Astros Minor League Playoff Recaps

California League Championship Series: Lancaster 10, Visalia 2 (Lancaster wins series 3-2)

W- Tyler Brunnemann
L- Blake Perry

Lancaster home runs: None.

For the 2nd time in the last 3 seasons, the Lancaster JetHawks are the kings of the California League.

Great roster in Lancaster that went through an incredible amount of roster turnover due to injuries and promotions. Lots of big names.
— Kevin Goldstein (@Kevin_Goldstein) September 16, 2014

The JetHawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 2 innings, and then the Rawhide put up 2 in the top of the 3rd to cut the lead to 1. After that, though, it was all Lancaster as they wrapped it up with 7 unanswered.

Brett Phillips led off the bottom of the 1st with a double, advanced to 3rd on an error, and scored the game's first run on a Jack Mayfield sac fly. Phillips was back at it again in the 2nd when he poked a ball through the right side of the infield to drive in 2. In the 4th, Rio Ruiz hit an RBI single, and then Danry Vásquez added an RBI base hit of his own in the 5th.

The JetHawks opened up the floodgates as they put up 5 in the bottom of the 6th. Mayfield hit an RBI single, Ronnie Mitchell drove in 2 with a single, Tyler White scored on a fielder's choice/error, and then Roberto Peña hit an RBI single for what turned out to be the final run of the evening.

Brett (2B, 2 RBI, 3 R) and Rio (2B, RBI, R) both finished 3-4. Mitchell, Peña, and Chase McDonald all had 2-hit nights.

Kyle Westwood went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 8 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. He pitched to 2 batters in the 5th but did not retire either of them. Tyler Brunnemann, who was named series MVP, tagged in and proceeded to throw 3 perfect innings, striking out 6. Dan Minor finished it off with 2 scoreless as he allowed 3 hits and struck out Socrates Brito for the final out of the series.

And so ends another season in the Houston Astros minor league system. Next up on the docket is instructional league and the Fall and Winter Leagues. I, Dustin Nguyen, your humble servant, will be right with you the whole way during this time.