loaded the bases with his own two-out walk. But, then this happened.
Anthony Kemp out at home, catcher Nick Rickles.
He tried to score on a wild pitch and it just didn't work. Inning over. Threat over.
Game 3 coming soon.
- Zach Morton-1 2/3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO, 1 HR, 3/0 GO/AO
- Jamaine Cotton-3 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 4/0 GO/AO
- J.D. Osborne-2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 5/0 GO/AO
- Patrick Christensen-1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
- Anthony Kemp-2-4, BB
- Carlos Correa SS-1-3, 2 BB
- Jordan Scott RF-2-4, SO
- Brian Blasik DH-2-4