Astros Minor League Recaps

Tuesday's Games

Albuquerque over Oklahoma City 10-2
Can we just say that it wasn't a good day for RedHawks pitching and leave it at that? Philip Humber, C.J. Fick and Rhiner Cruz combined to allow ten runs (six earned) in seven innings. Three 'Hawks errors and three hit batters didn't exactly help. Kevin Chapman was the lone pitcher who remained unscathed as he struck out all three batters faced in the eighth inning. The OKC bats remained mostly silent with the only runs coming on a Brandon Laird RBI double in the fifth and a Cody Clark RBI single in the sixth. Jake Elmore was two-for-five and Brett Wallace was three-for-four with a walk.

Corpus Christi over Midland 9-5
Jake Buchanan pitched five innings to get his seventh win of the season. The bad news is that Jake's ERA SKYROCKETED all the way to 0.85 as he allowed two runs (one earned) in his outing. Carlos Quevedo followed with two runs in two and a third innings, both runs allowed to score under Sergio Escalona's watch. Kenny Long gave up a solo home run in the ninth as his only hit. The Hooks led from the second inning on and never fell behind. There were several strong offensive outings, including Ben Orloff (4x5 2B 2R), Jose Martinez (3x5 3RBI 2R SB), Domingo Santana (2x5 2RBI R), Erik Castro (1x4 2B BB RBI 2R), Jonathan Meyer (2x3 BB RBI R), and Drew Muren (2x2 SB). In Jason Maxwell's first rehab appearance at Corpus Christi, he was hitless in three at-bats, reached base on a fielding error, stole a base and scored a run.

Stockton over Lancaster 4-2
Lancaster dropped the second in a row to Stockton as the JetHawks' offensive output consisted of six singles and two walks. Aaron West got the start and the loss as he allowed three runs (via a three-run home run) on five hits in five innings, and T.J. Geith allowed the final run in his one and a third innings. Michael Dimock finished it off with one and two-thirds scoreless. The JetHawks' only two runs came in the fourth on a Brandon Meredith RBI single and a Telvin Nash sac fly as a two-on, no-out opportunity in the eighth was wasted. Andrew Aplin was two-for-four and scored a run and Chris Epps was two-for-three.

Quad Cities - Off Day

DSL Astros over DSL Red Sox 2-0
Talk about a pitchers duel. Each team allowed only four hits in the game with Edwin Villarroel (5IP 3H 3SO), Josela Pinales (3IP 1H 1BB 3SO) and Harold Arauz (1IP 0H) combining to shut out the Red Sox. The Astros got one run in the first as Jean Estrella was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a ground out. The final run in the seventh was scored a bit more conventionally as Hector Roa tripled and then scored on a Jesus Bermejo single.

Player of the Day: I think it appropriate that Ben Orloff went four-for-five on the day that my interview with The Man. The Myth. The Legend. The Wizard. posted. I know it's not the Brooks Wallace award, but it is one more honor to burnish the legend of The Wizard.

Pitcher of the Day: Write this day down. Jake Buchanan pitched last night and he is not going to be my Pitcher of the Day for the day he pitched for the first time since April. I have got to give all the WTHB love to LHP Edwin Villarroel with the DSL Astros. Villarroel was one of the few bright spots for a DSL team that was (how shall we say this delicately?) a little difficult to write about positively last season. Villarroel could make it a lot more fun to write about this team in 2013 if he keeps shoving like this.