The Corpus Christi Hooks won the middle game of the series with a 6-0 victory against the Springfield Cardinals before 2,736 fans at Hammons Field on Monday night.
Both Cardinals RHP Mike Mayers (L, 1-1) and Hooks RHP Cy Sneed (W, 1-0) exchanged scoreless opening stanzas, before the Hooks (8-3) plated an unearned run in the top of the second. With two down and the bases clear, C Alfredo Gonzalez skied a pop up to third base. However, 3B Paul DeJong had the ball graze off of his glove, enabling Gonzalez to reach on the error and the inning to continue. After 2B Mott Hyde singled himself on, CF Teoscar Hernandez worked a walk to load the bases. SS Alex Bregman then followed with an RBI free pass, forcing in Gonzalez from third and lifting the Hooks ahead, 1-0.
After getting out of the second-inning jam with only the one run, Mayers dominated the Hooks through the remainder of his start. Following the RBI walk in the second, the right-hander retired the next 13 batters in a row, keeping the Hooks at only the one run through his six innings.
However, Sneed also put in a stifling start, keeping the Cardinals (6-5) off the board and the Hooks in the 1-0 lead through his five scoreless frames.
Corpus Christi then opened the advantage further in the top of the seventh against RHP Chris Thomas. Gonzalez got the charge going with a one-out walk, followed by a single from Hyde. Hernandez then drove a three-run home run to center field, padding the Hooks lead to 4-0.
Corpus Christi tacked on insurance runs in the eighth and ninth, further opening the advantage to six runs. Meanwhile, Hooks RHP Edison Frias (S, 1) picked up right where Sneed had left off, tossing four scoreless innings of relief to close the 6-0 win for Corpus Christi.
