Sunday, April 30, 2017

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, April 29, 2017

Fresno 6, Reno 2

W- Jordan Jankowski (1-1)
L- Grant Sides (0-1)

Fresno home runs: Jon Kemmer (1, solo in 9th)

The Grizzlies took control with a 4-run 8th to break a 1-1 tie.

D.J. Fisher opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st inning but was caught stealing home for the final out of the frame. This was Fresno's only scoring play until the 8th; Reno scored their run in the 2nd to tie the game.

Jon Kemmer led off the 8th with a double and scored on an error after Fisher hit into a fielder's choice. Tyler White moved to third base and Fisher advanced to second on the Aces' gaffe. Colin Moran was given an intentional pass to load the bases, and Max Stassi capitalized with a 2-run single. A.J. Reed followed with an RBI single. Kemmer finished a career-best 5-5 on the night; his final hit was a solo homer to lead off the 9th. Stassi went 4-5, while White went 2-5 with 2 runs scored and a stolen base (2). Stassi had his first 4-hit game since 2014.

In his AAA debut, Trent Thornton went 6 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, all of which were doubles, and walked 1. Jordan Jankowski, Kevin Comer, and Reymin Guduan all pitched an inning to close out the game: Jankowski struck out 2 in a 1-2-3 7th. Comer worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 8th, striking out 2. The one run Guduan allowed in the 9th came on a homer from Christian Walker. He also allowed one other hit and struck out 1 in the inning.

In game 3 of this series, Mike Hauschild makes his first appearance since being returned by the Rangers. He'll face Eric Jokisch at 1:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 8, Frisco 2

W- Akeem Bostick (1-0, 3-1 season)
L- Ariel Jurado (1-3)
S- Kyle Smith (1)

CC home runs: Garrett Stubbs (1, solo in 6th), Mott Hyde (2, solo in 8th), Antonio Nuñez (1, solo in 8th), Drew Ferguson (2, solo in 8th)

Corpus launched four solo shots as they got on the board in this series.

Akeem Bostick was a winner in his Texas League debut; the two runs he allowed in his 5 innings of work both came on solo home runs. Bostick allowed one other hit (a single) and struck out 3. Kyle Smith allowed 2 hits and struck out 2 over the final 4 innings to get the save.

Scott Heineman led off the game with a homer, but the Hooks seized control of the game thanks to a 4-run 3rd inning. All four runs in that inning came with two outs.

Drew Ferguson kept the 3rd inning alive by drawing a walk, and then Jake Marisnick ripped a double to put runners in scoring position for Jon Singleton, who put Corpus on the board and in the lead with a 2-run double. J.D. Davis brought him in with a single, and Garrett Stubbs hit an RBI double to extend the Hooks' lead. Stubbs whacked a solo shot in the 6th. Mott Hyde, Tony Nuñez, and Drew Ferguson hit back-to-back-to-back solo home runs in the 8th inning.

Marisnick went 2-5 in his first rehab appearance; in case you missed it, he is currently on the 7-day DL for concussions. Singleton, Stubbs, Hyde, and Nuñez also finished with 2 hits; Nuñez's homer in the 8th was his first as a professional.

Kent Emanuel takes the mound for game 3 of this series. He'll go against Yohander Mendez at 2:05.

Buies Creek 3, Wilmington 0

W- Elieser Hernandez (2-2)
L- Scott Blewett (0-2)
S- Nick Hernandez (3)

BC home runs: None.

The Astros continue to get fine pitching in this series. On Saturday, three pitchers combined to throw a two-hit shutout.

Elieser Hernandez got the start and allowed just one hit, walked 2, and struck out 4 over 5 shutout innings. Hector Perez came on for his Carolina League debut and threw 3 scoreless, allowing a hit, walking 2, and fanning 6. Nick Hernandez closed it out by striking out 2 in a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Jason Martin opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st. Buies Creek missed a chance to blow this game open early as they couldn't convert on a bases-loaded, no out situation in the opening frame. Their other scoring play was a 2-run triple from Kyle Tucker in the 8th inning. Myles Straw was the only player on either side to finish with a multi-hit game; he went 3-4 with two stolen bases (6) and scored a run.

The Astros will look to sweep the series on Sunday and they'll send Gabriel Valdez to the mound. He'll take on Emilio Ogando at 2:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities and Clinton was postponed

Due to rain. The River Bandits and LumberKings will wrap up this series with a doubleheader starting at 1:00. Enoli Paredes will take on Brandon Miller in the first game. Ryan Hartman will start game 2 and he'll face Tim Viehoff.

Saturday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Buies Creek pitchers: W 3-0 vs. Wilmington
9 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 12 K
Elieser Hernandez: W (2-2), 5 IP, H, 2 BB, 4 K
Hector Perez: 3 IP, H, 2 BB, 6 K; Carolina League debut
Nick Hernandez: Save (3), IP, 2 K

Akeem Bostick, RHP, and Kyle Smith, RHP, Corpus Christi
Bostick: W (1-0, 3-1 season), 5 IP, 3 H (2 solo HR allowed), 2 ER, 3 K; Texas League debut
Smith: Save (1), 4 IP, 2 H, 2 K

Garrett Stubbs, C, Corpus Christi
2-3, 2B, solo HR (1), R

Antonio Nuñez, IF, Corpus Christi
2-4, solo HR (1); first career home run

Trent Thornton, RHP, Fresno
6 IP, 3 H, ER, BB; Pacific Coast League debut

Jon Kemmer, OF, Fresno
5-5, 2B, solo HR (1), 2 R, SB (1); career-high in hits (single-game)

 Max Stassi, C, Fresno
4-5, 2 RBI

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, April 28, 2017

Reno 8, Fresno 7

W- Braden Shipley (3-1)
L- David Martinez (0-3)
S- Kaleb Fleck (1)

Fresno home runs: D.J. Fisher (5, solo in 7th)

The Grizzlies didn't get on the scoreboard until the 7th but they nearly stole a victory from the Aces. The operative word in the prior sentence was "nearly."

