CORPUS CHRISTI Dairon Blanco homered and Brallan Perez doubled during a five-run 10th inning Wednesday as the Midland RockHounds defeated the Corpus Christ Hooks 9-6 in the finale of their Texas League series at Whataburger Field.
Midland won two of three games in the series to remain 4½ games back in the South Division.
Perez finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Blanco, who connected off Tommy DeJuneas with two men on, joined Luis Barrera and Chase Calabuig in going 2 for 5.
Jesus Zambrano (1-0) allowed one earned run on three hits over 2.2 innings for the win. Kyle Finnegan got the final out for his eighth save.
Corpus Christi reliever Jonathan Bermudez (0-2) struck out five in 1.2 innings in taking the loss.
Midland opened up a 4-0 lead in the fourth on Calabuig’s RBI single, Collin Theroux’s RBI double and Kevin Merrell’s sacrifice fly. The Hooks pulled even in the bottom of the inning with Seth Beer’s RBI single, Granden Goetzman’s sacrifice fly and Carlo’s Canelon’s two-run homer.
In the 10th, Midland had five consecutive batters reach with two outs. After Blanco’s homer, the RockHounds loaded the bases on Calabuig’s single and walks to Theroux and Nate Mondou before Perez’s double.
The Hooks got two runs back in the bottom of the 10th on Canelon’s run-scoring groundout and Osvaldo Duarte’s RBI single to bring the tying run to the plate. Finnegan got Chas McCormick, who was 2 for 5, to line out to end the game.
