Corpus Christi (5-2, 48-28) at Arkansas (5-1, 40-36) Friday, June 29, 2018 • Dickey-Stephens Park • North Little Rock, AR • 7:10 P.M
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Corpus Christi (5-2, 48-28) at Arkansas (5-1, 40-36) Friday, June 29, 2018 • Dickey-Stephens Park • North Little Rock, AR • 7:10 p.m. ON THE RECORD: 28-12 Home | 20-16 Road | 14-4-3 Series | 4-2 Sweeps | L 2 Streak | 3-2 Last 5 | 8-2 Last 10 TRAVS SPIN SHUTOUT: A strong start by Anthony Misiewicz and shutdown relief pitching enabled the Travelers to blank Corpus Christi, 2-0, in Thursday’s series opener at Dickey-Stephens Park. Randy Cesar accounted for most of Corpus Christi’s five hits, go- ing 3-for-4. Cesar’s first inning double extended his hitting streak to 42 games, a new Texas League record. Jorge Alcala absorbed the tough-luck loss, scattering five hits and two runs over 5 1/3 innings. Arkansas capitalized on a lead-off free pass in the fourth with Donnie Walton’s sac fly to center field. Chuck Taylor opened the sixth with a triple and promptly scored on Eric Filia’s base hit up the middle. Misiewicz, making his first Double-A appearance in nearly a month following a long stay on the DL, stranded five over his four innings of work. Spencer Herrmann struck out four and retired the nine men he faced. Art Warren fanned a pair in a perfect eighth, and Matt Festa survived a Cesar lead-off single in the ninth to record his ninth save. HOOKS | TODAY’S PITCHING MATCHUP | TRAVELERS RH Akeem Bostick (0-2, 3.20) RH Nathan Bannister (4-5, 6.32) • 23-year-old was acquired by the Astros via a trade with • Selected by Seattle in the 28th round of the 2016 draft out the Rangers for C Carlos Corporan in January 2015 of the University of Arizona • Permitted 2 R on 4 H & 3 BB in 4.1 IP Sat vs. FRI • 24-year-old hails from Peoria • Hurled 4.0 shutout for the SV Jun 18 at SA as CC won the • Texas League All-Star did not pitch Tuesday in Midland first-half title...struck out 2 against 2 BB & 5 H • Has yielded 15 HR, most in Texas League • Lost vs. SA Jun 12, allowing 3 R on 7 H & 1 BB in 3.0 IP • Allowed 5 R in each of last 2 GS, going combined 7.1 IP • Had yielded just 2 ER in prior 5 GM (4 GS, 20.2 IP) • Stands 1-1 w/ 7.01 ERA over 5 GM (4 GS) in June • Resided on the disabled list from May 8 to June 6 • Lone action vs. CC was Double-A debut Apr 9...scattered • Made season debut April 8 at ARK, allowing 3 R on 4 H & 2 R, 6 H (Benedetti HR) & 3 BB over 5.0 IP for W 2 BB in 3.2 IP...struck out 6 • Tagged for 15 R & 27 H over next 3 GS (14.0 IP) • Finished 2017 w/ CC, going 6-6 w/ 4.59 ERA in 18 GM • Hurled CG-shutout vs SPR May 13 (4 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 9 IP) (13 GS)...58 K, 20 BB, 97 H, 7 HR, 80.1 IP • 3.86 at Dickey-Stephens Park | 8.31 ERA, 13 HR on road • Struck out 7 over 7.2 shutout IP vs. SA on final day of • 9-7 w/ 4.33 ERA in 23 GS for Tacoma & Modesto in 2017 season to earn Texas League Pitcher of the Week honors • Struck out 117 and walked 21 in 143.1 IP | 22 HR • Won last 2 starts, completing 7 frames each time out • Went 5-3 with a 2.42 ERA & .227 BAA in 12 2nd-half Surrendered 2 R or less in 7 of first 10 CC appearances • starts...surrendered 6 home runs • 2-1 w/ 1.86 ERA in 4 GM (3 GS) for Buies Creek to start • Won 2 playoff assignments, allowing 2 R in 12.2 IP, as the the season (16 K, 6 BB, 10 H, 0 HR, 19.1 IP, .154 BAA) Nuts claimed the California League title • Made 11 starts for Los Mochis of the Mexican Winter • 6 K, 6.2 shutout IP in AAA debut May 6 vs. New Orleans League, going 0-1 w/ 3.86 ERA (47 K, 19 BB, 42.0 IP • First PCL win Aug 11 vs. Reno, spinning 7 scoreless IP • 5-3 w/ 4.98 ERA in 14 GM (13 GS) for Lancaster in 2016 • Did not pitch after being drafted as he was diagnosed with Was winning pitcher in decisive GM 3 of Cal League Mini • a UCL sprain in his right elbow Series, scattering 4 R over 6.2 IP vs. Rancho Cucamonga • Was Arizona’s Friday night starter as a senior in 2016, Went 9-5 w/ 4.15 ERA in 21 GM (18 GS) for Quad Cities • going 12-2 with a 2.59 ERA in 22 GM (20 GS) & Lancaster in 2015 (81 K, 21 BB, 106.1 