Astros Minor League Playoff Recaps

Results for Thursday, September 8, 2016

The Hooks and JetHawks drew even in their series.

Texas League South Division Series: Corpus Christi 5, Midland 4

Series tied 1-1.

W- Eric Peterson
L- Cody Stull

CC home runs: None.

The Hounds scored three runs in the top of the 8th to take a 4-0 lead. At that point, they were sitting pretty and six outs away from taking a 2-0 series lead back to Midland. The Hooks.... had other ideas. Let's fast forward to the bottom of the 8th.

Garrett Stubbs drew a walk to lead off the inning, advanced to 3rd on a Ramon Laureano double, and scored Corpus Christi's first run on a J.D. Davis groundout. Laureano, who advanced to 3rd on the groundout, scored on a double from Nick Tanielu. Chase McDonald went down on strikes for the second out of the inning, but Bobby Boyd was able to come through with a single, and he wound up scoring the tying run on a wild pitch.

Stubbs drew another walk to lead off the 9th, and Laureano legged out an infield single. Davis flew out, but Tanielu hit a single to load the bases for Tony Nuñez, who sent the Whataburger Field crowd home happy with the game-winning RBI single. Laureano and Tanielu both finished with 3 hits.

Trent Thornton went 6.2 innings and allowed a run on 7 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Dean Deetz was the first man out of the Hooks bullpen, and he allowed 3 runs, a 2-run double in the 8th, walked 4, and struck out 1 in 1.1 innings. Eric Peterson allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in a scoreless 9th.

Tonight, the series shifts to Midland. Rogelio Armenteros will take on Ben Bracewell at 7:00.

California League South Division Mini-Series: Lancaster 17, Rancho Cucamonga 11

W- Jose Luis Hernandez
L- Michael Boyle

Series tied 1-1.

Lancaster home runs: Aaron Mizell 2 (3; 2-run in 4th, solo in 6th), Christian Correa 2 (2; 3-run in 1st, solo in 8th), Trent Woodward (1, 2-run in 1st), Marc Wik (1, solo in 3rd), Jamie Ritchie (1, 2-run in 6th)

The Hangar lived up to its name on Thursday as both teams combined to send 11 balls out of the park. Lancaster whacked seven home runs to force a deciding game 3 tonight.

The JetHawks took flight with 8 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning and responded to a 5-run 5th from Rancho with 6 runs in the final 3 innings. Everyone in the lineup had a hit and scored a run; Keach Ballard, who pinch-ran for Marc Wik, did not have a plate appearance.

It wasn't the finest outing for Jose Luis Hernandez, who allowed 8 runs on 11 hits (solo, 2-run, and 3-run homers) and struck out 6 in 5 innings, but he was the beneficiary of generous run support. Scott Weathersby struck out 1 over 2 scoreless innings. Chris Murphy allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1 in a scoreless 8th, and Juan Carlos Santos allowed a 3-run homer to Noah Perio, walked 2, and struck out 1 in the 9th.

Akeem Bostick will get the start in the deciding game 3. He'll face Adam Bray at 6:35 Pacific.

Thursday's Stars

Trent Thornton, RHP, Corpus Christi

6.2 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 5 K

Antonio Nuñez, IF, Corpus Christi

Walk-off RBI single in 9th

Aaron Mizell, OF, Lancaster

3-5, 2 HR (3), 3 RBI, 3 R

Christian Correa, C, Lancaster

3-5, 2 HR (2), 4 RBI, 2 R

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, September 4, 2016

Fresno 5, Sacramento 4

W- Reymin Guduan (2-3, 3-3 season)
L- Jean Machi (4-3)
S- Jordan Jankowski (5)

Fresno home runs: Jon Singleton (20, grand slam in 8th)

For the second consecutive game, a grand slam put Fresno out in front.

Jon Kemmer put the Grizz on the board with an RBI single in the 3rd. Colin Moran and Danny Worth singled to lead off the top of the 8th, and they both advanced a base following a Kemmer groundout. Alejandro Garcia got plunked to load the bases. Max Stassi went down on strikes for the second out, but Jon Singleton delivered with the decisive hit, a grand slam that put the Grizzlies in the lead. Moran, Worth, and Tyler Heineman all finished with 2 hits in the game.

Mike Hauschild went 6 innings and allowed 4 runs on 8 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. Reymin Guduan allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 1.1 innings, and Jordan Jankowski got the save, allowing a hit, walking 1, and striking out 4 over the final 1.2 innings.

The Grizzlies and RiverCats will finish off their 2016 seasons at 2:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 4, San Antonio 2

W- Kent Emanuel (6-4)
L- Jerry Keel (0-2)
S- Jacob Dorris (4, 14 season)

CC home runs: J.D. Davis (22, solo in 8th)

J.D. Davis provided a crucial insurance run, while Ryan Deemes and Jacob Dorris delivered 4 lockdown innings in relief on Sunday.

Kent Emanuel wasn't too bad in his start either; he allowed 2 runs on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 8 in 5 innings of work. Deemes and Dorris both pitched 2 scoreless; Deemes allowed 2 hits and struck out 3, while Dorris allowed a hit and struck out 3.

