Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, May 30, 2016

How did the Astros system fare on Memorial Day?

Fresno 6, Colorado Springs 6 after 10 innings

Fresno home runs: Eury Perez (2, solo in 8th)

The Grizzlies withstood a 5-run 5th from the Sky Sox and fought back to force extra innings. However, this game was called after the 10th inning. Why, you ask?

Well, according to the Grizzlies' recap, the Sky Sox had a flight to catch in the evening, and it was decided prior to the game that no inning could start after 2:30 Pacific. Actually, both teams needed to get out of Fresno; the Grizzlies are starting a 4-game series in Albuquerque.

César Valdez allowed 5 runs on 11 hits (grand slam) and struck out 3 in 6 innings. Reymin Guduan and Josh Fields both pitched an inning; Guduan worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 7th, while Fields allowed a run on a single, walked 1, and struck out 1 in the 8th. James Hoyt walked 1 and struck out 4 over 2 scoreless innings.

Fresno kicked things off with 3 in the 3rd coming off RBI singles from Andrew Aplin, A.J. Reed, and Jon Kemmer. In the 7th, Danny Worth scored on a wild pitch and Max Stassi added an RBI single. Eury Perez hit a solo homer in the 8th to tie the game at 6.

Reed finished 3-5 with a double. He's played 8 games since returning from the DL and has a hit in all but one of them. Aplin (3B, RBI, R), Worth (2 R, 2 BB), and Perez (2B, solo HR) all had 2-hit days.

Tonight, Fresno starts a 4-game series in Albuquerque. Joe Musgrove will get the start, and he'll take on Harrison Musgrave at 7:05 Mountain.

Corpus Christi was off

The Hooks will begin their tour of Arkansas tonight with the first of 3 against the Arkansas Travelers. Cy Sneed will face Victor Alcantara at 7:10.

Lancaster 8, High Desert 3

W- Andrew Thome (1-0, 3-1 season)
L- David Ledbetter (1-5)

Lancaster home runs: Bobby Boyd (4, 2-run in 6th), Johnny Sewald (1, 2 season; 2-run in 8th)

Ater being no-hit through the first 5 innings, the JetHawks came alive with a 6-run 6th to take this series from the Mavericks.

Johnny Sewald ignited the rally with a single and scored Lancaster's first run on a Kristian Trompiz double. Bobby Boyd followed with a 2-run homer that tied the game at 3. Garrett Stubbs, Ramon Laureano, and Brooks Marlow all drew walks to load the bases, and Stubbs scored the go-ahead run on a Bryan Muñiz groundout. Jason Martin got a free pass to 1st to re-load the bases, which brought up Tony Nuñez... who promptly poked a grounder into right field for a 2-run single. When the dust settled on the 6th inning, the JetHawks left with a 6-3 lead. Sewald tacked on two more in the 8th with a 2-run blast, his first California League homer.

Boyd (2B, 2-R HR, SB [23]), Nuñez (2-run single, R, SB [2, 11 season]), and Sewald (2-R HR, 2 R) all had 2 hits on the day. Boyd now leads the system with 23 stolen bases, while Ramon Laureano moved into a tie for 2nd with Kyle Tucker with 22 steals.

Brock Dykxhoorn went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 9 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Andrew Thome shut down the Mavericks for the final 4 innings as he allowed 2 hits while striking out 5.

When the schedule came out, I believe that the JetHawks were originally supposed to have today off. However, they're traveling to San Jose to make up 2 games from the first series of the season.

The first game is actually in progress; Lancaster was leading 4-1 in the middle of the 5th inning on April 8th before play was suspended. Lancaster and San Jose will also make up a game that was originally scheduled for April 9; this one will be a 7-inning game. Alex Winkelman will pick up where they left off on the 8th, while Matt Bower will start the 7-inning game.

Peoria 6, Quad Cities 5

W- Tyler Bray (1-2)
L- Ralph Garza Jr. (2-3)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos scored 2 in the 8th to take a 5-4 lead..... but they had to settle for the split as the Chiefs scored 2 in the top of the 9th to steal the win.

Christian Correa scored Quad Cities' first run in the 3rd inning on an error following a single from Myles Straw. Later in the inning, Keach Ballard hit an RBI single. Kyle Tucker hit an RBI single in the 7th, and in the 8th inning, Pat Porter scored on a wild pitch and Correa hit a sac fly to put the Bandits up 5-4.

Straw finished 3-5 and scored a run. Arturo Michelena and Dex McCall both went 2-4 with a run scored; Michelena has appeared in 8 games and has recorded a hit in 6 of them.

Franklin Perez went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. David Schmidt was the first man out; he went 2.1 innings and had an inherited runner charged to him. He allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. Ralph Garza Jr. allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and struck out 2 in 1.2 innings.

The River Bandits are in Clinton tonight to start a 3-game series. Albert Abreu will start game 1; he'll face Art Warren at 6:30.

Three Stars

3.

James Hoyt, RHP, Fresno
2 IP, BB, 4 K


2.

Photo by Rich Guill
Johnny Sewald, OF, Lancaster
2-3, 2-R HR (1, 2 season), 2 R

1.

This is Andrew Thome's Twitter avatar. You can follow him on Twitter at Thome_Hawk.
Andrew Thome, RHP, Lancaster
W (1-0, 3-1 season), 4 IP, 2 H, 5 K

Honorable Mentions

A.J. Reed, 1B, Fresno: 3-5, 2B, RBI, R
- Reed was lagging a bit in the average department, but he's gotten hits in 7 of his last 8, which is a good sign. He might be starting to heat up.

Bobby Boyd, OF, Lancaster: 2-4, 2B, 2-R HR (4), SB (23)
- This stolen base battle in Class A between Boyd, Ramon Laureano, and Kyle Tucker is really getting interesting.

Astros Farm Report: 5-31

Checking in on how the Astros minor league teams stack up against their competition, but first things first ...

WISHING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

In addition to Cristopher Luciano who I had previously reported turning 20 today, we have the following birthdays coming up over the next few days.

6-1: RHP Aaron West (26)
6-2: RHP Diogenes Almengo (21)
6-2: 1B Chase McDonald (24)
6-4: LHP Kent Emanuel (24)
6-5: OF Carlos Machado (18)
6-5: 1B Bryan Muniz (23)

Aaron West - April 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TWEET OF THE DAY
TRANSACTIONS/ROSTER MOVES

5-31: 3B Colin Moran optioned to Fresno
5-29: RHP Brad Peacock activated from the Fresno 7-day DL
5-29: RHP Edison Frias activated from the Corpus Christi 7-day DL
5-27: RHP Kyle Smith placed on the Corpus Christi 7-day DL
5-27: LHP Kent Emanuel activated from the Corpus Christi DL (coming back from TJ surgery)

TEAM STATS

Let's look at how the Astros minor league teams stack up in their leagues in various categories.

FRESNO (AAA) through 49 games
Standings: 3rd in their division; 12th in the league (out of 16 teams)
Batting Average: 15th (.240)
On-Base Percentage: 10th (.327)
Slugging Percentage: 12th (.386)
Home Runs: 3rd (48)
Walks: 1st (205)
Strikeouts: 2nd (426)
ERA: 11th (4.45)
WHIP: 6th (1.36)
Walks Allowed: 12th (149)
Pitcher Strikeouts: 2nd (436)

CORPUS CHRISTI (AA) through 49 games
Standings: 2nd in their division; 2nd in the league (out of 8 teams)
Batting Average: 7th (.240)
On-Base Percentage: 4th (.320)
Slugging Percentage: Tied for 1st (.404)
Home Runs: 1st (61)
Walks: 1st (187)
Strikeouts: 6th (368)
ERA: 2nd (3.39)
WHIP: 6th (1.28)
Walks Allowed: Tied for 5th (135)
Pitcher Strikeouts: 1st (419)

LANCASTER (High A) through 49 games
Standings: 3rd in their division; 5th in the league (out of 10 teams)
Batting Average: 4th (.267)
On-Base Percentage: 1st (.353)
Slugging Percentage: 4th (.403)
Home Runs: 5th (35)
Stolen Bases: 1st (99)
Walks: 3rd (203)
Strikeouts: 10th (395)
ERA: 10th (5.03)
WHIP: 9th (1.45)
Walks Allowed: 8th (165)
Pitcher Strikeouts: 7th (420)

QUAD CITIES (Low A) through 50 games
Standings: 8th in their division; 15th in the league (out of 16 teams)
Batting Average: 11th (.238)
On-Base Percentage: 7th (.315)
Slugging Percentage: 10th (.336)
Home Runs: Tied for 13th (14)
Stolen Bases: 1st (68)
Walks: Tied for 6th (170)
Strikeouts: 5th (.423)
ERA: 15th (3.96)
WHIP: Tied for 13th (1.37)
Walks Allowed: Tied for 6th (169)
Pitcher Strikeouts: 14th (373)

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Inspired by the news that the DSL teams start playing on Saturday, 6/4, I have temporarily lowered the price of my book to $6.04!!! Learn about the next wave of Latin American prospects headed our way!