D.J. Fisher put Fresno on the board with a solo home run in the 7th inning. He now has 5 homers on the year, which puts him in a tie at the top with J.D. Davis. They got two more runs in the 8th as Jon Kemmer scored on a wild pitch and Preston Tucker hit a sac fly.

Tyler White led off the top of the 9th with a single and A.J. Reed joined him on the bases by drawing a walk. The rally attempt suddenly ran into complications when Reid Brignac grounded into a double play. However, Kemmer kept the Grizzlies alive with an RBI double. Max Stassi got plunked and Andrew Aplin drew a walk to load the bases. All three of them scored thanks to an error that allowed Fisher to reach and advance to 3rd. Unfortunately, he was stranded there to end the game.

Reed finished 3-3 with a double. Fisher (solo HR), Tucker, Brignac, and Kemmer (2B, RBI, 2 R) all had two hits on the night.

David Martinez went 6 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 4 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 1. Tyson Perez and Dayan Diaz both pitched an inning with sharply contrasting results: Perez allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and struck out 1 in the 7th, while Diaz struck out the side in order in the 8th.

Fresno and Reno will continue this series at 6:35 Pacific.

Frisco 8, Corpus Christi 6

W- Ryne Slack (1-0)
L- Riley Ferrell (0-1)
S- Sam Wolff (3)

CC home runs: None.

The wheels fell off late for the Hooks as they couldn't hold a 6-3 lead in the late innings.

Cy Sneed went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 2. Brock Dykxhoorn was the first man out of the Corpus bullpen and went 3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and fanning 6. Riley Ferrell allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 5 hits in the 9th. Ferrell's been playing this game long enough to know that he'll have at least one of those outings. He's also good enough to bounce back from it.

Alejandro Garcia and Ramon Laureano provided the offense in this one; Garcia ripped a 2-run triple in the 1st to open the scoring. Laureano hit a 2-run single in the 4th and a 2-run triple in the 6th. Jamie Ritchie finished 3-3 with a double and scored twice.

Tonight, Akeem Bostick makes his Texas League debut against the organization that gave him his start in professional baseball. He'll take on Ariel Jurado at 7:05.

Buies Creek 2, Wilmington 1

W- Yoanys Quiala (3-0)
L- Foster Griffin (2-2)

BC home runs: None.

After going 8-6 in their first-ever roadtrip, the Buies Creek Astros returned home for the first time in two weeks and topped the Blue Rocks in their first game back.

The Astros only had one scoring play in this game but it was enough to get the win. Their two runs came in the 7th as Anibal Sierra hit an RBI single. Dex McCall scored the go-ahead run on an error. Johnny Sewald finished 2-4 with a stolen base.

Framber Valdez allowed 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5 over 5 shutout innings. Yoanys Quiala pitched the final 4 innings and allowed the only Wilmington run when Elier Hernandez took him deep in the 6th. Quiala also allowed a single and struck out 4.

Elieser Hernandez will take the mound in game 2 of this series. He'll take on Scott Blewett at 6:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 19, Clinton 2

W- Jorge Alcala (2-0)
L- Danny Garcia (1-2)

QC home runs: Daz Cameron (4, 3-run in 3rd)

The Banditos administered a severe beatdown to the LumberKings on Friday night.

One day after Clinton scored 9 in the 3rd, Quad Cities went off for 10 in the 3rd. They set season-highs in runs scored and hits. Daz Cameron finished a double shy of the cycle. Everyone in the Quad Cities lineup scored a run.


Forrest Whitley made his first appearance since April 11 and threw 3 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits and striking out 7. Jorge Alcala tagged in for 4 innings and allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Reggie Johnson pitched the final 2 innings; the one run he allowed came on a solo homer hit by Nick Thurman in the 9th. Johnson also allowed a single and issued a couple of walks.

Enoli Paredes will start game 3 of this series. He'll face Brandon Miller at 6:30.

Friday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Quad Cities River Bandits: W 19-2 @ Clinton
19 R, 21 H; season highs in both categories
12-27 with runners in scoring position
All players in lineup scored a run
Daz Cameron: 3-5, 3B, 3-R HR (4), 7 RBI, 3 R; finished double shy of cycle
Taylor Jones: 3-6, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R
Randy César: 3-6, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R
Chuckie Robinson: 3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R
Marcos Almonte: 4-5, 2B, RBI, R

Jorge Alcala's photo taken by Bryan Green
Forrest Whitley, RHP, and Jorge Alcala, RHP, Quad Cities
Whitley: 3 IP, 3 H, 7 K
Alcala: W (2-0), 4 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 5 K

Framber Valdez, LHP, and Yoanys Quiala, RHP, Buies Creek
Valdez: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Quiala: W (3-0), 4 IP, 2 H (solo HR allowed), ER, 4 K

Ramon Laureano, OF, Corpus Christi
2-5, 3B, 4 RBI

Jamie Ritchie, C, Corpus Christi
3-3, 2B, 2 R

Jon Kemmer, OF, Fresno
2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R

Friday, April 28, 2017

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, April 27, 2017

Reno 8, Fresno 1

W- Keyvius Sampson (2-1)
L- Brian Holmes (0-1)

Fresno home runs: None.

Series openers continue to be unkind to the Fresno Grizzlies.

Reid Brignac scored Fresno's only run of the night on an error in the 6th inning. D.J. Fisher and Preston Tucker had two hits apiece. The Grizz went 0-12 with runners in scoring position in this game.

Brian Holmes went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 2. Aaron West allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits and struck out 3 in 2 innings, while Kevin Comer allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits and struck out 1 in the 8th.

David Martinez takes on Braden Shipley in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 6:35 Pacific.