Tony Nuñez walked to lead off the game, and he scored the first run of the game on a Drew Ferguson double. Ferguson ended up scoring on a Nick Tanielu groundout. J.D. Davis hit an RBI single in the 3rd and drove in the final run of the evening when he launched a solo homer in the 8th. He and Bobby Boyd had 2 hits apiece.

Cy Sneed will start the season finale, and he'll face Tim Berry at 2:05.

Lancaster 8, Inland Empire 7

W- Alex Winkelman (1-5, 6-7 season)
L- Justin Anderson (8-12)
S- Juan Carlos Santos (1, 6 season)

Lancaster home runs: Aaron Mizell (8, 10 season; 3-run in 2nd)

Despite allowing 4 home runs to the 66ers, the JetHawks managed to escape with a victory.

Lancaster only scored in 2 innings, but the output of those innings turned out to be enough as well. Aaron Mizell opened up the scoring with a 3-run homer in the 2nd inning, and they got 2 more in the inning thanks to RBI doubles from Christian Correa and Kyle Tucker. In the 5th, Bryan Muñiz hit an RBI double, and Trent Woodward added a 2-run single.

Little Tuck, Woodward, Mizell, Osvaldo Duarte, and Jason Martin all finished 2-4; everyone in the lineup scored a run except for Johnny Sewald, who missed out on the party.

Albert Abreu went 4.2 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits (2 solo homers), walked 4, and struck out 4. The 2 runs that Alex Winkelman allowed in his 3.1 innings came on a home run hit by Zach Houchins in the 7th. Winkelman allowed 2 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 8. Houchins hit another 2-run homer off of Juan Carlos Santos in the 9th that cut the JetHawks' lead to 1, but Santos pulled himself together to get the save. He allowed one other hit and struck out the side.

The JetHawks and 66ers will finish off their seasons at 2:05 Pacific. Framber Valdez will make his Lancaster debut, and he'll take on former Aggie Grayson Long.

Burlington 6, Quad Cities 5

W- Luis Peña (5-9)
L- Adam Whitt (4-7)
S- Blake Smith (1)

QC home runs: Jake Rogers (1, 3 season; solo in 2nd)

The Banditos scored 2 in the top of the 8th to pull within one, but that was as close as they could get.

Jake Rogers put Quad Cities on the board with a solo homer in the 2nd that tied the game at 1. In the 4th, Arturo Michelena doubled and scored thanks to two wild pitches. Dex McCall grounded into a force out in the 7th that scored Randy César, and Bobby Wernes hit a 2-run single in the 8th. Unfortuately, the Banditos stranded runners on the corners to end the inning. They went down in order in the 9th to end the game.

Abdiel Saldaña went 4 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 4. Adam Whitt got 2 outs in the 5th, one via strikeout, but he also allowed 3 runs on 5 hits. Zac Person and Nick Hernandez both pitched 1.2 innings; Person allowed 2 runs, both of which were inherited runners that were charged to him, on 3 hits and struck out 3, while Hernandez allowed a hit and fanned 2.

The River Bandits will close out their season at 2:00. Matt Bower will face Erik Manoah.

Tri-City 4, Connecticut 3 in 10 innings

W- Angelo Serrano (2-2, 3-3 season)
L- John Schreiber (2-3)

TC home runs: None.

The Tigers managed to force extra innings, but the ValleyCats were able to re-establish their advantage with a run in the first extra frame.

Alex De Goti opened up the scoring with an RBI triple in the 3rd inning, and he eventually scored on a sac fly from Rodrigo Ayarza. De Goti hit a two-out single in the 5th and came all the way around to score on a Marcos Almonte triple. At that point, Tri-City led 3-0, but Connecticut scored a run in the 6th and 2 more in the bottom of the 9th to force extra innings.

Tyler Wolfe hit a one-out double in the top of the 10th, and then Carmen Benedetti was intentionally walked, and Chuckie Robinson singled to load the bases for Ronnie Dawson, who ended up not having to do a lot, because a passed ball allowed Wolfe to score the go-ahead run. De Goti (3B, RBI, 2 R) and Almonte (2B, 3B, RBI) both finished 2-4 out of the bottom of the order.

Ryan Hartman allowed 4 hits and struck out 3 over 4 scoreless innings. Dustin Hunt was the first man out of the Tri-City bullpen, and he allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 4. Devin Raftery allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 1.2 innings, and Angelo Serrano walked 1 and struck out 1 over the final 1.1 innings.

The ValleyCats will finish their 2016 campaign today at 1:05 Eastern. Jorge Alcala will face Locke St. John.

Sunday's Stars

Jon Singleton, 1B, Fresno

Go-ahead grand slam (20) in 8th

J.D. Davis, 3B, Corpus Christi

2-3, solo HR (22), 2 RBI

Ryan Deemes (top) and Jacob Dorris, RHPs, Corpus Christi

Deemes: 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K

Dorris: Save (4, 14 season), 2 IP, H, 3 K

Ryan Hartman, LHP, Tri-City

4 IP, 4 H, 3 K

Alex De Goti, IF, Tri-City

2-4, 3B, RBI, 2 R

Photo by Bryan Green

Marcos Almonte, UTIL, Tri-City

2-4, 2B, 3B, RBI

Aaron Mizell, OF, Lancaster

2-4, 2B, 3-R HR (8, 10 season)

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, August 6, 2016

Las Vegas 10, Fresno 8

W- Luis Mateo (1-0)
L- Aaron West (0-1, 5-3 season)
S- Josh Smoker (3)

Fresno home runs: Jon Singleton (17, 3-run in 1st)

Vegas took the finale after scoring 2 in the 8th inning to break an 8-8 tie. Nevertheless, the Grizzlies still won the series 3-2.

