Corpus Christi (25-30, 56-69) @ Springfield (25-29, 63-61)

It may not have been as bad as the infamous “Sun” game played in Tulsa back in 2005, but these days, not much is going right for the Hooks.  Center fielder Ray Sadler, arguably the top defensive outfielder in the club’s five-year history, was blinded by the sun on Pete Kozma’s routine fly ball in the bottom of the third yesterday.  The ball fell to the ground just a few feet to Sadler’s left for a double.  Later in the inning, Jim Rapoport and Mike Folli each delivered two-out, run-scoring singles – the difference in Springfield’s 3-1 victory.

Wilton Lopez (4-5), who retired seven straight to start his evening and finished by recording 11 consecutive outs, was saddled with the loss.  And four Springfield pitchers, including starter Nick Additon (2-2) and closer Eduardo Sanchez (9th save), held Corpus Christi to three hits.  One of those three hits was Felix Molina’s solo homer leading off the top of the third.

This is the final game of the series and the road trip.  The Hooks have 14 games remaining in the season – all against TL South foes.              

Tonight’s Matchup:  LHP Douglas Arguello (2-4, 3.30) vs. RHP Trey Hearne (10-3, 3.06)

Arguello, signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in December of 2001, makes his 12th start for the Hooks and his second against the Cardinals.  In the opening game of this road trip Wednesday at Arkansas, Arguello was touched for four runs, three earned, on five hits and three walks in 5.2 innings in a 7-1 loss to the Travelers.  In two starts since his return from the disabled list (strained left elbow) and a brief stint with Tri-City (1-1, 5.63, 3 starts) of the New York-Penn League, Arguello is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA.  Arguello’s last start before going on the DL came June 1 at home against these Cardinals.  He allowed two runs on four hits and four walks over five frames and picked up the win in Corpus Christi’s 9-4 triumph.  At the plate, Arguello is 1-for-5 with 1 sacrifice bunt, 1 walk and 1 strikeout.        

·        Texas League Pitcher of the Week May 4-10 (complete-game win over Midland May 6)

·        In his last 7 starts with the Hooks is 2-3 with a 2.70 ERA (13 ER in 43.1 IP)

·        Was 10-6 with a 3.30 ERA for the Avalanche last season – his ERA ranked 3rd in the Carolina League

Hearne, selected by the Cardinals in the 28th round of the 2005 draft out of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, makes his 22nd appearance and 16th start for Springfield.  This is Hearne’s first outing with Springfield since his return from AAA Memphis, where in four starts he was 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA.  Hearne lost his most recent start last Tuesday at home against Fresno (6.2 IP-9-5-3-0-2).  His last appearance in the Texas League came July 23 at Tulsa (5-3 loss).  In his only outing against the Hooks May 30 at Whataburger Field, the former Islander did more damage with his bat than with his arm.  Hearne slugged a three-run home run in the top of the fourth to give the Cardinals a 4-0 lead on the way to a 5-4 victory.  He allowed two runs on six hits in five innings to get the win.  As a hitter, Hearne is 3-for-14 with 2 HR’s and 7 RBI’s.  He has also been hit by a pitch 3 times and has 1 sacrifice bunt.   

·        Tossed two innings of shutout ball as the starter for the North All-Stars to get the win in this year’s Texas League All-Star Game July 1 at Frisco

·        Ranks 4th in the TL in ERA and is tied for 3rd in wins

·        In 2006 was 12-3 with a 2.25 ERA for Quad Cities, posting the best ERA in the Cardinals farm system and the second best ERA in the Midwest League

·        Was the 2005 South Texas Collegiate Pitcher of the Year at the annual South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet after going 8-1 with a 2.00 ERA and 3 complete games for the Islanders in 2005

It’s a numbers game

The Cardinals have now won three straight games this home stand by the score of 3-1.  The Hooks, meanwhile, have lost four of five on this road trip, and have scored exactly one run in each of those four losses.  In fact, the Hooks have scored exactly one run in each of their last five losses, and have tallied one run in 22 games this season.

Can’t catch a break

We’re talking about Hooks starter Wilton Lopez here.  In the month of August, Lopez has fashioned five straight quality starts and posted an ERA of 1.23, with just five earned runs allowed in 36.2 innings.  In that time, he’s given up just 19 hits and 4 walks while notching 22 strikeouts, yet his record for the month is just 2-2.  Opponents are batting .153 off Lopez in August.

Want some more?  Since June 23, Lopez has turned in 10 quality starts (in a span of 12 starts) and has two wins, three losses and five no-decisions in those 10 games.

In his five August starts, the Hooks have scored a total of 9 runs, for an average of 1.8 runs per game.  In his 10 quality starts since June 23, the Hooks have scored a total of 24 runs, for an average of 2.4 runs per game.

Lopez, also still in search of his first hit, had an extra-base hit and an RBI robbed from him last night when his 380-foot drive to left-center was caught on the dead run by Jim Rapoport, who had a brilliant all-around game yesterday for the Cardinals. 

Could use a little help here

Of Corpus Christi’s three hits yesterday, Drew Locke had two of them – singles to lead off the fourth and ninth.  Locke enters play tonight with a 4-game hitting streak (10x17, 2 doubles, 3 runs) and hits in 10 of his last 11 games (19x44).

He also enters tonight’s game having gone six games without driving in a run, his longest RBI drought of the year.  In the last five games he’s played, Locke is 10-for-21, but has come to the plate just twice with runners in scoring position.  On one occasion, he was intentionally walked with a runner at third and two outs in the 11th inning.  The other instance came in the first inning when, with a runner at second and one out, he grounded out to second to move the runner.

For the year, Locke is batting .397 with runners in scoring position and .444 with runners in scoring position and two outs.

Locke still leads the Texas League with 103 RBI’s, with Frisco’s Chad Tracy (99) and Midland’s Chris Carter (98) close behind.

Hitters update

Jason Castro has hits in 3 of his last 4 games, 5-for-17 with 1 HR, 1 run and 4 RBI’s.

Collin DeLome has hits in 4 of his last 6 games (0x6 this series), 7-for-24 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 3 runs and 7 RBI’s.

Drew Locke has a 4-game hitting streak, 10-for-17 with 2 doubles and 3 runs.  He also has hits in 10 of his last 11 games, 19-for-44 with 4 doubles, 1 HR, 7 runs and 2 RBI’s.  Locke has also hit safely in 16 of his last 19 games, going 31-for-79 (.392).

Drew Meyer has hits in 4 of his last 5 games, 7-for-17 with 4 runs and 1 RBI.  Has not played on this trip.

Felix Molina has a 3-game hitting streak, 3-for-9 with 1 HR, 1 run and 3 RBI’s.

Jimmy Van Ostrand has hits in 10 of his last 11 games, 13-for-39 with 1 double, 2 HR’s, 4 runs and 7 RBI’s.

Pitching Rotation vs. Midland

Tuesday:  RHP Arnold Leon (1-1, 3.58) vs. RHP Kenny Baugh (4-2, 3.98)

Wednesday:  RHP Travis Banwart (9-5, 4.99) vs. RHP Sergio Perez (10-10, 4.69)

Thursday:  RHP Kyle Middleton (3-1, 2.63) vs. LHP Tyler Lumsden (1-2, 5.65)