Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, July 4, 2016

Fresno 4, Sacramento 1

W- César Valdez (6-1)
L- Adalberto Mejia (1-1)
S- James Hoyt (21)

Fresno home runs: Alex Bregman 2 (4, 18 season; 2-run in 3rd, solo in 8th)

Alex Bregman provided the fireworks for Fresno on the 4th. He's not bad at baseball.

Bregman whacked a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning and led off the 8th with another home run. Later in the 8th, Teoscar Hernandez capped off the evening with an RBI triple. Bregman (2 HR), Hernandez (2B, 3B, RBI), and Matt Duffy all finished 2-4 at the plate.

César Valdez allowed a run on 6 hits and struck out 5 in 7 innings. Brendan McCurry allowed a hit and struck out 1 in a scoreless 8th inning, and James Hoyt struck out 2 in a 1-2-3 9th to record the save.

Brady Rodgers will start game 2 of this series. He'll face Joan Gregorio at 7:05 Pacific.

Tulsa 10, Corpus Christi 2

W- Chase De Jong (9-4)
L- Edison Frias (3-1)

CC home runs: J.D. Davis (13, solo in 2nd)

The Hooks got buried by a late onslaught from the Drillers.

J.D. Davis finished 2-4 and smacked a solo home run in the 2nd inning to open the scoring. Roberto Peña scored the other Hooks run in the 8th inning when D.J. Fisher reached on an error; Fisher was credited with an RBI on the play.

Edison Frias went 6 innings and allowed 3 unearned runs on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Eric Peterson pitched 2.1 innings and allowed 5 runs (1 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 5 hits and struck out 1, and Ryan Thompson got the final 2 outs of the 9th, but not before he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and walked 1.

In the series finale, Keegan Yuhl will take on Tim Shibuya. First pitch is at 6:05.

Lancaster 9, Visalia 7

W- Ryan Deemes (3-1, 4-1 season)
L- Jency Solis (1-1)

Lancaster home runs: Johnny Sewald (2, 3 season; solo in 1st)

The JetHawks made a thrilling comeback to snatch the victory from the Rawhide.

Johnny Sewald led off the bottom of the 1st with a home run. Both teams scored 2 in the 2nd; Lancaster's 2 runs scored by way of an RBI single from Brooks Marlow and a sac fly from Drew Ferguson. Visalia took a 7-3 lead into the bottom of the 7th, and that was where the JetHawks started their rally.

Bryan Muñiz ripped a 2-run double in the 7th to cut the Rawhide lead to 7-5. Jamie Ritchie led off the 8th by drawing a walk, and Ferguson joined him on the bases after getting plunked. Sewald came through with an RBI single to make it a one-run game. Tony Nuñez went down on strikes for the 2nd out of the inning, but Bobby Boyd put the JetHawks in the lead with a 2-run single, and Muñiz put the finishing touches on the comeback with an RBI double. Sewald finished 3-4 with 3 runs scored.

Akeem Bostick went 5 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 10 hits (2-run homer), walked 2, and struck out 4. Kevin Comer and Ryan Deemes both pitched 2 innings; Comer allowed 2 runs on 3 hits (solo homer) and struck out 5, while Deemes allowed a hit and struck out 1.

Brock Dykxhoorn will start game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 6:35 Pacific.

Quad Cities 9, Beloit 1

W- Elieser Hernandez (4-2, 5-6 season)
L- Michael Murray (3-2)

QC home runs: Kristian Trompiz (1, 2-run in 2nd)

Elieser Hernandez and Makay Nelson joined forces on a 1-hitter as the Banditos cruised to a victory.

Hernandez allowed that hit, walked 1, and struck out 10 over 8 shutout innings. The 10 strikeouts tied a career high for Hernandez; he also struck out 10 for Tri-City on July 4 last year. Beloit spoiled the shutout with a sac fly against Makay Nelson in the 9th. Nelson issued a walk to Edwin Diaz, who scored on the sac fly.

Dex McCall opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st inning. In the 2nd, Kristian Trompiz smacked his first home run of the year, a 2-run homer. Myles Straw hit an RBI single in the 4th, and Anthony Hermelyn was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 7th inning. Quad Cities turned this one into a laugher in the 8th as they tacked on 4 more runs: Trompiz ripped an RBI triple, McCall chipped in with a 2-run single, and Hermelyn capped off the scoring with an RBI double.

Straw (RBI, 2 R) and Connor Goedert (2B, 3 R) both finished 3-4, while Trompiz (2B, HR, 3 RBI), McCall (3 RBI), and Osvaldo Duarte (BB, R) had 2 hits in the game.

In game 2 of this series, Jose Luis Hernandez will face Dustin Hurlbutt. First pitch is at 7.

State College 9, Tri-City 7

W- Steven Farinaro (2-0)
L- Kevin Hill (0-1)
S- Eric Carter (2)

TC home runs: None.

Both teams had 15 hits in the game, but the Spikes topped the ValleyCats in the column that matters the most.

Tri-City responded to State College's 3-run top of the 1st by capitalizing on a bases-loaded, no out situation in the bottom of the inning, turning it into 4 runs. Stephen Wrenn ripped a 2-run double, and Randy César followed with a 2-run single. The Spikes responded to that outburst with 2 runs in the 2nd inning, and that turned out to be the difference. Ryne Birk hit a 2-run single in the 6th inning, and in the 8th, Alex DeGoti grounded into a fielder's choice that allowed Brauly Mejia to score.

César and Chuckie Robinson both finished 3-4, while Birk and Wrenn had 2 hits apiece.