Jon Singleton opened the scoring with a 3-run home run in the 1st inning. Andrew Aplin added a 2-run single in the 4th and came around to score on a single from Colin Moran. Singleton added an RBI double to his ledger in the 5th, and Moran scored on an error in the 6th inning. 

Tyler Heineman finished 3-5 with a double and a run scored, and Singleton (3-R HR, 4 RBI, 2 R) and Danny Worth (2 BB, 2 R) had 2 hits apiece.

Edison Frias went 3.1 innings and allowed 8 runs (6 earned) on 10 hits (3-run homer), walked 1, and struck out 1. Albert Minnis was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen and threw 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 1. Aaron West was next; he went 1.1 innings and allowed 2 runs, both of which were inherited runners that were charged to him, a double, and walked 1. Brendan McCurry took ownership of the 8th inning and allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 2.

The Grizzlies are in El Paso for the final leg of their 13-game roadtrip. Mike Hauschild will take on Bryan Rodriguez at 6:05 Mountain. 

Midland 7, Corpus Christi 2

W- Ben Bracewell (7-1)
L- Trent Thornton (1-1, 8-5 season)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks were sunk by a pair of home runs from top A's prospect Matt Chapman in this game.

Trent Thornton went 6 innings and allowed 5 runs on 6 hits (solo and 3-run home runs both hit by Chapman), walked 2, and struck out 4. Michael Freeman allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 2 innings.

Ramon Laureano doubled to lead off the game and scored the first run of the evening on a single from J.D. Davis. Laureano smacked another double to drive in the other Corpus Christi run in the 2nd inning. He and James Ramsay had 2 hits apiece from the top of the order.

Francis Martes will start the series finale. He'll face Daniel Gossett at 2:00.

Lancaster 11, Modesto 5

W- Jose Luis Hernandez (1-2, 4-4 season)
L- Parker French (6-9)

Lancaster home runs: Aaron Mizell (5, 7 season; solo in 2nd), Keach Ballard (3, 4 season; solo in 2nd)

The JetHawks busted this game open with a 5-run 5th inning.

Johnny Sewald scored the first run of the game when Trent Woodward grounded into a force out in the 1st inning. Aaron Mizell led off the 2nd inning with a homer, and two batters later, Keach Ballard launched a solo shot of his own. Yulieski Gurriel added an RBI single later in the frame. Ballard scored on an error in the 4th inning following a Johnny Sewald bunt single. 

Jason Martin walked to lead off the 5th, and Mizell joined him on the bases after a single. Brooks Marlow got plunked to load the bases, and they all ended up scoring. Ballard drew a walk to bring in Martin, Mizell scored after Sewald got hit by a pitch, and Marlow scored on a Bobby Boyd walk. Gurriel added a sac fly, and Woodward hit a two-out RBI single. Mizell hit a one-out triple in the 8th and scored Lancaster's final run on a single from Marlow. He finished 4-5 with 3 runs scored. Ballard and Sewald also scored 3 runs in the game. 

Jose Luis Hernandez allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 3, and tied a career high with 12 strikeouts. Ryan Deemes was the first man out of the JetHawks bullpen, and in 1.1 innings, he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and walked 3. After Deemes failed to record an out in the 9th, Andrew Thome took ownership of the inning and finished the game, striking out 1.

The JetHawks will look to sweep the Nuts out of The Hangar at 5:05 Pacific. Brock Dykxhoorn will face Helmis Rodriguez.

Burlington 7, Quad Cities 3

W- Austin Robichaux (2-1)

L- Justin Ferrell (4-5)
S- Aaron Cox (4)

QC home runs: None.

This game was tied at 3 after 3 innings, but the Bees scored the game's final 4 runs.

Ryne Birk put Quad Cities on the board with an RBI single in the 1st. He got caught stealing 2nd base, but Dex McCall took his place on the bases with a double. McCall came around to score on a double from Kyle Tucker. Kristian Trompiz drew a two-out walk in the 3rd inning. He proceeded to steal 2nd (7, 11 season) and scored after two consecutive wild pitches. Myles Straw finished 2-5 with a double and a run scored; he has 7 straight multi-hit games.

Hector Perez and Justin Ferrell both pitched 4 innings; Perez allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, walked 3, and struck out 8, and Ferrell allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Adam Whitt allowed a run on a fielder's choice, walked 3, and struck out 1 in the 9th inning. 

In game 2 of this series, Albert Abreu will take on Jose Rodriguez. First pitch is at 1:15.

Tri-City 4, Brooklyn 1

W- Sean Stutzman (2-2)

L- Thomas Szapucki (1-2)
S- Dustin Hunt (1)

TC home runs: Tyler Wolfe (1, solo in 7th)

The ValleyCats took game 1 from the Cyclones as their offense came alive in the late innings.

