Corpus Christi Hooks Take Series with an 8-5 Smackdown of Frisco RoughRiders - AA, Texas League

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Mitch Einertson homered twice and drove in four as the Hooks claimed their four game series against Frisco with an 8-5 victory Monday night before 5,103 at Dr Pepper Ballpark.

 

Corpus Christi has won all three of its road series this season and moves to 15-9 in the first half, 1 ½ games behind the first-place RoughRiders. 

 

The Hooks jumped on Michael Ballard for four runs in the first four frames. With one way in the first, Tommy Manzella extended his hit streak to 17 games with an infield single to second base. Richie Paz then delivered his first triple of the season, a fly ball off the wall in right-center, scoring Manzella from first. Ole Sheldon followed by lining a single to center field, putting Corpus Christi up by two. 

 

ADVERTISEMENT Billy Hart opened the Hooks fourth with a base hit to center and rode home on Einertson’s tape-measure shot to left field. His third home run of the season gave Corpus Christi a 4-0 lead.

 

Frisco got a run back in the bottom half against Hooks starter Chance Douglass. Ben Harrison led off with a single, stole second and scored on Max Ramirez’s line double to center field.

 

Manzella doubled for the sixth time this season to open the fifth. Paz promptly collected his 15^th RBI with a chopper up the middle for a 5-1 Corpus Christi advantage. Paz, 3-for-4 on the night, has hit safely in eight straight games, while posting RBI’s in his last four.     

 

The lead slipped to one after a three-run rally in the Frisco fifth, featuring back-to-back home runs from Steve Murphy and Harrison.

 

Douglass (2-2) was touched for four runs off six hits in five innings of work. The right-hander struck out five and walked two over 87 pitches. The Amarillo native has won 15 games in a Corpus Christi uniform, tying Josh Miller for the franchise record. 

 

Ballard (2-1) left the game after giving up five runs and 10 hits in seven innings.

 

Hooks reliever Jose Oyervidez worked around two hits in the sixth by striking out the side. With one away and runners at first and second in the RoughRider seventh, a nifty 1-6-3 double play turned by Manzella at short preserved the one-run lead.

 

Einertson turned in his second multi-homer game of the year and his second two-run blast of the night after launching the first pitch from Brandon Puffer over the fence in left field. 

 

Ole Sheldon added an RBI single in the ninth and Ryan McKeller worked a two-inning save to close out the victory.

 

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