Kevin Hill allowed 5 runs on 7 hits (solo homer) in 2 innings. Austin Nicely was the first man out of the Tri-City bullpen, and the 2 runs he allowed in his 4 innings came on solo homers. Nicely allowed one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 2. Chris Cotton walked 1 and struck out 1 in a scoreless 7th inning. Josue Uribe got 2 outs in the 8th and allowed 2 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 3 hits and walked 1. Nick Hernandez allowed 2 hits and walked 2 in 1.1 innings.

Ryan Hartman will start game 2 of this series, He'll face Ronnie Williams at 7:00 Eastern.

Kingsport 7, Greeneville 3

W- Ronald Guedez (1-0)
L- Devon Carr (0-1)

Greeneville home runs: Miguelangel Sierra (4, solo in 3rd)

The K-Mets seized control of this game by scoring 5 runs in the top of the 8th.

Tyler Wolfe put Greeneville on the board with an RBI groundout in the 2nd inning, and Miguelangel Sierra whacked a solo homer in the 3rd. Chaz Pal added an RBI groundout in the 7th. Jonathan Arauz finished 2-4.

Patrick Sandoval went 4.2 innings and allowed a run on 5 hits, walked 3, and struck out 5. Diogenes Almengo was the first man out, and he allowed a run on a wild pitch, a single, walked 2, and struck out 2 in 2.1 innings. The 8th inning turned out to be a nightmare for Devon Carr, as he allowed 5 runs while only getting 1 out in the inning. Lucas Williams stopped the bleeding by getting the final 2 outs of the inning. Williams, who issued a walk in his 1.2 innings, also threw a scoreless 9th.

The last game of this series will be in Kingsport. Nathan Thompson will take on Jordan Humphreys at 7:00 Eastern.

DSL Astros Blue 2, DSL Athletics 1

W- Jheyson Caraballo (2-0)
L- Jose Mora (0-2)
S- Johsson Arias (4)

Blue home runs: None.

Nicolás Miranda opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st. Angel Tejeda had the other 2 hits for the Blue team, one of which was an RBI single in the 4th.

Jheyson Caraballo allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1 over 5 shutout innings. Yeremi Ceballos threw 1.1 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 3, and fanning 2, and Johsson Arias allowed an unearned run, a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1.

DSL Phillies2 6, DSL Astros Orange 3

W- Adrian Acosta (3-0)
L- Asael Uribe (1-2)
S- Luis Ramirez (5)

Orange home runs: None.

Enmanuel Valdez smacked a 2-run triple in the 1st inning. Ramiro Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch in the 5th inning. The other 2 hits belonged to Gilberto Celestino.

Asael Uribe went 4 innings and allowed 4 runs on 8 hits and struck out 2. Willy Collado allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 2 innings, and Miguel Matos allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and fanned 1 in 3 innings.

Monday's Stars

Johnny Sewald, OF, Lancaster

3-4, solo HR (2, 3 season), 2 RBI, 3 R

Alex Bregman, SS, Fresno

2-4, 2 HR (4, 18 season), 3 RBI

Kristian Trompiz, SS, Quad Cities

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

César Valdez, RHP, Fresno

W (6-1), 7 IP, 6 H, ER, 5 K

Elieser Hernandez, RHP, Quad Cities

W (4-2, 5-6 season), 8 IP, H, BB, 10 K (tied career high)

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, July 1, 2016

After two AAA games, Alex Bregman has demonstrated his proficiency at the level. #callamup

The Astros' lower-level affiliates continued their battle with the Rays on Friday. How did they fare?

Fresno 4, Salt Lake 1

W- Mike Hauschild (6-7)
L- Nate Smith (5-3)
S- James Hoyt (20)

Fresno home runs: Teoscar Hernandez (2, 8 season; solo in 2nd), Alex Bregman (1, 15 season; 2-run in 8th)

I think it might be safe to say that Teoscar Hernandez and Alex Bregman really like their new surroundings in the Pacific Coast League.

Mike Hauschild allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 4 in 5 innings of work. Kevin Chapman was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen, and in 1.1 innings, he walked 2 and struck out 1. Reymin Guduan allowed a hit and got the second out of the 7th inning. Brendan McCurry recorded the final out of the 7th and threw a 1-2-3 8th inning; he got 3 groundball outs and a flyout. James Hoyt navigated through some traffic in the form of a hit and a walk to record his 20th save, striking out 2 in the 9th inning.

Tony Kemp led off the game with a single. He then stole 2nd base (6) and scored the first run of the evening on a single from Matt Duffy. Teoscar Hernandez led off the 2nd inning with a home run to put the Grizzlies up 2-0 at that point, and Alex Bregman whacked his first home run at the AAA level in the 8th inning, a 2-run blast to bring in the final runs of the evening. Duffy finished 2-3 on the night.

Tommy Shirley will start game 3 of this series. He'll face David Huff at 6:35 Mountain.

Springfield 11, Corpus Christi 1

W- Heath Wyatt (1-1)
L- Francis Martes (5-3)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks' first series after the Texas League All-Star break has been forgettable, to say the least. Frustrations reached a boiling point in the 3rd when Hooks manager Rodney Linares was tossed.

Jack Mayfield finished 2-4; both of his hits were doubles, and the one he hit in the 8th inning was Corpus Christi's only scoring play. James Ramsay, who scored on Mayfield's 8th-inning double, also finished with 2 hits in the game.

Francis Martes went 2 innings and allowed 4 runs on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 5. Eric Peterson was the first man out of the Corpus Christi bullpen; he allowed a grand slam, 5 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 2 innings. Ryan Thompson pitched 3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4, and Albert Minnis allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 2 in 2 innings.