They were hitless through the first 5 innings, but they scored 2 in the 6th to take the lead. Marcos Almonte drew a walk to lead off the inning. He proceeded to steal 2nd and moved to 3rd on the errant throw. Two batters later, Brauly Mejia ripped an RBI double to give Tri-City their first hit of the game. Later in the 6th, Taylor Jones put the ValleyCats in front with an RBI single. Tyler Wolfe led off the 7th with his first home run as a pro, and Spencer Johnson ripped an RBI double in the 8th to bring in the final run of the game.

Enrique Chavez went 5 innings and allowed an unearned run on 2 hits and struck out 3. Sean Stutzman walked 1 and struck out 1 in a scoreless 6th, and Dustin Hunt finished it off with 3 scoreless, allowing a hit, walking 1, and striking out 4.

Kevin Hill will start game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 5:00 Eastern.

Greeneville 4, Bristol 1

W- Patrick Sandoval (2-2)
L- Mike Wallace (2-2)
S- Diogenes Almengo (2)

Greeneville home runs: None.

The Appy Astros scored 3 in the 6th and got a fine outing from Patrick Sandoval to take 2 of 3 from the Pirates.

Sandoval allowed 3 hits and struck out 7 over 5 shutout innings. The Pirates spoiled the shutout in the 8th with a run off of Diogenes Almengo. Almengo pitched the final 4 innings, allowing 3 hits and walking 4.

Jonathan Arauz doubled to lead off the 3rd inning and scored the game's first run when Abraham Toro grounded into a fielder's choice. Connor MacDonald singled to lead off the 6th; Ray Henderson and Carlos Machado joined him after they both got plunked. Frankeny Fernandez followed by hitting a sacrifice fly that scored MacDonald; an error allowed Henderson to score, and Machado also advanced to 3rd. Machado ended up scoring on a wild pitch. Arauz (2B, R) and MacDonald had 2 hits apiece.

Tonight, Nathan Thompson will start the first of a 3-game series in Pulaski. First pitch is at 5:00 Eastern.

Dominican Summer League

Both the Blue team and the Orange team had their games suspended by rain.

Saturday's Stars

Jon Singleton, 1B, Fresno

2-4, 2B, 3-R HR (17), 4 RBI, 2 R

Aaron Mizell, 2B/OF, Lancaster

4-5, solo HR (5, 7 season), 3 R

Enrique Chavez, RHP, Tri-City

5 IP, 2 H, unearned run, 3 K

Sean Stutzman, LHP, Tri-City

W (2-2), IP, BB, K

Dustin Hunt, RHP, Tri-City

Save (1), 3 IP, H, BB, 4 K

Photo from MiLB.com

Patrick Sandoval, LHP, Greeneville

W (2-2), 5 IP, 3 H, 7 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, July 21, 2016

Round Rock 3, Fresno 0

W- Michael Roth (8-3)
L- Tommy Shirley (7-7)
S- Andrew Faulkner (3)

Fresno home runs: None.

There was only one scoring play in this game, and it did not belong to the Grizzlies. Fresno only had two hits in this game, and they both belonged to Tony Kemp.

Tommy Shirley went 2.1 innings and allowed a 3-run home run to Joey Gallo in the 3rd, 5 other hits, walked 4, and struck out 3. Brendan McCurry was the first man out of the Grizzlies bullpen; he walked 1 and struck out 5 over 2.2 scoreless. Jandel Gustave allowed a hit and fanned 2 in 2 scoreless innings, and Jordan Jankowski struck out the side in order in the 8th inning.

The Grizzlies will return home, with Alex Bregman still with the club, to begin a 4-game series with Albuquerque tonight at 7:05 Pacific. Mike Hauschild will take on Kyle Freeland.

I'm not thrilled that Alex Bregman isn't a Houston Astro yet, especially when this is an ideal time to have him up. But... I strongly suspect that the Astros front office knows what they're doing. They do a pretty good job at testing whether we can delay our gratification, and I admit that there are times (see: George Springer flirting with 40-40 in the minors in 2013) where I have failed badly at this. He'll be in the Majors this year. Just..... not at this moment.

Frisco 7, Corpus Christi 6 in 10 innings

W- John Fasola (3-1)
L- Chris Cotton (1-1)

CC home runs: J.D. Davis (15, 2-run in 3rd), Roberto Peña (8, 2-run in 8th)

The Roughriders tied the game with a run in the 9th and went ahead with a run in the first extra frame.

Mott Hyde put Corpus on the board with an RBI single in the 2nd inning. J.D. Davis clubbed a 2-run home run in the 3rd to put them in the lead, and Nolan Fontana added an RBI single in the 4th. Roberto Peña responded to Frisco's 4-run 7th inning with a 2-run home run in the 8th that put the Hooks back in front. Six players finished with two hits in this game, including Davis, Fontana, and Hyde.

Evan Grills went 6.1 innings and allowed 5 runs on 7 hits (2 solo homers) and struck out 6. Kyle Smith tagged in to throw 2 innings, allowing a run on 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 1. Chris Cotton allowed a run on 2 hits and walked 1 in 1.2 innings.

Edison Frias will start game 2 of this series. He'll take on Scott Carroll at 7:05.

Lancaster 9, High Desert 8 in 11 innings

W- Kevin Comer (2-2)
L- Felix Carvallo (6-2)

Lancaster home runs; Bryan Muñiz (9, solo in 2nd), Aaron Mizell (4, 6 season; solo in 8th), Drew Ferguson 2 (7; solo in 8th, walk-off 2-run in 11th)

The Astros' affiliates dropped 2 of 3 from the Rangers' affiliates on Thursday, but the one win came in walk-off fashion. The JetHawks erased a 7-2 deficit by finishing the game on a 7-1 run, scoring 2 in the 8th and the 9th to force extras and winning the game with Drew Ferguson's 2-run home run in the bottom of the 11th.

