The San Antonio Missions, Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, opened their first homestand of the season on April 7 with a six-game series against the Corpus Christi Hooks, affiliate of the Houston Astros. The Hooks won the series with a late-game rally on April 10, the Missions responded the following game on April 11 to steal the game in extra innings.

San Antonio entered the game on a five-game losing streak and have been winless at home thus far this season. Starting pitcher Ian Koenig took the mound for the Missions while the Hooks named Brett Gillis their starting pitcher. This game was the second start of the season for both pitchers, each of which sought to win their first game of the season after losing their previous start.

Corpus Christi struck first at the top of the second inning. A throwing error by San Antonio shortstop Francisco Acuña brought home Hooks’ first baseman Garret Guillemette to put Corpus Christi up 1-0. The Hooks continued to apply pressure on the Missions in the third when shortstop Tommy Sacco Jr. hit a solo home run to extend Corpus Christi’s lead to 2-0. San Antonio responded in the bottom of the frame when catcher Ethan Salas hit an RBI single to bring third baseman Luis Verdugo home, cutting into the Hooks’ lead 2-1.

However, Corpus Christi extended the lead back to two runs in the fifth inning when designated hitter John Garcia hit a solo home run, the second for the Hooks. With the Hooks leading 3-1, the Missions made a pitching change, replacing Koenig with Andrew Thurman. Thurman cooled off Corpus Christi’s bats into the eighth inning, then Harry Gustin relieved him.

San Antonio’s rally came in the ninth inning when designated hitter Tirso Ornelas earned a base hit off of Corpus Christi’s closer Amilcar Chirinos. Acuña kept things rolling for the Missions to bring Ornelas home on an RBI groundout, closing the Hooks’ lead 3-2. Chirinos’ wild pitch brought home pinch runner Carson Tucker to tie the game at three apiece – the first game of the season in which Chirinos surrendered an earned run. Unable to cap things off in the ninth, the game extended to extra-innings.

Manuel Castro took the mound to start the tenth inning for San Antonio. Castro gave up one hit in the inning, but managed to escape with a double play. The scoreless frame set up a game-winning opportunity for the Missions. 

Reliever Railin Perez stepped in to preserve the tie for Corpus Christi. Kai Roberts was the designated runner at second base for San Antonio per minor league baseball extra-inning rules. Braedon Karpathios called the game on his fifth at-bat of the game. He hit an RBI single off of Perez to drive Roberts home, stealing the game 4-3 over Corpus Christi. Castro earned the win for the Missions, whereas Hooks’ Perez earned the loss.

The win is the Missions’ first walkoff of the season and snaps their five-game skid. San Antonio closed the series against Corpus Christi on April 12 with a 1-0 win. The back-to-back wins improve their record to 3-6. They begin their second road trip of the season with a series against the Midland RockHounds from April 14-19.