Corpus will look to avoid the sweep as Evan Grills takes the mound. He'll face Luke Weaver at 7:05.

Lancaster 5, Lake Elsinore 1

W- Trent Thornton (4-4)
L- Brett Kennedy (2-6)

Lancaster home runs: None.

Trent Thornton shined on the mound, and the JetHawks have won the first 2 games of this series by a score of 5-1.

Thornton allowed a run on 5 hits and struck out a career-high 9 in 7 innings of work. Kevin McCanna's second California League outing went much smoother; he threw 2 perfect innings and got a strikeout.

Garrett Stubbs opened the scoring with an RBI double in the 3rd inning. Lancaster scored 3 in the 4th thanks to an RBI single from Aaron Mizell and a 2-run single from Tony Nuñez. Both teams scored a run in the 6th inning; the JetHawks' run came in the form of a sac fly from Bryan Muñiz. Everyone in the lineup got a hit; Nuñez (2 RBI, R), Brooks Marlow, and Ramon Laureano (BB, SB) had 2 hits apiece. Laureano also stole his 28th base of the season.

Rogelio Armenteros will start game 3 of this series. He'll take on Chris Huffman at 6:00 Pacific.

Quad Cities 5, Kane County 3

W- Justin Ferrell (4-4)
L- Drew Muren (0-4)

QC home runs; None.

The Banditos scored 4 in the top of the 9th to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Yes, the losing pitcher is the same Drew Muren who played in the Astros' system from 2011-13 as an outfielder.

Prior to the 9th, Quad Cities' only run came in the 5th when Myles Straw scored on an error. Pat Porter ignited that big 9th inning with a single. He advanced to 3rd on an error and scored on a Christian Correa single to tie the game at 2. Bobby Wernes ripped an RBI double to put the Banditos in front, and Straw capped off a huge night with a 2-run single, his 5th hit of the game. Straw, who also stole a base (10), was the only player on either side to record a multi-hit game, and he accounted for 31% of all the hits recorded in this game.

Matt Bower went 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 11. The 11 strikeouts represents a new career high and is the 2nd time that he's recorded double-digit strikeouts in an appearance this season. At one point, he struck out 6 consecutive batters. Justin Ferrell pitched the final 3 innings and allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 2.

In game 3 of this series, Franklin Perez will face Justin Donatella. First pitch is at 6:30.

Tri-City 5, Hudson Valley 3

W- Sebastian Kessay (1-0, 2-3 season)
L- Brock Burke (0-1)
S- Sean Stutzman (1)

TC home runs: Kevin Martir (1, 2-run in 7th)

The ValleyCats got a solid start from Sebastian Kessay as they took the first of 3 from the Renegades.

Daz Cameron hit a single with 1 out in the 1st inning, advanced to 3rd on a Ronnie Dawson single, and scored the game's first run on a wild pitch. Kevin Martir smacked an RBI double in the 2nd inning, and he clubbed a 2-run homer in the 7th. Stephen Wrenn provided a big insurance run with an RBI single in the 8th. Wrenn and Martir both finished 2-4.

Sebastian Kessay pitched 5.1 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits while striking out 7. Carlos Sierra allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 2 in an inning of work (2 outs in 6th, first out of 7th). Chris Cotton allowed 2 hits and struck out 1 over 1.2 scoreless, and Sean Stutzman struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th to get the save.

Edgardo Sandoval will start game 2 of this series. First pitch is 7:05 Eastern.

Greeneville 5, Princeton 2

W- Ricardo Castro (1-0)
L- Jose Disla (0-2)
S- Abdiel Saldaña (1)

Greeneville home runs: Miguelangel Sierra (3, solo in 7th)

The Appy Astros got their first series win of the season as Ricardo Castro and Abdiel Saldaña combined on a 3-hitter.

The two runs that Castro allowed in his 6 innings both came on solo home runs. He allowed one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 3. Saldaña walked 1 and struck out 4 over the final 3 innings to record the save.

Bryan De La Curz scored Greeneville's first run when he came home on a Chaz Pal groundout in the 2nd inning. Ray Henderson followed with an RBI single to put them in the lead. De La Cruz ripped a 2-run triple in the 3rd inning, and Miguelangel Sierra clubbed a solo home run in the 7th inning to cap off the scoring. Tyler Wolfe finished 3-5 with a run scored and a stolen base (1), and Jonathan Arauz went 2-4 with a run scored.

Tonight, Greeneville will begin a 4-game series with Kingsport. For some reason, the first three games of this series will take place in Greeneville, and the finale will be in Kingsport. Framber Valdez will start game 1, and he'll take on Adonis Uceta at 6:00 Eastern.

GCL Mets 12, GCL Astros 3

W- Yeudy Colon (1-0)
L- Enoli Paredes (0-2)

GCL home runs: None.

The Kissimmee Stros scored first, but the Mets closed the game on a 12-1 run.

Juan Piñeda finished 2-3 and opened up the scoring with a 2-run single in the 2nd inning. Troy Sieber also finished 2-3; he doubled in the 2nd and scored on Piñeda's single. He also hit an RBI single in the 5th inning.

The pitchers struggled, and I'll leave it at that. Luis Vásquez walked 1 and struck out 1 in 1.1 innings; he was the only GCL pitcher with a scoreless outing.

The Kissimmee Stros are currently playing the Marlins.

DSL Astros Blue 5, DSL Rays1 1

W- Edwin Fidel (1-0)
L- Jose Zerpa (0-3)

Blue home runs: None.