Bryan Muñiz's solo home run in the 2nd put Lancaster on the board. Drew Ferguson drew a bases-loaded walk in the 4th, and Aaron Mizell scored on an error following a Johnny Sewald single in the 6th inning. Mizell and Ferguson led off the 8th with solo home runs, and then in the 9th, Mizell tied the game with a 2-out, 2-run double. The Mavs re-took the lead with a run in the 11th, but in the bottom of the inning, Ferguson sent the crowd at The Hangar home happy by sending a ball into the warm Antelope Valley night for a 2-run home run, his second of the evening. He finished 3-4 in the game. Mizell finished 2-6 with 3 RBI and scored twice, and Sewald and Tony Nuñez went 2-6 from the top of the order.

Rogelio Armenteros went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 4, and struck out 7. Jacob Dorris was the first man out of the JetHawks bullpen, and he took ownership of the 6th inning. It was a rare off night for Dorris as he allowed 3 runs of his own in addition to allowing both of Armenteros' runners to score. His 3 runs all scored on a home run. Dorris allowed 4 other hits in his outing. Scott Weathersby stopped the bleeding with 3.2 scoreless innings; he allowed 3 hits and fanned 3. Kevin Comer pitched 1.1 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2.

In game 2 of this series, Dean Deetz will start against David Ledbetter. First pitch is at 6:35 Pacific.

Quad Cities 12, Dayton 4

W- Matt Bower (4-0, 6-3 season)
L- Ty Boyles (2-6)

QC home runs: Anthony Hermelyn (3, 3-run in 2nd), Pat Porter (5, solo in 5th)

Quad Cities saw their lead whittled down to one run, thanks to a 3-run 6th from the Dragons, but they responded with 3 of their own in the bottom of the 6th and put this game away with a 4-run 8th inning.

Anthony Hermelyn's 3-run home run in the 2nd inning put the Banditos on the board and in the lead. Myles Straw hit a single in the 4th, and on the ensuing error, Randy César scored. Pat Porter whacked a solo homer in the 5th inning.

César, Hermelyn, and Myles Straw led off the 6th by singling to load the bases. Kristian Trompiz grounded into a force out that erased Straw at 2nd base, but an error allowed César and Hermelyn to score. Trompiz, who advanced to 2nd on the gaffe, stole 3rd and scored on a Kyle Tucker sacrifice fly. Trompiz reached on another error in the 8th and scored on a triple from Hector Roa. Arturo Michelena followed with a 2-run double, and Connor Goedert capped off the scoring with an RBI single.

César finished 3-5 and scored 3 runs in his Midwest League debut. Hermelyn (3-R HR, 2 R), Roa (2B, 3B, RBI, R), Porter (solo HR, 2 R), and Goedert (RBI, R) all had 2 hits in this game.

Matt Bower went 6 innings and allowed 4 runs on 4 hits (3-run homer), walked 2, and struck out 11. He is the second pitcher in the Astros system to reach the 100-strikeout plateau this season. Adam Whitt allowed a hit and fanned 3 over 2 scoreless innings, and Makay Nelson walked 1 and struck out 2 in the 9th inning.

Elieser Hernandez will take the mound as the Banditos look for the sweep. He'll face Austin Orewiler, a Galveston native and Rice product, at 7:00.

Staten Island 6, Tri-City 5

W- Taylor Widener (2-0)
L- Kevin Hill (0-2)
S- Brooks Kriske (3)

TC home runs: Jake Rogers (2, solo in 2nd)

The ValleyCats' comeback bid fell one run short.

Taylor Jones drove in Tri-City's first run with a groundout in the 2nd inning. Jake Rogers followed by launching a solo homer. Alex De Goti followed Rogers' blast with a single and was able to make it to 2nd base on an error. De Goti then stole 3rd (7) and scored on a wild pitch. Ronnie Dawson ripped an RBI double in the 3rd inning. De Goti hit a one-out single in the 9th and made his way to 3rd, thanks to a couple of wild pitches. Rodrigo Ayarza, who was batting at the time, walked, and Ryne Birk brought De Goti home with a sac fly. Unfortunately, Ayarza was left at first base to end the game. De Goti (2 R) and Carmen Benedetti (2B) both finished 2-4.

Dustin Hunt went 1.2 innings and allowed a 3-run home run to Timmy Robinson in the 1st, which was the only hit that he allowed. He walked 2 and struck out 1. Ryan Hartman tagged in for 3.1 innings and allowed an unearned run on 2 hits, walked 1, and fanned 6. Kevin Hill allowed 2 runs on 4 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 2 in 1.2 innings, and Juan Carlos Santos allowed a hit and struck out 1 in 1.1 innings.

Game 2 of this series starts at 7:00 Eastern.

Greeneville 6, Johnson City 1

W- Diogenes Almengo (1-1)
L- Austin Sexton (0-1)
S- Angelo Serrano (1)

Greeneville home runs: Chaz Pal (2, 3-run in 6th)

The Appy Astros avoided the sweep thanks to a big home run that gave them a little more breathing room on the scoreboard.

