Corpus Christi Hooks Top Midland RockHounds 9-7 - AA, Texas League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com  - MIDLAND, Texas - Ray Sadler and Rob Cosby socked RBI doubles in the ninth inning, while Mitch Einertson made a leaping catch with the bases loaded on the wall in right field to end a dramatic 9-7  Corpus Christi triumph Friday night at Midland's Citibank Ballpark.

Corpus Christi snaps a three-game skid and improves to 16-12, tying the RockHounds for second place in the Texas League South.
 
Drew Sutton led off the Hooks’ ninth with a lead-off walk issued by Justin Dowdy (0-1). Tommy Manzella, 0-for-3 on the night and his 20-game hit streak on the line, laid down a sacrifice bunt to third base, moving Sutton into scoring position. Sadler immediately capitalized by doubling inside the bag at third to put the Hooks up by one. After a strikeout of Ole Sheldon, Cosby lined a double to left for a 9-7 Corpus Christi advantage.
 
The drama did not end there. In the bottom half, Tommy Everidge hit a one-out single off reliever Sammy Gervacio. Jon Zeringue, who went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI’s, then became the third player to hit for the cycle against Corpus Christi with a single to left field. Gervacio retired Casey Meyers on a fly out, but
ADVERTISEMENT surrendered a base hit by Michael Massaro to fill the bases. Brian Snyder stepped to the plate and belted a fly ball that was snared by Einertson at the top of the wall in right field.
 
Gervacio (1-1) picked up the win after tossing two innings of three-hit ball.
 
Down 7-3 in the seventh, Eli Iorg started the comeback with a lead-off homer to center field and brought the Hooks to within two after his RBI single in eighth. Einertson then tied the game at seven with a two-run double to left.     
 
The Hooks jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second on Midland starter Andrew Bailey. Sheldon opened the frame with a double to left field. After a walk and strikeout, Johnson hit a two-bagger of his own to center field, scoring Sheldon. Einertson followed with an RBI grounder to first.
 
Midland squared the score in the fourth on back-to-back homers by Everidge and Zeringue. Hooks hurler Bud Norris, gunning for his fourth win of the season, then walked Casey Meyers, but bounced back, using a double-play grounder and strikeout, to end the inning.
 
Johnson connected with his second long ball of the season in the fifth to give Corpus Christi a short-lived lead.
 
The ’Hounds hammered out five runs in the seventh inning, thanks in part to Zeringue’s run-scoring triple and Snyder’s RBI double.
 
Norris allowed six runs, five earned, and seven hits over five-plus innings. The right-hander walked five and struck out five in 95 pitches.
 
The Hooks open an eight-game homestand Saturday against San Antonio at 4:05. The Missions’ Steve Garrison is scheduled to face Chance Douglass.       

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