Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, April 9, 2017

Organization sweep!

Fresno 5, Reno 3

W- Ashur Tolliver (1-0)
L- Keyvius Sampson (0-1)

S- Tyson Perez (1)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizzlies stormed out of the gate with a 4-0 lead after the 1st inning, which turned out to be just enough for them to take their first series of the year.

Edison Frias went 4.1 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. Ashur Tolliver was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen, and in 1.2 innings, he walked 3 and struck out 1. Aaron West allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 3 in 2 innings of work, and Tyson Perez threw a 1-2-3 9th to get the save.

The first 6 hitters for the Grizzlies all reached base safely. Tony Kemp walked to lead off the inning and advanced to 3rd on a D.J. Fisher double. Teoscar Hernandez walked to load the bases for A.J. Reed, who ripped a 2-run double to open the scoring. Colin Moran and Preston Tucker followed with RBI singles. Reed hit another double to lead off the 3rd inning and scored on a Reid Brignac single. Reed finished 2-3; both of his hits were doubles and he came around to score twice.

In the series finale, Francis Martes will make his AAA debut. He'll face Frank Duncan at 6:35 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 7, Northwest Arkansas 3

W- Eric Peterson (1-0)
L- Pedro Fernandez (0-1)

CC home runs: Alejandro Garcia (1, 2-run in 4th)

The Naturals tied the game at 2 thanks to runs in the 5th and the 6th, but the Hooks erupted for 5 runs in the 8th to re-establish control.

Alejandro Garcia opened the scoring with his 2-run homer in the 4th inning. This would be their only scoring play until that big 8th inning. 

Garrett Stubbs ripped a double to lead off the inning and Jamie Ritchie replaced him on the basepaths. J.D. Davis followed by smacking an RBI double to put Corpus back in front. Although Jon Singleton was the first casualty of the inning following a strikeout, a Garcia single and a Drew Ferguson walk loaded the bases for Jack Mayfield, who promptly cleared them with a triple. He came home with Corpus Christi's final run on a single from Bryan Muñiz. 

Davis (2B, R), Singleton (2B, R), Garcia (2-R HR, 2 R), Mayfield (2B, 3B, 3 RBI), and Tony Nuñez all finished with two hits on the day.

Rogelio Armenteros had a strong showing on the mound as he allowed 2 runs (1 earned, 1 inherited runner charged to him), a single, walked 2, and struck out 10 batters in 5.2 innings. It's the first time that he's recorded double-digit strikeouts in his career. Eric Peterson and Michael Freeman pitched 1.2 innings apiece to close it out. Peterson allowed the runner he inherited from Armenteros to score, along with a run of his own, on 4 hits and struck out 4. Freeman's 1.2 innings were a little less tense as he allowed just one hit and fanned one. 

Brock Dykxhoorn will start game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05.

Buies Creek 2, Winston-Salem 0

W- Franklin Perez (1-0)
L- Max Beatty (0-1)
S- Ralph Garza Jr. (1)

BC home runs: Ryne Birk (1, solo in 2nd)

The Carolina Stros swept their first-ever series as Franklin Perez and Ralph Garza Jr. joined forces to throw a 3-hit shutout.

Perez allowed just one hit, walked 3, and struck out 5 over 5.1 innings, and Garza allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3 over the final 3.2 innings to secure the win.

Ryne Birk led off the 2nd with a solo homer to put the Astros on the board. Dex McCall ripped a 1-out double in the 4th. Two wild pitches later, he came home with the other run. Kyle Tucker finished 2-3. Tucker, McCall, and Birk accounted for all of Buies' offensive production on Sunday afternoon.

The season-opening homestand concludes with 3 games against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Framber Valdez will start the opener, and he'll take on Casey Bloomquist at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 18, Wisconsin 11

W- Edgardo Sandoval (1-0)
L- Braden Webb (0-1)

QC home runs: Daz Cameron 2 (2; grand slam in 4th, solo in 9th), Spencer Johnson (1, grand slam in 1st), Stephen Wrenn (1, 2-run in 8th)

Both teams combined for 29 runs, 31 hits (7 home runs), and 8 errors. The Banditos' blasts were more impactful, as Daz Cameron and Spencer Johnson launched grand slams. Everyone in the Quad Cities lineup had a hit and scored a run.

The offensive show of force really helped pick up a Quad Cities pitching staff that didn't have its best afternoon. Tyler Britton went 4 innings and allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits (2-run homer), walked 1, and struck out 2. Abdiel Saldaña was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen, and in 2 innings, he allowed 6 runs on 5 hits (2 solo homers), walked 1, and struck out 1. Edgardo Sandoval pitched the final 3 innings, and the one run he allowed came on a solo homer hit by Tucker Neuhaus in the 8th. Sandoval allowed one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 4.

2016 1st-rounder Forrest Whitley makes his 2017 debut as the River Bandits begin a 3-game series in Peoria. He'll face Steven Farinaro at 6:30.

Sunday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Franklin Perez and Ralph Garza Jr,, RHPs, Buies Creek

Perez: W (1-0), 5.1 IP, H, 3 BB, 5 K

Garza: Save (1), 3.2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K

Daz Cameron's photo taken by Bryan Green

Daz Cameron, OF, Spencer Johnson, 1B/DH/OF, and Stephen Wrenn, OF, Quad Cities

Cameron: 3-6, 2 HR (2, including a grand slam), 5 RBI

Johnson: 2-5, grand slam (1)

Wrenn: 2-3, 3B, 2-R HR (1), 3 R

Rogelio Armenteros, RHP, Corpus Christi

5.2 IP, H, 2 R (1 unearned), 2 BB, 10 K

Alejandro Garcia's photo from MiLB.com

Jack Mayfield, IF, and Alejandro Garcia, OF, Corpus Christi

Mayfield: 2-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, R

Garcia: 2-5, 2-R HR (1), 2 R

A.J. Reed, 1B, Fresno

2-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R