Monday, May 30, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, May 28, and Sunday, May 29, 2016

Recapping the weekend that was in the Astros' minor league system.

Fresno

The Grizzlies split the weekend with Colorado Springs, winning 8-4 on Saturday and dropping a 7-5 decision on Sunday.

Saturday: Fresno 8, Colorado Springs 4

W- James Hoyt (3-2)
L- Jaye Chapman (3-1)

Fresno home runs: Matt Duffy (5, 2-run in 3rd), Danny Worth (7, walk-off grand slam)

6 of their 8 runs on Saturday came via the home run. Jon Kemmer scored the first run of the game on an error following a Jack Mayfield single in the 3rd. Later in the frame, Matt Duffy smacked a 2-run homer (5). A.J. Reed drew a bases-loaded walk in the 5th to give the Grizz a 4-2 lead at that point. Colorado Springs put up 1 in the 6th and 1 more in the 7th to tie the game at 4, and that's where it stood until the bottom of the 9th. This game was one out away from going to extra innings, but suddenly, Duffy smacked a double. Jon Singleton got a free pass to 1st, and then Preston Tucker drew an unintentional walk to load the bases for Danny Worth, who sent the Chukchansi Park crowd home in absolute ecstasy by whacking a walk-off grand slam. Duffy and Eury Perez both finished 2-5 in this game.

Tommy Shirley went 5.2 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits (2-run homer), walked 1, and struck out 3. Jordan Jankowski allowed a run on a double in the 7th. He walked 1 and struck out 3 in 1.1 innings. Josh Fields worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 8th, and James Hoyt worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

Sunday: Colorado Springs 7, Fresno 5

W- Austin Ross (3-1)
L- Jandel Gustave (1-2)
S- Jacob Barnes (1)

Fresno home runs: Max Stassi (1, solo in 5th), Andrew Aplin (3, 2-run in 6th)

The Sky Sox scored 3 in the 8th on Sunday to snatch the win.

Worth scored the first Fresno run in the 4th on an error that allowed Jon Kemmer to reach. Max Stassi connected for his first homer of the year, a solo shot in the 5th. Stassi added an RBI double to his ledger in the 6th, and one batter later, Andrew Aplin clubbed a 2-run homer to put Fresno in front. Stassi, Worth, and A.J. Reed all had 2 hits on the day.

Brad Peacock allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. Kevin Chapman was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen; he allowed a hit and struck out 1 over 2 scoreless. Jandel Gustave couldn't hold the lead, as he allowed 3 runs on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 while only getting 2 outs in the 8th. Jordan Jankowski struck out 2 over 1.1 perfect frames.

The series concludes today as César Valdez takes on Jorge Lopez. First pitch is at 11:05 A.M. Pacific.

Corpus Christi

After taking game 1 of their series against Northwest Arkansas, the Naturals took the final 2 games of the series.

Saturday: Northwest Arkansas 6, Corpus Christi 5 in 12 innings

W- Kevin McCarthy (3-1)
L- Eric Peterson (0-1, 1-1 season)

CC home runs: J.D. Davis (9, 2-run in 3rd)

The Hooks scored 4 runs in the 3rd, but they could only push across 1 run the rest of the way.

Alex Bregman opened the scoring by ripping an RBI double in the 3rd. He scored on a single from D.J. Fisher, and then J.D. Davis clubbed a 2-run homer. Fisher hit another RBI single in the 7th inning. Carlos Gomez served as the DH in this one and went 3-6 with a run scored. Fisher (2 RBI singles, R) and Chase McDonald both finished 2-5.

Evan Grills pitched 5 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Francis Martes tagged in for 3 innings, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits and fanning 3. Brendan McCurry fanned 4 over 2 perfect frames, and Eric Peterson allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3 in 2 innings.

Sunday: Northwest Arkansas 4, Corpus Christi 1

W- Jake Junis (4-3)
L- Brian Holmes (3-2)
S- Kyle Bartsch (1)

CC home runs: D.J. Fisher (10, solo in 4th)

The Hooks' bats went silent as they dropped 2 of 3 to the Naturals.

Fisher went 2-4 on Sunday and his solo blast was the Hooks' only scoring play.

Brian Holmes turned in 6 solid innings, but the dearth of offense condemned him to the L. He allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and fanned 3. Edison Frias allowed a hit and walked 3 over 2 scoreless, and Angel Heredia allowed a 2-run homer to Jack Lopez in the 9th. He allowed one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 2 in the inning.

The Hooks have today off. Now, they'll embark on their first of 2 tours of Arkansas, beginning with 3 in Little Rock tomorrow night.

Lancaster

The JetHawks continued the California League iteration of the Lone Star Series.

Saturday: High Desert 5, Lancaster 3

W- Felix Carvallo (4-0)
L- Trent Thornton (1-2)
S- Ryan Ledbetter (2)

Lancaster home runs: Jason Martin (6, solo in 9th)

The Mavericks broke a 2-2 tie with 3 in the 8th. Lancaster managed to pull a run back, but they couldn't get a comeback going.

Lancaster got 2 in the 4th on a Drew Ferguson RBI groundout and a Jamie Ritchie RBI single. Jason Martin smacked a solo homer in the 9th, his 6th of the year. Garrett Stubbs finished 2-3 and was the only JetHawk with a multi-hit game on Saturday. Ramon Laureano and Bobby Boyd (and Kyle Tucker) are currently engaged in a spirited battle to see who can steal more bases. At the moment, Boyd and Little Tucker both have 22 steals, while Laureano is lurking behind with 21. Boyd and Laureano both stole a base in this game.

Josh James allowed 2 runs in his 5 innings; both of them came off solo homers. He allowed three other hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Trent Thornton allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 3, and struck out 1 in 3 innings, and Yeyfry Del Rosario struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th.

Sunday: Lancaster 6, High Desert 4

W- Ryan Thompson (1-1)
L- Austin Pettibone (0-2)
S- Ryan Deemes (2, 3 season)

Lancaster home runs: Jason Martin (7, solo in 3rd)

After High Desert got 3 in the 8th to take control on Saturday, the JetHawks returned the favor by scoring 3 in the 8th to snatch a win on Sunday.

Jason Martin put the JetHawks on the board with a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the 3rd. Kristian Trompiz later tripled and scored on a single from Johnny Sewald. Sewald moved to 2nd when Drew Ferguson walked, stole 3rd, and scored on a sac fly from Ramon Laureano. Brooks Marlow put Lancaster in front in the 8th with a 2-run single, and Bryan Muñiz drove in another run with an RBI single.

After slumping badly to begin May, Martin has gotten himself back in the saddle with a big homestand. All 7 of his home runs have come in the past 2 weeks. He finished 2-4 and is currently on a 9-game hitting streak.

Scott Weathersby went 5.2 innings and allowed 4 runs on 9 hits (solo homer) and struck out 4. Ryan Thompson allowed 2 hits and fanned 4 over 2.1 scoreless, and Ryan Deemes worked around a hit to close it out.

Brock Dykxhoorn will be on the mound for the JetHawks as they wrap up their series with the Mavericks. First pitch is at 2:05 Pacific.

Quad Cities

The Banditos took on Peoria in the 2nd and 3rd games in a 4-game series.

Saturday: Peoria 9, Quad Cities 2

W- Derian Gonzalez (3-0)
L- Yoanys Quiala (0-2)
S- Harley Holt (1)

QC home runs: None.

Quad Cities got buried by their miscues; all 4 of their errors came in the final 3 innings and they snowballed into 7 runs for Peoria.

Osvaldo Duarte hit a sac fly in the 3rd, and Anthony Hermelyn scored on a double play in the 8th. Hermelyn and Connor Goedert both went 2-4.

Yoanys Quiala went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Chris Murphy pitched the final 4 innings, allowing 7 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits (2-run homer) and striking out 1.

Sunday: Quad Cities 7, Peoria 3

W- Kevin McCanna (2-2)
L- Sandy Alcantara (4-3)
S- Juan Carlos Santos (1)

QC home runs: Christian Correa (1, 2-run in 4th), Aaron Mizell (2, solo in 6th)

The Banditos used a 7-1 run from the 4th-6th innings to get the win.

