Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, July 3, 2015

How did the Astros system fare on this Independence Day Eve?

Fresno 9, El Paso 5

W- Jordan Jankowski (4-2)
L- Cory Mazzoni (1-3)

Fresno home runs: None.

This game was tied at 5 after the 3rd inning, and it remained that way until the Grizzlies finally broke through in the 9th.

Matt Duffy went 2-3 and opened up the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st. After the Chihuahuas took control with 4 in the bottom of the 1st, Jake Marisnick made sure that that lead would be short-lived as he cleared the bases with a double in the 2nd. Both teams scored 1 run in the 3rd; Fresno's came as Jonathan Villar scored on an error that allowed Andrew Aplin to reach. Aplin was credited with an RBI on the play. The closest that either side got to scoring before the 9th was when Duffy drew a walk in the 7th and took advantage of 2 wild pitches to get himself to 3rd. However, he was stranded at 3rd to end the inning.

Marisnick led off the 9th by drawing a walk. He stole his way to 3rd and scored the go-ahead run on Duffy's 2nd RBI single of the night. Duffy moved to 3rd on a Jonathan Villar double, and they both scored when Tyler White punched a single right back up the middle. Andrew Aplin, who finished 2-5, drove in the final run of the evening with an RBI single. Villar and White also finished with 2-hit games. Marisnick walked twice and stole 3 bases.

Asher Wojciechowski went 6 innings and allowed 5 runs on 9 hits, walked 1, and struck out a career-high 10. It's the first time he's recorded double-digit strikeouts as a pro. Jordan Jankowski was the first man out; he went 2 innings and walked 2 while striking out the side in order in the 6th inning. Kevin Chapman walked the bases loaded in the 9th, but he was able to extricate himself from his predicament by striking out Jake Goebbert to end the game. Goebbert didn't like that call and got tossed, but the game was over anyway. Chapman struck out 2 in the 9th.

On this Fourth of July, the Grizzlies are back home to kick off a 4-game set with Tacoma tonight at 7:05 Pacific. Brett Oberholtzer will be on the mound for Fresno. Their latest one-off food item is the Chorizo Mac Dog, a hot dog with macaroni and cheese with chorizo.

Tulsa 5, Corpus Christi 0

W- Jharel Cotton (2-0)
L- Adrian Houser (0-2, 2-4 season)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks were held in check in this one.

They were held to 5 hits; Brett Phillips went 2-4 with a double and stole a base (4, 12 season).

Adrian Houser went 5.2 innings and allowed 5 runs (2 earned, 1 inherited runner charged to him) on 7 hits and struck out 5. Juan Minaya allowed 3 hits over 2.1 scoreless innings.

The series finale features a matchup of top pitching prospects as Michael Feliz takes on Jose De Leon. First pitch is at 7:05.

Lancaster 9, Inland Empire 6

W- Andrew Walter (2-1)
L- Garrett Nuss (0-5)
S- Aaron Greenwood (1, 2 season)

Lancaster home runs: Marc Wik (5, solo in 4th), Jake Nottingham (1, 11 season; solo in 7th)

The JetHawks were down 4-0 after the 1st, but they finished this game on a 9-2 run to earn the split.

James Ramsay got plunked in the 3rd, advanced to 3rd base on a Mott Hyde double, and scored Lancaster's first run of the evening on a D.J. Fisher groundout. A.J. Reed then drew a walk, and J.D. Davis came through with a 2-run triple.

Marc Wik tied the game with a 2-out solo homer in the 4th. Ramsay got back on base with a single, and Hyde put the JetHawks ahead with an RBI triple. He'd score on a Fisher single. Wik struck again in the 5th as he smacked a 2-run double. In the 7th, Jake Nottingham connected for his 1st California League home run, a solo shot. Hyde (2B, 3B, RBI, 2 R), Nottingham (solo HR, 2 R), Ronnie Mitchell (2 2B, R), and Wik (2B, HR, 3 RBI) all went 2-4. Ramsay, Hyde, and Nottingham scored 2 runs apiece.

Evan Grills allowed 4 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 in the 1st. This was his first outing since being activated from the disabled list. Andrew Walter and Tyler Brunnemann pitched 3 innings apiece; Walter allowed a run on a single, walked 1, and struck out 4. Brunnemann came on with 2 runners on base in the 5th and got Walter out of the inning without incurring further damage. He allowed a run on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Aaron Greenwood got a 2-inning save, allowing a hit and striking out 2.

Tonight, the JetHawks will begin a 3-game set in Lake Elsinore. Bryan Radziewski will start game 1; he'll face Matt Shepherd at 6:30 Pacific.

Quad Cities 9, Peoria 1

W- Francis Martes (2-2)
L- Jhonny Polanco (1-2)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos ran roughshod over the Chiefs as they took the first 2 games of this series.

Francis Martes dazzled again; he allowed 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 10 over 6 shutout innings. This is the first time that Martes has recorded double-digit strikeouts in his career. Riley Ferrell allowed 2 hits and struck out 2 over 2 scoreless, and... well, the Chiefs spoiled the shutout in the 9th when they got a run off of Ryan Thompson. Thompson allowed 3 hits in the 9th, all singles.

No River Bandit struck out. The last time that occurred was July 8, 2007, when they defeated Beloit 9-4. They opened up with a 4-run 3rd, coming on an RBI single from Jason Martin, a sac fly from Nick Tanielu, and a 2-run single from Bobby Boyd. In the 4th, Tanielu hit another sac fly, and Ramon Laureano hit an RBI single. They got 3 RBI singles in the 6th from Martin, Laureano, and Ryan Bottger.