Midland 6, Corpus Christi 3 in 10 innings

W- Sam Bragg (2-0)
L- Eric Peterson (1-1)
S- Kyle Finnegan (3)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks saw an opportunity to walk off with a win fall by the wayside. On the other hand, the RockHounds got to Eric Peterson for 3 runs in the first extra frame.

All three of Corpus Christi's runs came in the 3rd inning as Mott Hyde hit an RBI single to put them on the board. Hyde and J.D. Davis proceeded to pull off a double steal; Davis swiped home, and Hyde scored on a Trent Woodward single. Bryan Muñiz finished 3-4 with two doubles; he singled to lead off the 9th and Tyler Wolfe came on to pinch-run for him. Wolfe advanced to 2nd on a sac bunt but was thrown out trying to score the winning run on a Bobby Boyd single. Boyd advanced to 2nd on the throw home but was stranded to end the inning. Hyde, Boyd, Davis, and Garrett Stubbs all finished with two hits on the night.

Josh James went 4.2 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 6. Ryan Deemes was the first man out of the Hooks bullpen and threw 2.1 innings; the two runs he allowed came on a homer hit by Viosergy Rosa in the 7th. Deemes allowed two other hits and struck out 3. Ralph Garza Jr. threw 2 scoreless innings in his Texas League debut, allowing a hit, walking 1, and striking out 4. Eric Peterson allowed 3 runs, 2 hits and walked 2 in the 10th inning.

Corpus begins a 4-game set with Frisco tonight at 7:05. Cy Sneed goes up against Connor Sadzeck.

Buies Creek 2, Winston-Salem 0 in 6 innings

W- Matt Bower (1-0)
L- Aron McRee (0-3)

BC home runs: None.

This game was called due to rain. The Carolina Stros finished their first-ever roadtrip at 8-6.

Matt Bower threw all six innings before the game was called and he was credited with a complete game as a result. He allowed 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5.

Jason Martin opened the scoring with a sac fly in the 1st inning and Osvaldo Duarte hit an RBI single in the 4th. Duarte and Johnny Sewald (R, 2 SB) had two hits apiece in this one.

Buies Creek is finally heading home. They'll host the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals) this weekend. Franklin Perez will start the opener and he'll take on Foster Griffin at 7:00 Eastern.

Clinton 10, Quad Cities 5

W- Ljay Newsome (4-1)
L- Cionel Perez (0-1)
S- Ronald Dominguez (2)

QC home runs: None.

Cionel Perez got a rather rude welcome to American professional baseball. The LumberKings only scored in two innings, but they scored 9 in the 3rd, which ended Cionel's night rather early.

Cionel allowed 7 runs (6 earned, 1 inherited runner charged to him) on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2 in 2.2 innings. Salvador Montaño was also making his season debut; he was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits (2-run homer; one run was charged to Perez), walked 3, and struck out 3 in 1.1 innings. Brett Adcock pitched the last 4 innings and allowed an unearned run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4.

Taylor Jones put Quad Cities on the board with a 2-run double in the 5th. The Banditos got 3 in the 7th as Randy César scored on a passed ball following a Daz Cameron strikeout. Daz reached safely and came around to score on a 2-run double from Carmen Benedetti. César finished 2-4 and was the only player in the Quad Cities lineup with a multi-hit game.

Forrest Whitley makes his second appearance of the season at 6:30. He'll face Danny Garcia.

Thursday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Matt Bower, LHP, Buies Creek
W (1-0), 6 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 K; game called after 6 innings

Osvaldo Duarte, UTIL, Buies Creek
2-2, RBI

Johnny Sewald, OF, Buies Creek
2-3, R, 2 SB (2)

Ralph Garza Jr., RHP, Corpus Christi
2 IP, H, BB, 4 K; Texas League debut

Photo from MiLB.com
Brett Adcock, LHP, Quad Cities
4 IP, 3 H, unearned run, BB, 4 K

Astros Farm Report: 4/28

The Astros are cranking them out from Extended Spring Training this week!

STANDINGS

Let's take a look in on the standings of the Astros farm teams within their respective divisions a little over three weeks into the new season.

AAA Fresno 3rd 9-12 .429 3.0GB L3
AA Corpus 1st 12-8 .600 0.0GB L1
HiA Buies Creek 1st 14-7 .667 0.0GB W2
LoA Quad Cities T3rd 11-10 .524 3.0GB L1

ROSTER MOVES/TRANSACTIONS

Note: The Astros have been moving players back and forth to either Tri-City or Extended Spring Training as a means of managing their rosters. I won't be including those moves in this list if I believe that they are only being made on paper for roster management.

Ryan Deemes - June 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

5-1: RHP Casey Coleman's contract was purchased from New Britain (Atlantic League); he will report to AAA Fresno
4-29: RHP Ryan Thompson placed on the AAA Fresno 7-day DL
4-29: RHP Trent Thornton assigned to AAA Fresno from AA Corpus Christi
4-28: RHP Akeem Bostick assigned to AA Corpus Christi from HiA Buies Creek
4-28: RHP Hector Perez assigned to HiA Buies Creek from LoA Quad Cities
4-27: RHP Ronel Blanco assigned to HiA Buies Creek from Extended Spring Training
4-27: LHP Howie Brey assigned to HiA Buies Creek from Extended Spring Training
4-27: RHP Felipe Tejada assigned to LoA Quad Cities from Extended Spring Training
4-27: LHP Cionel Perez assigned to LoA Quad Cities from Extended Spring Training (Perez is the Cuban lefty that the Astros signed in December. His U.S. debut was less than optimal!)
4-26: LHP Salvador Montano assigned to LoA Quad Cities from Extended Spring Training
4-26: RHP Derick Velazquez placed on the LoA Quad Cities temporary inactive list
4-26: RHP Gabriel Valdez assigned to HiA Buies Creek from Extended Spring Training
4-26: RHP Ralph Garza assigned to AA Corpus Christi from HiA Buies Creek
4-26: 3B Tyler Wolfe assigned to AA Corpus Christi from Extended Spring Training
4-26: RHP Ryan Deemes assigned to AA Corpus Christi from HiA Buies Creek
4-26: IF/OF Tony Kemp recalled to Houston from AAA Fresno
4-26: RHP Mike Hauschild activated on the AAA Fresno roster
4-26: IF Jack Mayfield assigned from AA Corpus Christi to AAA Fresno
4-25: LHP Ashur Tolliver placed on the AAA Fresno 7-day DL
4-25: OF Teoscar Hernandez recalled to Houston from AAA Fresno
4-23: RHP Brady Rodgers placed on the AAA Fresno 7-day DL retroactive to 4-21
4-23: C Garrett Stubbs activated from the AA Corpus DL
4-22: RHP Mike Hauschild optioned to Fresno (Rule 5 Draft pick returned by Rangers)

