May 8, 2008

CORPUS CHRISTI -- Craig Gentry drove in three runs and seven Frisco players had multi-hit performances as the RoughRiders beat Corpus Christi 12-8 Thursday before 5,687.

Frisco stands 23-10, the Hooks 19-15.

The RoughRiders hung a single run on Hooks starter Bud Norris (3-1) in the second. Ben Harrison led off with a single to right field and scooted to third on Emerson Frostad’s one–out double. Gentry smoked a two-out single to deep short, enabling Harrison to score.

Frisco chased Norris and knocked around his replacement, Sean Walker, during a 10-run, nine-hit uprising two innings later in which 14 men went to the plate. There was only one extra-base hit, an RBI double by No. 9 hitter Corey Ragsdale. Ragsdale and Gentry had two hits, Gentry, Harrison and Elvis Andrus two RBIs.

Down 11-0, Billy Hart put Corpus Christi on the board with a solo homer to left in the fifth, his second of the season. Frisco starter Matt Harrison was pulled after 4 1/3 for pitch count purposes after giving up Hart’s blast and a double off the left-center field fence by Rob Cosby.

The Hooks pulled to within 11-6 by scoring five runs on five hits off Alfredo Gonzalez an inning later. Doubles by Drew Sutton and Mitch Einertson and Ray Sadler’s mammoth three-run shot to left field highlighted the rally. It was Sadler’s fourth round-tripper of 2008.

Frisco grabbed a run back in the eighth when Max Ramirez hit his eighth home run of the year, a solo shot to left off Walker.

But Corpus Christi wasn’t finished, scoring two runs in the ninth on Einertson’s two-out double.

Brandon Puffer, one of five RoughRider relievers, improved to 2-0.

Ole Sheldon paced the Hooks with three hits. Gentry and Ramirez had three for Frisco. The clubs combined for 28 overall.

Chance Douglass (2-2) takes the mound for Corpus Christi Friday at 7:05 against left-hander Michael Ballard (2-1)

-Matt Hicks