Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, July 18, 2015

I suppose we could settle for the Astros' AA team ripping the Rangers' AA team apart.

First, let's start off with the semifinals of the Pan Am Games!

The United States thrashed Cuba 6-0 in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Wait a minute... wrong sport.

In the first semifinal, the Americans erased a 5-1 deficit by scoring 4 in the 7th to tie, and they walked off with a 6-5 win. USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! ONCE AGAIN UNCLE SAM TRIUMPHS OVER COMMUNISM!!!!!

Yes, I am well aware that U.S.-Cuba relations are on the road to normalcy.

In the other semifinal, it was all Canada as they topped Puerto Rico 7-1. Roberto Peña drove in the only run for the Boricuas.

Brock Dykxhoorn, who I completely forgot was playing in the Pan Am Games, allowed that Puerto Rico run on 3 hits in the 9th. He struck out 2. In his other appearance in the Games, he struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 8th against Nicaragua on July 13.

In the bronze medal game, Puerto Rico will take on Cuba at 1:05 Eastern. The US and Canada will battle for the gold tonight at 7:05 Eastern.

Fresno and El Paso was postponed

Due to rain. This series will conclude with a doubleheader today with game 1 beginning at 4:05 Pacific. Mark Appel will take on Daniel McCutchen in game 1, and Luis Cruz will face Colin Rea in game 2.

Corpus Christi 12, Frisco 4

W- Michael Feliz (3-2, 4-3 season)
L- Frank Lopez (3-3)
S- Aaron West (2)

CC home runs: Conrad Gregor (6, solo in 2nd), Jio Mier (6, 2-run in 8th), A.J. Reed (1, 24 season; 3-run in 8th)

And there you have it. The Hooks were up by as much as 12-1 before the Roughriders made this game appear to be less of a blowout. It still doesn't change the fact that the Hooks opened up a can. With the win, they avoided the sweep.

Conrad Gregor's 6th homer of the year opened up the scoring in the 2nd inning, and that basically set the tone for the evening. Andrew Reed hit a sac fly in the 3rd, and Jack Mayfield added another run by scoring on a wild pitch. Brett Phillips hit a 2-run single in the 4th. Corpus got another 2-run inning in the 7th as Colin Moran hit an RBI single and Reed hit his 2nd sac fly of the game. Their 5 runs in the 8th all came on home runs. Jio Mier hit a 2-run shot, and A.J. Reed whacked a 3-run homer for his 1st in the Texas League.

Brett Phillips finished 3-5 with the 2-run single and scored 2 runs from the top of the order. Mayfield (2B, 3 R), Moran (RBI, R), and Jio (2-run homer, 2 R) all had 2-hit nights. Everyone in the Hooks' lineup scored a run except for Alfredo Gonzalez, who saw his 15-game hitting streak reach its end. However, he did walk twice.

Michael Feliz allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 7 in 6 innings of work. Aaron West finished it off. Frisco did get to him for 3 runs in the 9th, but he had an 11-run cushion to work with. He allowed 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3 in the final 3 innings.

Kyle Westwood will be on the mound tonight as the Hooks welcome Midland to Whataburger Field. He'll face Jake Sanchez at 6:05.

San Jose 4, Lancaster 1

W- Jason Forjet (3-2)
L- Troy Scribner (2-4)
S- Jake Smith (5)

Lancaster home runs: Chase McDonald (15, solo in 8th)

Well, aside from a tough 1st inning, Troy Scribner was able to keep the Giants in check. Unfortunately, the offense strung some hits together, but they couldn't push any runs across the plate.

Scribner allowed 3 runs, all on a solo and a 2-run homer, in the 1st inning. He allowed 4 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 5 innings. Edison Frias allowed a solo homer to Seth Harrison (a Cy-Fair alum) in the 7th, which was the only hit that he allowed in his 3 innings. Frias struck out 3.

The only JetHawks run came off the bat of Chase McDonald, who clubbed a solo shot in the 8th, his 15th of the year. He and Ronnie Mitchell both finished 2-4, and Jamie Ritchie was 3-3 with a double.

In game 2 of this series, Kevin Comer will face Chase Johnson. First pitch is at 5:00 Pacific.

Cedar Rapids 3, Quad Cities 2

W- Michael Theofanopoulos (3-2)
L- Angel Heredia (3-2)
S- Trevor Hildenberger (14)

QC home runs: None.

