The Astros Cuban Contingent

The Cubans are Coming! The Cubans are Coming!

Everyone knows the impact that 1B Yuli Gurriel had for the Astros in 2017, his first full season in the major leagues. And more and more people are starting to get familiar with a few other highly-ranked Astros prospects in OF/1B Yordan Alvarez, LHP Cionel Perez and RHP Rogelio Armenteros. But what many may not realize is just how aggressive the Astros have gotten in signing Cuban players over the last few years. The numbers went from ZERO Cuban players in the system prior to the September 2014 signing of Armenteros (scouted by former Astros scout Alex Jacobs) to 14 players currently. Oz Ocampo, former Astros Director of International and current Special Assistant to the General Manager for Baseball Operations, and Astros Senior Scouting Advisor Charlie Gonzalez (with the Astros since November 2014) kicked things into high gear following that first Cuban signing. Let's take a look at The Cuban Contingent.

Cionel Pérez and Yoanys Quiala - August 2017

Photo by Jayne Hansen

AAA FRESNO

RHP Rogelio Armenteros - 2018 Stats thru 4/21: 5.65 ERA and 1.674 WHIP in three starts (14.1 IP)
Armenteros was ranked higher by Baseball Prospectus (#5) than the other outlets (#11 from FanGraphs and #12 from MLB Pipeline and Baseball America) primarily because BP placed a higher value on Armenteros deception, ability to throw five pitches for strikes and ability to locate to either side of the plate. And, although, Forrest Whitley is considered a much more elite prospect, Armenteros was WTHB's 2017 Pitcher of the Year due to his sheer dominance and present results. At the time I wrote:

There were a number of very good pitching performances in the Astros minor league system in 2017, but no one was quite as dominant as Rogelio Armenteros. Armenteros split his season between Corpus Christi and Fresno and compiled a 10-4 record with a 2.04 ERA, a 1.043 WHIP and 38 walks to 146 strikeouts in 123.2 innings. His stats were almost identical at the two levels with the main difference being an astonishing 8-1 record in his 10 starts at the higher level.

In any event, his plus change up, plus control/command and overall pitchability have most pundits agreeing that Armenteros has very little left to prove in the minors and should be able to contribute as a back of the rotation starter in Houston whenever he is needed. Armenteros was signed by the Astros in September 2014 and he will be 24 in June.

OF Alejandro Garcia (R/R) - 2018 Stats thru 4/21: .293/.341/.415 in 10 games

Garcia, one of the Astros Cuban signings in 2015, had an uneven season in 2017. After hitting only .202/.244/.325 in 42 games with AA Corpus, he was promoted to AAA Fresno on June 1st and managed a .269/.312/.356 line in his 50 games at that level, despite really fading down the stretch. He had an overall .235/.278/.341 line with 18 doubles, two triples and four home runs in 92 games as compared to his .291/.323/.365 line in 2016 in 94 games (26 games at High A, 51 games at AA and 17 games at AAA). One of the biggest differences between his 2016 and 2017 campaigns was his ability to hit against left-handed pitching. In 2016, Garcia hit .337/.352/.488 against lefties vs. .220/.281/.354 in 2017. Adding to his on-base woes, Garcia rarely walked in 2017 (nine walks to 45 strikeouts in his 92 games). It looks as though his 2017 season might have been a bit of a fluke down season for him (here's his FanGraphs page). Garcia will be 27 in June.

AA CORPUS CHRISTI

OF/1B Yordan Alvarez (L/L) -  2018 Stats thru 4/21: .275/.387/.471 in 13 games

Alvarez came to the Houston system in an August 2016 trade with the Dodgers for RHP Josh Fields and has been ranked either #3 or #4 in the Astros system by the various sites. The reason that he is ranked so highly is because of his bat. He provides average defense with an average arm and below average speed, so it was his 2017 offensive line of .304/.379/.481 in 90 games split between Quad Cities and Buies Creek that set him apart. Alvarez hits with authority to all fields and his power (17 doubles, three triples and 12 home runs) should continue to develop with more experience. His bat control and strike zone discipline have worked very well for him so far in his professional career. He will be 21 in June.

LHP Cionel Pérez - 2018 Stats thru 4/21: 4.50 ERA and 1.750 WHIP in 2 starts (8 IP)
Pérez signed with the Astros in December 2016 for a reduced payment of $2 million (down from $5.5 million) due to concerns over potential elbow issues. In his first season in the States, he appeared in 12 games with Low A Quad Cities and five games with High A Buies Creek, compiling a 3.90 ERA and 1.252 WHIP in 80.2 innings, before his promotion to Corpus Christi in mid-August. He had mixed results in four appearances at the higher level, but ended the season with a strong final appearance of the season. In a total of 93.2 innings, Pérez allowed 27 walks and struck out 83. Pérez features a low 90's fastball that can hit 96, a plus slider and advanced control and command. Improvement in his curveball and changeup will be needed for him to remain in a starting role, but his fastball/slider combo should ensure that, at minimum, he would be very effective in relief ... as long as that elbow continues to hold up. Pérez, who will turn 22 next week, is ranked #6 by MLB Pipeline and FanGraphs, #13 by Baseball America and appears in Baseball Prospectus's "Next 10."

RHP Yoanys Quiala - 2018 Stats thru 4/21: 4.73 ERA and 1.350 WHIP in 3 games/2 starts (13.1 IP)
Quiala's transition to AA Corpus Christi following his mid-June 2017 promotion from High A Buies Creek didn't always go smoothly, but he seemed to have pretty much tamed the beast by season's end. Cumulatively, Quiala had a very nice 2.55 ERA and a 1.180 WHIP in 108.2 innings. He walked 24 and struck out 92. Prior to his signing in June 2015, the Cuban native was said by Baseball America to feature a 90-95 fastball, touching 97 and a plus slider with late bite, to go along with a changeup and splitter. One thing I've noticed about the Cuban contingent is the extreme work ethic from most. After seeing Quiala in Quad Cities in 2016, I hardly recognized him when I saw him next in August 2017. He had transformed himself, easily losing 25 pounds or more, and adding a lot of muscle. I would not bet against the 2017 Carolina League All-Star as he keeps progressing through the system. Quiala turned 24 in January.

