Hooks leave Tulsa on losing note

TULSA, Okla. – The pitching of Samuel Deduno and a three-run bottom of the first carried Tulsa to a 4-1 victory over the Hooks in Saturday’s series finale at Drillers Stadium.  The Hooks lost two of three to drop to 6-9 in the second half.

Consecutive singles by Anthony Jackson, Darin Holcomb and Jeff Kindel greeted Corpus Christi starter Brad James in the first.  Kindel’s hit plated Jackson with the game’s first run.  Michael Paulk added a sacrifice fly and Mike McKenry chipped in with an RBI single to give Tulsa a 3-0 edge.

Jackson and Holcomb also opened the fifth with singles.  Jackson stole third and Kindel walked to load the bases for Paulk, who grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.  Jackson scored on Paulk’s ground ball, making it 4-0 Drillers.

James scored Corpus Christi’s lone run in the sixth, drawing a walk to start the frame.  Following Wladimir Sutil’s fly out to the wall in left, Drew Meyer singled to right, moving James to second.  A wild pitch by Deduno put both men in scoring position, and James came home on Jhon Florentino’s ground out to short.

Deduno (7-2), in his third start since returning from the disabled list, limited the Hooks to a run on three hits and a walk over six innings.  He hit one batter and struck out seven.  Andrew Johnston allowed a hit and fanned one in the ninth for his league-leading 23rd save.

James (2-7) was charged with four runs on seven hits and three walks during his six innings of work.  He struck out one.  Ryan McKeller tossed two frames of shutout relief.

The game was Corpus Christi’s last at Drillers Stadium, home to Tulsa baseball since 1981.  The Hooks finished 10-22 over their five seasons of play at the corner of 15th and Yale. 

Tulsa captured the season series with the Hooks seven games to five.

Catcher Jonathan Fixler was added to Corpus Christi’s roster in time for Saturday’s game.  Fixler was summoned from Round Rock to give the Hooks two catchers with Jason Castro in St. Louis for Sunday afternoon’s XM All-Star Futures Game.