Keach Ballard put Quad Cities on the board with an RBI double in the 4th. One batter later, Christian Correa connected for his first home run as a pro, a 2-run shot that gave the Banditos the lead. Anthony Hermelyn hit an RBI single in the 5th. In the 6th, Aaron Mizell swatted a solo homer and Kyle Tucker ripped a 2-run double.

Kevin McCanna turned in a bare minimum quality start, allowing 6 hits (2-run homer), walking 1, and striking out 4. Juan Carlos Santos allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 3 over the final 3 frames to get the save.

The River Bandits and Chiefs will conclude their series tonight at 5:15 as Franklin Perez takes on Jake Woodford.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, May 27, 2016

Colorado Springs 17, Fresno 4

W- Tyler Cravy (1-1)
L- Mike Hauschild (3-6)
S- Brent Suter (1)

Fresno home runs: None.

This series didn't start out the way Fresno expected as they got smacked in game 1. They served up a couple of grand slams to the Sky Sox in this one.

Mike Hauschild went 5.1 innings and allowed 11 runs (4 earned, 3 inherited runners charged to him) on 10 hits (solo homer and a grand slam), walked 1, and struck out 4. Chris Cotton came on for 2.2 innings, allowing 5 runs on 8 hits (3-run homer and grand slam) and striking out 2. Reymin Guduan allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in the 9th.

Jon Singleton scored the Grizzlies' first run in the 4th following an error that allowed Preston Tucker to reach. Matt Duffy added another run when he scored on a double play. Duffy finished 2-4 with a 2-run triple in the 8th. Singleton was 0-2, but he walked twice and scored twice.

In game 2 of this series, Tommy Shirley will take on Sam Freeman. First pitch is at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 4, Northwest Arkansas 2

W- Kent Emanuel (1-0)
L- Alec Mills (1-2)
S- Aaron West (4)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks took the first of 3 from the Naturals behind a fine start from a graduated member of Team Rehab.

Kent Emanuel went 5 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. This was his first appearance in a baseball game since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. David Paulino tagged in for 3 innings, allowing a run on 4 hits, walking 1, and striking out 2. Aaron West worked around a hit to close it out.

Teoscar Hernandez put Corpus on the board first with an RBI single in the 2nd. He didn't have to wait long to score himself as James Ramsay followed by whacking a double. Alex Bregman hit an RBI single in the 5th, and Teoscar, who finished 2-3, provided a little insurance with a sac fly in the 8th. Conrad Gregor (2B) and Nick Tanielu (R) joined him in the 2-hit club.

Evan Grills will get the start for the Hooks tonight. He'll face Matt Strahm at 6:05.

Lancaster 2, High Desert 1

W- Dean Deetz (3-1)
L- Adam Quintana (1-2)
S- Jacob Dorris (2)

Lancaster home runs: None.

Well, the JetHawks' offensive output was reduced by 27 runs on Friday night, but they'll gladly take the win.

Dean Deetz was excellent in his 6 innings as he allowed an unearned run on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. In his California League debut, Andrew Thome walked 1 and fanned 2 over 2 scoreless, and Jacob Dorris worked around a walk to finish off the win, striking out 1 in the 9th.

Both of Lancaster's runs came in the 1st. Bobby Boyd doubled, stole 3rd (21), and scored the first run of the game on a Johnny Sewald single. Sewald later scored on a passed ball. Garrett Stubbs went 2-4 and was the only player on either side to have a multi-hit game.

Game 2 of this series is at 6:05 Pacific. Josh James will be on the mound for the JetHawks.

Quad Cities 7, Peoria 4

W- Zac Person (1-1)
L- Brennan Leitao (3-4)
S- Adam Whitt (2)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos broke a 4-4 tie with the game's final 3 runs.

Osvaldo Duarte hit a 1-out triple in the 1st and trotted home on an RBI single from Kyle Tucker. Quad Cities got 3 in the 4th on an RBI double from Keach Ballard and RBI singles from Arturo Michelena and Myles Straw. Straw got the squeeze to work in the 6th, which allowed Ballard to score the go-ahead run. They got some insurance in the 8th as Connor Goedert hit an RBI single and Pat Porter drew a bases-loaded walk.

Ballard reached in all 4 of his plate appearances, going 2-2 with 2 walks and 3 runs scored. Michelena also reached base in all 4 of his plate appearances; he was 4-4 and scored a run. Dex McCall finished 3-5 and scored a run.

Jose Luis Hernandez allowed 4 runs on 8 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3 in 5 innings. Zac Person tagged in to throw 3 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 3. Adam Whitt worked around a hit to close it out, striking out 1 in the 9th.

Yoanys Quiala gets the start tonight. He'll face Derian Gonzalez at 6.

Too Many Stars


Photo by Rich Guill
Zac Person, LHP, Quad Cities
W (1-1), 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K



Photo from MiLB.com
Keach Ballard, IF, Quad Cities
2-2, 2B, RBI, 3 R, 2 BB

Photo from MiLB.com
Arturo Michelena, IF, Quad Cities
4-4, RBI, R

 
Photo from MiLB.com

Photo from MiLB.com

Dean Deetz, Andrew Thome, and Jacob Dorris, RHPs, Lancaster
Deetz: W (3-1), 6 IP, 4 H, unearned run, BB, 5 K
Thome: 2 IP, BB, 2 K; California League debut
Dorris: Save (2), IP, BB, K


Kent Emanuel (far right), LHP, Corpus Christi
W (1-0), 5 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 2 K; first appearance since Tommy John surgery

Friday, May 27, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, May 26, 2016

Lancaster took flight and left Stockton in the dust.

Let's play 2 in Beloit!

Fresno with the....



Fresno 5, Oklahoma City 4

W- Brady Rodgers (3-3)
L- Zach Lee (6-2)
S- James Hoyt (10)

Fresno home runs: Jon Kemmer (3, solo in 2nd), Preston Tucker (1, solo in 6th)

The Grizz completed the sweep as they withstood a late rally from the Dodgers that cut their lead to 1. On the offensive side, Jon Kemmer and Preston Tucker posted multi-hit performances.

Kemmer went 3-3 with 2 runs scored and put Fresno on the board first with his solo shot in the 2nd inning. Fresno got 3 in the 5th as Nolan Fontana hit an RBI single and Danny Worth smacked a 2-run double. Big Tuck finished 2-4 with 2 runs scored and smacked a solo homer in the 6th for Fresno's final run.

Brady Rodgers went 6.2 innings and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 4. Jandel Gustave got the final out of the 7th and threw a 1-2-3 8th, striking out 2. James Hoyt worked around a hit to record his 10th save of the season, striking out 2 in a scoreless 9th.

Tonight, the Grizzlies will begin a 4-game set against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Mike Hauschild will start game 1, and he'll face Tyler Cravy at 7:05 Pacific.

Arkansas 8, Corpus Christi 4

W- Troy Scribner (3-2)
L- Kyle Smith (0-5)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks were foiled in their bid to sweep the series as the Travs got the jump on Kyle Smith.

Smith allowed 8 runs on 10 hits (2 2-run homers and a solo), walked 3, and struck out 1 in 3.2 innings. Angel Heredia stopped the bleeding with 3.1 scoreless; he allowed 4 hits and struck out 5. Michael Freeman walked 1 and struck out 1 in 2 scoreless innings.

J.D. Davis put Corpus on the board with a sac fly in the 7th. Later in the inning, Alejandro Garcia whacked a 2-run double. Alex Bregman finished 2-4 with an RBI double in the 8th. Carlos Gomez continued his rehab by serving as the Hooks' 1B coach in this one.

The Hooks will welcome the other Arkansas club, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, to Whataburger Field for the weekend. Game 1 of this series is at 7:05; Corpus has yet to announce a starter for tonight's game.

Lancaster 29, Stockton 11

W- Ryan Deemes (1-0, 2-0 season)
L- Brett Graves (2-5)

Lancaster home runs: Bryan Muñiz 2 (5; 2-run in 4th, solo in 6th), Jason Martin (5, 3-run in 3rd), Ramon Laureano (1, grand slam in 4th), Brooks Marlow (1, 3 season; 2-run in 6th), Garrett Stubbs (5, solo in 7th), Bobby Boyd (3, grand slam in 7th)

Ladies and gentlemen, the Lancaster Effect.

