Astros Minor League Recaps

Friday's Games
(Buca went fishing so you'll have to settle for me today.)

Oklahoma City over Nashville 5-1 in 9 innings (Game 1)
Brett Oberholtzer got the start and pitched a strong six and a third innings, allowing only one run on five hits and a walk while striking out five. Jason Stoffel and Wade LeBlanc took it the rest of the way with perfect frames. Intended to be a seven-inning game as part of the double-header, this game went to extras tied at 1-1 until a big four-run fourth put the RedHawks ahead. Jonathan Villar and Jon Singleton were both two-for-five; Brandon Laird was two-for-four; George Springer was one-for-three with an RBI double and a walk; and Carlos Perez drove in two with a bases loaded single.

Oklahoma City over Nashville 6-3 in 7 innings (Game 2)
Jake Buchanan (5IP 4H 2R 2SO) got his first start and first win at AAA under his belt. He was relieved by Rhiner Cruz (1IP 1H 1R 1BB 1SO) and Josh Zeid (1IP 1BB 1SO) who converted his seventh save of the season. Lead off home-runs in the first inning from Jonathan Villar and in the second from George Springer (his first at AAA) were complemented by a Ruben Sosa RBI single and Villar two-run double in the fourth and a Marwin Gonzalez RBI single in the seventh. Brandon Laird was two-for-three and scored a run. Sosa and Gonzalez each stole a base.

Corpus Christi over Springfield 7-6 in 10 innings
Springfield scored three off starter Matt Heidenreich (4IP 6H 3R 5SO) in the second inning and then three more in the eighth off of Jorge de Leon (one inherited run scoring off Pat Urckfitz) to tie it up. Andrew Robinson pitched a perfect 10th and was awarded the win as Max Stassi hit a walk-off RBI double to end it. Stassi also hit a solo home run in the sixth. The Hooks five-run third inning was helped in large part by two errors and a wild pitch. Preston Tucker went two-for-four with two doubles, a walk and an RBI.

Rancho Cucamonga over Lancaster 6-3
Ouch! That had to leave a mark. Lancaster went into the bottom of the ninth leading 3-1 when throwing errors from Carlos Perdomo and Travis Ballew helped to fuel a big five-run comeback as the first run scored on an error and was soon followed by four more in the form of a walk-off grand slam off Ballew. And that wasted a gem of a start from David Rollins (5IP 2H 0R 0BB 4SO). [As a side note, according to the game story from Jason Schwartz, Rollins only threw 50 pitches. Tandem pitching has come to an end at Oklahoma City and Corpus Christi. I would like to see it ended at Lancaster as well. In my opinion, you aren't developing a player if you don't stretch him out at some point and find out what happens his third time through the lineup. Rollins needs to be challenged.] Rollins was followed by two and two-thirds innings from Tyson Perez. Perez allowed one run on three hits and two walks. Matt Duffy was two-for-two with a double, two walks and two runs scored, and Nolan Fontana had one of the remaining three JetHawks hits, an RBI single.

Peoria over Quad Cities 4-2
Lance McCullers (4H 2R 2BB 3SO) pitched the first four and was followed by three from Juri Perez (3H 1R 3SO). John Neely pitched the eighth and allowed the final run on three hits. Despite great outings from Jesse Wierzbicki (3x4 2B RBI R), Rio Ruiz (3x4 2-2B RBI) and Jordan Scott (3x4), the River Bandits were only able to put two runs on the board.

Tri-City - Postponed

Greeneville over Kingsport 2-1 in 15 innings
See Appy Astros Eyewitness Account here.

GCL Astros over GCL Pirates 6-5 in 8.1 innings (completed early due to rain)
Six Astros pitchers combined in this one with Francis Ramirez (1.2IP 5H 3R/2ER 1BB 1SO) getting the start and Javier Lozano (1.1IP 3H 2R 1SO) allowing the final two Pirates runs to score in the top of the ninth. Troy Scribner, Juan Santos, Kevin Ferguson and Raul Rivera all had scoreless outings. The Astros put up one in the first on Tyler White's (3x4 2RBI) first pro homer and added another five in the fourth as they batted around.

DSL Astros over DSL Rays 3-0 in 7 innings
Edwin Villarroel (6.1IP 1H 2SO) and Angel Heredia (0.2IP 1H) combined on this two-hit abbreviated shutout. Villarroel has continued to impress as he is now 2-2 through five starts with a 1.54 ERA and a 0.900 WHIP. Jean Estrella was two-for-four; Victor Tavarez was two-for-four with an RBI and a run; and Alexander Melendez was two-for-two with a walk and two stolen bases.

Player of the Day: Max Stassi not only hit a home run for the Hooks, he also had the game winner. In Stassi's last three games, he is nine-for-fifteen with two doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI.

Pitcher of the Day: I have to go with Greeneville's Gerardo Ramirez. He pitched four scoreless innings of relief in the 15-inning marathon and allowed only two singles while striking out nine batters, eight of them swinging. That is impressive by any measure.