Jonathan Arauz opened the scoring in the 2nd inning with an RBI double. Chaz Pal got plunked to lead off the 5th, advanced to 3rd on an errant pickoff throw, and scored on a Vicente Sanchez single. Pal got his revenge in the 6th as he whacked a 3-run home run to extend Greeneville's lead to 5-1. Troy Sieber capped off the scoring in the 7th by ripping an RBI double.

Sieber (2B, RBI, 2 BB), Arauz (2B, RBI), Pal (2B, 3-R HR, 2 R), and Gabriel Bracamonte (2 R) all finished with 2 hits apiece in this game.

Diogenes Almengo allowed a solo homer to Bryce Denton in the 5th which accounted for Johnson City's only run. In 5 innings, Almengo allowed 2 other hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Patrick Sandoval tagged in for 3.1 innings, allowing 4 hits, walking 4, and striking out 1. Angelo Serrano inherited a bases-loaded situation from Sandoval in the 9th, but he was able to record the final two outs of the game, thwarting the Cardinals' comeback bid.

Nathan Thompson will start for the Appy Astros tonight as they get set to start a 3-game series with Bristol. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

GCL Astros 4, GCL Mets 0 (play suspended)

This game will be completed on July 26.

DSL Athletics 2, DSL Astros Blue 1

W- Jhenderson Hurtado (2-1)
L- Javier Navas (1-1)
S- Jean Ruiz (1)

Blue home runs: None.

Well, the Blue team was left to rue some missed opportunities on offense in this one; they were 0-11 with runners in scoring position.

Angel Tejeda's RBI single in the 7th was their only scoring play. He and Nicolás Miranda had 2 hits apiece.

Javier Navas allowed a run on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. Angel Matos allowed a run on a force out, walked 2, and struck out 1 in the 6th, and Juan Corniel allowed a hit over 2 scoreless.

DSL Astros Orange 4, DSL Red Sox2 3

W- Asael Uribe (2-2)
L- Joan Martinez (0-1)
S- Yohan Ramirez (1)

Orange home runs: None.

The Orange team made it two in a row over the Red Sox 2.

Both teams scored 2 runs in the 6th inning; the Orange team's two runs came on an RBI single from Hector Martinez and an Anthony Rodriguez RBI double. In the 8th, Ronaldo Urdaneta scored on a wild pitch, and Martinez scored on an errant pickoff throw. Martinez finished 2-3 in this one.

Junior Garcia allowed 3 hits and struck out 3 over 3 scoreless. Miguel Matos went 2 innings, walking 4 and striking out 2. Asael Uribe went 3 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned), a single, walked 3, and struck out 3. Yohan Ramirez allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 1 in the 9th.

Thursday's Stars

Photo from MiLB.com

Chaz Pal, OF, Greeneville

2-3, 2B, 3-R HR (2), 2 R

Photo from MiLB.com

Diogenes Almengo, RHP, Greeneville

W (1-1), 5 IP, 3 H (solo HR), ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Anthony Hermelyn, C, Quad Cities

2-4, 3-R HR (3), 2 R

Scott Weathersby, RHP, Lancaster

3.2 IP, 3 K

Drew Ferguson, OF, Lancaster

3-4, 2 HR (7), 4 RBI, 2 R; walk-off 2-R HR in 11th

Aaron Mizell, 2B/OF, Lancaster

2-6, 2B, solo HR (4, 6 season), 3 RBI, 2 R; hit game-tying 2-R 2B in 9th

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, June 2, 2016

Let's play two in Albuquerque!

Organizational sweep!

Game 1: Fresno 6, Albuquerque 2

W- Brady Rodgers (4-3)
L- Tyler Anderson (0-1)

Fresno home runs: A.J. Reed (7, 2-run in 1st)

The Grizz took the first game of the twinbill as Brady Rodgers dominated the Isotopes in game 1.

Rodgers allowed just one hit and struck out 8 over 6 shutout frames. Albuquerque spoiled the shutout by scoring 2 runs off Kevin Chapman in the 7th. Chapman allowed 2 hits and walked 1.

A.J. Reed put Fresno on the board first with a 2-run homer in the 1st. Colin Moran hit an RBI single in the 3rd and scored when Andrew Aplin grounded into a force out in the 6th inning. Later in the 6th, Andrew Aplin stole 2nd (10) and Preston Tucker scored on the errant throw down. Danny Worth drove in the Grizzlies' final run of game 1 with an RBI single. Aplin and Worth both finished 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Jon Singleton also went 2-4 and scored a run.

Game 2: Fresno 4, Albuquerque 3

W- Mike Hauschild (4-6)
L- Matt Flemer (3-2)
S- James Hoyt (11)

Fresno home runs: Preston Tucker (2, solo in 1st)

Fresno earned the doubleheader sweep as Jordan Jankowski and James Hoyt held off the Isotopes.

Mike Hauschild went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and struck out 7. Jankowski worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 6th, and Hoyt struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th to record his PCL-leading 11th save of the season.

Preston Tucker opened the scoring in game 2 with a solo homer in the 1st. The Grizz added 3 more in the 2nd with a Tyler Heineman RBI single and a 2-run single from Eury Perez. Tucker and Heineman both finished 3-3, while Matt Duffy finished 2-3 with a double and a run scored.

