Young Houston Astros Pitchers Pull Off Corpus Christi First

The Houston Astros’ Double-A affiliate served up a franchise first during their visit to San Antonio on Saturday.

Feb 17, 2024; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; Detail photo of Houston Astros spring training cap. during workouts at spring training. | Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

The Corpus Christi Hooks did something it had never done on Saturday night — throw a nine-inning no-hitter.

Jake Bloss and Cesar Gomez combined to no-hit the San Antonio Missions, 3-0, giving the Houston Astros Double-A affiliate its first in a nine-inning format in 19 seasons.

Bloss (4-2) went 6.1 innings for the Hooks, as he struck out six and walked three. He threw 82 pitchers.

Bloss handed it over to Gomez in the seventh with one out, and he retired the next eight hitters, as he struck out three. It was Gomez on the mound when the Hooks recorded the final out to clinch the no-hitter.

The first nine-inning no-hitter in 19 seasons of Hooks Baseball! pic.twitter.com/01b1Nf7lMP

— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) June 16, 2024

Meanwhile the Hooks put 10 hits on the Missions as top prospect Jacob Melton made his second appearance in the lineup since he returned from injury.

Bloss, a right-hander, is the Astros’ No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline. Houston selected him in the third round of last year’s MLB Draft out of Georgetown. He made seven starts last season with the Astros’ Florida Complex League team and Class A Fayetteville, going 1-1 with a 2.89 ERA in seven games (six starts). He struck out 23 and walked 12 in 18.2 innings.

He started this season with the High-A Asheville Tourists and was promoted to Corpus Christi on May 3.

In 12 combined starts he is 4-2 with a 1.74 ERA. He has struck out 60 and walked 21 in 62 innings.

Gomez went to college at UT-Arlington and started pitching professionally in 2021 with Fayetteville. He has spent most of the last two season with Corpus Christi, with the exception of a few appearances with Triple-A Sugar Land.

While he’s always had a high ERA with the organization, he’s been exceptional this season. He has a 1.29 ERA in 16 games with a 1-1 record. He has struck out 29 and walked three in 28 innings.  

The Hooks wrap up their series with the Missions on Sunday.