What the Heck, Bobby?: Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, July 5, 2018

Las Vegas 12, Fresno 5

W- Ian Krol (2-0)
L- Trent Thornton (5-7)

Fresno home runs: A.J. Reed (19, solo in 6th), Kyle Tucker (14, 2-run in 7th)

The Grizzlies were really up against it early as they found themselves down 11-1 after the 2nd inning.

A.J. Reed put Fresno on the board with an RBI single in the 1st; he would also smack a solo homer in the 6th. The Grizzlies scored three in the 7th on an RBI double from Nick Tanielu and a two-run blast hit by Kyle Tucker. He, Reed, and Tanielu all finished with two hits on the night.

Trent Thornton had to bear the brunt of the early assault. The bullpen allowed just one run the rest of the way. Ralph Garza was first and he went 3.1 innings, allowing three hits, walking one, and striking out four. Dean Deetz was next; he allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out two. Reymin Guduan, Riley Ferrell, and Brendan McCurry all pitched one inning apiece. Guduan struck out the side in order in the 7th. Ferrell allowed a run on four hits and struck out one in the 8th, and McCurry worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out two.

Tonight, Rogelio Armenteros goes up against Scott Copeland in game three of this five-game set. First pitch is at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 3, Arkansas 0

W- Ronel Blanco (1-0, 6-1 season)
L- Johendi Jiminian (4-4)
S- Alex Winkelman (3)

CC home runs: None.

Well, this game started off with something that absolutely no one wanted to see: Forrest Whitley left the game in the first inning with what the Astros are calling "left oblique discomfort."

The Hooks are playing this series as the Raspas as part of MiLB's "Copa de la Diversión" campaign. If you're unfamiliar with the term, a raspa is a snow cone.

Whitley walked one and got two outs in the 1st, one via strikeout, before leaving. Ronel Blanco was summoned to make his Texas League debut and he absolutely shined in his four innings; he did not allow a hit, walked one, and struck out eight. Alex Winkelman completed the shutout as he allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out four over the final 4.1 innings.

Yordan Alvarez opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st. Ryne Birk added a sac fly in the 4th and Alvarez added another RBI base hit to his ledger in the 5th. Josh Rojas went 3-3 with a couple of doubles and scored on both of Alvarez's singles.

Brandon Bielak will make his first Texas League start in the rubber game of this series. He'll face Chase de Jong at 7:05.

Buies Creek 6, Myrtle Beach 1

W- Patrick Sandoval (1-0, 8-1 season)
L- Cory Abbott (1-4)

BC home runs: Abraham Toro (14, 2-run in 8th), Osvaldo Duarte (5, solo in 8th)

Patrick Sandoval turned in a gem in his first Carolina League start.

Sandoval allowed just one hit and struck out nine over five shutout frames. Abdiel Saldaña threw three innings and allowed the lone Pelicans run on five hits and struck out one. Yohan Ramirez threw a 1-2-3 9th in his Carolina League debut.

Abraham Toro ripped an RBI double in the 1st to open the scoring. Buies Creek got two more in the 2nd when Chuckie Robinson ripped an RBI ground-rule double and then scored on a single from Cody Bohanek. Toro scored on a double play in the 6th. He and Osvaldo Duarte capped off the evening by smacking back-to-back home runs in the 8th inning. Toro, Duarte, and Robinson all finished with two hits on the night.

Brady Rodgers will continue his rehab at 6:00 Eastern as he takes on Erich Uelmen.

Beloit 2, Quad Cities 1

W- Seth Martinez (2-1)
L- Brendan Feldmann (0-1, 2-1 season)
S- Nick Highberger (2)

QC home runs: None.

Tough to win when you only record two hits as a team...

Miguelangel Sierra singled to lead off the bottom of the 9th and scored Quad Cities' lone run on a passed ball. The other hit belonged to Alfredo Angarita.

Chad Donato allowed five hits, walked two, and struck out six over five shutout innings. Willy Collado was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen and allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out three over two scoreless innings. Brendan Feldmann and Dariel Aquino both pitched an inning; Feldmann allowed an unearned run on two hits and struck out the side in the 8th and Aquino allowed a a solo homer in the 9th and walked one.

Parker Mushinski will take on Oliver Ortega in the first of a four-game series against the Burlington Bees. First pitch is at 6:35.

Tri-City 4, Vermont 2

W- Shawn Dubin (1-0)
L- Jhenderson Hurtado (1-2)
S- Tim Hardy (2)

TC home runs: Gilberto Celestino (2, solo in 8th)

The ValleyCats had three hits, but they scored in more innings than the Lake Monsters.

Bryan Abreu allowed a hit, walked one, and struck out a career-high nine over four scoreless innings. Shawn Dubin and Brett Daniels threw two innings apiece; Dubin allowed a run on a sac fly, a hit, and walked two. Daniels allowed a run on a homer and two other hits. Tim Hardy struck out one in a 1-2-3 9th to close it out.

Jeremy Peña doubled with one out in the 4th and scored the first run of the night thanks to a couple of wild pitches. Michael Wielansky walked to start the 5th, made his way to third on two more wild pitches, and scored on a sac fly from Alex Holderbach. Gilbeto Celestino smacked a ground-rule double to start the 6th and advanced to third when Peña flew out. Alex McKenna walked, but he got picked off first and was thrown out in a rundown. However, he held out long enough for Celestino to come home with another run. Celestino launched a solo homer in the 8th. He finished 2-3 and scored twice.

The finale of this six-game, away-and-home series will start at 7:00 Eastern.

DSL Astros 8, DSL Royals1 1

W- Ernesto Jaquez (4-0)
L- Luis Barroso (1-1)

DSL home runs: None.

The Academy cruised to a victory on Thursday.

Jose Antonio Hernandez allowed three hits and walked one over four scoreless innings. Ernesto Jaquez tagged in to throw three hitless innings, walking one and striking out three. Cristofer Mezquita and Jeremy Molero pitched one inning apiece; Mezquita allowed a hit and struck out one in a scoreless 8th, and Molero allowed a run on two hits, walked two, and struck out two in the 9th.

Franklin Pinto had a nice day at the plate as he went 2-4 with a sac fly, scored twice, and stole three bases (5); one of the steals was of home. Rolando Espinosa finished 3-4 with an RBI triple; he got thrown out trying to turn it into an inside-the-park home run.

Thursday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Ernesto Jaquez, RHP, DSL Astros: W (4-0), 3 IP, BB, 3 K
Franklin Pinto, OF, DSL Astros: 2-4, RBI, 2 R, 3 SB (5)
Rolando Espinosa, UTIL, DSL Astros: 3-4, 3B, RBI, R