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RockHounds sweep Hooks in doubleheader
by Oscar LeRoy
Midland Reporter-Telegram
By Oscar LeRoy
Sports Writer
Aaron Cunningham took a page out of Tommy Everidge's book, not available in stores, on how to drive in runs with his second game performance Saturday night against the Corpus Christi Hooks.
The center fielder for the Midland RockHounds hit a monstrous three-run homer in the fifth inning to put his team up for good and complete a doubleheader sweep of the Hooks with a 7-4 victory. Earlier, Jon Zeringue's three-run homer keyed a 7-3 victory over Corpus Christi.
With the wins, the RockHounds (24-18) extended their win streak to a season-high nine games and kept pace with first-place Frisco in the South Division standings by staying a game back of the RoughRiders. Frisco won 6-1 at San Antonio to stay on top.
Through the better part of four innings in the second game, however, it looked like the RockHounds might fall two games back as Corpus starter Tip Fairchild allowed just one run -- a solo homer by Jed Morris -- and his Hooks had a 2-1 lead.
But in the fifth, the RockHounds got to Fairchild with four consecutive hits to start the frame, which included the towering three-run blast by Cunningham to left field to help give the 'Hounds a 4-2 lead.
"I was just thinking, 'get the runners over,'" said Cunningham, describing his at-bat. "I just wanted to set them up for (Everidge) because he gets all the RBIs."
Everidge came into the game with a league-leading 92 RBI, but at least for the second game on this night, Cunningham was the one to provide the heroics.
"I think it was a hanging breaking ball," said Cunningham of the home run pitch offered by Fairchild. "I knew it was going out when I hit it."
The RockHounds added another run in the frame on a Zeringue fielder's choice for a 5-2 advantage.
Cunningham's night at the plate would not be over, as the RockHounds added two insurance runs in the sixth, which included an RBI single by Cunningham for a 7-4 advantage. Cunningham finished the game by going 2-for-4 with a run scored and four RBI.
Midland manager Webster Garrison said Cunningham is just one example of how his RockHounds are stepping up at the plate.
"Those guys believe right now," Garrison said. "Everybody is looking out to be the guy when opportunity arrives. Like I tell them, 'Don't leave it up to the next guy.' The guys are just taking it and trying to get it done. Right now, they're getting it done."
Garrison was also quick to credit the starting pitching as the most crucial part to this streak. In the second game, Jason Windsor (2-0) pitched five strong innings for Midland.
"When you pitch well and you give yourself the opportunities to make plays and swing the bat, that's definitely a key," Garrison said.
The RockHounds got off to a fast start in the first game with three runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a three-run blast to left by Zeringue.
Corpus got a run in the second inning, as Billy Hart scored on a wild pitch by Midland starter Josh Outman. Other than that, Outman was solid through four innings, giving up one run on four hits and striking out two.
Midland put the game away with a four-run fourth when the RockHounds began the frame with four consecutive hits against Hooks starter Andy Van Hekken, who got rocked by the 'Hounds a week ago in Corpus (a 12-4 win by Midland). Cunningham and Everidge each had RBI doubles during that spurt. The RockHounds added a run on an infield throwing error and scored another on an RBI double by Anthony Recker.
Andrew Bailey (2-9) picked up the win in relief, his first win since April 5.
Game 1
Midland 7, Corpus Christi 3
Corpus ab r h bi Midland ab r h bi
Ball cf 4 1 0 0 Donovan cf 2 1 1 0
Ash 2b 3 0 1 0 Herrera dh 3 1 1 0
Sutton 3b 3 0 1 1 Cunningham lf 3 2 2 1
Hart dh 3 1 2 0 Everidge 3b 3 2 2 1
Iorg rf 3 0 2 0 Leslie 3b 0 0 0 0
Einertson lf 3 0 0 0 Zeringue rf 3 1 1 3
Sheldon 1b 3 1 1 0 Doolittle 1b 2 0 0 0
Santangelo c 3 0 1 1 Recker c 3 0 1 1
Sutil ss 3 0 0 0 Affronti ss 3 0 0 0
Sellers 2b 3 0 0 0
Totals 28 3 8 2 Totals 25 7 8 6
Corpus Christi 010 001 1 --3
Midland 304 000 x --7
E - Sutton (21). DP - Corpus Christi 1, Midland 2. LOB - Corpus Christi 4, Midland 2. 2B - Everidge 2 (26), Cunningham (17). HR - Zeringue (18). S - Sutil.
