What the Heck, Bobby?: Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, August 6, 2017

Iowa 5, Fresno 4

W- David Garner (1-0)
L- David Martinez (6-10)
S- Dillon Maples (3)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Cubs took control with 3 runs in the 5th. Fresno managed to threaten in the 8th, but couldn't push the tying run across.

The Grizz scored a pair in the 4th on a Jon Kemmer double; Kemmer wound up scoring on an error following a Max Stassi single. Jack Mayfield hit an RBI single in the 5th, and Drew Ferguson ripped an RBI double in the 8th. Mayfield finished 4-5 with a stolen base (2, 9 season).

David Martinez went 4.1 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. Jumbo Diaz got the last two outs of the 5th, but not before allowing a run of his own (in addition to Martinez's 2 runners scoring) on a bases-clearing double and walking 1. Jacob Dorris allowed a hit, walked 3, and struck out 3 over 2 scoreless, and Dayan Diaz worked around a hit and a couple of walks to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

Trent Thornton will start the first game of a 4-game set with El Paso. He'll face Michael Kelly at 7:05 Pacific.

Frisco 7, Corpus Christi 6

W- Richelson Peña (1-0)
L- Yoanys Quiala (2-4, 7-5 season)
S- Ricardo Rodriguez (5)

CC home runs: Jamie Ritchie (2, solo in 2nd)

The Hooks had to settle for a split as a late rally fell just short. Tough night in the field as a couple of Corpus errors in the 3rd turned into 3 Frisco runs.

Yoanys Quiala went 3.2 innings and allowed 4 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Ryan Thompson was the first man out of the Corpus bullpen and went 2.2 innings, allowing a 2-run homer, one other hit, and striking out 1. Nick Hernandez got the last 1.2 innings and struck out 1; the one hit he allowed was a solo homer to Juremi Profar.

Jamie Ritchie had a huge night that started when he smacked a solo homer to open the scoring in the 2nd inning. He singled to lead off the 5th but was forced out at 2nd base. He ripped a one-out double in the 7th, advanced to 3rd on a balk, and scored on a wild pitch.

Ritchie completed the cycle with a bases-clearing triple in the 8th inning. He stumbled halfway between 2nd and 3rd, but the throw from the outfield went home first, which allowed him to narrowly get into 3rd base. He'd score on a Ryne Birk single that cut the deficit to one run. Kyle Tucker went 2-4 on the evening.

Corpus has Monday off, so they'll be able to catch up on some sleep on the bus ride back and they can sleep for a good part of the day after they arrive. They'll begin a 3-game series with Tulsa on Tuesday.

Buies Creek 9, Carolina 1

W- Hector Perez (6-4, 7-5 season)
L- Conor Harber (3-8)
S- Sebastian Kessay (3)

BC home runs: None.

Hector Perez dominated and the Buies Creek offense dominated as they swept the road portion of this half-and-half series to take 3 of 4 from the Mudcats.

Perez allowed 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 6 over 6 shutout frames. Carolina spoiled the shutout with a run-scoring groundout against Sebastian Kessay in the 9th. Kessay went 3 innings and allowed a double, walked 1, and struck out 5.

Yordan Alvarez opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st inning. Stephen Wrenn scored the other 1st-inning run on a double play. Buies Creek got a pair of RBI doubles in the 4th from Randy César and Carmen Benedetti. Rodrigo Ayarza ripped an RBI double of his own in the 6th.

If it wasn't a laugher by then, the Carolina Stros certainly turned it into one with 4 more runs in the 7th to push their lead to 9-0. Wrenn singled to lead off the inning and eventually came home when Anthony Hermelyn beat a double play attempt. César added an RBI single to his ledger, and then Benedetti ripped another RBI double. Anibal Sierra capped off the scoring with an RBI single.

César (2B, 2 RBI, 3 R) and Alvarez (RBI, R) both finished with 3 hits on the day. Wrenn (2 R) and Benedetti (2 2B, 2 RBI) both went 2-5.

Jorge Alcala will start the first in a 3-game series in Salem that starts Tuesday. He'll go up against Mike Shawaryn.

Quad Cities 6, Beloit 5

W- Jesús Balaguer (2-0, 3-1 season)
L- Ty Damron (3-5)

QC home runs: Chuckie Robinson (11, 2-run in 3rd)

Beloit thought that they forced extra innings with a pair of runs in the 9th to tie the game at 5.

Their presumption was incorrect.

Abdiel Saldaña turned in a bare minimum quality start (oops, I did it again), allowing 6 hits, walking 1, and striking out 7. Devon Carr allowed 2 hits and struck out 5 over 2 scoreless, and Jesús Balaguer allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in the 9th inning.

