Astros Minor League Recaps

Sunday's Games

Quad Cities River Bandits 5, Clinton LumberKings 2

The River Bandits came back to win this one after a rain delay of over an hour on Sunday. Brian Holmes threw the first three innings and allowed both opposing runs over three hits while walking a pair and striking out five. Gerardo Sanchez (1-0) came on next and picked up the win, going two innings and allowing just a hit and K-ing one. Jordan Jankowski picked up his second save after pitching the last four frames and giving up a lone hit while striking out five. Austin Elkins was busy at the plate, hitting three-for-four with an RBI single to score Brian Blasik (1X3 R 2BB SB) in the fourth. Jordan Scott hit two-for-three and drew a pair of walks in the contest as well while Terrell Joyce (1X2 2R HR RBI 2BB) hit his third homer of the season, a solo-shot in the fifth. 

Inland Empire 66ers 10, Lancaster JetHawks 18

Lancaster came back twice in this game and the second time it stuck, thanks in large part to a 10-run seventh inning. Luis Cruz started on the mound and lasted two innings, giving up five runs in the second frame. Cruz finished with those runs and seven hits, a walk and two Ks. Kyle Hallock (2-0) was the third pitcher on for the JetHawks and picked up the win. Hallock pitched four innings and allowed four runs on five hits (3HR), walked one and struck out the same. Brandon Meredith didn’t make it into the game until the sixth inning but still managed to hit two homers in his time, finishing three-for-three with two runs scored, those homers and five RBI. Meredith, Chris Epps (3X4 4R 3B HR 3RBI BB) and Preston Tucker (1X4 2R 3RBI BB) all hit three-run homers in the game. Delino DeShields went four-for-six with two runs scored, a triple, RBI and stolen base.

Arkansas Travelers 8, Corpus Christi Hooks 6

The Hooks fell behind early in this one and tried to mount a comeback in the eighth, but fell short of the win. Carlos Quevedo (1-4) picked up the loss after working the first three. Quevedo allowed four runs on eight hits (2HR) and struck out one. Andrew Robinson followed him for four outs and gave up another three runs on four hits and a walk while K-ing two. Kiké Hernandez hit two-for-four, scored a run and collected his seventh double in the game. Domingo Santana (1X3 2RBI) and Ben Orloff  (1X5 R 2RBI SO) both recorded two RBIs in the match. 

Oklahoma City RedHawks 1, Iowa Cubs 2 (7) Game 1

The first game of this doubleheader in Iowa saw only seven hits from the two teams combined and the RedHawks were on the losing side. Brett Oberholtzer (3-4) got the start and the loss after throwing five and a third and allowing both opposing runs on four hits (HR) while striking out two. Jake Elmore collected two of the three hits for Oklahoma City in this game in three ABs and Andrew Simunic (0X3 RBI SO) drove in his team’s lone run in the second inning on a groundout, scoring Marc Krauss (1X3 R 2B SO).

Oklahoma City RedHawks 3, Iowa Cubs 4 (7) Game 2

The second contest of the day ended in another one run loss for the RedHawks. Phillip Humber worked the first four frames and despite allowing three runs (1ER) across four hits and a walk (5SO HR), his successor, Eric Berger (1-1) took the loss. Berger pitched for one and two thirds on Sunday and allowed one run on a homer in the sixth inning and also walked a batter. The RedHawks had three hits again in this game and Jonathan Villar (1X4 3B RBI 2SO) and Fernando Martinez (1X2 BB SO) collected all the RBIs.

Player of the Day: If you think Brandon Meredith doesn’t deserve it today you were probably hit in the head by one of his homeruns yesterday. Anytime a player comes off the pine in the sixth and has as much of an impact in a game as Meredith did, they’re playing full-tilt… and that is always worthy of player of the day.

Pitcher of the Day: Jordan Jankowski is top banana today. He picked up a save Sunday, but did so after operating on the mound longer than any other pitcher in the game (even opponents) and gave up just a hit in that time while striking out five. We saw you, Jordan. Nice game.