Coleman, 29, pitched in the Majors for the Cubs from 2010-12 and also appeared in 10 games with the Royals in 2014. His father and grandfather, who were also named Joe (Casey is his middle name), were also longtime MLB pitchers.

In addition, Baseball America reported that these players started the season on the disabled list:

OF Bobby Boyd - activated
RHP Ryan Deemes - activated
RHP Angel Heredia (60-day DL)
RHP Jose Luis Hernandez
LHP Albert Minnis
2B Nick Tanielu (60-day DL)
RHP Andrew Walter

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Fresno Grizzlies: Early Season Results

We are now 20 games in to the Fresno Grizzlies season. Let's see where things stand!

The Grizzlies (aka Tacos) are currently 9-11 and in third place in the PCL Pacific Northern Division, two games behind Tacoma (SEA) and Reno (ARI) and one and a half games in front of the last place Sacramento (SF) team. Their current run differential is -11.

Here's how the Grizzlies rank in the 16-team AAA Pacific Coast League in select categories:

OFFENSE
4th in Batting Average: .279
2nd in On-Base Percentage: .351
4th in Slugging Percentage: .429
5th in On-Base Plus Slugging: .781
T15th in Doubles: 25
T3rd in Triples: 8
T5th in Home Runs: 20
T3rd in Walks: 74
8th in Strikeouts: 143
T10th in Stolen Bases: 11

PITCHING
16th in ERA: 5.71
16th in WHIP: 1.74
16th in Home Runs Allowed: 10
1st in Walks: 87
12th in Strikeouts: 140
T7th in Saves: 5

I think it's pretty clear where this team is having problems right now. The offense shakes out well, but the starting pitching has struggled mightily with one notable exception.   Let's look at the individual players who have had the most success early on.

Derek Fisher & Teoscar Hernandez - April 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TOP 20 LEAGUE OFFENSIVE LEADERS (in select categories)

OF Preston Tucker
.369 AVG (11th)
13 RBI (T19th)

OF Teoscar Hernandez
.571 SLG (16th)
3 3B (T1st)
4 HR (T9th)
15 RBI (T10th)

IF Tyler White
15 R (T4th)

1B A.J. Reed
14 R (T13th)
3 HR (T19th)
15 RBI (T10th)
13 BB (13th)

OF Derek Fisher
13 R (T20th)
4 HR (T9th)
10BB (T12th)

3B Colin Moran
3 HR (T19th)
16 RBI (T5th)

IF/OF Tony Kemp
4 SB (T12th)

Brady Rodgers - May 2013
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TOP 20 LEAGUE PITCHING LEADERS (in select categories)

RHP Brady Rodgers
1.10 ERA (3rd)
0.92 WHIP (3rd)

Yep, after Brady it's mostly crickets as far as starting pitching goes, at least so far. Francis Martes has a respectable ERA of 2.92, but after allowing 15 hits and 12 walks over only 12.1 innings, his WHIP has ballooned up to 2.19. Of course there's still plenty of time for these pitchers to settle in and turn their seasons around.

The good news is that there are a few relief pitchers who have really contributed. In particular, Jordan Jankowski (who sometimes starts out slowly) has been solid out of the 'pen and has already collected two saves to go with his 1.00 ERA. And Kevin Comer, who started the season in Corpus Christi, has not allowed a run, earned or otherwise, in his four appearances since being promoted to Fresno. Similarly, James Hoyt allowed no runs over five appearances before being recalled to Houston last week.

From Monday: Quad Cities River Bandits
From Tuesday: Buies Creek Astros
From Wednesday: Corpus Christi Hooks

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Let's play two in Winston-Salem!

Fresno was off

The Grizzlies will begin a 4-game series in Reno tonight at 6:35 Pacific. Mike Hauschild, fresh off his MLB trial with Arlington, will get the start in his return to the Astros organization.

Corpus Christi 5, Midland 3

W- Andrew Thome (2-0, 2-1 season)
L- Heath Fillmeyer (0-2)
S- Michael Freeman (1)

CC home runs: Jon Singleton (2, 2-run in 1st), J.D. Davis (5, solo in 7th)

The Hooks have taken two straight from the RockHounds after getting pasted in the series opener.

Jon Singleton opened up the scoring by sending a ball completely out of Whataburger Field for a 2-run homer. Garrett Stubbs led off the 4th with a double, took 3rd as part of a double steal with Mott Hyde, and scored on a Jamie Ritchie groundout. Stubbs hit a single with one out in the 6th and eventually came home on a Tony Nuñez sac fly. J.D. Davis finished 2-4 and smacked a solo homer in the 7th inning for Corpus Christi's final run of the night. Stubbs finished 3-4 on the night, and the swipe of third base was his 2nd steal of the season.

Rogelio Armenteros went 4.2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 5. Andrew Thome was the first man out of the Corpus bullpen and threw 2 scoreless innings (last out of the 5th, 6th, first two outs of the 7th), allowing a hit, walking 2, and striking out 2. The last two batters he faced both drew walks, which resulted in Michael Freeman's entrance. Freeman pitched the final 2.1 innings and allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2; the run he allowed scored on a double play in the 9th.