C Lorenzo Quintana (R/R) - 2018 Stats thru 4/21: .250/.308/.583 in 6 games
Quintana is defintely on the older side for this list, having turned 29 in March. He made his U.S. debut with Corpus Christi on April 7th after spending seven seasons in Cuba, the last of which was the 2014-2015 season so he will definitely have a little rust to shake off. He was signed by the Astros in October for a reported $200,000. Quintana hit .310/.377/.438 in 422 games in Cuba with 62 doubles, nine triples, 35 home runs, 204 RBI and 232 runs scored. Over those 422 games, Quintana walked 126 times while striking out 206 times, but in his last two seasons, he improved to a ratio of 58 walks to 52 strikeouts in 118 games. He has a lifetime 30% caught stealing rate and has been known to steal a base or two himself. In his 2013-2014 season, he stole 15 bases and was caught six times. Quintana is said to be a good contact hitter who uses all fields, but beyond that, I haven't seen much written about him.

HIGH A BUIES CREEK

RHP Jesús Balaguer - 2018 Stats thru 4/21: 4.05 ERA and 1.200 WHIP in 3 bullpen appearance (6.2 IP)

Signed in April 2017, Balaguer was reported to have a 95-mph fastball at the time of his signing, I know virtually nothing else about Balaguer except that his results in his first season in the States were enough to pique my interest. He breezed through three games with rookie level Greeneville and five games with short season A Tri-City before he was finally challenged in his 10 appearances at Low A Quad Cities. For the season, he compiled a 2.73 ERA and a 1.061 WHIP, walking 15 and striking out 53(!) in 33 innings. Batters hit .175/.271/.263 against him; he converted four of his five save opportunities; he stranded 13 of 14 inherited runners; and he provided five innings of scoreless relief in three appearances in the postseason. Balaguer will be 25 in August.

RHP Carlos Sierra - 2018 Stats thru 4/21: 4.00 ERA and 1.222 WHIP in 4 bullpen appearances (9 IP)

Sierra had a successful season in 2017, compiling a 3-2 record with two saves, a 2.83 ERA and a 1.099 WHIP in 29 appearances between Low A Quad Cities (4 games) and High A Buies Creek (25 games). He walked 24 while striking out 60 in 57.1 innings of work and held batters to a .186/.273/.290 line. However, he allowed 17 of 24 inherited runners to score. He will be 24 in October.

SS Anibal Sierra - 2018 Stats thru 4/21: .277/.358/.489 in 15 games
Sierra was known more for his offensive abilities than his defensive prowess when he signed in July 2016 and that still appears to be the case. In 2017 he hit .201/.271/.290 in 113 games, the vast majority of those games with High A Buies Creek. He is said by Baseball America to be a true shortstop with a good internal clock, soft hands and a solid arm; however, he did collect 23 errors at the position in 2017, suggesting that his bat isn't the only aspect of his game that may need improvement.. Sierra turned 24 in February.

UNASSIGNED (EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING OR DOMINICAN COMPLEX)

RHP Franny Cobos
Cobos just turned 17 in February and I know virtually nothing about him except that he is a converted position player who features a 91 mph fastball and he signed last August for a reported $125,000.

IF Rolando Espinosa
I know even less about Espinosa, including his birthdate, but he should be nearing 17 (if he's not already there). Espinosa also signed in August 2017 for a reported $175,000.

Elian Rodríguez
Rodríguez did appear on one of the top prospect lists, at #29 out of #30 in Baseball America's Prospect Handbook. But others have backed away from him due to the poor control that resulted in a 7.46 ERA, 2.211 WHIP and 30 walks to 19 strikeouts in 25.1 innings in his first season with the Dominican Summer League. He's a hard thrower with a fastball that tops out at 97 and a hard slider. He also has a good pitcher's build and plus athleticism, but MLB Pipeline noted that he is "more power than polish" as they dropped him off their top list for Astros prospects going in to the 2018 season. Signed in June 2017 for $2,000,000, Rodríguez turned 21 earlier this year.

LHP Julio Robaina
Robaina, who turned 17 in March, features a low 90's fastball, a slider and a curveball that projects to be a plus pitch. He signed in September 2017 for a reported $220,000.

Beyond the Top 30: Left Field

As the old year fades away and the new season approaches, it's time to start looking at those players of interest who are beyond the Top 30. These players may not ever make a Top 30 list (or they may), but a combination of projections, actual results, incremental improvements and intangibles keep them in the mix as interesting players to watch. I am not including any players in these posts who have already made their major league debuts since, presumably, anyone reading my blog is already very familiar with those players.

Note: Many of the 2018 player rankings haven't been released yet so I will be using the MLB Pipeline postseason list, the Baseball Prospectus Top 10+ list and Baseball America's Top 10 list (plus their 2018 Prospect Handbook) to denote those players who are currently considered Top 30 type players in the Astros system. Once FanGraphs weighs in and MLB Pipeline posts their 2018 pre-season list, I will post a consensus top prospect list.

[UPDATES TO FINAL 2018 PRE-SEASON RANKINGS SHOWN IN RED.

BA= BASEBALL AMERICA, BP = BASEBALL PROSPECTUS,

FG=FANGRAPHS, MLB = MLB PIPELINE]

[NOTE: Almost all of these players have appeared at multiple outfield positions. For the most part, these lists are based upon the primary position the player appeared at in the 2017 season.]

LEFTFIELDERS IN THE TOP 30 (in alphabetical order)

Ronnie Dawson - July 2017

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Ronnie Dawson (L/R) - MLB #15, BA #21, FG #23
Ronnie Dawson, the Astros 2nd round draft pick in 2016 out of The Ohio State University, opened a lot of eyes in the second half of the 2017 season, mine included. Check out my interview with Dawson from last summer to see what his coaches and teammates have to say about him (SPOILER: They really like him!). After a tepid April and May at the plate (.213/.295/.343), Dawson broke things open, hitting .314/.401/.490 the rest of the way, peaking in July with a gaudy .373/.448/.618 batting line. In 129 games (116 with Low A Quad Cities and 13 with High A Buies Creek), Dawson collected 26 doubles, five triples, 14 home runs, 67 RBI, 88 runs and 18 stolen bases (11 caught stealing). He walked 59 times to 110 strikeouts, improving on his walk-to-strikeout rate drastically in the latter part of the season (16BB:44K in April/May and 43BB:66K from June on). Dawson has good bat speed, athleticism, power potential and surprising speed on the bases; his hit tool against his fellow lefties is a work in progress. He is a solid, if unspectacular, defensive player who provided errorless defense in his time in left field in 2017. Dawson, who will be 23 in May, is ranked #21 in the Astros system by Baseball America going into the 2018 season and was ranked #30 by MLB Pipeline's 2017 postseason list (they have not released their 2018 rankings yet).