Jamie Ritchie and Alex Bregman had 3 hits and scored 3 runs. Martin (2 RBI, 2 R, SB [8]) and Laureano (2 RBI) had 2 hits apiece. Bottger drew 3 walks, while Martin drew 2 of his own. In addition to his 2-run single, Boyd stole 2 bases (16).

This series now shifts to Peoria. Christian Powell will get the start tonight. First pitch is at 6:00.

Tri-City 7, Vermont 6 in 11 innings

W- Yeyfry Del Rosario (3-1)
L- Derek Beasley (1-1)

TC home runs: Bryan Muñiz (1, solo in 2nd)

The ValleyCats walked off with the win and the series.

Bryan Muñiz kicked things off with his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the 2nd inning. Brooks Marlow finished 2-5 with a 2-run single in the 5th. In the 6th inning, Bobby Wernes scored on a wild pitch, and Johnny Sewald hit a 2-run single This put the ValleyCats up 6-4. They had another opportunity to tack on more runs in the 8th, but that went by the wayside as Sewald flew out. Drew Ferguson was stranded at 3rd to end the 10th inning. Dex McCall led off the 11th with a pinch-hit single and was lifted for the speedster, Edwin Medina. Sewald wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste as he punched a single right back up the middle, and Medina scampered his way home with the winning run. Unfortunately, an error was issued on the play, so Sewald was denied his 3rd RBI. Sewald (2 RBI, SB [7]) and Marlow both went 2-5, while Wernes and Tony Nuñez (2 R, SB [1]) finished 2-4.

Kevin McCanna allowed a hit and walked 1 over 3 scoreless innings. Zac Person was the first man out; he only got 1 out in the 4th via strikeout and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and walked 1. Steve Naemark was next; he allowed a solo homer to Richie Martin in the 5th. That was the only run Grandpa Steve allowed in his 2.1 innings; he allowed one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 2. Ralph Garza Jr. also went 2.1 innings; he allowed 2 hits while striking out 3. Adam Whitt went 2 innings and allowed a game-tying 2-run homer to Mikey White in the top of the 9th. He allowed 2 other hits and struck out 1. This was the first outing in which Whitt allowed anyone to reach base. Yeyfry Del Rosario worked around a walk and a hit to throw a scoreless 11th inning.

The ValleyCats will spend this 4th of July weekend at home as they get set to begin a 3-game series with the Lowell Spinners, who currently lead them by 4 games in the Stedler Division. In game 1 of this series, Rogelio Armenteros will take on Dioscar Romero. First pitch is at 6:30 Eastern.

Greeneville and Elizabethton was postponed

Due to rain. This game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on August 10.

These two teams will play again in Greeneville at 7:00 Eastern. Junior Garcia will face Brandon Easton.

GCL Blue Jays 5, GCL Astros 3

W- Hunter Barnett (1-0)
L- Jose Rosario (0-3)
S- Mike Estevez (1)

GCL home runs: None.

The difference in this game was a 3-run 4th for the Blue Jays.

Connor MacDonald went 2-5 and put the Kissimmee Stros on the board with an RBI double in the 4th. Ruben Castro added an RBI single in the 6th, and Reiny Beltre hit an RBI single in the 8th.

Jose Rosario allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 7 in 4 innings. Carlos Hiraldo and Edgardo Sandoval pitched 2 innings each; Hiraldo allowed a run on a sac fly, a double, and struck out 2. Sandoval allowed a run on a double play, a single, walked 1, and struck out 1. Adonis Peña worked around a hit and a walk to throw a scoreless 9th.

DSL Astros Blue 5, DSL Phillies 1

W- Hector Perez (1-0)
L- Yonathan Trinidad (0-1)
S- Jorge Alcala (1)

Blue home runs: None.

The Blue team took advantage of the Phillies' miscues, and Hector Perez and Jorge Alcala combined on a 2-hitter.

Perez allowed a hit and struck out 4 over 5 shutout innings. Alcala finished it off; he allowed a run on a sac fly, a single, walked 2, and struck out 2 in 4 innings.

Wilson Amador hit a double in the 1st and scored the first run of the game on an error that allowed Cristopher Luciano to reach. Luciano later scored on a wild pitch. Anardo Peralta had the only RBI for the Blue team; it came on a groundout in the 4th inning. In the 5th, Ozziel Sanchez-Galan scored on a passed ball, and Amador scored on an error as Angel De Leon stole 2nd base.

DSL Mariners2 8, DSL Astros Orange 7 in 10 innings

W- Raul Pedie (5-0)
L- Edwin Villarroel (0-1)

Orange home runs: None.

The Mariners 2 stormed back to tie the game with 3 in the 9th and eventually walked off with the win in the first extra frame.

Miguelangel Sierra (2B, 3 R), Marcos Almonte (2 2B, 3 R), and Randy Vasquez (4 RBI, R) all finished with 3 hits. Vasquez's 3 hits were all RBI singles; the 4th RBI came on a sac fly in the 1st, which was the first run of the game. The three of them scored all of the Orange team's runs. Anthony Rodriguez's 2 hits were both doubles; the first one drove in a run in the 3rd. Hector Martinez drove in 2 runs; he hit an RBI single in the 1st and added a sac fly in the 9th.

Cristian Javier, in his first start, allowed 2 runs on 7 hits and struck out 7 over 5 innings. Gabriel Valdez allowed 4 runs (1 inherited) on 5 hits (solo homer) and fanned 2 in 3 innings. Edwin Villarroel allowed 2 runs of his own in the 9th. He came on for the 10th, but Brayan Hernandez ended the game with a homer. Villarroel allowed 2 other hits and struck out 1 in 1+ inning.