July 2, 2009

CORPUS CHRISTI – Chaz Roe won a duel of starting pitchers and Cole Garner homered to lead Tulsa past Corpus Christi 2-0 Thursday night at Whataburger Field before 6,037.

The Drillers improved to 3-3 in the second half of Texas League play and are 41-35 overall. Tulsa has recorded 10 shutouts in 2009.

The Hooks dropped to 4-3, 35-42.

Garner provided the Drillers with a 1-0 second-inning lead by depositing Sergio Perez’ 2-0, two-out fastball into the Hooks bullpen.

Roe (3-1) worked five shutout innings. The Hooks mustered just two hits off the right-hander, both in the second inning. He walked two and struck out six. Fifty of Roe’s 76 pitches went for strikes.

After his exit, Tulsa moved up 2-0. Anthony Jackson reached with a single to right and moved into scoring position on Danny Sandoval’s infield single. Michael Paulk’s fly to deep left sent Jackson to third and Ryan Harvey responded with a sharp single up the middle.

Perez (6-7) went six complete and was responsible for six hits, a walk and five strikeouts. He threw 94 pitches.

In all, seven relievers tossed an inning of scoreless relief: Tulsa’s Tommy Baumgardner, Austin Chambliss, Adam Bright and Edgmer Escalona; Danny Meszaros, Chia-Jen Lo and Erick Abreu of the Hooks.

Corpus Christi center fielder Collin DeLome extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the eighth. Third baseman Jhon Florentino has a six-game run.

In a match-up of left-handers, Hook Andy Van Hekken (2-2) meets Keith Weiser (5-6) Friday at 7:05.

--CC Hooks