J.J. Matijevic (L/R) - BP #11+, FG #24, MLB #25, BA #26
Coincidentally, Matijevic was another 2nd round pick by the Astros (as compensation for those cheatin' Cardinals!), selected in 2017 out of the University of Arizona. I'm listing Matijevic as a leftfielder simply because that's where he played all but one game in his inaugural season. He was drafted by the Astros as a second baseman, but it is doubtful that he would ever flourish at that position. More likely than not, Matijevic, who is more known for his offense than his defense, will play either left field or first base as his career unfolds. Offensively, Matijevic is expected to build on the work he did later in his college career which propelled him into an elite group of college hitters. Both his hit tool and raw power are ranked as above average while his defense lags behind. In his first professional season, he tailed off later in the season, ending with a .228/.290/.384 line with 14 doubles, seven home runs and a surprising 11 stolen bases (considering scouts find his speed to be "underwhelming") in 53 games with short season A Tri-City and a final six games with Low A Quad Cities. He was ranked #26 by Baseball America in their 2018 Prospect Handbook, #16 by MLB Pipeline in their 2017 postseason ranking and in Baseball Prospectus's "Next 10." Matijevic turned 22 in November.

Note: I included the highly ranked Yordan Alvarez in the first base write-up (see the link at the bottom), but he is as likely to end up in left field as at first base, depending on where he shows the most value in the system.

LEFTFIELDERS BEYOND THE TOP 30 (in alphabetical order)

Alejandro Garcia - April 2017

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Alejandro Garcia (R/R)

Garcia, one of the Astros Cuban signings in 2015, had an uneven season in 2017. After hitting only .202/.244/.325 in 42 games with AA Corpus, he was promoted to AAA Fresno on June 1st and managed a .269/.312/.356 in his 50 games at that level, despite really fading down the stretch. He had an overall .235/.278/.341 line with 18 doubles, two triples and four home runs in 92 games as compared to his .291/.323/.365 line in 2016 in 94 games (26 games at High A, 51 games at AA and 17 games at AAA). One of the biggest differences between his 2016 and 2017 campaigns was his ability to hit against left-handed pitching. In 2016, Garcia hit .337/.352/.488 against lefties vs. .220/.281/.354 in 2017. Adding to his on-base woes, Garcia rarely walked in 2017 (nine walks to 45 strikeouts in his 92 games). It looks as though his 2017 season might have been a bit of a fluke down season for him (here's his FanGraphs page), so I'll be keeping an eye on him in 2018 to see which Alejandro Garcia shows up.

Key: Consistency! Also, learn that walks are not a bad thing.

Jon Kemmer (L/L)

Kemmer, the Astros 21st round pick in 2013 out of Brewton-Parker College in Georgia, saw his fifth professional season come to an abrupt stop in early August when he was hit by a pitch, resulting in a broken bone in his hand. In his 87 games with AAA Fresno, Kemmer hit an overall .299/.399/.533 with 17 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs, 57 RBI and 44 walks to 95 strikeouts. He was particularly productive in June and July, hitting .362/.486/.652 in 41 games. Kemmer, an aggressive hitter, does have some swing-and-miss in his game (26.5 K%), but when he connects, his power really shows. He had a .234 ISO for 2017 and a 10.1% XBH rate and he can hit the ball with power to all fields. Kemmer is a solid defender in left and can play right as well, but his average arm and his fringe average speed will keep him out of center field. Kemmer has had a couple of injuries that have cut into his playing time, but he has shown that he is a capable power producer in the high minors. At 27 and going into his sixth professional season, he really doesn't have much left to prove in the minor leagues and should get his MLB opportunity in 2018, but his best opportunity may very well be by way of a trade to another organization in which he isn't blocked by so much talent.

Key: Fine-tune both his defense and offense to get the most out of his abilities, and stay healthy! Good reps now will definitely help him later as he waits for the call.

Others to Watch:

Wilson Amador (R/R)

Originally signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2013 for $400,000, Amador was ranked as the #24 international prospect at the time, but an elbow injury that required surgery to repair a growth plate fracture reduced his expected $875,000 bonus by more than half. At the time of his signing, he was cited for his "athleticism and raw tools," particularly his plus arm and plus speed. But he will be entering his fifth professional season in 2018 and has yet to play more than 64 games in a season or any higher than rookie league Greeneville. He showed some progression with the bat over the 2017 season, ending with a .270/.308/.356 line, but he will have to move much more quickly at this point to avoid being left behind. He turned 21 in December.

Kendy Moya (S/R)

I know absolutely nothing about Moya that I can't find on his stats pages, but there are a couple of things that can be found there that intrigue me. For one, he's a switch-hitter who hits more or less equally well from both sides of the plate (more power from the left and higher average from the right). Secondly, his walk-to-strikeout ratio (49 walks to 59 strikeouts) tells me that he's a fairly disciplined hitter. For the 2017 season (his second in the DSL), he hit .241/.400/.327 with eight doubles, three triples, one home run and he stole 12 bases (five caught stealing) in 62 games. Although he played the majority of his games in left, he also played at short, second, third and in right field so he may be a player who ultimately better fits as a utility player. Again, nothing earth-shaking about Moya, but enough to pique my interest. Moya turned 19 in December and certainly needs to be challenged to tougher competition than the DSL in order to see what he can do.

Previous Posts:
Shortstop
Second Base
First Base

Third Base
Center Field
Right Field

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, April 20, 2017

Another organization sweep!

Fresno 10, Las Vegas 3

W- Edison Frias (1-1)
L- Wilfredo Boscan (0-1)
S- Tyson Perez (1)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizz stormed out of the gate with 5 in the 1st and used a 4-run 8th inning to remove any remaining doubts regarding the outcome of this game.

Edison Frias turned in 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits (solo homer), walking 2, and striking out 5. Ryan Thompson and Tyson Perez finished off the game by throwing 2 innings apiece. The one run Thompson allowed came on a solo homer from Jayce Boyd in the 7th; he allowed one other hit and struck out 3.

All 5 Fresno runs in the opening inning came with two outs. A.J. Reed opened the scoring with an RBI single, and then Preston Tucker and Teoscar Hernandez loaded the bases with singles of their own. Colin Moran and Jon Kemmer followed with 2-run singles. Reed added an RBI single in the 2nd. In the 8th, Juan Centeno ripped an RBI triple, Tyler White lashed an RBI double, and Reed capped off the night with another RBI single, his third hit of the game.

Big Tuck (R, BB) and D.J. Fisher (2 R, SB [2]) both went 3-4; Tucker extended his hitting streak to 11 games. The bottom third of the order (Moran, Kemmer, Centeno) combined to go 6-12 (they all went 2-4) with 5 RBI (Moran and Kemmer 2 each, Centeno 1) and 3 runs scored.