IP H R ER BB SO
Corpus Christi
Van Hekken L, 4-2 4.0 8 7 7 2 2
Oyervidez 2.0 0 0 0 0 3
Midland
Outman 4.0 4 1 1 0 2
Bailey W, 2-9 2.0 2 1 1 0 1
Dowdy 1.0 2 1 1 0 2
WP - Outman, Bailey, Dowdy.
T - 1:48. A -- n/a.
Game 2
Midland 7, Corpus Christi 4
Corpus ab r h bi Midland ab r h bi
Sutton dh 3 2 1 0 Herrera dh 3 2 2 0
Ash 2b 3 0 2 2 Sellers 2b 2 2 1 0
Hart lf 3 0 1 0 Cunningham cf 4 1 2 4
Sheldon 1b 3 0 0 0 Everidge 1b 4 1 2 0
Cosby 3b 4 0 0 0 Doolittle rf 3 0 0 0
Einerston cf 3 1 3 0 Zeringue lf 3 0 0 1
Bogusevic rf 3 1 2 2 Morris c 3 1 2 1
Lopez c 3 0 0 0 Leslie 3b 2 0 0 0
Sutil ss 3 0 0 0 Martinez ss 2 0 0 0
Totals 28 4 9 4 Totals 26 7 9 6
Corpus Christi 001 012 0 --4
Midland 000 142 x --7
E - Hart 2 (5),Doolittle (4). LOB - Corpus Christi 7, Midland 6. DP -- Corpus Christi 1, Midland 1. 3B - Sutton (4). HR - Morris (2), Cunningham (12). SB - Herrera (3). SF - Ash.
IP H R ER BB SO
Corpus Christi
Fairchild L, 2-8 4.0 7 5 4 4 2
Blazek 1.0 0 0 0 0 1
Salamida 1.0 2 2 1 1 1
Midland
Windsor W, 2-0 5.0 7 2 2 0 2
Farley 1.0 2 2 2 0 0
Carignan S, 18 1.0 0 0 0 2 0
HBP - by Windsor (Sutton). PB - Morris 2. Balk - Windsor.
T - 2:14. A -- 5,227.
Sports Writer
Aaron Cunningham took a page out of Tommy Everidge's book, not available in stores, on how to drive in runs with his second game performance Saturday night against the Corpus Christi Hooks.
The center fielder for the Midland RockHounds hit a monstrous three-run homer in the fifth inning to put his team up for good and complete a doubleheader sweep of the Hooks with a 7-4 victory. Earlier, Jon Zeringue's three-run homer keyed a 7-3 victory over Corpus Christi.
With the wins, the RockHounds (24-18) extended their win streak to a season-high nine games and kept pace with first-place Frisco in the South Division standings by staying a game back of the RoughRiders. Frisco won 6-1 at San Antonio to stay on top.
Through the better part of four innings in the second game, however, it looked like the RockHounds might fall two games back as Corpus starter Tip Fairchild allowed just one run -- a solo homer by Jed Morris -- and his Hooks had a 2-1 lead.
But in the fifth, the RockHounds got to Fairchild with four consecutive hits to start the frame, which included the towering three-run blast by Cunningham to left field to help give the 'Hounds a 4-2 lead.
"I was just thinking, 'get the runners over,'" said Cunningham, describing his at-bat. "I just wanted to set them up for (Everidge) because he gets all the RBIs."
Everidge came into the game with a league-leading 92 RBI, but at least for the second game on this night, Cunningham was the one to provide the heroics.
"I think it was a hanging breaking ball," said Cunningham of the home run pitch offered by Fairchild. "I knew it was going out when I hit it."
The RockHounds added another run in the frame on a Zeringue fielder's choice for a 5-2 advantage.
Cunningham's night at the plate would not be over, as the RockHounds added two insurance runs in the sixth, which included an RBI single by Cunningham for a 7-4 advantage. Cunningham finished the game by going 2-for-4 with a run scored and four RBI.
Midland manager Webster Garrison said Cunningham is just one example of how his RockHounds are stepping up at the plate.
"Those guys believe right now," Garrison said. "Everybody is looking out to be the guy when opportunity arrives. Like I tell them, 'Don't leave it up to the next guy.' The guys are just taking it and trying to get it done. Right now, they're getting it done."
