Astros Minor League Recaps

Sunday's Games

Here is today's update on the playoff picture. Three teams in, three still very much in the hunt.

Round Rock over Oklahoma City 9-2
Jake Buchanan took the loss as he allowed seven runs on 11 hits over six innings, including a three-run home run. Pat Urckfitz allowed only one hit in the seventh, but Wade LeBlanc gave up two runs in the eighth. The RedHawks scored two in the sixth on a Jose Martinez home run, one of only four hits by the team and the only extra-base hit.

Corpus Christi over San Antonio 3-2
Nick Tropeano (6IP 4H 2R/1ER 0BB 8SO) had a very nice start and was rewarded with the win. Andrew Robinson followed with a three-inning save. It took a Matt Duffy (2x4) solo home run in the fifth to get the Hooks on the board. The other two runs scored in the seventh as Leo Heras tripled in a run and then scored on a Kike Hernandez RBI single. Ronald Torreyes went two-for-four and scored a run.

Lancaster over Rancho Cucamonga 7-1
Colton Cain pitched a very nice seven and two-thirds innings, allowing only one run on eight hits and a walk while striking out five and was relieved by Kenny Long who tossed the final one and a third innings of perfection. Chris Epps and Delino DeShields (2x3 2B BB 2RBI R) each singled in a run in the second and then also drove in runs in the third after a Tyler Heineman (2x4 2R) double drove in the first two runs in the frame. Nolan Fontana doubled in the final 'Hawks run in the fifth. Brandon Meredith went two-for-five and scored a run.

Quad Cities over Burlington 5-1
Pop the champagne because Quad Cities clinched a playoff berth with this win to become the third Astros affiliate to qualify for the postseason. Mark Appel pitched five solid innings to get the win, allowing only one run on five hits and three walks. He struck out three. Jamaine Cotton followed with three almost perfect innings, walking only one batter. Patrick Christensen was perfect in the ninth. The River Bandits drew first blood in the first inning with Carlos Correa (2x5) doubling in Tony Kemp. Rio Ruiz (2x4) and Roberto Pena (2x3) solo shots accounted for the two runs in the fourth. And the final two came on RBI singles from Danry Vasquez and Bobby Borchering in the fifth.

Tri-City over Staten Island 7-3
Edison Frias (3H 1R 1BB 4SO) tossed the first six to earn the win and was followed by an inning from Krishawn Holley in which he allowed a two-run home run. Gonzalo Sanudo shut down Staten Island for the final two innings to earn his fifth save in only six games for Tri-City. The 'Cats got two in the first on an RBI single from Tyler White (2x4 3RBI) and an RBI double from Jon Kemmer (2x4). Tyler White singled in another two in the second. James Ramsay (3x3 BB 3R SB) drove in the next two with a solo home run in the fifth and an RBI single in the seventh. Conrad Gregor scored the final run in the eighth on a passed ball. D'Andre Toney was two-for-four with a double and scored two runs.

Greeneville over Bluefield 4-3 in 10 innings
Jandel Gustave (5H 1BB 7SO) allowed two runs over his five innings and Ryan Connolly allowed the final Bluefield run in the eighth. In between Christian Garcia put up three quality frames allowing only two hits and striking out two. Raul Rivera pitched a perfect 10th for the win. Chase McDonald drove in the first two Astros runs in the fifth with a triple. Juan Santana (2x5 2R) scored the key game-tying run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth on a wild pitch. Tanner Mathis was the hero in the bottom of the tenth hitting an RBI single with two outs to score Marc Wik for the walk-off win. Ariel Ovando was also two-for-five in the game.

Player of the Day: James Ramsay was a busy man for the Tri-City crew on Sunday, going three-for-three with a walk, home run, stolen base, two RBI and three runs scored. Nicely done, sir!

Pitchers of the Day: I'm going to have to re-think the whole Pitcher of the Day thing before next season because it is virtually impossible to pick out just one pitcher anymore. The pitching depth in the organization has gotten to be quite impressive. With that said, today I'm splitting the honors among three relief pitchers who were, in my opinion, the key to their teams wins: Andrew Robinson's three-inning save for Corpus, Christian Garcia's three scoreless innings for Greeneville that kept the game tied, and Jamaine Cotton's almost perfect trio of innings that helped Quad Cities secure a playoff berth. Honorable mention goes to Colton Cain for the longest outing of his career and for Nick Tropeano's eight strikeout performance.