The Grizzlies and 51s will wrap up their series tonight at 7:05 Pacific. Brian Holmes faces Adam Wilk.

Corpus Christi 7, Frisco 6 in 11 innings

W- Michael Freeman (2-0)
L- Nick Gardewine (0-1)
S- Jacob Dorris (1)

CC home runs: Alejandro Garcia (3, 3-run in 3rd), J.D. Davis (3, solo in 11th)

J.D. Davis only had one hit, but it proved to be the difference in the first skirmish involving the Astros and Rangers organizations in 2017.

Alejandro Garcia put the Hooks on the board first when he launched a 3-run homer in the 3rd inning. He's matched his home run total from 2016 in 13 games. However, the Riders took the lead thanks to a 4-run 4th inning. Jack Mayfield led off the 6th with a walk, advanced to 3rd on a Jamie Ritchie double, and scored the tying run when Bryan Muñiz legged out an infield single.

Corpus thought that they had a chance to go for the win when they scored a couple of runs in the top of the 9th to regain the lead. Garcia got plunked with the bases loaded to bring in the go-ahead run, and Mayfield walked Ramon Laureano home. However, Frisco scored two of their own in the bottom of the 9th to force extra innings. After both sides went scoreless in the 10th, Davis greeted new Frisco pitcher Nick Gardewine with a 1-out solo home run.

Garcia finished 3-5 and also stole his 2nd base of the season. Ritchie (2 2B) and Jon Singleton (2B) both went 2-5.

Kent Emanuel allowed 4 runs on 7 hits (2-run homer), walked 1, and struck out 7 in 4 innings of work. Eric Peterson, Riley Ferrell, and Michael Freeman followed with 2 innings each out of the bullpen. Peterson was first; he allowed a hit and struck out 1. Ferrell allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2, and Freeman allowed the tying runs, both of which were unearned, on a groundout and a double in the 9th. The double was the only hit that he surrendered; he also walked 3 and struck out 1. Freeman also managed to get himself out of a bases-loaded jam to end the 10th. Jacob Dorris threw a 1-2-3 11th to get the save.

Josh James gets the start in game 2. He'll take on Reed Garrett at 7:05.


Buies Creek 14, Carolina 1

W- Franklin Perez (2-0)
L- Cody Ponce (2-1)
S- Matt Bower (1)

BC home runs: None.

Franklin Perez was fantastic and the Buies Creek offense went on a rampage.

Perez allowed just two hits and struck out 7 over 5 shutout innings. Matt Bower finished the game and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5 in the final 4 innings.

Anthony Hermelyn doubled to lead off the 2nd inning and scored on a single from Anibal Sierra. The real fun started in the 3rd inning.

Myles Straw kicked things off with a single, and then Dex McCall moved him over to 3rd base with a single to bring up Ryne Birk, who ripped a 2-run triple. Hermelyn joined him on the bases by drawing a walk. The Astros put up 7 runs in the inning, 5 of which came with two outs. Osvaldo Duarte proceeded to lace an RBI single, and then Sierra got plunked to load the bases. Hermelyn scored on an error that allowed Jason Martin to reach. Straw smacked a 2-run double in his second plate appearance of the evening, and Kyle Tucker, who was the first casualty of the inning, drove in the final run of the frame with a single. Duarte hit an RBI groundout in the 4th inning.

Buies put up 4 more in the 5th as Birk and Hermelyn drew bases-loaded walks and Duarte smacked a 2-run double. Little Tuck capped off the onslaught with an RBI double in the 6th. Everyone in the lineup recorded a hit; the Astros scored all 14 of their runs without hitting a home run.

In game 2 of this series, Yoanys Quiala will go up against Marcos Diplan. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 8, Clinton 2

W- Carson LaRue (1-0)
L- Tim Viehoff (0-1)

QC home runs: Stephen Wrenn (3, 2-run in 8th), Jake Rogers (2, solo in 8th)

The Banditos have launched 14 home runs in their last 4 games and this show of force has vaulted them to the top of Minor League Baseball in that category.

For those keeping tabs, 21 homers for @QCRiverBandits on the year now. Two ahead of Omaha and three up on Memphis for the @MiLB lead

— Jake Levy (@JakeLevyVoice) April 21, 2017

Clinton got on the board first with a run in the 2nd, but Quad Cities hit back with 3 runs in the bottom of the inning. Chuckie Robinson ripped a 2-run double to put the Bandits in front, and he came around to score on a Marcos Almonte single. Spencer Johnson hit a 2-run single in the 5th to push the lead to 5-1, and the Bandits capped off another win with some fireworks. Stephen Wrenn clubbed a 2-run homer in the 8th and Jake Rogers smacked a solo shot for their final run of the evening.

The top third of the Quad Cities lineup (Wrenn, Alex De Goti, and Rogers) all had two hits on the evening. Wrenn stole a base (4), while Rogers scored twice. Rodrigo Ayarza went 3-4 with a double and scored a run.

Carson LaRue went 5 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. Dustin Hunt tagged in for 3 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and striking out 1. Derick Velazquez pitched the 9th and allowed an unearned run on a single and struck out 1.

Brett Adcock will start game 2 of this series. He'll face Nick Wells at 6:35.

Thursday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Follow the Buies Creek Astros on Twitter @bcreekastros

Buies Creek Astros: W 14-1 @ Carolina

14 R, 15 H

Myles Straw: 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R

Kyle Tucker: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R, SB (4)

Ryne Birk: 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI, 3 R

Osvaldo Duarte: 2-5, 2B, 4 RBI, R

Franklin Perez, RHP, and Matt Bower, LHP, Buies Creek

Perez: W (2-0), 5 IP, 2 H, 7 K

Bower: Save (1), 4 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 5 K

Perez's first 3 appearances: 14.1 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 14 K

Jake Rogers, C, Quad Cities

2-4, 2B, solo HR (2), 2 R

Currently on an 8-game hitting streak

Quad Cities pitchers: W 8-2 vs. Clinton

9 IP, 5 H, 2 R (1 earned), 2 BB, 6 K

Carson LaRue: W (1-0), 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Dustin Hunt: 3 IP, H, K

Derick Velazquez: IP, H, unearned run, K

Photo from MiLB.com

Alejandro Garcia, OF, Corpus Christi

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

Colin Moran, IF, Fresno

2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R

Jon Kemmer, OF, Fresno

2-4, 2 RBI

A.J. Reed, 1B/DH, Fresno

3-5, 3 RBI, R

Photo by Bryan Green

Juan Centeno, C, Fresno

2-4, 3B, RBI, R

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, April 17, 2017

Salt Lake 6, Fresno 2

W- Manny Banuelos (2-0)
L- David Martinez (0-2)
S- Brooks Pounders (1)

Fresno home runs: Preston Tucker (2, 2-run in 2nd)

The Grizzlies suffered a sweep for the first time this season.

