Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, July 9, 2016 

Let's play two in Fresno!

Game 1: Fresno 5, Reno 0

W- Brad Peacock (3-4)
L- Braden Shipley (7-5)

Fresno home runs: None.

In the first game of the twinbill, Brad Peacock dominated on the mound. He went the distance, allowing just 3 hits, walking 1, and striking out 12. The 12 strikeouts is the most that he's recorded as a member of the Astros organization; his career high for Ks is 14, which occurred on May 13, 2011, when he was with Harrisburg in the Nationals organization.

Jon Singleton opened the scoring with a 2-run double in the 4th inning. Tyler White ripped a 2-run double of his own in the 5th, and Tony Kemp capped off the scoring in game 1 with a sac fly in the 6th. Singleton and Kemp both finished 2-3.

How did the Grizzlies fare in game 2?

Game 2: Fresno 4, Reno 3

W- James Hoyt (4-3)
L- Jimmie Sherfy (0-1)

Fresno home runs: Max Stassi (5, solo in 6th)

The Aces tied the game at 3 in the top of the 6th, but Max Stassi quickly re-established Fresno's advantage by smacking a solo homer in the bottom half. And so, the Grizzlies won their final series before the AAA All-Star break by sweeping the doubleheader.

Jordan Jankowski went 3 innings and allowed an unearned run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Josh Fields and James Hoyt pitched 2 innings apiece; Fields allowed a run on 3 hits and fanned 4, and Hoyt allowed a run on 4 hits and struck out 3.

Tony Kemp drove in the first run of game 2 with an RBI single in the 2nd inning, and Teoscar Hernandez added an RBI groundout later in the frame. Teoscar added an RBI single to his ledger in the 4th, and Stassi's home run in the 6th turned out to be the game-winning hit. Stassi finished 2-3 in the game, and Kemp did so as well.

The Triple-A All-Star Game will take place on Wednesday, July 13 at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte. Brady Rodgers, James Hoyt, and Mike Hauschild will represent the Grizzlies on the Pacific Coast League All-Star team.

Fresno will return to action on Thursday when they begin a 4-game series in New Orleans.

Corpus Christi 7, Tulsa 6

W- Kyle Smith (3-5)
L- Ralston Cash (5-3)
S- Aaron West (12)

CC home runs: None.

The missed extra point turned out to be the difference here... sorry, I was still in football mode. I was covering the Texas State 7-on-7 Football Tournament in College Station this weekend, so I'm still trying to recover from that.

The Hooks trailed 6-0 after the 2nd inning, but they turned the tables on the Drillers, culminating in a 6-run 7th inning that put them in the lead.

Kent Emanuel only lasted 2 innings and allowed 6 runs on 8 hits (3-run homer) and struck out 2. However, the Hooks bullpen picked him up by keeping the Drillers off the scoreboard for the final 7 innings. Kyle Smith allowed 2 hits and struck out 3 over 4 scoreless innings. Chris Cotton allowed a hit and walked 1 in 1.1 innings, and Aaron West pitched the final 1.2 innings to get the save; he allowed 2 hits and fanned 1.

Roberto Peña drove in Corpus Christi's first run with an RBI groundout in the 6th. The Hooks quickly found themselves down to their final out in the 6th, but Chase McDonald, Danry Vásquez, and Nick Tanielu all singled to load the bases. Alejandro Garcia followed by drawing a bases-loaded walk. Peña added an RBI single, and then James Ramsay hit a double. He was credited with 2 RBI on the play, and an error allowed him and Peña to score the go-ahead runs. McDonald and Garcia had 2 hits apiece; here's Ramsay's go-ahead double:





Inland Empire 6, Lancaster 2

W- Jason Hoppe (1-2)
L- Dean Deetz (4-5)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks scored first, but the 66ers finished up the game on a 6-0 run.

Lancaster's two runs both came in the 4th inning; Jason Martin grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Johnny Sewald, and one batter later, Trent Woodward hit an RBI single.

Dean Deetz went 7 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits, walked 3, and fanned 6. Kevin McCanna allowed 3 runs on 2 hits and struck out 1 in the 8th inning.

Clinton 3, Quad Cities 0

W- Luiz Gohara (1-0)
L- Albert Abreu (2-7)
S- Spencer Herrmann (2)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos couldn't get much going on offense; that is because the top third of the order had all of the hits, and they were all singles. Myles Straw and Kyle Tucker both went 2-4, while Osvaldo Duarte finished 1-4.

Albert Abreu allowed 3 runs on 5 hits (solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 2 in 5 innings. Chris Murphy allowed 3 hits and struck out 1 over 3 scoreless innings, and Ralph Garza Jr. worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th.

