Texas Tech baseball's Damian Bravo, T.J. Pompey net big swings in series-clinching win

After not recording a hit in the final two games in a Big 12 conference series last weekend, Damian Bravo appears to be out of that rut after facing off against Houston on Saturday.

The right-handed hitter, who leads Texas Tech in several offensive categories, increased his hitting streak to four games by smacking a game-tying, two-run home run in the third inning.

Freshman T.J. Pompey, who was also in his own slump after driving in four runs in his last eight games, matched that with one swing in the third to power Texas Tech to a 15-12 win over Houston at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

Pompey finished with a team-leading five RBIs, while Bravo drove in four runs to help lead the offensive charge for Texas Tech (23-9, 7-7) over Houston (16-14, 4-10). It marked the first series win since taking the final two games against BYU back on March 22-23.

"I feel like I'm seeing it pretty well," said Bravo, of seeing the baseball following a four-game stretch in which he's gone 11-for-17 with 11 RBIs. "I mean, our guys are also seeing it pretty well. Just getting unlucky with the results. But I feel like we're playing good baseball at the right time."

Houston closed the gap, scoring eight combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings, to put their deficit at 12-10. Texas Tech added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Cougars, which trailed 12-2 after four innings, pushed across two cosmetic runs in the ninth.

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Texas Tech baseball's Kyle Robinson lives in ... the danger zone

Kyle Robinson got into his fair share of trouble Saturday afternoon.

But, no matter the situation, the right-handed hurler found a way to battle and exit out of an inning unscathed — sans yielding two runs in the second.

In the third inning, Robins faced a bases-loaded jam before he struck out the first batter and induced an inning-ending, 4-6-3 double play.

Robinson lived dangerously and paid for it in the fifth, giving up a two-run homer to Ace Reece and a solo homer to Jonathan French as part of a four-run fifth inning that allowed Houston to close the gap to 12-6. It also led to Robinson getting pulled after allowing five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Houston baseball had touted solid pitching ... Part 2

Coming into the three-game series, the Cougars had not allowed a home run in their last 10 games. It marked the first occurrence since a stretch in 2017 spanning from Feb. 24 through March 12, 2017. UH has gone 13 games without allowing a home run back in 2016 and 1983.

Damian Bravo ended that stretch, hitting a two-run home run in the fourth.

In Game 2, Bravo recorded a game-tying home run in the third — while T.J. Pompey tallied a grand slam in the same inning — against what had been a solid pitching staff the last few weeks. Pompey's grand slam was his first hit of the series.

"TJ, you can put him anywhere and he's going to do what he does best," Bravo said.

What's next?

Texas Tech and Houston are scheduled to conclude their three-game series with a 1 p.m. Sunday tilt. The contest is slated to be streamed online on ESPN+.

After the home stint, the Red Raiders will hit the road for six games — beginning with a 6:05 p.m. Tuesday game at Abilene Christian University.

Following the solo non conference game, Texas Tech returns to Big 12 play with three-game set slated to begin with a 6:30 p.m. Friday contest at TCU to be streamed online on ESPN+. The next two games are scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday (on ESPNU) and 1 p.m. April 14 (streamed online on ESPN+).

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball's Damian Bravo, T.J. Pompey net big swings in series-clinching win over Houston