5 of the 6 Quad Cities runs came in the 3rd inning. Ronnie Dawson started it off by doubling to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. One batter later, Chuckie Robinson smacked a 2-run homer to open the scoring. It didn't take long for the Banditos to get some more traffic on the bases; Troy Sieber drew a walk and Abraham Toro-Hernandez singled to bring up Daz Cameron, who ripped a double that sent Sieber home. Josh Rojas followed with a sac fly. Daz advanced to 3rd on a fly ball out and scored on Luis Payano's single. This was Quad Cities' only scoring inning until the 9th.

Sieber hit a one-out single and advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch. Toro was the second out of the inning. Daz got a free pass to 1st, which brought Rojas to the plate, and he came through with the winning hit to bring Sieber in. Rojas finished 3-4 on the day, while Robinson (2-R HR) and Daz (2B, RBI, R) had 2 hits apiece.

Carson LaRue takes on Zack Erwin in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 6:35.

Tri-City 9, Aberdeen 3

W- Colin McKee (1-2)
L- Brandon Bonilla (0-1)
S- Nathan Thompson (1)

TC home runs: Mike Papierski (2, 2-run in 5th)

After the Ironbirds scored a pair in the top of the 5th to take a 3-2 lead, the ValleyCats responded with 2 in the bottom of the 5th to retake the lead and then they busted this game open with 5 after stretch time.

Matt Ruppenthal pitched 3 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 5, and struck out 4. Colin McKee was the first man out of the Tri-City bullpen and went 2 innings, allowing 2 runs (1 earned), an RBI single, walking 3, and striking out 4. Nathan Thompson allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 4 over 4 scoreless for the win.

Jonathan Arauz tripled to lead off the 2nd and scored the game's first run on a Kyle Davis sac fly. With two outs in the 4th, Andy Piñeda kept things going by reaching on an error that allowed him to advance to 2nd base. He then stole 3rd (12) and scored on a Bryan De La Cruz single. Mike Papierski's 2-run blast in the 5th gave Tri-City a 4-3 lead.

Papierski walked to begin the 7th, advanced to 3rd on a Jake Adams double, and scored on a single from Arauz. Kyle Davis walked to load the bases. Piñeda went down on the infield fly rule, but De La Cruz hit an RBI single to bring Adams home. Arauz scored on a wild pitch, and J.J. Matijevic capped off the evening with a 2-run single.

De La Cruz finished 3-5 on the afternoon, while Matijevic (2 RBI, SB) and Arauz (3B, RBI, 2 R) both finished with 2 hits.

Alex House will start the series finale. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

Greeneville 2, Burlington 1

W- Ian Hardman (1-0)
L- Jordan Floyd (0-2)

Greeneville home runs: None.

The Appy Astros started a new series by walking off with a win.

Frankeny Fernandez opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 6th. It looked as though this game would head to extras after the Royals got two quick outs in the 9th, but Patrick Mathis had other ideas. He singled to keep the game alive and moved to 3rd on a Gilberto Celesino single. Celestino moved to 2nd on defensive indifference, and then Mathis scored the winning run on an error. Celestino extended his hitting streak to 9 games with the single.

Humberto Castellanos allowed 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4 over 5.1 shutout innings. Johsson Arias allowed an unearned run on a sac fly in the 7th, a double, walked 2, and struck out 3 in 2.2 innings. Ian Hardman worked around a couple of walks to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

Leovanny Rodriguez goes up against Nathan Webb in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

GCL Marlins 8, GCL Astros 6

W- Alberto Guerrero (2-1)
L- Juan Pablo Lopez (0-3)
S- Javier Garcia (3)

GCL home runs: None.

The Palm Beach Stros couldn't quite claw their way back from a 7-2 deficit.

Juan Pablo Lopez allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3 in 5 innings. Devin Raftery pitched the 6th and allowed 4 unearned runs on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Nivaldo Rodriguez allowed a run on 2 hits, one of which was a solo homer, walked 1, and struck out 2 in 3 innings of work.

Ozziel Sanchez-Galan opened the scoring with an RBI double in the 3rd inning and advanced to 3rd base on the throw from the outfield. He would end up scoring on a passed ball. Vicente Sanchez led off the 6th by legging out a bunt single and scored thanks to three consecutive wild pitches. Jonathan Matute, who was in the batter's box the at the time, ended up drawing a walk. César Cortez drew a walk and they both advanced on another wild pitch. Matute scored on an Enmanuel Valdez groundout, while Cortez scored on the fifth wild pitch of the inning. Wander Franco ripped an RBI double in the 8th. Sanchez-Galan (2B, RBI, 2 R) and Carlos Machado both finished with 2 hits on the day.

Sunday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Ozziel Sanchez-Galan, IF, GCL Astros: 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R