- Everyone in the lineup scored. Muñiz and Martin scored 4 apiece, while everyone else scored 3 runs.
- Bobby Boyd and Ramon Laureano both hit grand slams and stole their 20th bases of the season.
- Boyd entered this game with 8 RBI on the season; he drove in 9 in this game.
- Laureano hit his first home run, which means that Kristian Trompiz now has the most RBI without a home run in the system.



Rogelio Armenteros, Alex Winkelman, and Ryan Deemes all pitched 3 innings. Armenteros allowed 4 runs on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 4. Winkelman, who was making his California League debut, allowed 6 runs on 7 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3. The only run that Deemes allowed was a solo homer from Sandber Pimentel in the 7th. He allowed one other hit and struck out 3.

The JetHawks will start a 4-game series with High Desert tonight at 6:35 Pacific. Dean Deetz will be on the mound tonight.

Game 1: Quad Cities 5, Beloit 3

W- Ralph Garza Jr. (2-2)
L- Boomer Biegalski (4-1)

QC home runs: Dex McCall (2, solo in 4th), Pat Porter (2, 2-run in 5th)

The Banditos took the first game of the twinbill by seizing control with a 4-run 5th inning.

Makay Nelson went 4 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, walked 3, and struck out 1. Ralph Garza Jr. allowed 3 hits, walked 2, and fanned 2 over the final 3 innings to get the win.

Dex McCall's solo shot in the 4th put Quad Cities on the board. Aaron Mizell and Myles Straw ignited the 5th-inning outburst with a pair of singles, and they both moved into scoring position on an Osvaldo Duarte sac bunt. Connor Goedert tied the game at 2 with a sac fly, and McCall ripped an RBI double to put the Bandits in front. One batter later, Pat Porter delivered the big blow, smacking a 2-run homer. McCall finished 2-3.

What did game 2 have in store for Quad Cities?

Game 2: Quad Cities 4, Beloit 3

W- Albert Abreu (1-5)
L- Jared Lyons (2-2)
S- David Schmidt (1)

QC home runs: None.

Once again, the Banditos used a 4-run 5th to edge the Snappers. As a result of the twinbill sweep, they took 2 of 3 in the series and got their payback on the Snappers, who swept them in a doubleheader a couple of weeks ago.

Quad Cities' 4 runs in the 5th inning of game 2 came on a couple of sac flies from Myles Straw and Anthony Hermelyn and a couple of RBI singles from Arturo Michelena and Connor Goedert. Kyle Tucker finished 2-3 with a double and a run scored and was the only player on either side to record a multi-hit game in game 2.

Albert Abreu went 6.2 innings and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 8. Juan Carlos Santos came on to get the final out, but he hit a batter and issued a walk. David Schmidt was able to get the final out, though.

The Banditos are back home, where they'll start a 4-game series with Peoria tonight at 7. Jose Luis Hernandez will take on Brennan Leitao in the opener.

Three Stars

3.

Photo by Rich Guill
Dex McCall, 1B, Quad Cities
2-3, 2B, solo HR (2), 2 RBI, 2 R in game 1 of doubleheader

2.

Jon Kemmer, OF, Fresno
3-3, solo HR (3), 2 R


1.

Lancaster JetHawks: W 29-11 vs. Stockton
29 R, 23 H
Bobby Boyd: 4-7, Grand Slam (3), 9 RBI, 3 R
Jason Martin: 5-5, 3-R HR (5), 6 RBI, 4 R


Honorable Mentions

Albert Abreu, RHP, Quad Cities: W (1-5), 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, 8 K
- The 3 earned runs may make the final line a little less attractive, and Abreu has largely been up-and-down this year, but there is no doubt that there is a frontline starter in the making. For him, it's just all about putting everything together.

Ryan Deemes, RHP, Lancaster: W (1-0, 2-0 season), 3 IP, 2 H (solo HR), ER, 3 K
- Deemes hasn't been fazed by the extreme environment of Lancaster.

Preston Tucker, OF/DH, Fresno: 2-4, solo HR (1), 2 R
- Tucker has broken out of the post-optioned-to-AAA doldrums with a nice little 4-game hitting streak.

Angel Heredia, RHP, Corpus Christi: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 5 K
Michael Freeman, LHP, Corpus Christi: 2 IP, BB, K
- Heredia and Freeman both did a nice job to ensure that Arkansas did no further damage.

Astros Farm Report: 5-27

Checking in on the Astros MiLB team standings, but first things first ...

WISHING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

ME!!!


TWEET OF THE DAY
Yep, Lancaster was all "Ballplayers Gone Wild!" last night. Dustin will have the full story for you later this morning.

TRANSACTIONS

You can't miss even one day! In addition to the roster moves I posted yesterday, here are a few more that happened later in the day.

5-26: LHP Chris Cotton assigned from Corpus Christi to Fresno
5-26: RHP David Schmidt assigned from Corpus Christi to Quad Cities
5-26: RHP Andrew Thome assigned from Quad Cities to Lancaster
5-26: LHP Alex Winkelman assigned from Quad Cities to Lancaster
5-26: RHP Elieser Hernandez assigned from Lancaster to Quad Cities

Winkelman didn't receive the warmest welcome in his Lancaster debut, but the offense picked him up ... and then some! Look for my interview with Andrew Thome next week, a non-drafted free agent that has shone since his signing by the Astros last season.

STANDINGS

It's been a full 11 days since we last checked in on the standings. Let's see how things have gone for the farm crews. Fresno is still in third place and has dropped another couple of games behind the division-leading Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners), but they have gone 6-4 in their last 10 and are on a nice little 4-game win streak. They are two games behind the second place Reno Aces (Diamondbacks). The Hooks, however, have been rolling along very nicely, going 8-3 in their last 11. They are now in sole possession of second place in the division and are only two games behind Frisco (Rangers). Lancaster has been changing their fortunes as well. Their 7-4 record over the last 11 has been enough to lift them to third place in the division and get them a couple of games closer to division leaders High Desert (Rangers) and Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) who are tied for first. Quad Cities is on a two-game win streak, but they are still looking for some sustained momentum. They have gone 5-6 over their last 11.

AAA Fresno 3rd 21-25 .457 7.5GB W4

AA Corpus Christi 2nd 28-18 .609 2.0GB L1

A+ Lancaster 3rd 21-24 .467 7.5GB W1

A- Quad Cities T7th 20-26 .435 7.0GB W2

Happy Memorial Day Weekend and Happy Baseballing!!!

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Joe Musgrove is pretty good.

Fresno 8, Oklahoma City 1

W- Joe Musgrove (2-0, 4-1 season)
L- Logan Bawcom (1-2)

Fresno home runs: Andrew Aplin (2, 2-run in 8th)

Joe Musgrove dazzled again and the Grizzlies emphatically broke a scoreless tie with 6 runs in the 5th to take this matinee game.

Musgrove allowed a run on 5 hits and struck out 7 in his 7 innings, and he did not look as though he was out of his element going up against a fine (but rehabbing) Major League pitcher in Hyun-Jin Ryu. Jordan Jankowski struck out 4 over 2 perfect frames to finish it off.

Andrew Aplin opened the scoring, and the floodgates, with an RBI single in the 5th. He proceeded to steal 2nd and came around to score on a Danny Worth single. A.J. Reed and Preston Tucker chipped in with RBI singles of their own, and Tyler Heineman capped off the outburst with a 2-run triple. Aplin tacked on the 2-point conversion with a 2-run homer in the 8th. He finished 2-5 with 2 runs scored and the stolen base (8). Worth (RBI, R) and Big Tuck (2B, RBI, R) had 3 hits apiece

Brady Rodgers will take the mound as the Grizzlies look to sweep the series. He'll take on Julio Urias someone else, because Julio Urias was just called up by the Dodgers, at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 2, Arkansas 1

W- Keegan Yuhl (3-1)
L- Victor Alcantara (1-2)
S- Brendan McCurry (9)

CC home runs: D.J. Fisher (9, solo in 1st), Carlos Gomez (1, solo in 5th)

Keegan Yuhl shined and Carlos Gomez had something resembling a sexy performance for once.

Rant: It's no secret that Carlos Gomez has been a massive disappointment since coming over from Milwaukee. But, reveling in his failure and making him the scapegoat for all of the Astros' shortcomings this season solves absolutely nothing. I had no problems with the trade; Jeff Luhnow felt that he needed to go out and get a veteran bat to help support a lineup with three up-and-coming stars in the core. The trade seemed to be the right idea at the time, but I highly doubt that anyone could have predicted that Carlos Gomez would fall as dramatically as he has. This trade definitely has not worked out the way the Astros had envisioned, and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.