Tommy Shirley will start the final game of this series. He'll face Jeff Hoffman at 7:05 Mountain.

Corpus Christi 4, Arkansas 0

W- David Paulino (2-2)
L- Jordan Kipper (5-3)
S- Kent Emanuel (1)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks got the sweep thanks to two outstanding performances on the mound from two Tommy John survivors.

David Paulino allowed 1 hit, walked 1, and struck out 7 over 5 shutout innings. Kent Emanuel finished off the 1-hitter by striking out 5 over 4 perfect innings.

Chase McDonald put Corpus on the board first with an RBI single in the 1st. The other 3 Hooks runs came in the 5th on a pair of RBI singles from D.J. Fisher and J.D. Davis. Alex Bregman also scored thanks to an errant throw down to 2nd as Fisher stole his 7th base of the season. Davis, James Ramsay (2B), and Teoscar Hernandez (R) all had 2 hits on the night; all 4 of Corpus Christi's runs in this game were scored by the top third of the order, which was Teoscar, Bregman, and Fisher.

Tonight, the Hooks are in Springdale, Arkansas to begin the second leg of their tour of Arkansas. Francis Martes will start the first of 3 against Northwest Arkansas. He'll go up against Matt Strahm at 7:05.

Lancaster 9, Inland Empire 1

W- Trent Thornton (2-2)
L- Jeremy Rhoades (1-6)
S- Ryan Thompson (2)

Lancaster home runs: Aaron Mizell (2, 4 season; 3-run in 2nd), Garrett Stubbs (6, 2-run in 3rd)

The JetHawks have dominated the 66ers in this series, outscoring them 15-2 in the first two games.

Trent Thornton went 6 innings and allowed a run on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Ryan Thompson finished it off by striking out 4 over 3 perfect innings.

Lancaster jumped out to a 5-0 lead behind two home runs. Aaron Mizell whacked a 3-run homer in the 2nd, and Garrett Stubbs smacked a 2-run blast in the 3rd. Johnny Sewald hit an RBI double in the 7th and came around to score on a Tony Nuñez single. Nuñez moved to 3rd on a Jamie Ritchie single and scored on a wild pitch. Brooks Marlow capped off the scoring with an RBI single. Mizell finished a triple shy of the cycle and was the only player on either side to record a multi-hit game.

Scott Weathersby will be on the mound for Lancaster as they look for the sweep. He will take on Jason Hoppe at 7:05 Pacific.

Quad Cities 4, Clinton 3

W- Elieser Hernandez (1-0, 2-4 season)
L- Jefferson Medina (0-2)
S- Ralph Garza Jr. (3)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos edged the LumberKings and avoided the series sweep by breaking a 3-3 tie in the 9th inning.

Connor Goedert opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st. Clinton scored 1 in the 3rd and 1 in the 4th to take the lead, but Quad Cities re-took the lead in the 6th on a pair of sac flies from Bobby Wernes and Osvaldo Duarte. Clinton scored another run after stretch time to tie the game at 3, and that's where it stood heading into the 9th.

Duarte doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt from Myles Straw. Kristian Trompiz came up and came through with what turned out to be the game-winning hit, an RBI single that gave Quad Cities a 4-3 lead. Trompiz (RBI, R) and Kyle Tucker (2B) both finished 3-5. They accounted for two-thirds of the River Bandits' hits in this game.

Jose Luis Hernandez and Elieser Hernandez (no relation; they are from different countries) both pitched 4 innings. Jose Luis allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits and struck out 7. Elieser got the win, allowing a run on 5 hits, walking 2, and striking out 2. Ralph Garza Jr. pitched a 1-2-3 9th to get the save.

The River Bandits will begin their penultimate homestand of the first half this weekend. Tonight, they will welcome the Burlington Bees to Modern Woodmen Park for a 3-game series beginning at 7. Chris Murphy will start for Quad Cities, and his opponent will be Jaime Barria.

Too Many Stars

Since there are too many, these guys will be listed in no particular order.

Kristian Trompiz, IF, Quad Cities

3-5, go-ahead RBI single in 9th, R

Brady Rodgers, RHP, Fresno

W (4-3), 6 IP, H, 8 K in game 1 of doubleheader

David Paulino, RHP, and Kent Emanuel, LHP, Corpus Christi

Paulino: W (2-2), 5 IP, H, BB, 7 K

Emanuel: Save (1), 4 IP, 5 K

Aaron Mizell, UTIL, Lancaster

3-4, 2B, 3-R HR (2, 4 season), 2 R

Trent Thornton's photo from MiLB.com

Trent Thornton and Ryan Thompson, RHPs, Lancaster

Thornton: W (2-2), 6 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 5 K

Thompson: Save (2), 3 IP, 4 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Could Corpus Christi sweep their roadtrip?

Fresno 3, Salt Lake 0

W- Tommy Shirley (2-0)
L- Zach Nuding (1-1)
S- James Hoyt (3)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Tacos blanked the Bees for the 1st time this season (they also shut out Salt Lake once as the Grizzlies), and once again, Tommy Shirley was on the mound for the combined shutout.

Shirley allowed 6 hits, walked 1, and fanned 3 in 6.2 innings of work. He left with some traffic on the bases for Kevin Chapman, who kept the shutout intact by getting the final out of the 7th via strikeout. Jandel Gustave threw a 1-2-3 8th, striking out 1, and James Hoyt worked around a walk to finish off the shutout.