The Blue team got a fine outing from Edwin Fidel, who dominated the Rays 1 in his 5 innings. He allowed just 1 hit, walked 2, and struck out 3. Yulian Frontado allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in 3 innings, and Yeremi Ceballos worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

Angel De Leon opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 4th inning. Alfredo Angarita whacked a 2-run triple in the 5th, and in the 8th, Jose Benjamin hit an RBI single and Nicolás Miranda scored on a wild pitch. Benjamin (RBI, R, 2 SB) and César Cortez both finished with 2 hits on the day.

The Blue team is taking on the A's today.

DSL Astros Orange 3, DSL Rays2 2 in 13 innings

W- Gabriel Pirela (2-0)
L- Enyerbeth Lugo (1-1)
S- Carlos Espinoza (3)

Orange home runs: Anthony Rodriguez (2, 2-run in 9th)

With the Orange team down to its final two outs, Anthony Rodriguez tied the game with a 2-run home run in the top of the 9th to force extra innings. Jose Abel Hernandez was hit by a pitch in the 13th inning, and a wild pitch allowed him to advance to 2nd. He scored the go-ahead run on another wild pitch that struck out Gerry Castillo.

Gerardo Bojorquez allowed a solo homer to Sabriel Polanco in the 1st, which was the only run he allowed in 4 innings. He allowed one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 4. Francisco Villegas also went 4 innings; he allowed a run on a sac fly in the 8th, a triple that preceded the sac fly, and struck out 5. Willy Collado was next; he allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1 over 2 scoreless. Gabriel Pirela walked 1 and struck out 4 over 2 scoreless, and Carlos Espinoza worked around a walk to close out the game, striking out 1.

The Orange team faced the Phillies 2 today.

Friday's Stars

Edwin Fidel, RHP, DSL Astros Blue: W (1-0), 5 IP, H, 2 BB, 3 K

Photo by Bryan Green

Abdiel Saldaña, RHP, Greeneville

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

Photo from MiLB.com

Kevin Martir, C, Tri-City

2-4, 2B, HR (1), 3 RBI

Sebastian Kessay, LHP, Tri-City

W (1-0, 2-3 season), 5.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 7 K

Trent Thornton, RHP, Lancaster

W (4-4), 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 9 K (career high)

Matt Bower, LHP, Lancaster

6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 11 K (career high)

Myles Straw, OF, Quad Cities

5-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R, SB (10)

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Fresno 5, Tacoma 3

W- César Valdez (5-1)
L- Zach Lee (7-6)
S- James Hoyt (19)

Fresno home runs: Tyler Heineman (3, solo in 8th)

The Tacos earned the split as Brendan McCurry and James Hoyt locked the Rainiers down.

Tony Kemp doubled to lead off the bottom of the 1st and scored the first run of the evening on an RBI triple from Colin Moran. Preston Tucker drove Moran in with an RBI double, and Jon Kemmer finished off the scoring in the opening frame with an RBI single. After Matt Duffy led off the 3rd inning with a double, Kemmer added another RBI single to his ledger. Tyler Heineman provided a crucial insurance run in the 8th inning by launching a solo homer, his 3rd of the season. Kemp (2B, R, SB[5]), Moran (3B, RBI, R), and Kemmer (2 RBI) all finished 2-5 on the night.

César Valdez went 6 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 8 hits and struck out 4. Brendam McCurry was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen, and in 2 scoreless innings, he allowed a hit and struck out 2. James Hoyt struck out the side in order in the 9th to record his 19th save of the season.

After a day off, the Grizzlies will begin a 4-game series in Salt Lake City on Thursday.

Texas League All-Star Game

The South topped the North 8-5. Alex Bregman terrorized the Texas League one last time as he opened the scoring with a 2-run home run in the 1st inning. Bregman finished 2-3 and exited the game in the 6th inning. Teoscar Hernandez, who is also moving up to Fresno, got the start in right field and finished 1-4 with 2 runs scored. Derek Fisher got the start in center field and hit an RBI single in the 3rd inning. J.D. Davis entered the game in the 6th and finished 1-2 with a run scored.

Keegan Yuhl got the start and allowed a hit in a scoreless 1st. Evan Grills allowed a run on 3 hits in the 4th, and Edison Frias worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 5th inning.

The Hooks will return to action on Thursday when they begin a 3-game series with Springfield.

Lancaster 6, High Desert 3

W- Dean Deetz (4-3)
L- Ariel Jurado (6-2)
S- Gonzalo Sañudo (1)

Lancaster home runs: Keach Ballard (2, 3 season; 2-run in 6th)

High Desert hasn't exactly been welcoming to the JetHawks, but they clinched the series with this victory.

Bryan Muñiz finished 4-4, and his RBI single in the 1st inning opened up the scoring. Lancaster scored 3 in the 4th, thanks to a 2-run double from Jamie Ritchie, who later scored on an error that allowed Brooks Marlow to reach. The Mavericks scored a run in the 6th to get within 1, but Keach Ballard clubbed a 2-run home run in the 6th inning to create some separation. Johnny Sewald and Ramon Laureano both finished 2-5.

Akeem Bostick and Dean Deetz both pitched 4 innings. Bositck allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 3, and struck out 2, while Deetz allowed an unearned run on 4 hits and struck out 2. Gonzalo Sañudo got 3 flyball outs to record the save. He also struck out 1, but his victim managed to reach base safely.

Brock Dykxhoorn will be on the mound for Lancaster tonight as they look for the sweep. He'll take on Tyler Davis at 7:05 Pacific.