Josh James will be on the mound for the Hooks as they wrap up this series with the Hounds at 7:05. Ben Bracewell will oppose him.

Game 1: Winston-Salem 12, Buies Creek 6

W- Louie Lechich (1-1)
L- Sebastian Kessay (2-1)

BC home runs: None.

The Astros scored 5 in the 2nd to get themselves out of an early 5-0 hole, but it was all Dash in the first game of this twinbill.

Buies Creek somehow got Alex Winkelman off the hook after he got torched for the first time this season. Winkelman only got two outs in the 1st, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and walking 1. Sebastian Kessay and Carlos Sierra both pitched 2.2 innings; Kessay allowed 5 runs (4 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1, while Sierra allowed 2 unearned runs on 3 hits, walked 1, and fanned 1.

The Astros loaded the bases to start the top of the 2nd and they took advantage. Anibal Sierra got them on the board with an RBI single. Jason Martin followed him with a 2-run single. Myles Straw went down on strikes, but Kyle Tucker and Dex McCall tied the game with RBI singles. Anthony Hermelyn ripped an RBI double in the 5th. Martin, Tucker, and McCall all finished 2-4.

Would game 2 have a more positive result for Buies Creek?

Game 2: Buies Creek 5, Winston-Salem 3

W- Justin Ferrell (2-1)
L- Kelvis Valerio (1-2)

BC home runs: None.

The Carolina Stros earned the split behind a huge game from Kyle Tucker.

Little Tuck continued his excellent day by opening the scoring in game 2 with a 2-run triple in the 1st and scoring on a balk. Johnny Sewald ripped an RBI double in the 2nd, and Tucker added an RBI single to his ledger in the 5th. All three of Sewald's hits were doubles, while Tucker finished with 2 more hits in game 2.

Justin Ferrell went 5 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 7. Gabriel Valdez pitched the final 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 2.

The Astros will wrap up this series, and this long, long roadtrip at 7:00 Eastern. Matt Bower faces Aron McRee.

Quad Cities 6, Peoria 1

W- Carson LaRue (2-0)
L- Ronnie Williams (1-1)

QC home runs: Ronnie Dawson (4, solo in 1st), Randy César (3, 2-run in 4th), Jake Rogers (4, solo in 7th)

The Banditos swatted three more homers and Carson LaRue turned in another fine start.

LaRue allowed 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4 over 5 shutout innings. The Chiefs spoiled the shutout by scoring a run against Abdiel Saldaña in the 7th. Saldaña allowed 4 hits, walked 1, and fanned 4 over 3 innings. Erasmo Pinales walked 2, allowed a single, and struck out 1 in a scoreless 9th.

Ronnie Dawson extended his hitting streak to 11 games by leading off the bottom of the 1st with a homer; he's also homered in consecutive games. Randy César launched a 2-run shot in the 4th. Rodrigo Ayarza lashed a 2-run double in the 6th, and Jake Rogers capped off the evening with a solo blast in the 7th. Both of Ayarza's hits were doubles. Stephen Wrenn also finished with two hits on the night.

Quad Cities will kick off a 4-game series in Clinton at 6:30. The River Bandits have not announced their starting pitchers for this series. Whoever gets the start will take on Ljay Newsome.

Wednesday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Photo by Rich Guill
Kyle Tucker, OF, Buies Creek
Doubleheader @ Winston-Salem: 4-7, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, R
Game 1: 2-4, 2B, RBI
Game 2: 2-3, 3B, 3 RBI, R

Photo by Rich Guill
 Carson LaRue, RHP, Quad Cities
W (2-0), 5 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Rodrigo Ayarza, IF, Quad Cities
2-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI

Johnny Sewald, OF, Buies Creek
3-4, 3 2B, RBI, R in game 2 of doubleheader

Justin Ferrell, RHP, Buies Creek
W (2-1), 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K in game 2 of doubleheader

Garrett Stubbs, C, Corpus Christi
3-4, 2B, 2 R, SB (2)

Andrew Thome, RHP, Corpus Christi
W (2-0, 2-1 season), 2 IP, H, 2 BB, 2 K

J.D. Davis, 3B, Corpus Christi
2-4, solo HR (5)

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Corpus Christi Hooks: Early Season Results

We are now 18 games in to the Corpus Christi Hooks season. Let's see where things stand!

The Hooks are currently 11-7 and in first place in the Texas League South Division, two games in front of a second place tie between Frisco (TEX) and San Antonio (SD). Their current run differential is -7.

Here's how the Hooks rank in the 8-team AA Texas League in select categories:

OFFENSE
8th in Batting Average: .237
3rd in On-Base Percentage: .331
7th in Slugging Percentage: .361
6th in On-Base Plus Slugging: .692
T4th in Doubles: 30
T7th in Triples: 1
T3rd in Home Runs: 15
T1st in Walks: 79
4th in Strikeouts: 149
1st in Stolen Bases: 21

PITCHING
8th in ERA: 4.26
5th in WHIP: 1.37
T4th in Home Runs Allowed: 13
6th in Walks: 58
4th in Strikeouts: 155
T2nd in Saves: 6

If you look purely at Team Batting Average and Team ERA, you're probably wondering how this team is in first place. The fact of the matter is that some players have struggled early, particularly on the pitching side, but good performances from key players have been enough to carry the team ... for now. They will need to start showing more consistency or I'm afraid they may have trouble hanging on to that first place standing.  Let's look at the individual contributions that have helped them to their current first place standings.