The Kernels ruined Saturday night as they scored 2 in the top of the 9th to swipe a win from the Banditos.

Justin Ferrell allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3 in 6 innings of work. Jorge Perez allowed 2 hits and struck out 2 over 2 scoreless, and Heredia couldn't close it out. 1 of the runs he allowed in the 9th was unearned, and he allowed a hit and issued a walk.

Ramon Laureano scored the first Quad Cities run of the game on a passed ball in the 6th inning. Trent Woodward, who was at the plate at the time, followed with an RBI single. Woodward, Laureano, and Nick Tanielu all finished 2-4.

David Paulino will be on the mound for Quad Cities tonight. He'll take on Luke Westphal at 5:15.

Tri-City 7, Aberdeen 4

W- Dean Deetz (4-1)
L- Reid Love (0-2)
S- Zac Grotz (1, 2 season)

TC home runs: Bryan Muñiz (3, solo in 4th), Kolbey Carpenter (1, 2-run in 4th)

The ValleyCats saw their early 4-0 lead nearly disappear as the Ironbirds scored 3 in the top of the 5th, but they found an answer and walked out with a win.

Bryan Muñiz opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st. He led off the bottom of the 4th with a solo homer, and later in the inning, Kolbey Carpenter followed with his first homer as a pro. After Aberdeen cut the lead to 4-3 in the top of the 5th, Bobby Wernes did some maintenance with a 2-run single in the bottom of the 5th. Carpenter drove in the final run of the evening with a sac fly in the 8th.

Edwin Medina went 3-4 with a double, 2 runs scored, and 3 steals (9). Muñiz finished 2-3, while Wernes went 2-4 with the 2-run single, 2 runs scored, and a steal (2).

Agapito Barrios went 4.1 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. David Schmidt was the first man out; he got the final 2 outs of the 5th, but not before allowing the 2 runners he inherited from Barrios to score. He allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1. Dean Deetz tagged in for 3 innings and allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 2. Zac Grotz struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th to close it out.

In game 2 of this series, Alex Winkelman will take on Zach Albin. First pitch is at 6:00 Eastern.

Greeneville 6, Kingsport 3

W- Albert Abreu (1-1)
L- Joe Shaw (1-1)
S- Cris Santamaria (2)

Greeneville home runs: None.

The Appy Astros used a late offensive outburst to propel themselves to the win. They had been trailing 3-0 heading into the bottom of the 6th, but they promptly erased that deficit with a 6-0 run.

Randy Cesar put Greeneville on the board in the 6th when he lashed a 2-run double. Myles Straw led off the bottom of the 7th with a single. He advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch and scored the tying run on a double from Connor Goedert. After Justin Garcia was intentionally walked to load the bases, Hector Roa put the Appy Astros ahead with an RBI single. Kevin Martir followed with a 2-run single, but Cesar was thrown out at 3rd to end the inning. No matter; Greeneville still had a fine 7th inning.

Roa finished 3-4 with a triple and 2 runs scored. Myles Straw, Ford Stainback, and Kevin Martir had 2 hits apiece.

Salvador Montaño went 4.2 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 2. Albert Abreu tagged in and got the win as he allowed 2 hits and whiffed 3 over 3.1 scoreless. Cris Santamaria struck out 2 in a 1-2-3 9th to get the save.

In game 2 of this series, Erasmo Pinales will face Darwin Ramos. First pitch is at 6:00 Eastern.

GCL Yankees1 5, GCL Astros 2

W- Jose Pujols (1-1)
L- Enrique Chavez (1-3)
S- Icezack (really?) Flemming (1)

GCL home runs: None.

The Kissimmee Stros were held to 1 hit, but they managed to get 2 runs across. Unfortunately, having 1 hit in 9 innings can be a major drawback.

Their 2 runs came in the 4th as Wander Franco hit an RBI groundout to score Daz Cameron, and Kyle Tucker scored on a balk. The only hit for the GCLstros was a Bryan De La Cruz single in the 7th.

Diogenes Almengo allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits and struck out 2 in 4 innings. In his pro debut, Dylan James threw a 1-2-3 5th. Enrique Chavez allowed 2 unearned runs on 2 hits and struck out 2 in 2 innings, and Luis Ramirez allowed a run on 2 hits and fanned 2 in 2 innings.