Garrison was also quick to credit the starting pitching as the most crucial part to this streak. In the second game, Jason Windsor (2-0) pitched five strong innings for Midland.
"When you pitch well and you give yourself the opportunities to make plays and swing the bat, that's definitely a key," Garrison said.
The RockHounds got off to a fast start in the first game with three runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a three-run blast to left by Zeringue.
Corpus got a run in the second inning, as Billy Hart scored on a wild pitch by Midland starter Josh Outman. Other than that, Outman was solid through four innings, giving up one run on four hits and striking out two.
Midland put the game away with a four-run fourth when the RockHounds began the frame with four consecutive hits against Hooks starter Andy Van Hekken, who got rocked by the 'Hounds a week ago in Corpus (a 12-4 win by Midland). Cunningham and Everidge each had RBI doubles during that spurt. The RockHounds added a run on an infield throwing error and scored another on an RBI double by Anthony Recker.
Andrew Bailey (2-9) picked up the win in relief, his first win since April 5.
Game 1
Midland 7, Corpus Christi 3
Corpus ab r h bi Midland ab r h bi
Ball cf 4 1 0 0 Donovan cf 2 1 1 0
Ash 2b 3 0 1 0 Herrera dh 3 1 1 0
Sutton 3b 3 0 1 1 Cunningham lf 3 2 2 1
Hart dh 3 1 2 0 Everidge 3b 3 2 2 1
Iorg rf 3 0 2 0 Leslie 3b 0 0 0 0
Einertson lf 3 0 0 0 Zeringue rf 3 1 1 3
Sheldon 1b 3 1 1 0 Doolittle 1b 2 0 0 0
Santangelo c 3 0 1 1 Recker c 3 0 1 1
Sutil ss 3 0 0 0 Affronti ss 3 0 0 0
Sellers 2b 3 0 0 0
Totals 28 3 8 2 Totals 25 7 8 6
Corpus Christi 010 001 1 --3
Midland 304 000 x --7
E - Sutton (21). DP - Corpus Christi 1, Midland 2. LOB - Corpus Christi 4, Midland 2. 2B - Everidge 2 (26), Cunningham (17). HR - Zeringue (18). S - Sutil.
IP H R ER BB SO
Corpus Christi
Van Hekken L, 4-2 4.0 8 7 7 2 2
Oyervidez 2.0 0 0 0 0 3
Midland
Outman 4.0 4 1 1 0 2
Bailey W, 2-9 2.0 2 1 1 0 1
Dowdy 1.0 2 1 1 0 2
WP - Outman, Bailey, Dowdy.
T - 1:48. A -- n/a.
Game 2
Midland 7, Corpus Christi 4
Corpus ab r h bi Midland ab r h bi
Sutton dh 3 2 1 0 Herrera dh 3 2 2 0
Ash 2b 3 0 2 2 Sellers 2b 2 2 1 0
Hart lf 3 0 1 0 Cunningham cf 4 1 2 4
Sheldon 1b 3 0 0 0 Everidge 1b 4 1 2 0
Cosby 3b 4 0 0 0 Doolittle rf 3 0 0 0
Einerston cf 3 1 3 0 Zeringue lf 3 0 0 1
Bogusevic rf 3 1 2 2 Morris c 3 1 2 1
Lopez c 3 0 0 0 Leslie 3b 2 0 0 0
Sutil ss 3 0 0 0 Martinez ss 2 0 0 0
Totals 28 4 9 4 Totals 26 7 9 6
Corpus Christi 001 012 0 --4
Midland 000 142 x --7
E - Hart 2 (5),Doolittle (4). LOB - Corpus Christi 7, Midland 6. DP -- Corpus Christi 1, Midland 1. 3B - Sutton (4). HR - Morris (2), Cunningham (12). SB - Herrera (3). SF - Ash.
IP H R ER BB SO
Corpus Christi
Fairchild L, 2-8 4.0 7 5 4 4 2
Blazek 1.0 0 0 0 0 1
Salamida 1.0 2 2 1 1 1
Midland
Windsor W, 2-0 5.0 7 2 2 0 2
Farley 1.0 2 2 2 0 0
Carignan S, 18 1.0 0 0 0 2 0
HBP - by Windsor (Sutton). PB - Morris 2. Balk - Windsor.
T - 2:14. A -- 5,227.
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