Astros Minor League Recaps

Monday's Games

For the latest update on the playoff picture, go here.

Nashville over Oklahoma City 6-3
Ross Seaton (4.1IP 9H 4R 2BB 4SO HR) took the loss and was followed by scoreless relief from Rhiner Cruz and Pat Urckfitz. Hector Ambriz allowed the final two runs across in the ninth. The RedHawks first run came in the fourth on a Jon Singleton (2x3 2BB 3RBI) RBI single. They didn't score again until the bottom of the ninth when Singleton drove in a pair. Jose Martinez was two-for-five with a double and a run scored, and Japhet Amador was two-for-five as well. George Springer went two-for-four with a walk, stolen base and run scored. He is now 37/43 in his quest to join the 40/40 club.

Corpus Christi over San Antonio 5-0
Luis Cruz, in only his second AA start, pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only two hits and one walk. He struck out 14 batters. Wow! Another newcomer to the team, Leo Heras (3x5 2B HR 4RBI 2R), made his presence known with a three-run home run in the third to get the Hooks on the board. RBI singles from Preston Tucker (2x4) in the eighth and from Heras in the ninth accounted for the final two runs. Erik Castro went two-for-four with two doubles, and Matt Duffy was also two-for-four and scored two runs.

Rancho Cucamonga over Lancaster 4-1
Vincent Velasquez was charged with the loss as he allowed four runs on five hits and four walks. He struck out seven in his five innings of work. Tyson Perez and Jordan Jankowski kept the Quakes from scoring again, but the 'Hawks bats were quiet as they only managed five singles and a Chris Epps double in the second. Epps went on to score on a Jesse Wierzbicki single and a throwing error. Carlos Perdomo was three-for-three and drew a walk.

Burlington over Quad Cities 3-2 in 10 innings
Quad Cities had a 1-0 shutout going from the second inning until the ninth, thanks to six excellent innings from Josh Hader (4H 0BB 6SO) and two scoreless frames from Zach Morton. The lone run allowed by Morton came in the bottom of the ninth and caused him to be charged with a blown save. Rio Ruiz singled in a run in the second and the Bandits didn't score again until the top of the 10th when Austin Elkins drove in Ruiz with an RBI double. Unfortunately, in the bottom of the frame, Patrick Christensen should have been out of it with a save, but between a wild pitch and a throwing error on a strikeout that should have been the third out, the inning continued and he allowed the Bees to come back for a walk-off win.

Brooklyn over Tri-City 8-1
Adrian Houser had a bad day at the office. In only one and a third innings, he was charged with six runs (three earned) on six hits and two hit batters. Randall Fant followed and allowed two of Houser's runners to score and one of his own before settling in nicely until the seventh inning when he was charged with another run. Zach Dando pitched a scoreless eighth. The only 'Cats run came across in the fifth as Jack Mayfield scored from third on a wild pitch. Tri-City was held to six singles in the game; Mayfield had two of them.

Greeneville over Bluefield 3-2
Nothing like winning two in a row against the team with the best record in the Appy League to get you just that much closer to a playoff berth, and winning it in walk-off fashion! Frederick Tiburcio (5.2IP 5H BB 6SO) gave up the only two Bluefield runs in the sixth and was followed by three and a third scoreless innings from Austin Chrismon. Thomas Lindauer (2x3 BB 2R) scored the first Astros run in the third and drove in the next one in the fourth, so it was only appropriate that he would score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth from second on a ground out and throwing error. Tanner Mathis went two-for-four; Brett Phillips and Brian Holberton both doubled in the game. Phillips is back in the line-up for the first time since August 8th. It will be invaluable to have him in the line-up for the playoff push.

GCL Tigers over GCL Astros 9-1
Joe Musgrove stretched it out to six innings in his latest start and was very effective, allowing only one run on four hits and two walks while striking out four. Unfortunately, the wheels came off the bus in the seventh for Juan Santos and Robert Corniel as eight runs (five earned) scored against the two pitchers in the inning. Jorge Perez allowed a walk, but nothing else in the eighth. The Astros were held to three hits, two of them from Yonathan Mejia who doubled in the second, and then singled and scored on a Jacob Nottingham double in the fourth.

Player of the Day: Leo Heras, come on down! Heras is hitting .412/.500/.824 in his first four games since joining the Hooks from the Mexican League.

Pitcher of the Day: For once, the choice is a no-brainer. Luis Cruz tosses a complete game shutout in only his second start since his promotion to AA. Wrap your head around that. I can't say I'm terribly surprised though. Cruz was, after all, one of the two pitchers that threw a combined no-hitter in May for Lancaster.