Astros Minor League Recaps

Wednesday's Games

Oklahoma City over Omaha 11-4
Starter Brad Peacock pitched the first six innings and left a 2-4 deficit behind him as he allowed eight hits, including two home runs; he walked one and struck out six. Philip Humber pitched three perfect innings, striking out four, for the win. A two-run Brandon Laird (2x4 2R) home run represented all the RedHawks scoring going in to the eighth inning, but five singles, a double, a wild pitch, a throwing error and a Ruben Sosa (2x4 2RBI) inside-the-park home run later, the RedHawks were leading 9-2. Two more came across in the ninth. Jose Martinez, George Springer and Jimmy Paredes all had three hit nights; Martinez had two doubles and Springer had one.

Corpus Christi over San Antonio 5-0
Mike Foltynewicz was straight dealing in his eight shutout innings (6H 2BB 8SO). Reports were that he hit 100 mph on the radar gun on his 109th and final pitch of the game to get a swinging strikeout. He threw 80 of those 109 pitches for strikes. Time of game? A crisp 2:28. Be still, my beating heart! Chia-Jen Lo pitched the final frame, allowing one hit and striking out one. The Hooks put up one in the first as Ronald Torreyes scored on a Max Stassi sac fly. Stassi got another RBI in the fourth on a solo home run. Drew Muren was two-for-four with an RBI double in the fourth and Zach Johnson tacked on another run with a solo shot in the seventh.

Lancaster over San Jose 8-7
From all reports, the playoff atmosphere continued as Lancaster took on the Northern Division leading San Jose team for the second in the series. Tommy Shirley (8H 4R 4BB 5SO) left the game after seven innings with a 7-4 lead, but no lead is really safe at The Hangar. Cameron Lamb loaded the bases in the eighth as one batter reached on a Nolan Fontana fielding error, the next one walked and the third was hit by a pitch. Exit Cameron Lamb and enter Kenny Long. A swinging strikeout and an RBI single later, Travis Ballew came in to get two strikeouts and keep the lead at 7-5, but gave up two on an RBI double in the top of the ninth for a 7-7 tie. With two outs in the ninth, Tyler Heineman doubled, Brandon Meredith walked and Chris Epps provided the magic with a walk-off RBI single. Delino DeShields (2x3 BB 2R 2SB), Andrew Aplin (1x4 SF 2RBI), Joe Sclafani (2x5 RBI R), Matt Duffy (2x5 2B R) and Chris Epps (3x4 2B BB 2RBI) all had great games, but Tyler Heineman was on another planet. See the Player of the Day for details on his heroics.

Quad Cities over Burlington 8-5
Lance McCullers gave up two hits in the first inning, including a two-run homer, but then didn't allow another hit in his five innings of work. He walked four, struck out six, hit a batter and had one wild pitch. Juri Perez gave up two additional runs in his inning and was followed by two scoreless frames from Gera Sanchez. Jordan Jankowski allowed the final run to score in the ninth. The River Bandits countered the Burlington two-run first with a five-run second, featuring a Rio Ruiz (1x2 3B 2RBI R) RBI triple and a Teoscar Hernandez (2x4 BB) two-run home run. They went on to score two more in the seventh and one in the ninth to secure the lead. Roberto Pena was two-for-four with a double and scored a run. Austin Elkins doubled as well. Dan Gulbransen was one-for-three with a walk, RBI and two runs scored.

Tri-City over Hudson Valley 4-0
Chris Cotton (5.1IP 3H 1BB 4SO), Andrew Walter (2.2IP 2H 3SO) and J.D. Osborne (1IP 1H 1BB 3SO) combined for the shutout. The ValleyCats did all their scoring in a four-run fifth inning. Brett Booth scored on a Adam Nelubowich sac bunt and a throwing error, and Conrad Gregor (1x4 2RBI) and Mike Martinez (2x4 RBI) drove in the other three with RBI singles. A Chan Moon double and a James Ramsay triple were the only two extra base hits.

Greeneville over Johnson City 9-7 in 13 innings
The streak is alive. Greeneville has now won 12 straight games with the latest win coming in walk-off fashion. Edison Frias (5IP 4H 3R/1ER 1BB 6SO) got the start and was followed by two scoreless innings from Chris Munnelly (1H 3SO). Tyler Brunneman then took the bump and got charged with his first blown save as he allowed three runs in the eighth (Brunneman had not allowed a run in his prior eight outings). Krishawn Holley threw three and allowed the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th, but was spared a loss as Jack Mayfield (2x6 HR 3RBI) drove in a run to re-knot the game in the bottom of the frame. Gerardo Ramirez pitched the final two innings and was rewarded with his first professional win. Greeneville drove in two in the first with RBI singles from Edwin Gomez (3x5 2B BB 2RBI R) and Darwin Rivera (2x5 2BB), added on three more in the fifth with RBI singles from Gomez, Ricky Gingras and Brian Holberton (1x3 2BB 2RBI), one in the seventh on a Holberton bases-loaded walk, tied it back up in the 11th on the Jack Mayfield single, and then capped it off with a two-out two-run walk-off dinger from Mayfield to end it. Juan Santana was two-for-five with a double, two walks and scored two runs.

GCL Astros at GCL Braves suspended after the top of the fifth
The game is scheduled to be completed today, but note that Brian Holmes, in his second rehab start, pitched four innings giving up only one single and striking out six batters, three looking and three swinging. I would say that he is probably ready to rejoin the Quad Cities crew. I predict that Mark Appel will be on his way after one more scheduled start for Quad Cities today, and that Brian will rejoin the River Bandits at that point. That is a pure guess, though, and I may be totally off-base, but it makes sense to me.

DSL Astros over DSL Red Sox 3-2
Elieser Hernandez gave up only one single, didn't walk a batter and struck out two in his five innings of work, but didn't get the win. Javier Saucedo allowed the meager 1-0 lead slip to a 3-1 deficit during his three-inning watch, and he ultimately got the win when the Astros scored two in the ninth. Victor Mesa got his fourth save of the season. The Astros put up one in the first on a Randy Cesar (2x4) single and waited until the ninth to get two more on a Luis Payano (2x5 2R) home run. Kristian Trompiz was two-for-four with a double and a walk, and Jean Estrella was two-for-three with a walk and scored a run.

Player of the Day: Tyler Heineman was four-for-five with three doubles, a home run, three RBI and scored two runs, including the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. He is my WTHB Overachiever of the Day!!! Jack Mayfield gets honorable mention for keeping the Greeneville streak alive in heroic fashion. And how can you not acknowledge an inside-the-park home run? Honorable mention goes to Ruben Sosa as well.

Pitcher of the Day: What can you say to a pitcher who throws strikes, throws gas, doesn't allow a run over eight inning and does it all quickly? You say, Mike Folltynewicz, you are my Pitcher of the Day!