But, a trade not working out does not mean that it was a bad trade. Trades can benefit both sides. For reasons that completely escape me, sports fans like to dwell on the pieces their team traded away, knowing full well that keeping them doesn't necessarily guarantee that they'll perform like they are with their new organizations. That, and the segment that whines about the front office not doing enough to help the major league team win usually has a field day about "oh, why didn't they go out and get so-and-so? He could've helped push this team over the hump!" It's not like the Astros have been the only team in sports history to be burned by trades.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't root for the prospects the Astros have traded away. But, I'd like to see a little more even coverage. I'm glad Vince Velasquez is doing extremely well in Philly. We'll hear a lot about the starts where he gave up 1 run in 8 innings, but you have to balance the good with the bad, as well. He's still a young pitcher, so he'll have a start where he gives up 6 runs in less than 3 innings. However, I usually don't see tweets about those kinds of starts....

I'll close my rant out with an unpopular take: I've seen a lot of people demanding that Carlos Gomez shut up and change his personality, because he's apparently not allowed to act like he normally does because he isn't contributing. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Carlos Gomez doesn't have to change his personality for anyone. And yes... asking him to "tone it down" also qualifies as asking him to change his personality. Criticizing him for his poor play is totally fair. Demanding that he change his personality because he's not allowed to act a certain way unless he performs well is completely out of line. It doesn't matter what type of celebrity a person is; fans have this weird obsession of wanting to dictate a celebrity's behavior.

Carlos Gomez has admitted that his play has hurt the Astros. You don't have to like him, but you can at least accept that he's accepting responsibility for his role in the team's underwhelming start to the season.

OK, rant over. Sorry about that. Back to your regularly scheduled recaps.

Keegan Yuhl turned in his best start of the year, scattering 4 hits, walking 1, and striking out 2 over 7 shutout innings. David Schmidt got 1 out in the 8th; he had an inherited runner charged to him on 2 hits and walked 1. Brendan McCurry got the 5-out save; he allowed a hit and struck out 2.

Both Hooks runs came on solo homers, which were their only extra-base hits on the night. D.J. Fisher opened up the scoring in the 1st with his 9th homer of the year, and Mr. Gomez smacked one in the 5th. He had a fine night in the field as well, throwing out 2 runners at home and another at 2nd base. Alex Bregman finished 3-4, while Teoscar Hernandez went 2-3.

The Hooks will try for the sweep as Kyle Smith gets the start. He'll face Troy Scribner at 7:05.

Stockton 16, Lancaster 7

W- Riley Gossett (4-1)
L- Elieser Hernandez (1-4)

Lancaster home runs: Drew Ferguson (4, inside-the-park solo in 7th)

The JetHawks were blasted early and often in this one.

The pitching staff largely struggled, and I'd like to leave it at that. Yeyfry Del Rosario was the first man out of the bullpen; he allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 over 1.2 scoreless innings. Ryan Thompson, who was the 4th Lancaster pitcher to appear, allowed a solo homer to Mikey White, which was the only run that he allowed in 3.1 innings. He allowed two other hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Richard Gonzalez, who is normally a catcher, worked around a hit and a walk to throw a scoreless 9th.

Lancaster finally got on the board in the 6th as Garrett Stubbs ripped an RBI double. In the 7th, Drew Ferguson lashed a liner to right field and dashed madly around the bases for an inside-the-park homer. They got 2 more in the inning as Jamie Ritchie scored on a passed ball and Jason Martin scored on a Luis Reynoso groundout. Ferguson added an RBI single to his ledger in the 8th, and later in the inning, Martin drove in 2 more with a double. Ferguson (HR, 2 RBI, 2 R) and Martin (2B, 2 RBI, R) both finished 2-4 and drove in 2.

Rogelio Armenteros will start the series finale. He'll go up against Brett Graves at 6:35 Pacific.

Quad Cities and Beloit was postponed

Due to rain. They'll play 2 starting at 4:30. Makay Nelson will face Evan Manarino in game 1, and Albert Abreu will take on Boomer Biegalski in the nightcap.

Four Stars (in Three)

3 (tie).

Jason Martin and Drew Ferguson, OFs, Lancaster
Martin: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Ferguson: 2-4, inside-the-park solo HR (4), 2 RBI, 2 R

2.

Joe Musgrove, RHP, Fresno
W (2-0, 4-1 season), 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 7 K


1.

Keegan Yuhl, RHP, Corpus Christi
W (3-1), 7 IP, 4 H, BB, 2 K

Honorable Mentions

Jordan Jankowski, RHP, Fresno: 2 IP, 4 K
- Jankowski has had a tough May, but if this is his last appearance of the month, he finished strong.

Yeyfry Del Rosario, RHP, Lancaster: 1.2 IP, 2 H, BB, K
Ryan Thompson, RHP, Lancaster: 3.1 IP, 3 H (solo HR), ER, BB, 3 K
Richard Gonzalez, C, Lancaster: IP, H, BB
- They did what they could to stop the bleeding.

Alex Bregman, SS/3B, Corpus Christi: 3-4
- Bregman is on a 5-game hitting streak. The Texas League is eagerly anticipating the day that he can no longer terrorize them.

Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Corpus Christi: 2-3
- Teoscar looks like he's figuring out the Texas League in his 2nd try. He lost some prospect luster with that tough 2015, but has rebounded nicely.

Brendan McCurry, RHP, Corpus Christi: Save (9), 1.2 IP, H, 2 K
- McCurry is just doing what he does. 

Preston Tucker, OF/DH, Fresno: 3-3, 2B, RBI, R
- Tucker's been in that post-optioned-to-AAA funk. Nice to see him snap out of that with a perfect day at the plate.

Andrew Aplin, OF, Fresno: 2-5, HR (2), 3 RBI, 2 R
- A fine day at the top of the order for Aplin, who is trying to get himself off the canvas on offense. 

Astros Farm Report: 5-26

Lots of catching up to do on the Astros minor league front! But first, my unbounded gratitude to Dustin for keeping things going so beautifully while I've been traveling (and recuperating from a bit of a cold). If you aren't reading Dustin's recaps, you are really depriving yourselves!

WISHING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

5-26: OF Angel de Leon (20)
5-26: C Garrett Stubbs (23)
5-29: OF Leo Heras (26) - currently on loan to the Mexican League
5-30: OF Eury Perez (26)
5-31: 1B/3B Cristopher Luciano (20)

TRANSACTIONS/ROSTER MOVES

5-24: OF Carlos Gomez sent to Corpus Christi on a rehab assignment
5-24: RHP Asher Wojciechowski claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins
5-24: RHP Eric Peterson assigned from Lancaster to Corpus Christi
5-23: RHP Ricardo Castro assigned from Quad Cities to extended Spring Training
5-23: LHP Luis Ramirez assigned from Quad Cities to extended Spring Training
5-22: 1B A.J. Reed activated from the Fresno 7-day DL
5-22: RHP Brad Peacock placed on the Fresno 7-day DL retroactive to 5-21
5-22: C Erik Kratz released
5-21: RHP Ricardo Castro assigned to Quad Cities from extended Spring Training
5-21: LHP Luis Ramirez assigned to Quad Cities from extended Spring Training

In an update on Corpus Christi OF Danry Vasquez after his recent collision with Mott Hyde, the initial reports of a possible torn ACL were apparently incorrect. This Spanish language article reports that Vasquez suffered from a dislocated kneecap and should only be out for a couple of weeks, a report that was corroborated by friend of the blog Jeremy Schmidt.

Come back tomorrow for another farm report that will catch you up on the Astros minor league club standings.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Fresno 14, Oklahoma City 3

W- César Valdez (2-0)
L- Sam LeCure (2-2)

Fresno home runs: Matt Duffy 2 (4; 3-run in 1st, 2-run in 3rd), Jon Singleton (13, solo in 7th)

Unlike Monday, where the Grizzlies had to come from behind, the Tacos put the Dodgers to the sword with a sustained offensive onslaught.

César Valdez was the beneficiary of the generous run support, but he turned in a solid outing himself, allowing a run on 2 hits, walking 2, and striking out 5 in 5 innings. Josh Fields and Reymin Guduan pitched 2 innings apiece out of the bullpen; Fields allowed an unearned run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2, while Guduan allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 3, and fanned 4.

Matt Duffy clubbed 2 homers in this one; his first was a 3-run shot that put Fresno on the board first in the 1st. He added a 2-run homer to his ledger in the 3rd. Max Stassi added an RBI single in the 3rd. Danny Worth hit an RBI single in the 4th, and then the Tacos put up another crooked number in the 5th as Jon Kemmer smacked an RBI double, Nolan Fontana hit a sac fly, and Jon Singleton ripped a 2-run double. Stassi and Fontana hit RBI doubles in the 6th, and Singleton closed the Tacos' account with a solo blast in the 7th.