The elder Tucker's 2-run home run in the 2nd innings was Fresno's only scoring play of the evening. Preston Tucker is now on an 8-game hitting streak. Jon Kemmer went 2-3 out of the #9 spot in the order.

David Martinez went 6 innings and allowed 4 runs on 10 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. After allowing a couple of hits and walking another batter in the 7th, Aaron West worked his way out of the jam and turned in a scoreless outing. Jared Mortensen allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in the 8th; Mortensen is the knuckleballer from Canada who was acquired from the Rays in the minor league phase of last year's Rule 5 draft.

The Grizzlies return home to begin a new series with Las Vegas. For the first time this season, they will take the field as the Fresno Tacos. Keegan Yuhl will start, and he'll go up against Donovan Hand at 6:35 Pacific.

Northwest Arkansas 9, Corpus Christi 7 in 13 innings

W- Luis Rico (1-1)
L- Ryan Thompson (0-1)

CC home runs: Jack Mayfield (2, 2-run in 6th)

The Hooks trailed 5-0 at one point and successfully erased that deficit, but they couldn't quite complete the comeback as the Naturals broke a 6-6 tie with a bases-clearing triple with two outs in the top of the 13th.

Corpus didn't score until the bottom of the 6th; that was when they started to chip away at the aforementioned 5-0 deficit. Ramon Laureano led off the inning with a single, advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch, and scored the Hooks' first run on an Alejandro Garcia single, which prompted the Naturals to go to their bullpen. Jack Mayfield greeted the new pitcher with a 2-run home run.

Bryan Muñiz singled to lead off the 7th and Tony Nuñez joined him on the bases after drawing a walk. Drew Ferguson brought Muñiz home with a single, and Laureano added a sac fly. A couple of walks loaded the bases for Garcia, who drove in the tying run with a groundout. After the Naturals regained the lead in the 13th, the Hooks managed to get an RBI single from Nuñez, which brought up Ferguson, representing the tying run, to the plate. Unfortunately, Ferguson grounded into a force out to end the game.

Garcia (2 RBI, R) and Nuñez (RBI, R) both finished with 3 hits on the evening. Mayfield (2B, 2-R HR), J.D. Davis (2B), and Ferguson (RBI, R) all had 2-hit games.

Cy Sneed went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Eric Peterson was the first man out of the Corpus bullpen and allowed 3 runs on a pair of homers (solo and 2-run) and two other hits in the 6th inning. Sean Stutzman allowed a run on 3 hits and fanned 3 over 3 innings. Ryan Thompson threw 3 scoreless innings but ultimately couldn't preserve the tie as he allowed the bases-loaded triple that turned out to be the difference in the 13th. In 3.2 innings, Thompson allowed 3 other hits, issued an intentional walk, and struck out 4. Michael Freeman recorded the final out of the 13th, but the damage was done.

Kyle Smith will face Matt Tenuta in the series finale. First pitch is at 7:05.

Buies Creek 4, Myrtle Beach 2

W- Akeem Bostick (2-0)
L- Thomas Hatch (0-2)
S- Ryan Deemes (1)

BC home runs: None.

The Astros scored 3 in the 5th and Akeem Bostick shined once again as they took the first game from the Pelicans.

The top four hitters in the Buies Creek lineup each drove in a run. Dex McCall opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st, although he was thrown out at 2nd base to end the inning. This was the Astros' only scoring play until the top of the 5th. In the meantime, Myrtle Beach scored in the 1st to tie and took the lead with another run in the 3rd.

Anthony Hermelyn and Pat Porter drew walks to lead off the 5th, and even though Anibal Sierra struck out, Osvaldo Duarte singled to load the bases. Jason Martin tied the game with a sac fly, and then Myles Straw and Kyle Tucker followed with RBI singles to put Buies Creek in front. Duarte finished 3-4, while McCall went 2-3.

Elieser Hernandez went 4.1 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 4. Akeem Bostick tagged in and allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 4 over 3.2 scoreless innings. Bostick has opened the season on a 14.2 inning scoreless streak. Ryan Deemes worked around a couple of hits to save the game, striking out 2 in the 9th.

Alex Winkelman will start game 2 of this series. He'll face Justin Steele at 7:05 Eastern.

Quad Cities 15, Burlington 1

W- Jorge Alcala (1-0)
L- Nate Bertness (0-1)

QC home runs: Alex De Goti 2 (2; solo in 3rd, solo in 8th), Jake Rogers (1, solo in 3rd), Rodrigo Ayarza (3, 2-run in 7th), Randy César (1, grand slam in 9th)

The Banditos opened this series with a bang, clubbing 5 home runs.

- Everyone in the lineup scored.
- Alex De Goti finished a double shy of the cycle. He led off the 8th with one final chance to get it and instead, he smacked a solo homer, his second of the game. I'm sure he'll take the 4-4, 2 homer game though.
- De Goti and Jake Rogers led off the 3rd with home runs.
- Rogers was a triple shy of the cycle, and Ronnie Dawson nearly hit for the cycle as well; he was a homer short of his.
- Rodrigo Ayarza matched his career high for home runs in a season in just 6 games. He hit 3 in 32 games between the GCL and Greeneville in 2015.
- Randy César capped it off with a grand slam in the 9th inning.

Jorge Alcala issued 5 walks and only struck out 2 in his 5 innings, but on the bright side, he only allowed one hit and didn't allow a run. In his season debut, Enoli Paredes went 3 innings and allowed Burlington's only run when Roberto Baldoquin took him deep in the 7th. Paredes allowed one other hit and struck out 4. Abdiel Saldaña allowed a hit in a scoreless 9th.

Hector Perez will take on former Aggie Andrew Vinson in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 6:30.

Monday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Photo from Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page

Quad Cities River Bandits: W 15-1 @ Burlington; 15 R, 16 H, E

All players in lineup scored at least one run.