Tri-City 4, West Virginia 3

W- Enrique Chavez (1-0)
L- James Marvel (1-3)
S- Nick Hernandez (1)

TC home runs: None.

Tri-City hung on to the win by staving off a 9th-inning rally from the Black Bears.

Taylor Jones opened the scoring with an RBI double in the 4th. In the 5th, Stephen Wrenn legged out an RBI bunt single. Jones added an RBI single to his ledger in the 6th, and Alex DeGoti smacked an RBI ground-rule double in the 7th. Jones finished 3-4, while DeGoti (2B, RBI, SB [5]) and Brauly Mejia (2 R) both went 2-4.

Enrique Chavez allowed 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3 over 5 shutout innings. Hector Perez tagged in for 3 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits, walking 4, and striking out 5. Nick Hernandez closed it out, but not before he allowed a 2-run double that cut the ValleyCats' lead to 1 and allowed the two runners he inherited from Perez to score. Hernandez struck out the side.

Elizabethton 4, Greeneville 3

W- Alex Schick (1-0)
L- Diogenes Almengo (0-1)
S- Colton Davis (3)

Greeneville home runs: Miguelangel Sierra 2 (8; solo in 1st, solo in 8th)

So, when will Miguelangel Sierra be promoted?

Sierra recorded his first career multi-homer game in this one by smacking two solo shots: the first led off the bottom of the 1st inning, and he sent another one out in the 8th. Luis Payano ripped an RBI double in the 9th to cut the Appy Astros' deficit to one run, but he was stranded there to end the game. Ray Henderson finished 2-4 with a double.

Diogenes Almengo went 2.2 innings and allowed 3 runs (all on a home run) on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Patrick Sandoval allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 3, and struck out 6 in 4.1 innings, and Devin Raftery struck out the side in order in the 8th inning.

DSL Astros Blue 8, DSL Phillies 7 in 11 innings

W- Juan Cuevas (5-2)
L- Steiner Carmona (1-2)

Blue home runs: None.

Samir Caraballo finished 4-4 with a double and 2 RBI. Angel Tejeda finished 2-4 with 2 runs scored; Orlando Marquez also scored twice.

Juan Cuevas got the win, allowing 2 hits over 2 scoreless innings.

DSL Astros Orange 6, DSL Rangers2 5

W- Miguel Matos (2-0)
L- Enmanuel Betances (0-2)

Orange home runs: None.

The Orange team surprised the Rangers with a late rally to take control.

Kendy Moya went 4-5 with a run scored, and Ronaldo Urdaneta was 2-4 with 2 RBI and a stolen base (7).

Miguel Matos allowed a solo homer to Adrian Pernalete in the 9th, which was the only run he allowed. Matos allowed one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 5 in 3 innings of work.

Saturday's Stars

Photo by Bryan Green

Miguelangel Sierra, SS, Greeneville

2-4, 2 solo HR (8)

Brad Peacock, RHP, Fresno

CG, 3 H, BB, 12 K in game 1 of doubleheader

Kyle Smith, RHP, Corpus Christi

W (3-5), 4 IP, 2 H, 3 K

Photo by Bryan Green

Enrique Chavez, RHP, Tri-City

5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K

Results for Sunday, July 10, 2016

Tulsa 7, Corpus Christi 6

W- Joe Broussard (3-0)
L- Michael Freeman (3-3)
S- Gus Schlosser (2)

CC home runs: Jack Mayfield (8, 10 season; 3-run in 7th)

Jack Mayfield's blast tied the game at 6, but the Drillers went back in front with a run in the bottom of the 7th.

Chase McDonald put Corpus on the board with an RBI infield single in the 4th, and one batter later, Mott Hyde added a 2-run single. McDonald finished 2-4 on the day.

Edison Frias went 5 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 7 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Michael Freeman allowed 2 runs on 5 hits in 2 innings, and Ryan Thompson pitched a 1-2-3 8th.

Keegan Yuhl will start the series finale. He'll face Lisalverto Bonilla at 7:05.

Lancaster 17, Inland Empire 0

W- Akeem Bostick (1-1, 2-2 season)
L- Alex Klonowski (6-9)

Lancaster home runs: Jason Martin (16, 2-run in 6th), Brooks Marlow (4, 6 season; 2-run in 6th)

Total domination from the JetHawks on Sunday night.

On the mound, Akeem Bostick and Andrew Thome joined forces to throw a 3-hit shutout. Bostick allowed a hit, walked 4, and struck out 6 in 7 innings, and Thome allowed 2 hits and fanned 1 over the final 2 frames.

In the series finale, Brock Dykxhoorn will take on Justin Anderson. First pitch is at 7:05 Pacific.