Everyone in the starting 9+1 recorded a hit; Jack Mayfield, who entered the game as a defensive sub, did not have a plate appearance. Everyone in the starting 9+1 scored a run except for Fontana. Jon Kemmer finished 3-5, scored 3 runs, and stole a base (3). Andrew Aplin (2 BB, 2 R, SB [7]), Danny Worth (RBI, 2 R), Jon Singleton (2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R), Matt Duffy (2 HR, 5 RBI), and Max Stassi (2B, 2 RBI, R) all had 2 hits on the night.

Today, the Grizzlies will send Joe Musgrove out to the mound. He'll face a rehabbing Hyun-Jin Ryu at 11:05 A.M. Pacific.

Corpus Christi 7, Arkansas 4

W- Cy Sneed (3-1)
L- Blayne Weller (2-6)
S- Brendan McCurry (8)

CC home runs: Alex Bregman (12, solo in 1st), J.D. Davis (8, 2-run in 1st)

The Hooks got the jump on the Travs to take game 1 of this series.

Alex Bregman kicked things off by putting Corpus on the board first with a solo homer in the 1st. D.J. Fisher followed that up with a single, and one batter later, J.D. Davis wasted little time in extending his hitting streak to 12 games with a 2-run blast. In the 5th, Fisher drove in 2 with a single and Bregman scored on a fielder's choice hit by Davis. Alfredo Gonzalez drove in the Hooks' last run of the evening with an RBI triple in the 8th. Gonzalez (3B, RBI), Fisher (2 RBI, R), and Conrad Gregor (R) each had 2 hits on the night, while Bregman scored 2 runs.

Cy Sneed went 5.2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 6. Eric Peterson allowed a solo homer to Angel Rosa in the 7th, which was the only run he allowed in his 1.1 innings. Peterson, who was making his Texas League debut, allowed one other hit, walked 1, and fanned 1. Brendan McCurry got the 2-inning save; the only run he allowed came on a solo homer from Stephen McGee in the 9th. McCurry allowed one other hit and struck out 1.

Keegan Yuhl will start game 2 of this series. He'll face Victor Alcantara at 7:05.

Lancaster 11, Stockton 9

W- Brock Dykxhoorn (4-1)
L- Zack Erwin (1-5)
S- Jacob Dorris (1)

Lancaster home runs: Jason Martin (4, solo in 3rd)

The JetHawks stormed out of the gate with a 6-run 1st and held off a Stockton rally to get the win.

Lancaster scored 6 in the 1st without an extra-base hit. Bobby Boyd led off with a walk and advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch. Tony Nuñez joined him on the bases by reaching on an error, and the two successfully executed a double steal. Boyd scored the JetHawks' first run when Ramon Laureano hit into a fielder's choice. Bryan Muñiz and Jamie Ritchie followed with RBI singles; and Johnny Sewald beat out a bunt single. On the ensuing error, Muñiz scored, while Sewald and Ritchie advanced to 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Kristian Trompiz followed with an RBI single, and Luis Reynoso added an RBI groundout.

Ritchie added a sac fly to his ledger in the 2nd, and then Jason Martin clubbed a solo shot in the 3rd. Nuñez scored on a wild pitch in the 4th, Laureano scored on an error in the 6th, and Martin drove in the final run of the night with an RBI double in the 7th.

Martin (2B, HR, 2 RBI, R), Nuñez (SB [1, 10 season], 3 R), Laureano (2B, RBI, 2 R), and Muñiz (RBI, R) all had 2 hits on the night. Muñiz extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Brock Dykxhoorn went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs (1 earned) on 7 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 6. Scott Weathersby tagged in for 1.2 innings, allowing 5 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits, walking 1, and striking out 2. Jacob Dorris allowed 2 hits and fanned 5 to get the save.

Elieser Hernandez will be on the mound for the JetHawks tonight. He'll face Riley Gossett at 6:35 Pacific.

Beloit 2, Quad Cities 1

W- Kyle Friedrichs (3-2)
L- Franklin Perez (0-1)
S- Cody Kurz (5)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos got a run in the 9th, but they couldn't get the tying run across.

Franklin Perez went 4 innings and allowed a run on a balk, 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Adam Whitt worked around a hit and a walk to throw a scoreless 5th, striking out 1. Kevin McCanna pitched the final 3 innings and allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1.

Bobby Wernes scored Quad Cities' only run on a wild pitch in the 9th. Kyle Tucker drew a walk and advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch, but he was stranded there to end the game. With a steal of 2nd base in the 4th, Little Tuck became the first player in the system to steal 20 bases this year.

Makay Nelson will start for Quad Cities tonight. He'll take on Boomer Biegalski at 6:30.

Three Stars

3.


César Valdez, RHP, Fresno
W (2-0), 5 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K

2.

Photo from MiLB.com
Jacob Dorris, RHP, Lancaster
Save (1), 2.1 IP, 2 H, 5 K


1.

Matt Duffy, 3B, Fresno
2-5, 2 HR (4), 5 RBI


Honorable Mentions

Jon Kemmer, OF, Fresno: 3-5, 2B, RBI, 3 R, SB (3)
- Kemmer is now on a 6-game hitting streak.

Bryan Muñiz, 1B, Lancaster: 2-5, RBI, R
- Muñiz's bat has really come alive during his 11-game hitting streak.

Cy Sneed, RHP, Corpus Christi: W (3-1), 5.2 IP, 3 H (solo HR), 2 ER, BB, 6 K
- Other than a clunker in Midland, Sneed has been excellent since coming over from the Brewers.

Jon Singleton, 1B, Fresno: 2-4, 2B, solo HR (13), 3 RBI, 2 R
- Jay Sing's power has been on full display as of late.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, May 23, 2016

Grizzlies and Hooks conjure up comebacks.

Fresno 8, Oklahoma City 7

W- James Hoyt (2-2)
L- Jacob Rhame (0-2)

Fresno home runs: Jon Singleton 2 (12; solo in 1st, 3-run in 7th)

The Grizzlies erased a 7-1 deficit and ultimately walked off with the win.

Jon Singleton opened the scoring with his first homer of the night, a solo shot in the 1st. That would be Fresno's only scoring play until the 6th; in the meantime, the Dodgers rattled off 7 unanswered runs, which included a 5-run 4th inning. In the 6th, Jay Sing put the Grizz on the board again when he ripped an RBI double. He later scored on an RBI single from Matt Duffy.

Fresno pulled even with a 4-run 7th. Tyler Heineman kicked things off with a single. Two outs put any hopes of a threat in jeopardy, but Andrew Aplin smacked an RBI double to re-ignite it. Danny Worth drew a walk, and they both advanced on a wild pitch. Singleton proceeded to tie it up with a 3-run home run. Aplin led off the 9th with a single and advanced to 2nd on a sac bunt from Worth. Singleton got a free pass to 1st, which was totally understandable. Duffy went down on strikes for the second out, but Preston Tucker drew a walk to load the bases to bring up Jon Kemmer, who completed the comeback and sent the crowd at Chukchansi Park home happy with the game-winning RBI single.

Aplin (2B, RBI, 2 R), Duffy (RBI single), and Heineman (BB, R) all had 2 hits on the evening. The top third of the order, which was Aplin (2), Worth (2), and Singleton (3), scored 7 of Fresno's 8 runs in this game. Singleton's 3 hits resulted in 5 runs.

Tommy Shirley went 3.1 innings and allowed 6 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 7 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Juan Minaya was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen. He allowed one of Shirley's runners to score on a sac fly. He went 1.2 innings and allowed a run on a bases-loaded walk, a double, walked 4 (1 intentionally), and struck out 1. Kevin Chapman allowed a hit and struck out 2 over 2 scoreless. Jandel Gustave allowed a hit and struck out 2 in 1.1 innings, and James Hoyt got the final 2 outs of the 9th, 1 via strikeout.

In game 2 of this series, Joe Musgrove will face Sam LeCure. First pitch is at 6:35.

Corpus Christi 11, Midland 7 in 10 innings

W- Aaron West (3-0)
L- Jake Sanchez (1-2)

CC home runs: Alex Bregman (11, 2-run in 7th)

One day after walking off with a loss despite rallying to force extra innings, the Hooks earned the split by rallying to force extra innings and burying the Hounds with a huge offensive outburst. The Hooks trailed 6-1 after the 4th inning; they outscored Midland 10-1 from the 7th-10th innings.

