Astros Minor League Playoff Recaps

The complete schedule and results can be found here.

Monday's Games

Inland Empire over Lancaster 6-2
Lancaster is on the brink of elimination after Monday's loss. They have to win tonight to force a game five back at The Hangar. Aaron West (3.1IP 7H 4R 4SO HR) got the start and struggled early. The 66ers scored twice in the first and once in the third before Lancaster answered with a run in the top of the fourth on a Tyler Heineman (2x4) double scoring Andrew Aplin. But the 'Hawks squandered an opportunity in the frame as they left the bases loaded. After allowing a one-out home run in the bottom of the fourth, West was pulled in favor of Tyson Perez. After issuing a single and a walk, Perez settled down and got the final two outs of the fourth. Blair Walters faced two batters in the fifth, issuing a single and getting a strikeout, and was followed by Michael Dimock who got the next two outs in the frame. The JetHawks loaded the bases in the sixth with no outs, but only managed to score one run on a Chris Epps (2x3) sac fly. The 66ers answered as Dimock gave up a lead-off triple in the bottom of the sixth and the runner scored on a wild pitch with two outs. Dimock allowed the final Inland Empire run to score in the eighth on a home run. Gera Sanchez pitched the final one and two-thirds innings and struck out two. Nolan Fontana went two-for-four with a double; and Joe Sclafani was one-for-four with a double. The offense for Lancaster has been flat. I think it's time for Rodney Linares to pull out the sacrificial KFC again or the players to wear women's underwear or cloves of garlic around their necks. Light some candles. Bring out the voodoo dolls. Whatever it takes. I would hate to see this terrific team go down without a fight.

Quad Cities over Beloit 9-5
This one is a lot more fun to write about. Quad Cities beat Beloit 2-1 in the best of three and became the third Astros minor league team to advance to the Championship Finals. Offense was not a problem for the River Bandits as they banged out 17 hits in the game, including four doubles, two triples and three home runs. Daniel Minor (6IP 6H 2R 0BB 6SO HR) got the start and allowed one run in the third on a solo home run and one in the fifth on back-to-back doubles. By the time Minor left the game after six innings, Quad Cities had a 9-2 lead. Juan Minaya made it interesting as he allowed three runs in the seventh, but Mitch Lambson came in to keep the game scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings. The Bandits drew first blood in the second inning on a Rio Ruiz (2x5) two-run homer. Back-to-back home runs from Teoscar Hernandez (2x4 2R) and Carlos Correa (2x5 3B HR 3RBI) to start off the third added on two more runs while a double steal (Rio Ruiz stealing second and Danry Vasquez stealing home) accounted for the third run of that inning. Quad Cities scored once more in the fourth, once in the fifth on a Jordan Scott RBI double and the final two in the sixth as Carlos Correa tripled in a run and was in turn driven in with a Danry Vasquez single. Tony Kemp went two-for-five with a double and a walk; Bobby Borchering was three-for-five with a double and scored twice; Jordan Scott went three-for-five with a double, triple, RBI and stolen base; and Brian Blasik went two-for-four with a double. Quad Cities will face South Bend in the Championship Finals starting Wednesday.

Player of the Day: Carlos Correa, come on down. On a roster full of offensive studs, it took a triple, home run and three RBI to stand out.

Pitcher of the Day: Daniel Minor gets the honors and the win and the chance to go to a Championship Final. Congratulations, Daniel.