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07/31/2008 12:48 AM ET
Missions' Faris hurls seven one-hit frames
Dependable righty only allows three baserunners in 13-0 shutout of Hooks
By Steve Conley / Special to MLB.com
Stephen Faris has given up one run or fewer in 13 of his 20 starts this year. (Shawn E. Davis/MLB.com)

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Stephen Faris has been a model of consistency for the San Antonio Missions this season. The blueprint was on display Wednesday night.

Faris tossed seven one-hit innings and the Missions collected 19 hits in a 13-0 drubbing of the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field.

Faris (7-4) allowed only three baserunners in matching his longest outing of the season. He issued a one-out walk in the second inning and didn't surrender a hit until Richard Paz singled with two outs in the fourth. He allowed a one-out walk in the fifth before retiring the final seven batters he faced. It was the fifth time this season that he completed seven frames.

Michael Ekstrom struck out one in a perfect eighth, and Michael DeMark allowed one hit and fanned two in the ninth to close out San Antonio's 17th shutout of the season and their fourth against the Hooks.

After helping lead Clemson to the second round of the College World Series in 2006, Faris was selected in the 12th round of the First-Year Player Draft by the San Diego Padres. He spent most of 2007 with the Class A Fort Wayne Wizards of the Midwest League, going 7-7 with a 4.37 ERA in 21 games, including 18 starts. He pitched a complete game one-hit shutout against the Clinton LumberKings on July 17, earning a promotion to the Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm of the California League.

Faris posted a 4.09 ERA over 11 innings in two starts with the Storm and finished the season by allowing one run in a four-inning relief appearance for the Triple-A Portland Beavers against Tucson on Aug. 29. He threw a total of 118 innings last season and is up to 108 2/3 in 2008. He has allowed one run or fewer in 13 of his 20 starts this season.

The Missions broke open a close game by scoring 11 runs in their final three turns at-bat. Seth Johnston homered to lead off the seventh and Chad Huffman and Josh Alley delivered run-scoring singles to make it 5-0. In the eighth, Mike Baxter hit a three-run homer, his sixth, and Kyle Blanks smacked a two-run shot, his 13th.

Johnston collected four hits, falling a triple shy of the cycle, and scored three times. Blanks had three hits and three RBIs, and Alley added three hits and fell a homer shy of the cycle.

Hooks starter Casey Hudspeth (1-3) yielded five runs -- three earned -- on eight hits and one walks with two strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.

Steve Conley is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.