D.J. Fisher put Corpus on the board first with an RBI single in the 1st. Between that play and the 7th, Midland jumped out to a 6-1 lead. Alex Bregman smacked a 2-run homer in the 7th to draw the Hooks a little closer. The Hounds added a run after stretch time to make it a 7-3 game, but the Hooks swiftly answered in the 8th by parlaying a bases-loaded situation into a 4-run inning. Conrad Gregor scored on an error that allowed Roberto Peña to reach, and Teoscar Hernandez followed by clearing the bases with a double to tie the game at 7.

Teoscar put Corpus in front with an RBI double in the 10th inning, and then the floodgates opened. J.D. Davis and Gregor followed with RBI singles; Davis scored the final run of the evening on an error that allowed Nick Tanielu to reach.

3 of Teoscar's 4 hits in this game were doubles; he drove in 4 and scored 3 runs. Davis (RBI, R), Gregor (RBI, R, 2 BB), and Tanielu (R) all had 2-hit games; Davis extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Francis Martes only got 2 outs in the 1st inning; he had an inherited runner charged to him and walked 3. Michael Freeman pitched 2.1 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 4, and struck out 2. Chris Cotton was next; he allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits and struck out 1 in 2 innings. Angel Heredia tagged in for 3 innings, allowing a run on 3 hits, walking 1, and striking out 5. Aaron West allowed 3 hits, walked 1, and fanned 2 over 2 scoreless to get the win.

Tonight, the Hooks begin a 3-game series with the Arkansas Travelers. They'll be playing the two Arkansas clubs this week. Cy Sneed will start game 1; he'll face Blayne Weller at 7:05.

High Desert 8, Lancaster 3

W- Jason Richman (1-0)
L- Ryan Thompson (0-1)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks scored the first 3 runs, but the Mavericks took the game and the series by scoring the final 8 runs of the game, culminating in a 5-run 8th.

Bobby Boyd broke a scoreless tie with an RBI triple in the 3rd. He didn't have to wait too long to score because he trotted home on an RBI double from Garrett Stubbs. Bryan Muñiz went 2-3 with a double and a sac fly in the 4th. He's now on a 10-game hitting streak.

Trent Thornton went 5.2 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 6. Ryan Thompson was the first reliever out of the Lancaster bullpen; he went 1.1 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 2 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3. Ryan Deemes technically pitched a scoreless 8th, but he allowed a single and a sac fly, which allowed the two runners he inherited from Thompson to score.

Lancaster will host Stockton for 3 games starting tonight at 6:35 Pacific. Brock Dykxhoorn will be on the mound.

Cedar Rapids 5, Quad Cities 4

W- Nick Anderson (4-0)
L- Andrew Thome (2-1)

QC home runs: Connor Goedert (3, 2-run in 6th)

The Banditos erased a 4-0 deficit.... only to see the Kernels walk off with the win and the series.

Chris Murphy went 3.2 innings and allowed 4 runs on 9 hits (solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 1. Zac Person walked 2 and fanned 2 over 2.1 scoreless innings. Andrew Thome was taken deep by Zander Wiel with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, which gave Cedar Rapids the win. Thome allowed one other hit in his 2.2 innings of work.

Aaron Mizell put Quad Cities on the board with an RBI triple in the 5th. He later scored on an Osvaldo Duarte RBI single. Connor Goedert smacked a 2-run homer in the 6th, which tied the game at 4. Pat Porter went 3-4 with a double and a run scored, while Duarte (RBI single) and Bobby Wernes both finished 2-4.

Tonight, the River Bandits are in Beloit for 3 games starting tonight at 6:30. Franklin Perez will take on Kyle Friedrichs.

Three Stars

3.

Andrew Aplin, OF, Fresno
2-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R

2.

Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Corpus Christi
4-5, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 3 R

1.

Jon Singleton, 1B, Fresno
3-4, 2B, 2 HR (12), 5 RBI, 3 R


Honorable Mentions

Angel Heredia, RHP, Corpus Christi: 3 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 5 K
- Heredia has been called upon to go multiple innings for the Hooks since his promotion, and he's handled himself extremely well.

J.D. Davis, 3B, Corpus Christi: 2-6, RBI, R
- Davis is now on an 11-game hitting streak.

Bryan Muñiz, 1B, Lancaster: 2-3, 2B, RBI
- Muñiz, who is on a 10-game hitting streak, began May with a .114/.273/.205 slash line. It's now up to .262/.345/.427.

Kevin Chapman, LHP, Fresno: 2 IP, H, 2 K
- In his last 5.2 innings, Chapman has allowed 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 11.

Zac Person, LHP, Quad Cities: 2.1 IP, 2 BB, 2 K
- Person's WHIP is a bit high, but when called upon, he's gotten the job done more often than not.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, May 22, 2016

Not a happy Sunday in the Astros organization as everyone lost.

Memphis 8, Fresno 1

W- Ryan Sherriff (2-0)
L- Mike Hauschild (3-5)
S- Juan Gonzalez (2)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizzlies finished their tour of Tennessee with a 2-6 record. They were swept in Nashville and had to settle for a split in Memphis after the Redbirds buried them with a late offensive outburst.

Danny Worth's 7th-inning sac fly was Fresno's only scoring play. All of the Grizzlies' 6 hits in this game were singles.

Mike Hauschild went 6 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Jordan Jankowski was the first man out; he allowed 4 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 3 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 2. Reymin Guduan got the final 2 outs of the 8th, but not before issuing a walk and allowing a bases-clearing double that resulted in both of the runners he inherited from Jankowski to score. One run was also charged to him on the play.

The Grizzlies are back home, where they'll begin a 4-game series with Oklahoma City tonight at 6:35 Pacific. Tommy Shirley will start game 1, and he'll face Mike Bolsinger.

Midland 7, Corpus Christi 6 in 10 innings

W- Sam Bragg (1-1)
L- Brendan McCurry (1-2)

CC home runs: Conrad Gregor (1, solo in 7th)

The Hooks fought back from a 6-2 deficit to force extras.... only to see the RockHounds walk off with the win in the first extra frame. They shot themselves in the foot by making 4 outs on the basepaths on the afternoon.

J.D. Davis wasted little time in extending his hitting streak to 10 games as he opened the scoring with an RBI double in the 1st. Conrad Gregor added an RBI groundout in the 4th. Gregor sparked a 7th-inning rally by leading off the inning with his first homer of the year. Nick Tanielu followed with a double, and Roberto Peña singled to put runners on the corners for Teoscar Hernandez, who came through with an RBI double. Alex Bregman followed that up with an RBI single. Alejandro Garcia led off the 9th with a single and moved to 2nd following a sac bunt from Peña. Teoscar moved him over to 3rd with a single, and he scored the tying run when Bobby Wahl uncorked a wild pitch. Bregman was given a free pass to 1st, but Teoscar got picked off 2nd base for the 2nd out, and D.J. Fisher struck out to end the threat.

Teoscar finished 3-4 with the RBI double and stole 2 bases (15), but he was also caught stealing twice and was picked off 2nd base in the 9th. Davis also had 3 hits on the day; 2 of them were two-baggers. Alejandro Garcia was 2-4 and scored the tying run. Nick Tanielu's 2 hits on the day were both doubles.

Brian Holmes went 5 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. Evan Grills tagged in for 4 innings and allowed a run on 5 hits and walked 2. Brendan McCurry allowed the game-winner, an RBI single from Wade Kirkland with 1 out in the 10th.

The Hooks and Hounds will wrap up the series tonight as Francis Martes takes on Joel Seddon. First pitch is at 6:30.

High Desert 6, Lancaster 0

W- Ariel Jurado (4-1)
L- Josh James (3-2)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks couldn't back up another solid outing from Josh James, and then the wheels fell off.

The only run that James allowed in his 5.2 innings of work was a solo homer from Scott Heineman, Tyler's brother, in the 4th. He allowed one other hit, walked 3, and struck out 4. Yeyfry Del Rosario pitched the final 2.1 innings and allowed 5 runs (all in the 8th) on 8 hits and struck out 3. He's allowed 16 runs as a member of the JetHawks; 13 of them have been scored by the Mavericks.

Bryan Muñiz extended his hitting streak to 9 games with a single in the 1st. Tony Nuñez had the other Lancaster single.

Trent Thornton will start the series finale. First pitch is at 6:35 Pacific.

