Astros Minor League Recaps

Tuesday's Games

Oklahoma City over Albuquerque 4-3
Starter Asher Wojciechowski did not start off well as he walked three and then gave up a two-out bases clearing double in the first inning, but then settled in nicely to put up five additional scoreless innings; and Eric Berger, Jose Valdez and Josh Zeid kept the door tightly shut. [As a side note, it was announced yesterday that Jarred Cosart and Jason Stoffel were named to the All-Star team. I have been a fan of Stoffel and I still am, but I really think Josh Zeid earned that spot with the season he's had.] The RedHawks countered in the bottom of the frame with two runs on RBI singles from George Springer (1x4 2RBI) and Jon Singleton (1x4), and took the lead in the fifth as Brandon Laird (2x4 2B RBI R) doubled in one run and Jonathan Villar (1x3 BB 2R SB) scored a second on a ground out. Jose Martinez was two-for-four and Robbie Grossman was one-for-two with two walks and scored a run.

Corpus Christi - Travel Day

Lancaster over Bakersfield 12-1
The good news is that the tandem rotation is over. The bad news is that the JetHawks haven't announced who will constitute the 6-man rotation yet. The best news is that Lancaster just got their 50th win of the season more than two weeks before they achieved that benchmark last season. Tyson Perez got the start and allowed the only run of the game, an unearned run in the fifth, as he pitched six very strong innings allowing only three hits and one walk. He was followed by two perfect innings from Cameron Lamb and one perfect inning from Michael Dimock. The JetHawks scored early and often with big RBI nights from Delino DeShields (2x3 2B 2BB 2RBI 3R), Nolan Fontana (2x3 2B 2BB 3RBI 2R), Andrew Aplin (1x3 2B BB 2RBI 2R) and M.P. Cokinos (2x5 2B 3RBI).

Quad Cities over Clinton 7-6
The tandem rotation at Quad Cities is over as well. Steve Batterson of the Quad Cities Times reported that the 6-man rotation will consist of Colton Cain, Lance McCullers, Vincent Velasquez, Juan Minaya, Jordan Jankowski and Mike Hauschild. Joe Bircher (rehabbing with the GCL), Brian Holmes and Daniel Minor are all currently on the DL and didn't make the cut.

Lance McCullers had a tough start in this one, allowing six runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out four over only three and two-thirds innings. Two of those runs came across as Juri Perez (3.1IP 2H 1BB 2SO) took the mound in relief of McCullers. John Neely pitched the final two frames (2H 2SO) and was rewarded with a "W" as the River Bandits scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth in controversial fashion (h/t to Appy Astros). Down 6-1 at one point, Quad Cities chipped away at the Clinton lead with good performances from Jordan Scott (2x5 2B RBI R), Jesse Wierzbicki (1x3 BB HR 2RBI R), Rio Ruiz (2x4 2B 2R) and Roberto Pena (1x4 2B 2RBI).

Vermont over Tri-City 2-1 in 7 innings (Game 1)
Kyle Westwood got the start and allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits while striking out four, and was followed by an inning from Albert Minnis (1H 0R 0BB). The bad news is that Tri-City was held to four hits in the game. The good news is that three of those hits were doubles (Tony Kemp, Dan Gulbransen and Ronnie Mitchell). Mitchell scored the lone Tri-City run in the fifth on a ground out.

Tri-City over Vermont 2-1 in 7 innings (Game 2)
Chris Cotton (2IP 1SO), Andrew Walter (4IP 1H 1R 2SO HR) and Patrick Christensen (1IP 3SO) combined on this one-hitter. Unfortunately, that lone hit happened to be a solo home run. The two ValleyCats runs came in the fourth as Dan Gulbransen scored on a Jon Kemmer ground out and Adam Nelubowich drove in Luis Alvarez with a single. Tri-City only managed five hits in this one, two of those being Alvarez doubles.

Greeneville - Off Day

GCL Astros - Postponed

DSL Astros over DSL Athletics 4-1 in 6-1/2 innings (called early due to rain)
Juan Hernandez, Junior Garcia and Juan Delis combined to allow only four hits in the abbreviated win. The Astros put up one in the third courtesy of a Jarico Reynoso home run and then added three more in the top of the seventh before the game was called. Brian Pena and Dariel Aquino (RBI) both went two-for-three. Hector Roa was one-for-three with a triple, RBI and run scored.

Players of the Day: I can't decide between Delino DeShields and Nolan Fontana, so let's go with both! DeShields' bat appears to be heating up as he has been seven-for-fifteen in his last four games. Similarly, since coming back after 10 days out of the line-up, Fontana is hitting .313 with five doubles, eight RBI and eight walks to five strikeouts in his last eight games.

Pitcher of the Day: Tyson Perez gets some love today for a great outing and for transitioning Lancaster into the post-piggyback era.