Astros Minor League Recaps

Wednesday's Games

Tuscon over Oklahoma City 8-6
Bobby Doran put up a solid start (6IP 3H 2R 2BB 4SO), but Jason Stoffel was victimized in the seventh to the tune of three runs on three hits. Pat Urckfitz faced two batters in the eighth and struck both of them out. Hector Ambriz, tasked with getting the final out with a 6-5 lead in the frame, instead allowed a three-run home run to Cody Decker. Sigh. Trevor Crowe doubled in two of the four Oklahoma City runs in the second inning, and Ruben Sosa (3x4 2B 2RBI 2R) singled in one run in the second and doubled in another in the fourth. Every RedHawks starter reached the hit column with George Springer, Brandon Laird, Jimmy Paredes and Rene Garcia having multi-hit games in addition to Sosa.

Northwest Arkansas over Corpus Christi 1-0
Nick Tropeano pitched a great game and came out of it with a complete game loss. He gave up six hits and two walks, struck out six and allowed the only run of the game on a solo home run. On the other side of the diamond, Northwest Arkansas used five pitchers and allowed only two Hooks hits, two Kike Hernandez singles. Sorry, Nick, sometimes life just isn't fair.

Lancaster over Inland Empire 6-5
Aaron West got the start and allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits over the first four and was followed by two and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief from Blair Walters. A two-run homer issued by Jordan Jankowski in the eighth inning earned him a blown save, but the 'Hawks came back and Travis Ballew was awarded a "W" in the ninth. The JetHawks did not reach the run column until the sixth inning when two of the four runs came across on a Nolan Fontana home run. They put up one more in the eighth and Joe Sclafani hit a walk-off single in the ninth scoring Brandon Meredith. Sclafani was four-for-five for the night with a triple, RBI, stolen base and two runs scored. Carlos Perdomo and Tyler Heineman each had multi-hit games as well.

Clinton over Quad Cities 9-7
Josh Hader's second start did not go quite as well as his first. After allowing back-to-back doubles to start the game, Hader issued four free passes, hit a batter and was charged with a wild pitch while only recording two outs. Daniel Minor came in to get a quick ground out to end the threat, but ultimately allowed two runs over his three and a third innings. Patrick Christensen allowed one unearned run in his two innings and Zach Morton was pegged with the loss as he gave up the final two runs in his two. Rio Ruiz (2x4 2B HR BB) got the first River Bandit run in the second on a solo homer. Four more scored in the third with help from a Terrell Joyce RBI double and three Clinton errors in the frame. Carlos Correa (3x4 BB 2RBI R) singled in the final two Bandits runs in the fourth. Tony Kemp went two-for-three with two walks and scored a run; and Bobby Borchering was two-for-four with a double and run scored.

Connecticut over Tri-City 4-2
Kyle Westwood pitched the first three and allowed one run on a hit and a walk while striking out four. Tanner Bushue followed and gave up three runs (two earned) in his two innings before giving way to scoreless outings from Tyler Brunnemann and J.D. Osborne. Mike Martinez (2x3 BB R) scored on a ground out in the second, and Tyler White singled in James Ramsay (1x4 R SB) in the third. Tri-City was limited to eight hits in the game, all singles.

Johnson City over Greeneville 9-4
Starter Enderson Franco had a no-hitter going through four innings, but ultimately allowed seven runs on seven hits and struck out six over six innings. Krishawn Holley allowed the next two runs in his inning before Gonzalo Sanudo came in to pitch a perfect ninth. Alfredo Gonzalez (2x3 HR BB 2RBI 2R) got his second home run in the last week and second of his career to start the scoring in the third. Marc Wik scored on a wild pitch in the sixth. And the final two runs scored on RBI singles from Gonzales and Tanner Mathis (2x4 BB RBI) in the ninth. Brian Holberton was two-for-four with a double. Angel Ibanez and Ariel Ovando doubled in the game as well.

GCL Yankees2 over GCL Astros 4-0
Francis Ramirez (5IP 3H 1BB 3SO) and Zach Dando (3IP 4H 2SO) pitched eight shutout innings before the wheels came off for Juan Santos inn the bottom of the ninth. Single, walk, intentional walk, grand slam, ouch. The Yankees2 team was dealing too. Jean Batista's single to lead off the second was the only Astros hit in the game.

DSL Astros over DSL Dodgers 12-0
This was a nice team effort from pitchers Gerardo Juarez (3IP 3H 1BB 5SO), Juan Hernandez (3IP 2H 1BB 2SO), Yhoan Acosta (2IP 1H 2SO) and Geronimo Franzua (1IP 1BB 1SO) as they combined in the shutout. Randy Cesar (3x4 2B HR BB RBI 3R) started the Astros offensive onslaught with a solo homer in the second and Jarico Reynoso (2x5 3RBI) ended the scoring with a two-RBI triple in the ninth. Jesus Bermejo went two-for-five with two RBI and two runs scored. Luis Payano, Brauly Mejia and Jean Carlos Cortrorreal each had multi-hit games as well.

Players of the Day: Joe Sclafani's four-for-five night was impressive enough, but now that Sclafani finally has enough at-bats to qualify as a league leader, you can see that his season as a whole has been pretty impressive. He ranks third in average in the California League, second in OBP and 11th in slugging. Randy Cesar, who lacked a triple to hit for the cycle, and scored thrice for the DSL shares the honors.

Pitchers of the Day: I've got to send some love to the Dominican Republic as the four pitchers combined in a six-hit shutout. A tip of the cap to righties Gerardo Juarez and Juan Hernandez, and lefties Yhoan Acosta and Geronimo Franzua on a great game.