Drew Ferguson - June 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TOP 20 LEAGUE OFFENSIVE LEADERS (in select categories)

OF Drew Ferguson
.308 AVG (13th)
.383 OBP (14th)
15 R (T1st)
5 2B (T13th)
8 BB (T17th)
5 SB (T2nd)

1B Jon Singleton
.420 OBP (T3rd)
4 2B (T18th)
10 RBI (T15th)
21 BB (1st)

IF Antonio Nunez
.380 OBP (15th)

3B J.D. Davis
.472 SLG (15th)
.818 OPS (20th)
9 R (T20th)
4 HR (2nd)
11 RBI (T10th)
9 BB (T12th)

OF Alejandro Garcia
.471 SLG (16th)
10 R (T14th)
5 2B (T13th)
3 HR (T3rd)
11 RBI (T10th)

IF Jack Mayfield
.455 SLG (18th)
5 2B (T13th)
2 HR (T12th)

OF Ramon Laureano
14 R (T3rd)
2 HR (T12th)
12 RBI (T6th)
5 SB (T2nd)

Although Davis is the only Hooks player who currently ranks in the Top 20 in OPS, there are four additional Corpus players who ranked from 21st to 27th in that metric: Alejandro Garcia (21st), Drew Ferguson (22nd), Jack Mayfield (25th) and Jon Singleton (27th).


Rogelio Armenteros - June 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TOP 20 LEAGUE PITCHING LEADERS (in select categories)

RHP Rogelio Armenteros
0.61 ERA (3rd)
0.75 WHIP (2nd)
22 SO (4th)

LHP Kent Emanuel
18 SO (T13th)

RHP Dean Deetz is just shy of having enough innings to qualify as a league leader, but he would certainly rank highly with a 0.66 ERA and a 0.51 WHIP!!! RHP Josh James has also had a good start with his 2.08 ERA and 0.77 WHIP, but doesn't qualify right now. RHP Michael Freeman (0.93 ERA) and RHP Riley Ferrell (1.29 ERA and 1.29 WHIP) have been steady in the bullpen.

From Monday: Quad Cities River Bandits
From Tuesday: Buies Creek Astros

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Salt Lake 9, Fresno 7

W- Luis Diaz (1-0)
L- Edison Frias (1-2)
S- Keynan Middleton (2)

Fresno home runs: D.J. Fisher (4, solo in 2nd)

Like the Grizzlies on Monday, the Tacos fell behind early on Tuesday and couldn't quite erase a (more manageable) deficit; they trailed 5-1 after the 4th.

D.J. Fisher put Fresno on the board with a solo homer in the 2nd inning. The Tacos scored twice in the 5th thanks to an Andrew Aplin sac fly and a Colin Moran RBI double. Reid Brignac added an RBI single in the 6th and ripped a 2-run triple in the 8th. Aplin brought him home with a single.

Fisher finished 3-5 on the day, while Tony Kemp (R, SB [4]), Preston Tucker (R), Brignac (3B, 3 RBI, R), and Aplin (2 RBI) all finished with two-hit days.

Edison Frias went 5 innings and allowed 5 runs on 4 hits, walked 4, and struck out 3. Reymin Guduan got 2 outs in the 6th but allowed a couple of runs on 3 hits. Dayan Diaz and Jordan Jankowski both pitched 1.2 innings; Diaz allowed 2 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 3 hits, and Jankowski allowed a sac fly that allowed one of the two runners that he inherited from Diaz to score.

Brian Holmes will start the first of a 4-game series in Reno on Thursday. First pitch is at 6:35 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 4, Midland 3 in 12 innings

W- Andrew Thome (1-0, 1-1 season)
L- Cody Stull (0-1)

CC home runs: Bryan Muñiz (1, solo in 7th), Ramon Laureano (2, walk-off solo in 12th)

The Hooks made up for that debacle on Monday by walking off with the victory on Tuesday.

Dean Deetz started off the evening by allowing 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 3 over 5 shutout innings. Kent Emanuel tagged in and went 2.2 innings, allowing 3 runs (all in the 6th) on 6 hits (2-run homer), walking 2, and fanning 4. Riley Ferrell walked 3 and struck out 3 over 3 scoreless, and Andrew Thome retired all four RockHounds he faced to get the win; he got a flyball out to end the 11th and three groundouts in the 12th.

Ramon Laureano scored the first run of the evening when Jon Singleton swatted a ground-rule double in the 1st inning. Singleton also hit an RBI single in the 3rd inning. Corpus held a 2-0 lead until the 6th inning when the Hounds took the lead with 3 runs. They wouldn't be down for long, however, as Bryan Muñiz clubbed a solo shot in the 7th to tie the game. The 3-3 deadlock remained until the 12th when Laureano scored the last run of the evening, driving himself in with a home run.

Singleton (2B, 2 RBI, SB) and Jack Mayfield (2B) both finished with 2 hits on the evening. Drew Ferguson went 4-6 with a double and a stolen base (5); he led off the 3rd with that double and scored on Singleton's single.

Rogelio Armenteros takes on Heath Fillmeyer in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05.

Buies Creek and Winston-Salem was postponed

Due to rain. A doubleheader is scheduled for today with game 1 starting at 11 AM Eastern. Justin Ferrell will take on Max Beatty in game 1, while Alex Winkelman goes up against Kelvis Valerio in game 2.

The north-central part of North Carolina, where Winston-Salem is located, has been dealing with heavy rains over the last few days.

Peoria 9, Quad Cities 5

W- Jordan Hicks (3-0)
L- Dustin Hunt (0-3)

QC home runs: Ronnie Dawson (3, 2-run in 4th)

The Chiefs scored 4 runs in the top of the 2nd, which forced the Banditos to play catch-up all day.

Dustin Hunt couldn't get out of the 2nd inning; he allowed 4 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 3 hits, walked 3, and struck out 1. Edgardo Sandoval came in and threw 3.2 innings; the two runs he allowed came on a homer hit by Ryan McCarvel in the 5th. One of the runs was unearned. and he struck out 2. Reggie Williams was the next man up; in 3 innings, he allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. Lucas Williams allowed a run on 2 hits in the 9th.