Clinton 12, Quad Cities 5


W- Pablo Lopez (5-0)
L- David Schmidt (2-1, 3-2 season)
S- Joey Strain (7)

QC home runs: None.

It all went horribly wrong for the Banditos after the 5th inning as Clinton seized control with 8 runs in the 6th.

Hector Roa, who finished a home run shy of the cycle in 4 trips to the plate, smashed an RBI double in the 2nd to open the scoring. He added an RBI triple to his ledger in the 4th. Pat Porter finished 2-4 with an RBI single in the 8th. Later in the 8th, Kristian Trompiz hit a sac fly and Roa hit an RBI single.

Elieser Hernandez allowed 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 8 over 5 shutout innings. David Schmidt, Adam Whitt, and Zac Person all allowed 4 runs out of the bullpen. Schmidt only got 1 out in the 6th. He allowed a hit and walked 3, and 2 of the runs that were charged to him were inherited runners. Whitt pitched 2.2 inning and allowed 4 runs of his own on 4 hits and struck out 1. Person's 4 runs came on 3 hits, and he also walked 2 in the 9th inning.

Jose Luis Hernandez will start the series finale. He'll face Jeffeson Medina at 7:00.

Tri-City 5, West Virginia 3

W- Austin Nicely (2-1)
L- Danny Beddes (0-1)
S- Sean Stutzman (2)

TC home runs: Spencer Johnson (2, 4 season; grand slam in 3rd)

Spencer Johnson led Division I in home runs this past spring, and he's showing off that power. His slam in the 3rd inning put Tri-City on the board and in the lead. Rodrigo Ayarza added an RBI single in the 5th inning. Taylor Jones went 2-4.

Austin Nicely went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and fanned 1. Kevin Hill was the first man out of the Tri-City bullpen, and he allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3 over 3 scoreless. Sean Stutzman struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th to get the save.

Tonight, the ValleyCats are in Niles, Ohio, best known as the birthplace of former U.S. President William McKinley. They will be starting a 3-game series with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at 7:05 Eastern. Dustin Hunt will face Luis Jimenez.

Greeneville 4, Elizabethton 1

W- Nathan Thompson (1-0)
L- Sean Poppen (0-2)
S- Salvador Montaño (1)

Greeneville home runs: None.

The Appy Astros got a couple of late insurance runs to provide some separation between them and the Twins.

Troy Sieber opened the scoring with an RBI single. Tyler Wolfe finished 2-5 with an RBI single in the 7th, and in the 8th, Vicente Sanchez hit an RBI groundout and Marcos Almonte added an RBI single. Almonte and Gabriel Bracamonte also had 2 hits in the game.

Tyler Britton and Nathan Thompson both threw 4 innings; Britton allowed 4 hits and struck out 6, while Thompson allowed a solo homer to Amaurys Minier in the 7th which accounted for Elizabethton's only run. Thompson allowed one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 3. Salvador Montaño worked around a walk to close out the game.

Abdiel Saldaña will start the series finale. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

GCL Astros 6, GCL Nationals 5 in 10 innings

W- Dariel Aquino (1-1)
L- Matt Pirro (1-1)

GCL home runs: None.

The Nationals tied this game with 4 in the top of the 7th, but the Kissimmee Stros walked off with a victory in the first extra frame.

Bryan Abreu allowed 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5 over 4 scoreless innings. Manuel Gonzalez allowed an unearned run on a sac fly, a single, and struck out 1 in the 5th. Ian Hardman was next; he went 1.1 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 5 hits and struck out 1. Cris Santamaria allowed a hit in 1.1 innings, but the 2 runners he inherited from Hardman scored on a sac fly and a wild pitch. Dariel Aquino went 2.1 innings and allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2.

Juan Piñeda (2 RBI, R, 2 SB [2]) and Reiny Beltre (RBI, R) both finished 2-4. Beltre was plunked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th to bring in the winning run.

Sunday's Stars

Photo by Bryan Green

Juan Piñeda, 2B, GCL Astros

2-4, 2 RBI, R, 2 SB (2)

Photo from MiLB.com

Hector Roa, OF, Quad Cities

3-4, 3 RBI; finished HR shy of cycle

Photo from Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page

Lancaster JetHawks: W 17-0 @ Inland Empire

Jason Martin: 2-5, 2-R HR (16), 2 R
Brooks Marlow: 3-5, 2B, 2-R HR (4, 6 season), 6 RBI

Tony Nuñez: 3-5, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R

Bryan Muñiz: 4-6, 4 R

Akeem Bostick: W (1-1, 2-2 season), 7 IP, H, 4 BB, 6 K

Andrew Thome: 2 IP, 2 H, K