truebluefan

(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.) - Corpus Christi's current northern swing has received a frosty review. In the opener of a short three-game series in Little Rock Friday night, the Hooks failed to hold a two-run lead at the seventh-inning stretch and lost to Arkansas 6-5. The Hooks, losers of three straight one-run games, remain in first place in the Texas League South with a record of 14-8, though that lead has been slashed to one game with San Antonio posting a 5-2 win at Springfield.

Tied at 3-3 entering the seventh, the game turned in Corpus Christi's favor when second baseman Jonny Ash opened the frame with his first homer of the season - a line drive shot that hit low off the "screen monster" in right-center for a 4-3 Hooks' lead. Two batters later, Wade Robinson drilled a line drive off the top of the wall in center, missing a home run by inches. The stand-up triple was his first of the year.

Following consecutive visits to the mound by the Travelers' pitching coach and manager, the umpires prevented Arkansas from making a change on the mound, a decision that forced starter Nick Green to remain in the game. Green, a right-handed pitcher, threw one pitch to Josh Anderson, a left-handed hitter, who floated a single into shallow left to bring Robinson home for a 5-3 advantage.

Corpus Christi's good fortunes ended there. The Travelers rallied for an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh after the first two batters of the inning had been retired. Then, in the eighth, Matt Brown's leadoff double, his fourth extra-base hit of the game, triggered the game-winning rally. Brown moved to third on a ground ball out and scored on Greg Porter's single to tie the game at 5-5.

The next batter, Bobby Wilson, executed a perfect hit-and-run single to right. Porter easily made it to third, but was waved home when right fielder Hunter Pence allowed the ball to get by him. The error was the third of the night for the Hooks.

Daniel Davidson (2-7) picked up the win with 2.2 innings of shutout relief. David Rollandini (2-3) suffered the loss, though was victimized by two errors behind him during his 1.1 innings on the hill. Ronnie Martinez made his Double-A debut for the Hooks and looked good during his six innings of work. He allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out seven.

Anderson, Ash, J.R. House and Walter Young each had two hits and an RBI for the Hooks. Mark Saccomanno added a solo homer, his seventh of the year, while Pence added a double, a walk and two runs.

The Hooks conclude the series and the road trip with a double-header Saturday night beginning at 6:30. Josh Miller (7-7, 3.84) will work game one for the Hooks while lefty Josh Muecke (0-4, 11.35) takes the hill in the nightcap. The Travelers counter with Jose Arredondo (1-0, 1.93) in the opener and a reliever-to-be-named in game two.