Alex De Goti, IF: 4-4, 2 solo HR (2), 3 R, 2 BB; finished double shy of cycle

Ronnie Dawson, OF: 3-6, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, R; finished HR shy of cycle

Jake Rogers, C: 3-6, 2B, solo HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 R; finished triple shy of cycle

Randy César, 3B: 2-5, grand slam (1), 2 R

Jorge Alcala: W (1-0), 5 IP, H, 5 BB, 2 K

Enoli Paredes: 3 IP, 2 H (solo HR allowed), ER, 4 K

Photo from MiLB.com

Akeem Bostick, RHP, Buies Creek

W (2-0), 3.2 IP, H, BB, 4 K

Sean Stutzman, LHP, Corpus Christi

3 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K

Alejandro Garcia's photo from MiLB.com

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

Mayfield: 2-6, 2B, 2-R HR (2), 2 R

Nuñez: 3-5, RBI, R; 3rd consecutive multi-hit game

Garcia: 3-6, 2 RBI, R

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, April 16, 2017




Salt Lake 5, Fresno 4

W- Jose Valdez (1-0)
L- Reymin Guduan (0-2)

Fresno home runs: None.

Rough start to this series for the Grizzlies as they have lost both games in walk-off fashion.

Francis Martes had a scoreless outing in which he only allowed 2 hits and struck out 7, but he only lasted 4.1 innings and also issued 6 walks. Tyson Perez pitched an inning; he got the last two outs of the 5th and the first out of the 6th inning. However, he allowed a double and an RBI triple to the next two batters he faced, which prompted Dayan Diaz's entry. Diaz allowed an RBI single to the first man he faced, which allowed the runner he inherited from Perez to score. Perez allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 1. Diaz allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 1.2 innings. Reymin Guduan threw a 1-2-3 8th inning but couldn't close it out. He allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 1.2 innings; the Bees scored the winning run when he was called for a balk with 2 outs in the 9th.

Jon Kemmer opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 2nd inning. In the 5th, Tyler White hit an RBI single. He and D.J. Fisher successfully executed a double steal; Fisher stole home, while White took 2nd and advanced to 3rd on an error. Preston Tucker drove in the final Grizzlies run with an RBI single in the 8th. He finished 3-4 on the afternoon. White, who got the start at SS, finished 2-4 and extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Tony Kemp finished 2-5 with a run scored and a stolen base (3).

The Grizzlies will look to avoid the sweep as David Martinez takes the mound. He'll face Manny Banuelos at 6:35 Mountain.

Corpus Christi 10, Northwest Arkansas 4

W- Michael Freeman (1-0)
L- Pedro Fernandez (0-2)

CC home runs: Drew Ferguson (1, solo in 1st), Alejandro Garcia (2, solo in 3rd)

After the Naturals tied the game at 3 with a run in the 7th, the Hooks responded by retaking the lead with a pair of runs after stretch time and put the game out of reach with 5 in the 8th.

Drew Ferguson led off the bottom of the 1st with his first homer of the year. Trent Woodward walked to lead off the 2nd and made it to 3rd base thanks to a sac bunt and a wild pitch. Tony Nuñez brought him in with a single. Alejandro Garcia's second homer of the year came with 2 outs in the 3rd inning. Garcia's blast was the last Corpus Christi scoring play until the 7th; in the meantime, the Naturals scored 3 runs.

Ferguson hit a one-out double and scored on a Ramon Laureano single. Laureano, who advanced to 3rd on the throw home, scored on a Jon Singleton groundout. Garcia led off the 8th with a single, and Jack Mayfield joined him on the bases after hitting a single of his own. Woodward moved them over with a sacrifice bunt, and then Mott Hyde was intentionally walked to bring up Nuñez, who came through with the go-ahead RBI single. Ferguson followed with a 2-run single, and an error on the play allowed home to move up to 2nd and also allowed Nuñez to score. Singleton drove in Corpus Christi's final run of the evening with a sac fly. Ferguson (2B, solo HR, 3 RBI) and Garcia (solo HR, 2 R) both finished with 3 hits; Ferguson finished a triple shy of the cycle. Nuñez (2 RBI, R), Laureano (2B, RBI, R), and J.D. Davis posted 2-hit days at the plate.

Brock Dykxhoorn went 5 innings and the two runs he allowed came on a Zane Evans homer. He allowed 7 other hits (all singles), walked 1, and struck out 2. Jacob Dorris, back in his college town, was the first man out of the bullpen. In 1.2 innings, he allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 4. Michael Freeman walked 2 in 1.1 scoreless, and Riley Ferrell allowed a run on a single and walked 1 in the 9th.

Cy Sneed will start game 2 of this series. He'll face Zach Lovvorn at 7:05.

Winston-Salem 6, Buies Creek 2

W- Tanner Banks (2-0)
L- Framber Valdez (0-1)

BC home runs: Kyle Tucker (3, 2-run in 1st)

Buies Creek had to settle for a split after getting silenced following some early fireworks.

Kyle Tucker homered for the second consecutive game as he launched a 2-run shot in the 1st to open the scoring. This, unfortunately, was the Astros' only scoring play in this game.

Framber Valdez went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 7. Ralph Garza Jr. was the first man out of the Buies Creek bullpen and went 1.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, walking 1, and striking out 1. Nick Hernandez allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 over the final 1.2 innings.

The next stop on Buies Creek's mega-roadtrip is Myrtle Beach. For some reason, Nick Hernandez is listed as the starter; maybe they meant to put Elieser Hernandez? Elieser will face Thomas Hatch at 7:05 Eastern.

Quad Cities was off

The River Bandits will begin a 3-game series in Burlington tonight at 6:35.

Sunday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Preston Tucker, OF, Fresno

3-4, 2B, RBI

Kyle Tucker, OF, Buies Creek

2-R HR (3); 9 RBI in last two games

Tyler White, IF, Fresno

2-4, RBI, SB (1); 10-game hitting streak

Drew Ferguson, OF, and Alejandro Garcia, OF, Corpus Christi

Ferguson: 3-4, 2B, solo HR (1), 3 RBI, 3 R

Garcia: 3-5, solo HR (2), 2 R

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, April 14, 2017

Las Vegas 4, Fresno 2

W- Kyle Regnault (1-0)
L- Edison Frias (0-1)
S- Paul Sewald (1)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizzlies had to settle for the split after Vegas put a couple of runs across to break a 2-2 tie.

Fresno's two runs both came in the 2nd as Tyler White hit a one-out single and came around to score on a triple from Jon Kemmer. Reid Brignac followed with an RBI double. White finished 3-4 and has recorded at least one hit in all 8 of his starts this season. Tony Kemp finished 2-5 to extend his hitting streak to 8 as well; in six of those games, he's recorded two hits.