Cedar Rapids 8, Quad Cities 1

W- Miles Nordgren (2-1)
L- Yoanys Quiala (0-1)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos got on the board first.... but it was all Kernels after that as they scored 8 unanswered to blast Quad Cities.

Kyle Tucker's RBI groundout in the 1st was Quad Cities' only scoring play. Osvaldo Duarte finished 2-4.

Yoanys Quiala went 4.2 innings and allowed 5 runs (3 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 8 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Ricardo Castro and Luis Ramirez both made their 2016 debuts; Castro allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2 in 2.1 innings, and Ramirez allowed a solo homer to Zander Wiel in the 8th. He also allowed a double in the inning.

Chris Murphy will start the series finale. He'll face Cody Stashak at 12:05.

Three Stars

3.

Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Corpus Christi
3-4, 2B, RBI, 2 SB (15)

2.

Josh James, RHP, Lancaster
L (2-3), 5.2 IP, 2 H (solo HR), ER, 3 BB, 4 K


1.

J.D. Davis, 3B, Corpus Christi
3-5, 2 2B, RBI, R; 10-game hitting streak

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, May 21, 2016

Fresno 7, Memphis 1

W- Brady Rodgers (2-3)
L- Deck McGuire (1-6)

Fresno home runs: Jon Singleton (10, solo in 2nd), Jon Kemmer (2, solo in 2nd)

The Grizzlies took the 2-1 series lead as Brady Rodgers imposed his will on the Redbirds on Saturday night.

Rodgers allowed a run on 6 hits (5 singles and a triple) and set a new career high with 11 strikeouts in 6.2 innings. Josh Fields pitched 1.1 innings and walked 1 while striking out 2, and Kevin Chapman worked around a walk to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

Jon Singleton and Jon Kemmer hit back-to-back solo shots in the 2nd to put Fresno on the board first. Danny Worth led off the 3rd with a single, moved to 2nd when Preston Tucker drew a walk, and scored following two wild pitches in a row. In the 5th, Matt Duffy and Tyler Heineman hit RBI singles, while Kemmer added a sac fly. Jack Mayfield drew a bases-loaded walk in the 7th to bring in the final run of the night. Singleton, who finished 2-4, opened the scoring with his solo homer and scored that final run of the game on Mayfield's BB. Eury Perez stole 2 bases (6).

In the series finale, Mike Hauschild will face Alex Reyes. First pitch is at 2:05.

Midland 3, Corpus Christi 1

W- Raúl Alcantara (4-2)
L- David Paulino (1-2)
S- Jake Sanchez (3)

CC home runs: None.

Well, as the old adage goes, all good things must come to an end. Both teams finished with 9 hits, but the Hooks only managed to get 1 run, and as a result, their 11-game winning streak came to an end.

The Hooks' only scoring play came on an RBI single from J.D. Davis in the 1st. Alex Bregman, who scored on the play, finished 2-4. D.J. Fisher and Alejandro Garcia also had 2 hits in this game. Fisher appeared in a game for the first time since Monday.

David Paulino went 6 innings and allowed a run on 7 hits, walked 1, and struck out 8. Angel Heredia pitched the final 2 innings and allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4.

Brian Holmes will start game 3 of this series. He'll take on Joey Wagman at 2.

Lancaster 7, High Desert 5

W- Rogelio Armenteros (2-1, 2-3 season)
L- Nick Gardewine (0-1)
S- Ryan Deemes (1, 2 season)

Lancaster home runs: Jason Martin (3, solo in 4th)

An Astros team defeated a Rangers team last night. The JetHawks took control of this game with 2 in the 8th and 1 more in the 9th to draw even in the series.

Brooks Marlow opened up the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st and added a 2-run single to his ledger in the 3rd. Jason Martin led off the 4th with a solo shot and drove in the tying run with a sac fly in the 8th. Later in the 8th, Ramon Laureano drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Kristian Trompiz, which put Lancaster in the lead. In the 9th, Trompiz got picked off trying to steal 2nd, but he held out long enough for Martin to cross with an insurance run.

Marlow has recorded 4 hits with the JetHawks; he's driven in runs with all but one of them. Bryan Muñiz finished 2-5 with a triple and a run scored; he is currently on an 8-game hitting streak. Martin's homer was his only hit on the night; he also walked twice, scored twice, and stole a base (8).

On a double steal in the 3rd, Ramon Laureano took 2nd, giving him 19 on the year, putting him atop the system's stolen base leaderboard with Kyle Tucker. Laureano was hitless, but he walked twice and scored, as Marlow followed the double steal with the 2-run single. Garrett Stubbs took 3rd on the double steal, giving him 8 on the season. Johnny Sewald stole his 1st base in the California League; he now has 17 on the year. Trompiz was 1-2 on steal attempts; he's taken 4 this year.

Dean Deetz went 4 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits (solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 5. Rogelio Armenteros tagged in, and the only run he allowed in his 3.1 innings of work came on a solo homer from Tripp Martin in the 6th. Armenteros allowed three other hits, walked 1, and fanned 6. Ryan Deemes got his first save as a JetHawk, allowing a hit, walking 1, and striking out 1 over 1.2 innings.

Josh James, who's coming off an outstanding tandem appearance, will start for Lancaster today. He'll face Ariel Jurado at 1:05 Pacific.

Quad Cities 10, Cedar Rapids 4

W- Alex Winkelman (5-1)
L- Dereck Rodriguez (1-5)

QC home runs: Pat Porter (1, 3-run in 6th)

After getting dominated in all facets of the game on Friday night, the Banditos bounced back and returned the favor. They trailed 2-0 after the 5th, but finished the game on a 10-2 run.

That 10-2 run all started with a 6-run 6th inning. Arturo Michelena sparked the rally with a double to lead off the inning. He advanced to 3rd following a bunt single from Aaron Mizell and scored Quad Cities' first run of the night when Myles Straw legged out a bunt single of his own. Straw was forced out at 2nd, but Mizell advanced to 3rd and scored on an error that allowed Connor Goedert to reach and Kyle Tucker to reach 2nd safely. Pat Porter made the Kernels pay for that miscue as he walloped a 3-run homer to put the Banditos in front. In his 2nd plate appearance of the inning, Michelena drove in the final run of the big 6th with a sac fly.

Michelena added an RBI single to his ledger in the 8th and scored on a sac fly from Kyle Tucker. Straw also had a sac fly in the inning. Michelena capped off the night with an RBI single in the 9th, his 4th hit of the game. Michelena went 4-4 with a double and scored twice. Mizell (R, SB [5]), Straw (2 RBI), Dex McCall (2 2B, 2 R), and Christian Correa (R, BB) all had 2-hit games. McCall has 3 consecutive multi-hit games. Kyle Tucker stole his 19th base of the year; he and Ramon Laureano lead the system in stolen bases.

Jose Luis Hernandez allowed 2 runs on 8 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 4.1 innings. Alex Winkelman went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits, walked 3, and struck out 4, and Zac Person got the final 2 outs of the game on 2 pitches.

The River Bandits and Kernels will continue their series today at 2:05. Yoanys Quiala will take on Miles Nordgren.

Four Stars

4.

David Paulino, RHP, Corpus Christi
L (1-2), 6 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 8 K

3.

Photo from MiLB.com
Brooks Marlow, 2B, Lancaster
2-5, 2B, 3 RBI


1 (tie). Arturo Michelena or Brady Rodgers. Brady Rodgers or Arturo Michelena. Hmm... why not both?

Photo from MiLB.com
Arturo Michelena, IF, Quad Cities
4-4, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R

Brady Rodgers, RHP, Fresno
W (2-3), 6.2 IP, 6 H, ER, 11 K (new career-high in K)


Honorable Mentions

Myles Straw, OF, Quad Cities: 2-3, 2 RBI
- He did get caught stealing, but the fastest man in the system turned in a solid night at the plate.

Zac Person, LHP, Quad Cities: 0.2 IP (final 2 outs of the game) on 2 pitches
- Well, that didn't take long.

Rogelio Armenteros, RHP, Lancaster: W (2-1, 2-3 season), 3.1 IP, 4 H (solo HR), ER, BB, 6 K
- Armenteros may find himself in Corpus to finish the season. He's been quite the find for Oz Ocampo and the Astros' international team.

Ryan Deemes, RHP, Lancaster: Save (1, 2 season), 1.2 IP, H, BB, K
- Deemes hasn't missed a beat since his arrival in Lancaster.

Jason Martin, OF, Lancaster: Solo HR (3), 2 BB, 2 R, SB (8)
- Martin is trying to get himself going offensively. This 6-game stretch, which also includes 3 2-hit games, is a good starting point...