IP) • Struck out 117 & walked 21 in 142 IP • 2nd-round pick in 2013 out of West Florence (SC) High • Tabbed First-Team All-Pac 12 • Georgia Southern commit for football (WR) & baseball • Had made only 39 appearances (7 GS) over first 3 sea- sons with the Wildcats UPCOMING PROBABLES Date Opp. Pitchers - Opponent vs. Corpus Christi Time Sat, June 30 @ARK Johendi Jiminian (4-3, 3.35) vs. RH Forrest Whitley (0-1, 3.86) 6:10 PAGE 2 HOOKS MEDIA INFORMATION • FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 • ARKANSAS CIONEL TO THE SHOW: The Astros have recalled LHP Cionel Perez while placing SS Carlos Correa (back) on the disabled list. Perez is primed to become the 102nd player in the 14-year history of the Hooks to make their major league debut. The hard-throwing southpaw is the first player to go directly to “The Show” from Corpus Christi since 2015 when RHP Michael Feliz, RHP Lance McCullers Jr., and RHP Vincent Velasquez earned received the call to Houston. Perez, rated by MLB.com as the No. 3 Astros pitching prospect, went 5-1 with a 2.20 ERA and .219 batting average against in 14 games (10 starts) for Corpus Christi. The 22-year-old Cuban and Texas League South All-Star has struck out 11.1 batters per 9 innings. SMITH STARTS REHAB: Astros RHP Joe Smith, who is working his way back from a sore elbow, is excepted to pitch 1.0 inning for Corpus Christi. Smith is 2-1 with a 5.49 ERA and .214 opponent batting average in 23 games for the Astros this year, striking out 20 against 7 walks in 19.2 innings. Signed by Houston as a free agent this past December, the sidearmer is 46-29 with a 3.05 ERA & 1.18 WHIP over parts of 12 big league seasons with the Astros, Mets (2007-2008), Indians (2009-13, 2017), Angels (2014-2016), Cubs (2016), and Blue Jays (2017). Among active relievers, Smith ranks fifth in appearances, tied for fifth in wins and 13th in ERA. He was drafted by the Mets in the 3rd round in 2006 out of Wright State University in Dayton, OH. HAIL RANDY!: Randy Cesar went 3-for-4 with a double Thursday night, marking his 16th multi-knock performance during this 42 game hit streak. Only 13 players in the 151-year history of Minor League Baseball boast a longer hit streak than Cesar. The MiLB record for longest hitting streak is 69 games, established in 1919 by Joe Wilhoit of the Wichita Jobbers of the Western League. In addition to his Major League best 56-game hit streak, Joe DiMaggio hit safely in 61 consecutive games during the 1933 season for the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League. Cesar is chasing the modern record of 50 games, set in 2016 by Indians catching prospect Francisco Mejia with High-A Lynchburg. During this remarkable streak, Cesar is batting .391 with 28 runs scored, 12 doubles, 2 triples, 8 home runs, 30 RBIs, and a .428 on-base average. ONWARD & UPWARD: 1B Taylor Jones made a splash in his Triple-A debut last night, belting a 2-run home run in his first PCL at-bat. Jones went 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs last night as Fresno avoided being swept in El Paso. Riley Ferrell also made his first appearance with the Grizzlies last night, allowing 2 runs in 1.0 inning of work. Jones, who earned Texas League All-Star Game MVP honors Tuesday in Midland, leads the circuit with a .987 OPS. The Gon- zaga product hit .323 with 21 doubles, 12 home runs, and 53 RBIs in 69 games for the Hooks. He ranks among the TL leaders in RBIs (53, 2nd), doubles (3rd), total bases (140, 3rd), extra-base hits (34, 4th) and batting average (5th). Jones takes the place of 1B A.J. Reed on the Fresno roster. Reed was recalled to the Astros after 1B Yuli Gurriel was placed on the paternity list. Ferrell posted a 1.90 ERA & .171 batting average against while going 7-for-7 in save chances over a 21-game stint with the Hooks this season. The Texas League Pitcher of the Week for June 11-17 picked up the victory June 17 in a must-win scenario for the Hooks. Ferrell retired the final 7 Missions batters in order to nail down an 8-6 triumph. The TCU alum did not allow an earned run in his last 12 appearances for Corpus Christi.