Cedar Rapids 8, Quad Cities 5

W- Sam Clay (5-4)
L- Elieser Hernandez (3-2, 4-6 season)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos scored 2 in the 1st inning, but the Kernels quickly turned the tables on them by putting up 5 in the 2nd inning.

Kyle Tucker opened the scoring with a sac fly in the 1st, and Anthony Hermelyn added an RBI single later in the inning. Pat Porter ripped a 2-run double in the 6th, and Tucker added an RBI single to his ledger in the 9th inning.

Little Tuck and Hermelyn both finished with 2 hits in the game, while Myles Straw went 3-5 with 2 runs scored and 2 stolen bases (9).

Elieser Hernandez allowed 5 runs on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2 in 1.2 innings. Makay Nelson was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen, and in 3.2 innings, he allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1. David Schmidt allowed 2 runs, an RBI double, and walked 4 in 2.2 innings, and Ralph Garza struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Jose Luis Hernandez will start game 3 of this series. He'll face Miles Nordgren at 7:00.

Tri-City and Williamsport was postponed

Due to rain. These two teams will play a doubleheader today, with game 1 starting at 4:30 Eastern. Brett Adcock will take on Ranger Suarez in that game, and in the nightcap, Dustin Hunt will face Seranthony Dominguez.

Bristol 8, Greeneville 7

W- Geoff Hartlieb (2-0)
L- Colin McKee (0-1)

Greeneville home runs: Spencer Johnson (1, 2-run in 2nd)

The Appy Astros were swept out of Bristol as their bullpen faltered late.

Frankeny Fernandez hit a 1-out single in the 1st inning. He then stole 2nd and scored the first run of the evening on an error that allowed Bryan De La Cruz to reach.

In the 2nd inning, Miguelangel Sierra smacked an RBI double, and Fernandez followed with a 2-run double. Spencer Johnson led Division I with 24 home runs in the spring, and he followed those two run-producing doubles by whacking his first home run as a pro. Johnson's 2-run shot put Greeneville up 6-0 at that point.

Unfortunately, the Pirates erased their lead with a 6-run 7th inning. Luis Payano hit a sac fly in the 8th to put the Appy Astros back in front, but Bristol responded by scoring 2 runs in the 8th to take the lead. Fernandez finished 2-3 and stole 2 bases (4).

Carlos Sanabria allowed just 1 hit and struck out 6 over 5 shutout innings. Carlos Hiraldo pitched a scoreless 6th inning, but it all went horribly wrong for him in the 7th inning. In 1.1 innings, Hiraldo allowed 6 runs (4 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Colin McKee pitched 1.2 innings and allowed 2 unearned runs of his own on 4 hits and walked 1.

Patrick Sandoval will start for the Appy Astros tonight as they begin a 3-game series in Princeton. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

GCL Cardinals 5, GCL Astros 1

W- Alvaro Seijas (1-0)
L- Manuel Gonzalez (0-1)

GCL home runs: None.

The Cardinals took control of this game with 4 runs in the 6th.

Brody Westmoreland hit an RBI triple in the 3rd inning to drive in the Kissimmee Stros' only run. This was also their only extra-base hit on the day.

Jorge Guzman walked 2 and struck out 1 in a scoreless 1st inning. César Rosado pitched 4 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits, walking 3, and striking out 5. Manuel Gonzalez bore the brunt of the Cardinals' assault in the 6th; he allowed 4 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2 in the inning. Gabriel Valdez allowed a run on 2 hits and fanned 4 in 3 innings.

The GCL club has today off; they'll take on the Cardinals again on Thursday.

DSL Astros Blue 3, DSL Royals 2

W- Yonatan Quintin (1-0)
L- Enderson Rodriguez (1-1)
S- Johsson Arias (3)

Blue home runs: Nestor Tejada (1, 3-run in 4th)

After a brief lull, the Blue team went back to their winning ways.

Nestor Tejada's 3-run home run in the 4th inning was their only scoring play, but it turned out to be enough to get the victory.

Jheyson Caraballo pitched 4 innings and struck out 7; the only run he allowed came on a solo home run hit by Esteury Ruiz, this was also the only hit that he allowed. Yonatan Quintin pitched a 1-2-3 5th, and Johsson Arias allowed a run on 4 hits and struck out 3 in 4 innings.

These two teams are currently playing at the Royals complex.

DSL Astros Orange 6, DSL Rangers2 1

W- Miguel Matos (1-0)
L- Luis Rosario (2-1)

Orange home runs: Renaigel Martis (1, grand slam in 6th)

Both teams scored a run in the 1st inning, but the Orange team busted this game open with 5 runs in the 6th inning.

Anthony Rodriguez opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st. This would be the Orange team's only scoring play until the 6th, when they seized control of the game.

Felix Lucas reached on an error to lead off the 6th inning and advanced to 3rd on a double from Juan Infante. Bernardo Heras walked to load the bases, and Renaigel Martis cleared them with a grand slam. With the bases now empty, Ronaldo Urdaneta singled, stole 2nd, and scored the final run of the day on an error. The grand slam was Martis' first career home run. Ramiro Rodriguez finished 3-5, while Anthony Rodriguez, Urdaneta, and Jose Abel Hernandez had 2 hits on the day.

Asael Uribe went 4 innings and allowed an unearned run on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Miguel Matos was the first man out of the Orange bullpen, and in 3.1 innings, he walked 3 and fanned 5. Michael Richez walked 2 over 1.2 scoreless innings.

The Orange team and the Rangers 2 are doing battle once again today.

