July 3, 2009

CORPUS CHRISTI – Andy Van Hekken joined to the Corpus Christi rotation and threw six strong innings in a 7-1 triumph over Tulsa Friday night at Whataburger Field before 7,218.

The Hooks are 5-3 in the second half of Texas League action, 36-42 overall. The Drillers fell to 3-4, 41-36.

Van Hekken (3-2) made just his second start of the season in the wake of Polin Trinidad’s promotion to Triple-A Round Rock.

Tulsa jumped to a 1-0 first-inning lead on singles by Danny Sandoval, Jeff Kindel and Ryan Harvey.

The Hooks answered immediately by jumping on Drillers starter Keith Weiser. Jhon Florentino, Jimmy Van Ostrand and Drew Locke contributed RBIs as Corpus Christi surged to a 3-1 advantage. Florentino spanked a double down the left-field line to score Wladimir Sutil, who opened the home first with a single.

Corpus Christi added a run in the fourth. Brian Esposito stroked a one-out single to left and was sacrificed to second by Van Hekken. Sutil then laced a single up the middle.

Van Hekken finished with 95 pitches. He allowed seven hits, walked two and struck out one. Reliever Ryan McKeller pitched out of a first-and-third jam in the seventh by fanning Kindel and Harvey. Tyler Lumsden was six-up, six-down working the eighth and ninth.

Pinch-hitter Nick Moresi clubbed his first Double-A home run, a solo shot to left in the seventh.

Weiser (5-7) was touched for 10 hits and five runs in seven innings.

Florentino extended his hitting streak to seven games. Locke collected three hits and his minor league-leading 73rd RBI. Collin DeLome’s two-run homer in the eighth was his Texas League-leading 15th and extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Corpus Christi’s Wilton Lopez (1-1) faces Esmil Rogers (7-2) Saturday at 7:05.

--CC Hooks