STWF Sports | CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (July 9, 2026) — The Frisco RoughRiders once again saved their biggest swing for the late innings, using another eighth-inning surge to defeat the Corpus Christi Hooks 5-2 Thursday night at Whataburger Field.
For the third consecutive game, Frisco claimed the decisive lead in the eighth inning. The victory improved the RoughRiders to 9-6 in the second half and 48-35 overall while extending their winning streak to four games. Corpus Christi dropped to 7-8 in the half and 39-45 on the season.
The Hooks continued a familiar pattern by scoring first. For the third straight night, Corpus Christi produced a run in the opening inning, this time on a solo home run from Will Bush. The first baseman drove a pitch from Frisco starter Dalton Pence into right-center field, giving the Hooks a 1-0 advantage.
Pence quickly recovered and delivered one of his strongest outings of the season. The left-hander allowed only the first-inning run across 5.1 innings and matched his career high with 10 strikeouts.
His performance kept Frisco within reach and continued the RoughRiders’ impressive run of swing-and-miss pitching. Pence became the latest starter to post a double-digit strikeout total after Aidan Curry recorded 12 in Tuesday’s series opener.
Frisco answered in the top of the second inning with a pair of timely hits. Max Wagner tied the game with an RBI single before Marcus Lee Sang followed with another run-scoring base hit, giving the RoughRiders a 2-1 lead.
That advantage remained intact through six innings as Pence and the Frisco bullpen limited Corpus Christi’s opportunities.
The Hooks finally broke through in the seventh. Yamal Encarnacion launched a game-tying solo home run, pulling Corpus Christi even at 2-2 and setting up another late-inning test for the RoughRiders.
Frisco responded immediately.
After a runner reached in the top of the eighth, Wagner stepped to the plate and delivered the game’s defining swing. The infielder drove a two-run home run to put the RoughRiders back in front, 4-2.
Wagner’s 11th home run of the season continued his remarkable production at Whataburger Field. Six of his homers have come against the Hooks in Corpus Christi. In six games at the ballpark this season, he has collected six home runs and 11 RBIs.
Frisco RoughRiders’ Late Game Heroics
The RoughRiders added an insurance run in the ninth. Dylan Dreiling reached base and eventually scored on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 5-2 and giving the bullpen additional breathing room.
Frisco’s pitching staff finished the night with 13 strikeouts. Over the past nine games, the RoughRiders have recorded 118 strikeouts, the highest total in Minor League Baseball during that span.
The combination of dominant pitching and late-inning production has fueled Frisco’s recent run. The RoughRiders have now won the first three games of the six-game series and improved to 9-3 at Whataburger Field this season.
Thursday’s victory also reinforced the club’s reputation as one of Double-A’s most dangerous late-game teams. Frisco has repeatedly shown the ability to remain within striking distance before capitalizing against opposing bullpens.
Wagner has been central to that success throughout the series. His go-ahead homer came one night after Frisco scored seven runs in the eighth inning of an 8-3 victory. In Tuesday’s opener, Rafe Perich supplied a two-run homer in the eighth to complete a 3-2 comeback.
The RoughRiders will look to extend their winning streak Friday when the series continues at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Ben Anderson, who is 0-2 with a 5.20 ERA, is scheduled to start for Frisco against Corpus Christi right-hander James Hicks, who enters at 3-8 with a 5.84 ERA.
