Astros Minor League Recaps

Tuesday's Games
OK, yesterday I got a little cranky and I called out some starting pitchers. I'm not proud of it, but ... IT WORKED!!! Four out of five Astros MiLB teams won yesterday and the loss was close. It's so much more fun writing about wins than losses. Thanks guys!!!

Oklahoma City over Iowa 8-5
Thank you Asher Wojciechowski for starting off my day right. After the last couple of rough days for the farm system, the RedHawks didn't waste any time removing that losing taste from my mouth as they prevailed in a day game. Wojo gave up one in the first on a solo home run and one in the sixth on an RBI single, but put up four very pretty zeroes in the interim and struck out seven batters. Kevin Chapman, Alex Sogard and Rhiner Cruz combined to allow three runs (one earned) in two and a third before giving way to Jose Valdez who struck out the side to earn his 13th save of the season. The RedHawks took the lead in the bottom of the first on a Brett Wallace (3x4 BB 2R) two-run home run and managed to keep the lead the rest of the way, staying just ahead of Iowa. Cody Clark was two-for-four and scored a run. Andy Simunic drove in three via a single and sac bunt. There were five stolen bases in the game, with Che-Hsuan Lin and Jonathan Villar each getting two, and Simunic getting one.

Corpus Christi over San Antonio 6-2
Mike Foltynewicz got the start and his second AA win as he pitched five innings and allowed two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out five (and he reportedly lit up the radar gun to 100 and 101 on several occasions). He was followed by four scoreless innings from David Martinez (2H 4SO). Corpus took the lead in the third as Jon Singleton (2x4 BB) drove in two with a triple and then scored on a throwing error on the play. A Kiké Hernandez (3x4 2B 3B HR) home run in the fourth, a Justin Maxwell RBI single in the fifth, and a Domingo Santana home run in the eighth accounted for the rest of the scoring. Maxwell's RBI single broke an 0-for-19 streak. George Springer was one-for-five with a double, but struck out four times.

Lancaster over High Desert 3-1
Manager Rodney Linares burned incense and brought in some sacrificial KFC and it worked. The JetHawks 8-game losing streak is now in the rearview mirror! Luis Cruz (5H 2BB 5SO) threw the first five frames and did a terrific job, getting a key strikeout in the fifth to strand runners at second and third. Kyle Hallock (W, 4-1) threw the next three and a third and allowed one run in the ninth before giving way to Travis Ballew who converted his tenth save of the season as he erased the inherited runner on a double play. The 'Hawks did all of their scoring with two outs in the sixth inning, with runs coming across on a Preston Tucker (4x4 2-2B R) RBI single and a two-run M.P. Cokinos double. Joe Sclafani was two-for-four with two doubles and scored a run.

Quad Cities over Cedar Rapids 8-4
Starter Lance McCullers (4IP 5H 4R 2BB 6SO) would probably like to have the third inning back to do over as four of his five hits allowed and all of his runs came across in the frame. But the team had Lance's back and took the lead in the seventh to get him off the hook. Daniel Minor (3.1IP 3H 1BB 4SO) cruised to his fourth win of the season and John Neely pitched a perfect one and two-thirds to earn his 10th save of the season. It was mostly a small ball offense, taking advantage of errors and stealing bases (Rio Ruiz, Austin Elkins, Carlos Correa and Ruben Sosa all swiped bags) until Jesse Wierzbicki (3x5 4RBI 3R) put things out of reach with a three-run home run in the eighth. Correa was two-for-two with three walks and three runs scored; Jobduan Morales was one-for-four with two RBI; and Ruben Sosa was two-for-four.

DSL Rays over DSL Astros 7-6
Five pitchers worked for the Astros in this one and none of the performances really stood out one way or the other. The boxscore is here if you so desire. The lead changed on this one five times before the Astros finally ran out of outs. The bad news is that the Astros only had six hits. The good news is that four of them were doubles, including two doubles from 2B Arturo Michelina. RF Brauly Mejia was one-for-two with a double and two walks. C Marlon Avea doubled as well.

Player of the Day: Jesse Wierzbicki has been in a bit of a funk with the bat lately. It's great to see him break out in a big way and win the WTHB honors. Kiké Hernandez only lacked a single in his quest to hit for the cycle on Tuesday, an admirable feat, and earns honorable mention.

Pitcher of the Day: Luis Cruz gets all my love today and then some. The five shutout innings he tossed Tuesday night gave the JetHawks the chance to stay in the game, get the bats going and end their eight-game losing streak. The 'Hawks needed a stopper and they got one.