Astros Minor League Recaps

Friday’s Games

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 3, Quad Cities River Bandits 4

Quad Cities crept in to win this one in the eighth inning after coming back to tie it in the fourth. The offense was able to do that thanks in large part to the performances of their pitching tandem Lance McCullers and Daniel Minor who kept the opposition scoreless after the second inning. McCullers took the start and after giving up a run in the first and two in the second, regained control and kept it scoreless through his next three frames, finishing with three runs (2 ER) on four hits, four walks and two Ks. Minor came on next and finished out the match, throwing 1-2-3 sets in the sixth and seventh and striking out five overall while allowing two hits. Rio Ruiz (1X4 RBI) got his team on the board in the first inning with an RBI triple to score Carlos Correa. Carlos Correa (2X4 R 3B 2RBI SO) tied the game in the fourth with a two RBI triple, moving him to 24 RBIs on the season. The winning run came on a passed ball in the eighth that Teoscar Hernandez took advantage from third base. Hernandez came into the inning earlier as a pinch runner for Ariel Ovando.

Inland Empire 66ers 4, Lancaster JetHawks 12

The JetHawks came out scoring and didn’t stop until they took the win at home on Friday. Chris Devenski (4-2) took the start and the “W” after throwing for the first five frames. Devenski allowed four runs on five hits, walked two and struck out six during his shift. Brady Rodgers finished out the game on the hill and earned his first save, keeping the last four innings scoreless while striking out three and giving up a pair of hits. At the plate, the bats were hot with five Lancaster players recording multi-hit nights (four of those three hit nights). None was hotter than Andrew Aplin though, who hit a two-run homer in the first to get the JetHawks on the board and finished with four RBI. Aplin leads the California League in RBI with 42 so far this season. Here’s the box for the rest of the offensive action:

Northwest Arkansas Naturals 0, Corpus Christi Hooks 2

There was definitely a pitcher’s duel in Corpus on Friday night and the Hooks had the upper hand. That advantage came from their offense and the fact that Mike Foltynewicz and David Martinez combined forces to one-hit-shutout their opponents. Folty’ cruised through the first five innings, striking out two and issuing three walks. Martinez (8-0) took the mound next and after giving up a hit to the first batter he faced, settled in to strike out two and walk one. Martinez took the win after his offense broke onto the scoreboard in the seventh by way of a Jonathan Meyer (1X4 RBI) RBI single to score Domingo Santana (0X2 R BB), who was on board because of a leadoff HBP. The Hooks would score again in the eighth when Jiovanni Mier (OX2 R BB) drew a walk to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a Ben Orloff (1X3) sac’ bunt and then scored on Rene Garcia’s (2X4 2B RBI) eighth double of the year.

Oklahoma City RedHawks 4, Iowa Cubs 5

The RedHawks got on the scoreboard first Friday after a Jonathan Villar (2X5 R HR RBI SO) leadoff homer in the first, but were behind by the end of the inning and never managed to get back ahead. Brad Peacock (1-2) took the start and the loss, pitching five and two thirds innings and giving up all five runs on four hits, walking four and striking out eight during that time. Brandon Laird (2X5 R RBI HR SO) had a nice night at the plate, hitting two-for-five with a run scored, homerun, RBI and strikeout.

Player of the Day: Andrew Aplin gets to bask in the spotlight today. The guy had an awesome night at the plate Friday that marked the fifth game he has had this season in which he has recorded at least four RBI. That’s pretty impressive.

Pitcher of the Day: Corpus had a great night and both pitchers were dealing, so they both get to split the honors today. Folty’s five frames were hitless, but Martinez only gave up one hit across his four and there is absolutely no reason to split hairs. Both of those guys had awesome nights.