The Corpus Christi Hooks hung on for the narrow 3-2 win against the Springfield Cardinals before 3,496 fans at Hammons Field on Sunday evening.
After three scoreless innings from RHP Corey Baker to start the contest, the Cardinals (6-4) broke through against LHP Brian Holmes in the bottom of the third. With two down and the bases empty, SS Andrew Sohn worked a walk to keep the inning alive. CF Harrison Bader then unloaded a two-run home run to left field, his first career long-ball in Double-A, swinging Springfield into the 2-0 lead.
Baker kept the Hooks (7-3) off the board throughout the remainder of his start, finishing with no runs allowed on six hits while striking out three in five frames.
The Hooks, though, cracked the board with an unearned run in the top of the sixth against RHP Josh Lucas (L, 0-1). DH Chase McDonald began the inning with a single to right field that momentarily popped away from RF David Washington as he fielded it, enabling McDonald to take second base on the error. A groundout to second moved McDonald to third, before 3B J.D. Davis brought him in with an RBI sacrifice fly, slicing the Hooks deficit in half, 2-1.
Corpus Christi then swung in front in the top of the seventh. With two down and nobody on, RF Teoscar Hernandez reached on an infield single to keep the inning going. SS Alex Bregman then skied a two-run homer just out of the leaping range of Bader at the left-center field wall, catapulting Corpus Christi ahead, 3-2.
The Cardinals threatened in the bottom of the ninth with singles from Bader and LF Collin Radack, but RHP Aaron West navigated the Hooks through the frame unscathed to close the 3-2 win for Corpus Christi.