Tuesday's Stars

Jheyson Caraballo, RHP, DSL Astros Blue: 4 IP, H (solo HR), ER, 7 K

Photo by Bryan Green

Carlos Sanabria, RHP, Greeneville

5 IP, H, 6 K

James Hoyt, RHP, Fresno

Save (19), IP, 3 K; 68 K in 38.1 IP this season

Brendan McCurry, RHP, Fresno

2 IP, H, 2 K

Bryan Muñiz, 1B, Lancaster

4-4, RBI, R

Photo by Bryan Green

Frankeny Fernandez, 2B/OF, Greeneville

2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB (4)

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, June 11, 2016

Salt Lake 4, Fresno 2 in 10 innings

W- Greg Mahle (1-0)
L- Reymin Guduan (0-1, 1-1 season)
S- A.J. Achter (2)

Fresno home runs: Colin Moran (4, solo in 2nd)

Both teams scored a run in the 9th, which resulted in a 2-2 tie, but the Bees had the final say in this game as they broke the tie with 2 runs in the first extra frame.

Colin Moran drove in both Fresno runs; he put them on the board with a solo homer in the 2nd and drove in the tying run in the bottom of the 9th with an RBI single. Max Stassi also finished 2-4 for the Grizzlies.

César Valdez went 7 innings and allowed a run on 6 hits and struck out 3. Kevin Chapman was the first man out of the bullpen; he allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and fanned 2 in 2 innings. Reymin Guduan got 1 out in the 10th with a strikeout, but Salt Lake scored the 2 go-ahead runs, one of which was an inherited runner, off of him. He also allowed a hit and walked 2. Josh Fields got the final two outs of the 10th.

The Grizzlies will look to avoid the sweep as Brady Rodgers will get the start. He will take on a person who is quite well-known in the Central Valley: Tim Lincecum. First pitch is at 5:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 5, San Antonio 4 in 10 innings

W- Eric Peterson (3-1, 4-1 season)
L- Tayron Guerrero (0-2)

CC home runs: Alex Bregman (13, walk-off solo in 10th)

The Hooks erased a 4-1 deficit by scoring 4 runs in the final three innings, culminating in Alex Bregman's walk-off solo home run in the first extra frame.

Alejandro Garcia put Corpus on the board with an RBI double in the 2nd inning. This would be the Hooks' only scoring play until the 8th inning, when James Ramsay scored on a wild pitch. Bregman, who was at the plate at the time, followed with an RBI single. Garcia drove in the tying run with an RBI single in the bottom of the 9th. Chan-Jong Moon attempted to score the winning run, but he was thrown out at home. Garcia advanced to 2nd on the throw and took 3rd on a wild pitch, but he was stranded there to end the inning. Bregman stepped into the batter's box with 2 outs in the 10th, and he decided that an 11th inning would not be necessary by slamming a walk-off home run to give the Hooks the win.

Garcia and Bregman had 2 hits and 2 RBI apiece. J.D. Davis also had a 2-hit night for the Hooks.

Cy Sneed, Kyle Smith, and Michael Freeman pitched 3 innings each. Sneed got the start and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and walked 2. Smith was the first man out of the Hooks bullpen, and the only run he allowed came on a solo homer hit by Diego Goris. Smith allowed three other hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. Freeman's 3 innings were scoreless; he allowed 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1. Eric Peterson threw a 1-2-3 10th and got the win.

Brian Holmes will start game 2 of this series. He'll face Kyle Lloyd at 6:05.

Visalia 5, Lancaster 2

W- Brad Keller (5-4)
L- Scott Weathersby (2-4)
S- Bud Jeter (8)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The Rawhide just seem to have the JetHawks' number.

Aaron Mizell opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 2nd. Brooks Marlow scored the other Lancaster run on a wild pitch in the 7th inning.

Scott Weathersby pitched 6.1 innings and allowed 5 runs on 8 hits (solo and 2-run homers), walked 4, and struck out 3. Ryan Thompson allowed a hit and struck out 4 in 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.

In the series finale, Matt Bower will take on Ethan Elias. First pitch is at 1:00 Pacific.

Quad Cities 7, Burlington 6

W- Franklin Perez (1-1)
L- Ronnie Glenn (1-5)
S- Ralph Garza Jr, (4)

QC home runs: Keach Ballard (1, 2-run in 5th)

The Banditos led 6-0 after 5 innings and then had to stave off a Burlington rally to get the victory.

Myles Straw smacked a triple to lead off the 3rd inning and scored the game's first run on a single from Osvaldo Duarte. Quad Cities erupted for 5 runs in the 5th inning as Dex McCall hit an RBI single, Hector Roa ripped a 2-run triple, and Keach Ballard clubbed a 2-run home run, his 1st of the season. Duarte scored the final River Bandits run on an error in the 8th.

Everyone in the lineup contributed to the 18-hit assault. Straw (2B, 2 3B, R), Duarte (RBI, 2 R), and Christian Correa had 3 hits apiece. Roa, who was making his season debut, hit 2 triples.

Franklin Perez went 5.2 innings and had an inherited runner charged to him when Austin Nicely allowed a 2-run home run after coming on. Perez allowed 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Nicely was treated rather rudely by the Bees in his first appearance of 2016; he allowed 3 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him), 2 hits, walked 2, and failed to record an out. David Schmidt allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3, and Ralph Garza Jr. got the 4-out save, allowing 2 hits and striking out 2.

Kevin McCanna will start the series finale. He'll take on Jose Rodriguez at 2:00.

