by CORPUS CHRISTI – Tulsa’s D.J. Peters lifted a three-run go-ahead home run in the eighth inning Monday to defeat the Hooks 5-4 and give the Drillers the four-game series. Corpus Christi split its eight game homestand and stands at 12-13 on the season.
The Hooks were enjoying a 4-1 lead entering the fateful frame as Kit Scheetz took the hill for his third inning of work. But Scheetz allowed Angelo Mora and Jared Walker – Tulsa’s eight and nine hitters – onto the corners to start the eighth; Gavin Lux brought Mora home with a sacrifice fly. The Hooks turned to Brendan Feldmann (L, 1-1) to bar a rally but he failed to do so, walking Zach Reks with two outs to bring Peters to the plate. Peters drilled the first pitch from Feldmann 412 feet to give the Drillers a 5-4 lead.
Brandon Bailey (Chickasaw Nation) gave the Hooks 5.0 shutout, two-hit innings with six strikeouts and just one walk. He closed April with a 2.84 ERA through five games (4 starts).
The Hooks took a 2-0 lead with two outs in the second against Drillers righty Yordy Cabrera. With a running start off first, Stephen Wrenn bolted home on a double into the corner off the bat of Abraham Toro. Toro had earlier reached base for the 20th consecutive game.
In the fourth, Joshua Rojas and Chas McCormick manufactured another run. Rojas, who led off with a single, stole second to get into scoring position. McCormick then deposited a single into center, allowing Rojas to score for a 3-0 lead.
Corpus Christi scored another in the sixth, but left runners stranded at the corners against Adam McCreery (W, 2-1). After the Peters stunner, Rojas found himself 90 feet from home with no outs against Drillers de facto closer Layne Somsen. But Somsen (S, 2) struck out the next three batters, maintaining the marginal lead.
Rojas and McCormick were the only players in the game to register a pair of hits, each going 2-for-4. Rojas also picked up two steals, giving him 10 on the season.
The Hooks are off Tuesday before starting a three-game series at Northwest Arkansas Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Righty Brandon Bielak (1-0, 5.40) is scheduled for the Hooks against righty Conner Greene (2-1, 2.48). Michael Coffin will have the call on News Radio 1360 KKTX.
