Whitley, Hooks maul Missions.
With Houston Astros president Reid Ryan in attendance, Forrest Whitley kept his scoreless streak alive against Double-A San Antonio.
Baseball’s top pitching prospect tossed four shutout innings in Corpus Christi’s 12-0 win Monday. Whitley yielded just two hits and one walk across a season-high 81 pitches.
“I feel good,” Whitley said. My body feels great. My arm feels good. I feel like my body is in great condition.”
Whitley began the season delaying his chances of a major league debut. The Astros’ 2016 first rounder garnered a 50game suspension for taking banned substances.
But through 12 innings, Whitley showed no signs of rust. He boasts a 0.00 ERA on just three walks and five hits across three games.
Whitley, who was drafted from Alamo Heights High School, helped the Hooks clinch the Texas League first half in his hometown. The Missions dropped three straight before the first half finale, making Monday’s game winner-take-all.
Corpus Christi’s three-run first and third inning placed Whitley on cruise control. Colin Rea continued to struggle in his sixth rehab start. He allowed seven runs (four earned) and eight hits across 3.0 innings, elevating his ERA to 7.13. Rea missed all of 2017 following Tommy John surgery.
Whitley’s only trouble came in his final inning. Whitley reached 77 pitches with two outs in the fourth, pushing him almost outside the pitch count.
A single and consecutive balls prompted a meeting with Bill Murphy, Corpus Christi’s pitching coach. The Hooks escaped any trouble, as Whitley registered his seventh strikeout to cap off his night.
By winning the Texas League first half, the Hooks clinch a berth to the postseason. It also guaranteed home field advantage for the opening two rounds.