DSL Astros Blue 2, DSL Royals 1

W- Carlos Perdomo (1-0)
L- Gustavo Tejeda (0-1)
S- Johsson Arias (1)

Blue home runs: None.

For the second consecutive game, the Blue team snatched a victory late.

César Cortez singled to lead off the 8th and advanced to 2nd thanks to an error. He moved to 3rd on a single from Samir Caraballo, but was thrown out at home on a Ronny Jimenez fielder's choice. Caraballo had a little better luck; he advanced to 2nd on the fielder's choice, tagged up when Orlando Marquez flied out, and scored the tying run on a passed ball. Alfredo Angarita scored the go-ahead run in the 9th when Cortez grounded into a double play. Nicolas Miranda finished 2-4 with a double.

Felipe Tejada went 4 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Ezequiel Madera was the first reliever to appear for the Blue team and threw a 1-2-3 5th. Carlos Perdomo threw 3 scoreless, allowing 2 hits and striking out 2, and Johsson Arias threw a 1-2-3 9th for the save.

These two teams will play again Monday morning. The DSL has Sundays off.

DSL Astros Orange 9, DSL Mets2 5

W- Miguel Matos (1-0)
L- Rafael Encarnacion (0-1)

Orange home runs: Hector Martinez (2, 2-run in 2nd)

The Mets 2 scored 3 runs in the top of the 8th to tie the game at 5, but the Orange team quickly re-established their advantage with 4 in the bottom of the 8th.

Hector Martinez's 2-run home run in the 2nd opened up the scoring. Team Orange scored 2 more in the 5th on an RBI double from Enmanuel Valdez and an RBI single from Anthony Rodriguez. Gilberto Celestino hit a sac fly in the 7th, which gave the Orange team a 5-2 lead at that point.

Martinez led off the bottom of the 8th by drawing a walk. Vicente Mota also drew a walk to put 2 runners on for Ronaldo Urdaneta, who broke the tie with an RBI double. Felix Lucas walked to load the bases. Mota scored on a wild pitch. Kendy Moya, who was at the plate at the time, hit an RBI single. Valdez drove in the final run of the day with an RBI single. Moya finished a home run shy of the cycle and scored twice. Valdez finished 2-4.

César Rosado went 4 innings and allowed an unearned run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Cristofer Melendez was the first man out; he allowed an unearned run on a sac fly, walked 1, and struck out 2 in 2 innings. Miguel Matos went 2 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits, walked 1, and fanned 4. Gabriel Pirela worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

The Orange team and the Mets 2 will face off again on Monday.

Four Stars

4.

Photo from MiLB.com

César Valdez, RHP, Fresno

7 IP, 6 H, ER, 3 K

3. 

Photo from MiLB.com

Hector Roa, OF, Quad Cities

2-5, 2 3B, 2 RBI, R; season debut

2. Kendy Moya, IF, DSL Astros Orange: 3-4, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2 R

1.

Alex Bregman, SS, Corpus Christi

2-4, walk-off solo HR (13), 2 RBI

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Wednesday, May 18, 2016

The Hooks remain hot.

Sweep!

Fresno was off

The Grizzlies will start a 4-game set in Memphis tonight at 7:05. Joe Musgrove will make his 2nd start in the PCL; he'll face Jeremy Hefner.

Corpus Christi 5, San Antonio 2

W- Cy Sneed (2-1)
L- Bryan Rodriguez (2-3)
S- Evan Grills (1)

CC home runs: James Ramsay (2, 2-run in 1st), J.D. Davis (4, solo in 5th), Alex Bregman (9, 2-run in 7th)

Corpus Christi took their series over San Antonio by winning a game in which both teams scored all of their runs via the longball. Make it 9 wins in a row for the Hooks.

Cy Sneed went 5 innings, and the 2 runs he allowed came in the form of solo homers hit by Jose Rondon and Chase Jensen. He allowed two other hits and struck out 7. Evan Grills shut it down with 4 scoreless, allowing 3 hits and striking out 2.

James Ramsay put Corpus on the board first with a 2-run homer in the 1st. J.D. Davis hit his 4th homer of the year, a solo shot in the 5th. And finally... Alex Bregman continues his reign of terror in the Texas League. He capped off the scoring with a 2-run blast in the 7th, his 9th of the year. I'm beginning to think that Double-A might be getting a little too easy for him. Bregman (2 R), Davis (2B, solo HR), Trent Woodward, and Chan-Jong Moon all finished 2-4 on the day.

Keegan Yuhl will take the hill as the Hooks look for the sweep. He'll face Michael Kelly at 7:05.

Lancaster 11, Inland Empire 4

W- Ryan Deemes (1-0, 2-0 season)
L- Dixon Llorens (1-1)
S- Brock Dykxhoorn (1)

Lancaster home runs: Garrett Stubbs 2 (3; solo in 1st, 3-run in 4th), Bryan Muñiz (3, 2-run in 7th), Jason Martin (2, solo in 7th)

After the 66ers tied the game at 4 following the top of the 4th, the JetHawks took flight and finished the game on a 7-0 run.

Scott Weathersby went 4 innings and allowed 4 runs on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1. Ryan Deemes worked around a walk to throw a scoreless 5th. Brock Dykxhoorn allowed 2 hits and struck out 4 to record a 4-inning save.