Edison Frias went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits, walked 5 (one intentionally), and struck out 1. Tyson Perez allowed a hit and struck out 2 over 2 scoreless innings, and Jordan Jankowski worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 8th.

Brian Holmes will get the start as Fresno begins a 3-game series in Salt Lake City. First pitch is at 6:35 Mountain.

Corpus Christi 5, Arkansas 4

W- Dean Deetz (2-0)
L- Peter Tago (0-1)
S- Ryan Thompson (2)

CC home runs: None.

Corpus scored 3 in the bottom of the 8th to steal this game from the Travs.

Drew Ferguson walked to lead off the bottom of the 1st and he didn't have to wait long to score the game's first run as Ramon Laureano followed by ripping an RBI double. Two batters later, J.D. Davis hit an RBI single. Arkansas scored 4 in the top of the 2nd to take the lead, and then both teams put up 14 consecutive zeroes on the scoreboard until the Hooks mounted their rally in the 8th.

Laureano led off the bottom of the 8th with a double and Jon Singleton joined him on the bases by drawing a walk. A wild pitch allowed the two of them to advance a base, and then J.D. Davis walked to load the bases. Jack Mayfield was the first casualty of the inning, but Jamie Ritchie came through with a 2-run single to tie the game. Mott Hyde walked to reload the bases, and then Alejandro Garcia got plunked to bring in Davis for the go-ahead run. Laureano was the only player in the starting 9+1 with a multi-hit outing; both of his hits were doubles.

Kent Emanuel went 4 innings and allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Riley Ferrell worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 5th and struck out 1 in his Texas League debut. Dean Deetz tagged in to throw 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and striking out 2. He ran out of gas trying to get the final out, but Ryan Thompson stepped in to pick hm up, getting Brock Hebert to ground into a force out to end the game.

The Hooks and Travelers will wrap up their series tonight at 7:05. Rogelio Armenteros will take on Brett Ash.

Buies Creek 4, Winston-Salem 3

W- Ryan Deemes (1-0)
L- Aaron Bummer (0-2)
S- Franklin Perez (1)

BC home runs: Jason Martin (1, solo in 3rd), Johnny Sewald (1, solo in 6th)

In a season of firsts for the Houston Astros' new Carolina League affiliate, they can add "first road win" to that list.

Jason Martin was essentially the offense in this one... he led off the 3rd with a home run to open up the scoring and added a 2-run single in the 4th. The Dash managed to tie the game with a couple of runs in the bottom of the 4th and one more run in the 5th, but Johnny Sewald put Buies back in front with a solo homer in the 6th. Martin (solo HR, 3 RBI), Anthony Hermelyn, and Pat Porter (R) all finished with two hits on the evening.

Matt Bower went 4.1 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 5. Ryan Deemes got the final two outs of the 5th via strikeout and allowed a hit that allowed one of Bower's runners to score. Franklin Perez took over the rest of the way and he struck out 2 over 4 perfect innings to get the save.

Yoanys Quiala will face Aron McRee in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 6:30 Eastern.

Quad Cities 2, Kane County 1 in 11 innings

W- Derick Velazquez (1-1)
L- Austin Mason (0-1)

QC home runs: None.

The River Bandits snapped a little 3-game slide by walking off with a win on Friday night.

Ronnie Dawson singled to lead off the 3rd. He proceeded to steal 2nd and scored the first run of the evening on a double from Jake Rogers. Kane County scored their run in the 5th, and then 12 consecutive zeroes were posted on the scoreboard. It didn't take long for the Banditos to win it; Rogers led off the inning by reaching on an error that allowed him to advance to 2nd and Randy César sent the crowd at Modern Woodmen Park home happy with a single.

A high pitch count knocked Brett Adcock out of the game early again, but there's no doubt that he's been incredibly effective to open the year. In 4.1 innings, Adcock allowed a run, which was an inherited runner charged to him, on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 8. Erasmo Pinales was the first man out of the Banditos bullpen and in 3.2 innings, he allowed 2 hits and fanned 6. Derick Velazquez pitched 3 innings and allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1.

Edgardo Sandoval will start the series finale. He'll face Ryan Atkinson at 1:15.

Friday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

These three came through with what eventually turned out to be game-winning plays for their teams:

Randy César's photo taken by Bryan Green

Alejandro Garcia's photo from MiLB.com

Randy César, 3B, Quad Cities: Walk-off RBI single in 11th

Johnny Sewald, OF, Buies Creek: Go-ahead solo HR (1) in 6th

Alejandro Garcia, OF, Corpus Christi: Go-ahead RBI HBP with bases loaded in 8th

Brett Adcock's photo from MiLB.com

Quad Cities pitchers: W 2-1 vs. Kane County (11 innings)

Brett Adcock: 4.1 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 8 K

Erasmo Pinales: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 6 K

Derick Velazquez: W (1-1), 3 IP, 2 H, BB, K

Jason Martin, OF, Buies Creek

2-5, solo HR (1), 3 RBI

Franklin Perez, RHP, Buies Creek

Save (1), 4 IP, 2 K

Dean Deetz, RHP, Corpus Christi

W (2-0), 3.2 IP, H, 2 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, April 9, 2017

Organization sweep!

Fresno 5, Reno 3

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

S- Tyson Perez (1)

Fresno home runs: None.

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

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

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

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

Corpus Christi 7, Northwest Arkansas 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buies Creek 2, Winston-Salem 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quad Cities 18, Wisconsin 11

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

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

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

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

Daz Cameron's photo taken by Bryan Green

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

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

Johnson: 2-5, grand slam (1)

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

Rogelio Armenteros, RHP, Corpus Christi

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

Alejandro Garcia's photo from MiLB.com

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

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

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

A.J. Reed, 1B, Fresno

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

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, June 20, 2016

Fresno 2, Tacoma 1

W- Tommy Shirley (5-4)
L- Cody Martin (5-5)
S- James Hoyt (16)

Fresno home runs: A.J. Reed (10, solo in 9th)

Both teams recorded 5 hits and scored a run in the 9th, but the difference in this game was a run in the 1st inning for Fresno.

A.J. Reed served as the one-man show on offense; he opened the scoring with a sac fly in the 1st inning and hit a solo home run in the top of the 9th. Andrew Aplin, who scored on the sac fly, finished 2-4 and was the only player on either side to record a multi-hit game.

Tommy Shirley pitched 6 shutout innings and allowed 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. In his PCL debut, Brendan McCurry struck out 2 over 2 perfect innings. James Hoyt was greeted rudely by Stefen Romero, who hit a solo homer off of him to lead off the bottom of the 9th. However, that would be the only hit that Hoyt would surrender in the inning as he recorded his 16th save of the season. He struck out 1 in the 9th.

