Corpus Christi Hooks Dismantle the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6-1 - Texas League
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 04:44PM MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – SPRINGDALE, Ark. – Brad James tossed six innings of shutout ball and Rob Cosby blasted a three-run home run late to lead the Hooks to a 6-1 win over Northwest Arkansas Monday night at Arvest Ballpark. Corpus Christi has won three of five on its current road trip and stands 8-3 in the first half. The Naturals fall to 4-7.
James (1-1) weathered some early trouble, stranding four runners, three of them in scoring position, in the first three innings. He allowed four hits and a pair of walks while striking out three. James finished strong, retiring 11 of the last 12 men he faced.
Fortunate circumstances led to Corpus Christi’s first run. Richie Paz opened the top of the fourth with a single and, after Cosby flied out to right, advanced to second on a wild pitch. Ray Sadler lifted a routine fly ball to center, but Jose Duarte lost sight of the ball, allowing it to fall in front of him for a single, chasing Paz to third. A slow bouncer to short off the bat of Eli Iorg forced Sadler at second for out number two, but Paz raced home to give the Hooks a 1-0 lead.
ADVERTISEMENT That’s all the Hooks could get off Naturals’ starter Carlos Rosa (1-1) in four innings, but it was enough to saddle him with the loss. Rosa, who threw 84 pitches, gave up three hits and two walks while striking out four.
The Hooks put some distance between themselves and the Naturals with a four-run top of the eighth. Drew Sutton doubled and Tommy Manzella singled, setting up Paz for an RBI single to make it 2-0 Corpus Christi. Cosby then mashed the first pitch from Kyle Crist into the Hooks’ bullpen beyond the left field fence for a 5-0 cushion. The homer was Cosby’s third of the season.
Sutton, who has hit safely in all 10 of his starts, lined a home run to right with two out in the ninth to put the Hooks up 6-0.
The Naturals took advantage of a walk and two Hooks’ errors to tally an unearned run in the home ninth.
The series with Northwest Arkansas and the road trip conclude Tuesday night at 7:05. Corpus Christi lefty Brian Bogusevic matches up against Julio Pimentel in the finale.
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