Ronnie Dawson put Quad Cities on the board with an RBI single in the 2nd inning and clubbed a 2-run homer in the 4th. The Banditos scored a pair in the 7th on a groundout from Chuckie Robinson and a Marcos Almonte single. Dawson finished 2-4 and extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Almonte also had 2 hits on the day; he's recorded a hit in 6 of the 7 games he's played since joining the River Bandits.

Quad Cities and Peoria will finish the series at 6:35 as Carson LaRue takes on Ronnie Williams.

Tuesday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Photo by Rich Guill
Ronnie Dawson, OF, Quad Cities
2-4, 2-R HR (3), 3 RBI
Currently on 10-game hitting streak

Riley Ferrell, RHP, Corpus Christi
 3 IP, 3 BB, 3 K

Dean Deetz, RHP, Corpus Christi
5 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K

Ramon Laureano, OF, Corpus Christi
Walk-off HR (2) in 12th, 2 R

Jon Singleton, 1B, Corpus Christi
2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB (2)

Drew Ferguson, OF, Corpus Christi
4-6, 2B, R, SB (5)

Derek Fisher, OF, Fresno
3-5, 2B, solo HR (4), 2 R

Reid Brignac, IF, Fresno (below; I don't enjoy embedding stuff from Getty Images)
2-4, 3B, 3 RBI, R

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Buies Creek Astros: Early Season Results

We are now 18 games in to the Buies Creek Astros season. Let's see where things stand!

The BC Astros are currently 12-6 and in first place in the Carolina League Southern Division, three games in front of a second place tie between Myrtle Beach (CHC) and the Carolina Mudcats (MIL). Their current run differential is +16.

Here's how the BC Astros rank in the 10-team High A Carolina League in select categories:

OFFENSE
5th in Batting Average: .255
5th in On-Base Percentage: .327
5th in Slugging Percentage: .378
5th in On-Base Plus Slugging: .706
3rd in Doubles: 30
3rd in Triples: 8
T6th in Home Runs: 9
T4th in Walks: 60
1st in Strikeouts: 167
3rd in Stolen Bases: 21

PITCHING
5th in ERA: 3.67
2nd in WHIP: 1.24
T6th in Home Runs Allowed: 11
T2nd in Walks: 62
1st in Strikeouts: 187
1st in Saves: 10

The offense has been mostly in the middle of the pack with a high strikeout rate, but that has been overcome by some eye-popping starting pitching. Let's look at the individual contributions that have helped them to their current first place standings.

Ryne Birk - July 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TOP 20 LEAGUE OFFENSIVE LEADERS (in select categories)

OF Myles Straw
.311 BA (18th)
.386 OBP (11th)
14 R (2nd)
12 RBI (T5th)
8 BB (T14th)

2B Ryne Birk
.310 BA (19th)
.369 OBP (19th)
.517 SLG (10th)
.886 OPS (15th)
11R (T13th)
3 3B (T1st)
12 RBI (T5th)

OF Kyle Tucker
.554 SLG (6th)
.910 OPS (9th)
12 R (T5th)
6 2B (T2nd)
3 HR (T5th)
17 RBI (2nd)

OF Jason Martin
12 R (T5th)

C Eduardo de Oleo
3 HR (T5th)

1B Dex McCall
10 BB (T6th)

This is a speedy crew as well, with Kyle Tucker (6), Myles Straw (4), Osvaldo Duarte (3) and Jason Martin (3) all residing in the top 20 in the league in that category.

Alex Winkelman - May 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TOP 20 LEAGUE PITCHING LEADERS (in select categories)

RHP Franklin Perez
0.00 ERA (T1st)
0.42 WHIP (2nd)

LHP Alex Winkelman
0.00 ERA (T1st)
0.35 WHIP (1st)
21 SO (T8th)

RHP Akeem Bostick
1.86 ERA (12th)
0.83 WHIP (6th)

From Monday: Quad Cities River Bandits

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, April 24, 2017

Salt Lake 12, Fresno 9

W- Troy Scribner (2-0)
L- Keegan Yuhl (1-3)

Fresno home runs: Colin Moran (3, solo in 4th), Tyler White (1, 2-run in 9th)

The Grizzlies made things pretty interesting after getting demolished in the early going. They weren't able to erase a 9-0 deficit, though.

Colin Moran's solo homer in the 4th finally put Fresno on the board after the Bees scored the first 9 runs of the night. A.J. Reed added a 2-run single in the 5th inning. Moran hit a 2-run single in the 8th, and Reid Brignac drove in another run with a groundout. In the 9th, Reed hit and RBI single and came home when Tyler White clubbed a 2-run home run. Reed (3 RBI, 2 R), Moran (solo HR, 3 RBI, 2 R), and Preston Tucker all had two-hit games. Reed is looking to recover from a 1-18 slump and he's doing that pretty well; he's recorded a hit in 3 of his last 4 games.

Keegan Yuhl struggled in his 4 innings, and I'll leave it at that. Tyson Perez and Ryan Thompson both threw 2 innings with radically different results. Perez's two frames were scoreless; he allowed 3 hits and struck out 1. On the other hand, Thompson allowed 3 runs in the 8th after turning in a scoreless 7th. He allowed 6 hits and struck out 2. Andrew Aplin retired the side in order in the 9th.

Fresno and Salt Lake will wrap up their series with an early Taco Tuesday as Edison Frias takes on Alex Blackford at 11:05 AM Pacific.

Midland 9, Corpus Christi 0

W- Corey Walter (2-0)
L- Kyle Smith (0-1)
S- Brandon Mann (1)

CC home runs: None.

Sometimes you're the hammer... sometimes you're the nail. The Hooks, unfortunately, were the latter on Monday.

On offense, Corpus only got a pair of singles from Jack Mayfield and Jamie Ritchie.