Fresno got their first run in the 4th on a double steal involving Tyler Heineman, who stole home, while Jon Kemmer took 2nd. Colin Moran went 2-4 with an RBI single in the 5th, and he wound up scoring the Tacos' final run of the evening when Nolan Fontana drew a bases-loaded walk in the 8th.

Danny Worth extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the 5th.

In game 2 of this series, Michael Feliz will face Tyler Skaggs. First pitch is at 6:35 Pacific.

Springfield 6, Corpus Christi 3

W- Trey Nielsen (1-2)
L- Keegan Yuhl (0-1)
S- Ronnie Shaban (3)

CC home runs: None.

Unfortunately, the answer was no. The Hooks were foiled in their bid to sweep the Cardinals after the wheels fell out from under them in the 5th, when Springfield scored 6 in the frame.

A 5-1 roadtrip is a great result, though, and the Hooks got their revenge by taking 2 of 3 in Springfield after the Cardinals did so in Corpus last week.

It was going extremely well for Keegan Yuhl, but it all unraveled on him in the 5th. Ultimately, Yuhl allowed 5 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6 in 4.2 innings. Joe Musgrove pitched the final 3.1 innings, allowing a run on 3 hits (2-run homer; 1 run was charged to Yuhl) and striking out 4.

Corpus Christi's 3 runs all came in the 7th as Jack Mayfield was plunked with the bases loaded. Conrad Gregor and J.D. Davis followed with a sac fly and an RBI single, respectively. Davis finished 3-4, while Teoscar Hernandez went 2-4 with a run scored and 2 stolen bases (3).

If you were wondering where Alex Bregman was, he got the day off, so Springfield's pitchers were spared from his wrath.

The Hooks have today off. Tomorrow, the Texas League incarnation of the Astros-Rangers rivalry kicks off as they welcome the Frisco Roughriders to Whataburger Field.

Rancho Cucamonga 10, Lancaster 6

W- Grant Holmes (2-0)
L- Elieser Hernandez (0-2)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks scored the game's final 6 runs, but a 10-0 deficit proved to be too much for them to overcome.

Nick Tanielu put Lancaster on the board in the 5th with a 2-run single, and one batter later, Drew Ferguson followed that up with an RBI single. Ramon Laureano whacked a 2-run double in the 6th, and he added another RBI double to his ledger in the 8th. Bobby Boyd went 2-5 with 2 runs scored and stole yet another base; he's now up to 7.

Elieser Hernandez went 1.2 innings and allowed 6 runs on 6 hits (2 solos and a 3-run homer), walked 2, and struck out 1. Eric Peterson was the first man out; he allowed 4 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 5 hits and fanned 2 in 2.2 innings. Ryan Thompson allowed 3 hits and struck out 3 over 3.2 innings. He didn't allow a run that was charged to him, but he did allow the runner he inherited from Peterson to score. Riley Ferrell worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 2.

The JetHawks will look to avoid the sweep as Evan Grills takes the mound. He'll face Tommy Bergjans at 6:35 Pacific.

Quad Cities 4, Wisconsin 2

W- Adam Whitt (1-0)
L- David Burkhalter (0-1)
S- Ralph Garza Jr. (1)

QC home runs: Aaron Mizell (1, 2-run in 4th)

0-11 with runners in scoring position? No problem for the Banditos. Yes, that's not ideal, but technically, 2 runners who were in scoring position did score; they just didn't score on hits.

Aaron Mizell's 2-run shot in the 4th put Quad Cities on the board and in the lead. Tony Nuñez drew a walk in the 6th, and Kyle Tucker tripled and later scored on an error that allowed Connor Goedert to reach in the 7th; Goedert, who was making his season debut, was credited with an RBI on the play. Dex McCall went 3-4 and scored twice, while Mizell finished 2-3.

Jose Luis Hernandez went 4.2 innings and allowed a run on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6. Adam Whitt was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen; he allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 in 1.1 innings. Ralph Garza locked it down with 3 scoreless, allowing a hit and fanning 1.

Albert Abreu will start the series finale. He'll take on Jon Perrin at 6:35.

Three Stars

3.

Ramon Laureano, OF, Quad Cities

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

2.

Photo from MiLB.com

Aaron Mizell, 2B/OF, Quad Cities

2-3, 2-R HR (1)

1.

Tommy Shirley, LHP, Fresno

W (2-0), 6.2 IP, 3 H, BB, 3 K

Honorable Mentions

Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Corpus Christi: 2-4, R, 2 SB (3)
- Teoscar is now on an 8-game hitting streak after going hitless in the first series of the season.

Ryan Thompson, RHP, Lancaster: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 3 K
- Coming out of the bullpen to stop the bleeding is definitely a star-worthy performance, so I feel a bit guilty leaving him off.

Ralph Garza Jr., RHP, Quad Cities: Save (1), 3 IP, H, K
- As the season goes on, I think the bullpen is going to emerge as a real area of strength for the Banditos. Garza might be the best of the bunch, in my opinion.

Colin Moran, 3B, Fresno: 2-4, RBI, R
- He's come out of the chute firing on all cylinders. I hope Moran continues to force the issue with his bat.