The Grizzlies are back home, where they will begin a 4-game series with Albuquerque tonight at 7:05 Pacific. In game 1, Brad Peacock will get the start. Jordan Lyles was Albuquerque's scheduled starter, but he was just recalled by the Rockies.

Corpus Christi 5, San Antonio 3 in 11 innings

W- Aaron West (5-0)
L- Kyle McGrath (0-2)

CC home runs: None.

Both teams were tied at 2 heading into extra innings, but the Hooks got the victory thanks to an 11th-inning outburst.

Conrad Gregor ripped an RBI ground-rule double in the 4th inning to put the Hooks on the board. Corpus and San Antonio both scored a run in the 6th; the Hooks' run came in the form of an RBI single from J.D. Davis.

Gregor led off the top of the 11th with another double. Roberto Peña joined him on the bases by smacking a double of his own, and Alejandro Garcia put the Hooks in the lead with a 2-run single. Garcia advanced to 3rd on a Teoscar Hernandez groundout and scored on a passed ball.

Davis (RBI, 2 BB), Gregor (2 2B, RBI, R), and Garcia (2 RBI, R) all finished with 2 hits in the game. There was a scary moment in the 8th as Alex Bregman was hit in the helmet by a pitch. Fortunately, he tweeted out that he's alright. He was taken out of the game as a precaution.

Kent Emanuel went 5 innings and allowed a run on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. Francis Martes tagged in for 4 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 7. Aaron West pitched 2 innings, and the only run he allowed came on a solo home run from Gabriel Quintana in the 11th. West allowed one other hit and struck out 2.

Evan Grills will start game 3 of this series. He'll face Aaron Northcraft at 7:05.

Lancaster is on its All-Star break

The California-Carolina League All-Star Game will take place tonight in Lake Elsinore. Bobby Boyd and Garrett Stubbs will represent the JetHawks.

Quad Cities is on its All-Star break

The Midwest League All-Star Game is tonight in Cedar Rapids. Kevin McCanna and Kyle Tucker are the River Bandits' representatives.

Tri-City 10, Brooklyn 9 in 17 innings

W- Luis Ramirez (1-0)
L- Santo Marte (0-1)

TC home runs: Stephen Wrenn (2, 2-run in 17th)

It took a little over six hours, but the ValleyCats emerged victorious despite the Cyclones' bid to win the game in the bottom of the 17th.

Tri-City scored 2 in the 3rd inning as Stephen Wrenn hit an RBI single and Daz Cameron scored on a botched pickoff attempt. Carmen Benedetti ripped a 2-run double in the 6th inning to put the ValleyCats up 4-2, but Brooklyn scored 4 in the bottom of the 6th to take the lead. Tri-City responded by scoring a run in the 7th on a sac fly from Wrenn, and in the 8th on an RBI double from Jake Rogers that tied the game at 6. That was where the scoreline stood until the 17th inning.

Although Chuckie Robinson was thrown out at 3rd base trying to stretch a double into a triple, Kolbey Carpenter was able to take his place on the bases with a single. He moved to 3rd on a Marcos Almonte double, and Cameron put the ValleyCats in the lead with a 2-run single. One batter later, Wrenn smacked a 2-run home run, his 2nd of the season.

Everyone in the lineup recorded a hit; Wrenn (2-R HR, 4 RBI), Benedetti (2B, 2 RBI) and Almonte (2 2B, R) all finished with 3 hits in the game. Wrenn and Almonte also stole a base; Wrenn now has 4 steals, while Almonte has 2 stolen bases.

Brett Adcock pitched 1.2 innings and an inherited runner was charged to him. He also allowed a single, walked 1, and struck out 3. Ricardo Castro was the first man out of the bullpen, and in 4 innings, he allowed 4 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3. Dylan James allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2 in 1.1 innings. Carlos Sierra was the next pitcher to appear for Tri-City; he threw 6 scoreless innings, allowing a hit, walking 2 (1 intentionally), and striking out 5. Nick Hernandez followed with 2 scoreless, allowing a hit, walking 1, and striking out 3. Luis Ramirez pitched 2 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits, issued 3 intentional walks, and struck out 3.

Sebastian Kessay will start the series finale. He'll take on Erik Manoah at 7:00 Eastern.

DSL Astros Blue 5, DSL Marlins 3

W- Yulian Frontado (1-0)
L- Edison Suriel (0-1)

The Blue team just wins.

Angel Tejeda finished 3-4 and put Team Blue on the board with an RBI single in the 4th inning. Tejeda struck again with a 2-run single in the 6th inning. In the 7th, Jose Benjamin hit an RBI single. Tejeda singled to lead off the 8th and two botched pickoff attempts allowed him to advance to 3rd base, and he scored the final run of the day on a sac fly from Orlando Marquez. Benjamin (RBI, 2 R) and Ronny Jimenez (2B, BB, SB) both finished with 2 hits in the game.

Edwin Fidel, Johsson Arias, and Yulian Frontado pitched 3 innings apiece. Fidel got the start and allowed 2 unearned runs on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Arias allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 1, and the only run that Frontado allowed came on a solo home run hit by Felix Arosemena. Frontado allowed three other hits, walked 2, and struck out 2.

The Blue team squared off against the Dodgers 2 today.

DSL Rays2 4, DSL Astros Orange 0

W- Joel Peguero (1-2)
L- Gerardo Bojorquez (0-2)

Orange home runs: None.

The Orange team could not push a run across. Ronaldo Urdaneta finished 2-3 with a double.

Gerardo Bojorquez pitched 4 innings and allowed 3 runs coming off a solo and a 2-run homer. He allowed two other hits and struck out 5. Jacques Sambo allowed a run on a single and walked 2 in the 5th inning. Carlos Espinoza worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 6th, and Francisco Villegas allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 2 in 2 innings of work.

The Orange team took on the Phillies 2 this morning.

Four Stars (in three)

3.

Photo from MiLB.com

Alejandro Garcia, OF, Corpus Christi

2-5, go-ahead 2-RBI single in 11th, R

2.

Photo from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Stephen Wrenn, OF, Tri-City

3-9, 2-R HR (2), 4 RBI, SB (4)

1. Carlos Sierra, RHP, Tri-City: 6 IP, H, 2 BB (1 IBB), 5 K; professional debut

Tommy Shirley, LHP, Fresno

W (5-4), 6 IP, 4 H, BB, 5 K