Kyle Smith went 4.1 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 5 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 5. Eric Peterson was the first man out of the Hooks bullpen and went 2.2 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits (grand slam; 2 runs were charged to Smith), walking 1, and striking out 2. The three runs that Jacob Dorris allowed in his 1.1 innings of work all came on a home run hit by J.P. Sportman in the 8th inning. He allowed 4 other hits and struck out 3. Michael Freeman got the final two outs of the 9th, walking 1 and striking out 1.

Dean Deetz will face James Naile in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05.

Buies Creek was off

The Astros will wrap up their 14-game road trip with 3 games in Winston-Salem. Alex Winkleman will start game 1, and he'll face Max Beatty at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 14, Peoria 4

W- Ryan Hartman (2-0)
L- Bryan Dobzanski (0-2)

QC home runs: Ray Henderson-Lozano 2 (2, solo in 2nd, 2-run in 3rd), Jake Rogers (3, 2-run in 1st)

The Banditos took game 1 from the Chiefs with a show of power and a 6-run 3rd inning that featured a Little League home run.

Jake Rogers opened the scoring with a 2-run homer in the 1st inning. Ray Henderson-Lozano launched a solo homer, his first of the evening, in the 2nd.

Alex De Goti drew a 1-out walk that kickstarted Quad Cities' big 3rd inning. He advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch, stole 3rd when Rogers walked, and scored on a Stephen Wrenn infield single. Rodrigo Ayarza followed with an RBI single and an errant relay throw allowed him and Wrenn to score. Taylor Jones singled, which prompted Peoria to make a pitching change. Daz Cameron flew out for the second out of the inning, but Henderson capped off the scoring in the 3rd by smacking his second homer of the game to put the Banditos up 9-1.

Carmen Benedetti was the only player in the Quad Cities lineup to go hitless in this game, but he drew a bases-loaded walk in the 5th. The River Bandits finished off the onslaught with 4 more runs in the 6th: Daz hit an RBI single, Wrenn scored on a wild pitch, and Ronnie Dawson hit a 2-run single. Rogers (2B, 2-R HR, 3 R), Wrenn (RBI, 2 R), Ayarza (RBI, 2 R), and Henderson (2 HR) all finished with two hits on the night.

None of the three Quad Cities hurlers in this game had spectacular nights, but they did their job by not allowing the Chiefs to score more runs than their offense did. Hector Perez went 4.1 innings and allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 4, and struck out 4. Ryan Hartman tagged in for 3.2 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits (solo homer), walking 2, and fanning 3. Lucas Williams allowed a solo homer to Tommy Edman in the 9th, which was the only hit he allowed in the frame. He struck out 1.

Dustin Hunt will go against Jordan Hicks in an early start. First pitch is at 11:00 AM.

Monday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Ray Henderson-Lozano, C, Quad Cities
2-5, 2 HR (2), 3 RBI; was in the lineup at 2B

Jake Rogers, C, Quad Cities
2-3, 2B, 2-R HR (3), 3 R
Has a hit in 10 of his last 11 games

Colin Moran, IF, Fresno
2-5, solo HR (3), 3 RBI, 2 R
HR in 2nd straight game

A.J. Reed, 1B, Fresno
2-4, 3 RBI, 2 R
Last 4 games: 6-15; 1-18 in previous 6

Tyson Perez, RHP, Fresno
2 IP, 3 H, K

Hector Perez, RHP, Quad Cities
4.1 IP, 2 H, ER, 4 BB, 4 K

Monday, April 24, 2017

Quad Cities River Bandits: Early Season Results

We are now 17 games in to the Quad Cities River Bandits season. Let's see where things stand!

The Banditos are currently 9-8 and in a 3-way tie for second place (along with Cedar Rapids-MIN and Wisconsin-MIL), two games behind the Kane County Cougars, an Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate. Only four games separate the first place team and the last place team in the eight-team division. Thanks to a recent offensive onslaught, the Quad Cities crew are sporting a +22 run differential.

Here's how Quad Cities ranks in the 16-team Low A Midwest League in select categories:

OFFENSE
4th in Batting Average: .250
3rd in On-Base Percentage: .322
1st in Slugging Percentage: .448
1st in On-Base Plus Slugging: .770
T4th in Doubles: 28
T5th in Triples: 6
1st in Home Runs: 24
5th in Walks: 56
13th in Strikeouts: 139
5th in Stolen Bases: 17

PITCHING
5th in ERA: 3.00
2nd in WHIP: 1.080
T3rd in Home Runs Allowed: 20
T13th in Walks: 46
T8th in Strikeouts: 153
16th in Hit Batters: 2

As you can see, the River Bandits have had a good balance of offense and pitching. Let's look at the individual contributions that have led to their early success.

Alex De Goti - July 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TOP 20 LEAGUE OFFENSIVE LEADERS (in select categories)

IF Alex De Goti
.322 BA (18th)
.437 OBP (9th)
.945 OPS (14th)
11 R (T11th)
12 BB (T2nd)

C Jake Rogers
.521 SLG (20th)

OF Ronnie Dawson
10 R (T13th)
4SB (T11th)

1B Spencer Johnson
.571 SLG (T10th)
12 RBI (T6th)

OF Stephen Wrenn
9 BB (T12th)
5SB (T4th)

OF Daz Cameron
9 RBI (T17th)
5 SB (T4th)

Also, there are five players on the team that are tied for 10th in the league with three home runs each: Marcos Almonte, Rodrigo Ayarza, Daz Cameron, Spencer Johnson, and Stephen Wrenn.

Ryan Hartman - July 2016
Photo by Jayne Hansen

TOP 20 LEAGUE PITCHING LEADERS (in select categories)

RHP Carson LaRue
1.20 ERA (6th)
0.87 WHIP (11th)

LHP Ryan Hartman
1.29 ERA (7th)
0.79 WHIP (7th)

LHP Brett Adcock
1.32 ERA (9th)
0.95 WHIP (16th)
22 SO (T4th)

RHP Hector Perez
20 SO (T11th)

Tomorrow (I hope): Buies Creek