Garrett Stubbs is now on a 15-game hitting streak, which went completely unnoticed by me. Maybe that's why his streak has lasted this long. He wasted little time in extending his streak by clubbing a solo homer in the 1st to put Lancaster on the board. Jamie Ritchie added an RBI single later in the inning to give the JetHawks a 2-1 lead. The JetHawks added 2 more in the 2nd with a 2-run double from Ramon Laureano. Inland Empire scored 3 in the top of the 4th to tie the game at 4, but Stubbs quickly put Lancaster back in control with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 4th. In the 7th, Bryan Muñiz (2-run) and Jason Martin (solo) smashed back-to-back home runs, and Brooks Marlow capped off the evening with a sac fly in the 8th.

Everyone in the lineup pitched in with a hit; Drew Ferguson led the way in that category by going 3-5. Stubbs, Laureano, Muñiz, and Martin all had 2-hit nights. Ferguson also scored 3 runs, while Stubbs and Luis Reynoso scored 2 runs apiece.

Elieser Hernandez will take the mound as the JetHawks are looking for the sweep. He'll take on Jake Jewell at 6:35 Pacific.

Quad Cities 9, Clinton 3

W- Kevin McCanna (1-2)
L- Kyle Wilcox (1-2)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos stormed out to a 5-1 lead after 3 innings and were never really threatened in a wire-to-wire victory.

Kyle Tucker drew a 2-out walk in the 1st; he took Osvaldo Duarte's spot on the bases after Duarte was caught stealing. Little Tuck was successful in his stolen base attempt, however, and he scored the first run of the evening on an Anthony Hermelyn single. Dex McCall led off the 2nd with a double and came around to score when Pat Porter smacked a double off the wall in center. In the 3rd, McCall hit an RBI single. Porter followed by drawing a walk that loaded the bases. Quad Cities got 2 runs out of that situation as Aaron Mizell hit a pop-fly RBI single to bring in McCall, and Johnny Sewald hit a sac fly. In the 6th, Tucker hit an RBI single, stole 2nd, and scored on a single from Connor Goedert. The Banditos added 2 more in the 7th as Mizell hit another RBI single, and Bobby Wernes scored when Tucker grounded into a force out.

Tucker (2 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB [18]), Hermelyn (RBI, R), Goedert (2B, RBI), McCall (2B, RBI, 2 R), and Mizell (2 RBI singles) all had 2 hits in this game. Johnny Sewald was 1-2 with 2 walks and 2 stolen bases (16). Duarte was the only player in the lineup without a hit, but he did walk twice.

Kevin McCanna went 5 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. In his 2016 debut, Franklin Perez went 3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Ralph Garza finished it off with a 1-2-3 9th, getting a groundout, a popout, and a flyout.

In the rubber game of this series, Makay Nelson will make his 2016 debut. He'll face Lukas Schiraldi at 7.

Four Stars (In Three)

3.

Alex Bregman, SS, Corpus Christi

2-4, 2-R HR (9)

2. O Canada!

Brock Dykxhoorn, RHP, Lancaster

Evan Grills, LHP, Corpus Christi

Dykxhoorn: Save (1), 4 IP, 2 H, 4 K

Grills: Save (1), 4 IP, 3 H, 2 K

1.

Garrett Stubbs, C, Lancaster

2-4, 2 HR (3), 4 RBI, BB; 15-game hitting streak

Honorable Mentions

J.D. Davis, 3B, Corpus Christi: 2-4, 2B, solo HR (4)
- Davis looks like he's turning the corner after a slow start.

Bryan Muñiz, 1B, Lancaster: 2-4, 2-R HR (3)
- Muñiz is now on a 5-game hitting streak. He's raised his average from .157 to .238 in the last two weeks.

Kyle Tucker, OF, Quad Cities: 2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB (18)
- Please look forward to Kyle Tucker putting up these numbers in Lancaster later this summer.

Kevin McCanna, RHP, Quad Cities: W (1-2), 5 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 4 K
- The Woodlands product turned in a solid start and got plenty of support from his offense.

Ramon Laureano, OF, Lancaster: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI
- Laureano now a .457 on-base percentage. He had a 9-game BB streak snapped, but he's already surpassed his walk total from 2015. That on-base percentage, though.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Tacoma 7, Fresno 6 in 10 innings

W- David Rollins (1-0)
L- Jandel Gustave (1-1)
S- Blake Parker (6)

Fresno home runs: Tyler Heineman (1, solo in 5th), Nolan Fontana (1, 3-run in 7th)

The Tacos successfully forced extra innings.... but the Rainiers got a run in the first extra frame to snatch the victory.

Tyler Heineman's solo shot put Fresno on the board in the 5th inning. They got 4 in the 7th as Matt Duffy ripped an RBI double and Nolan Fontana slammed a 3-run homer that gave the Tacos a 5-4 lead. That lead was short-lived, however, as Tacoma got 2 in the 8th to re-take the lead. But... the Tacos wouldn't trail for long, either.

Andrew Aplin led off the 9th by reaching on an error and advancing to 2nd. He made to 3rd following a Heineman flyout and scored the tying run on a single from Fontana. Fontana did his bit in keeping the Tacos in this one as both of his hits either gave them a lead (3-run homer) or tied the game (RBI single in 9th). Matt Duffy also recorded a 2-hit outing, while Aplin scored 2 runs.

Brady Rodgers had a bare minimum quality start, allowing 9 hits, walking 1, and striking out 4. Kevin Chapman allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 1 in the 7th. Edwar Cabrera came on for the 8th, and he retired the first man he faced, but a walk and a double put him in a bind, so James Hoyt came on to try to extricate Cabrera from this situation. Unfortunately, he could not, as both of Cabrera's runners scored on a wild pitch and a fielder's choice. Hoyt technically pitched 1.2 perfect innings, striking out 2, but the runners he inherited from Cabrera both scored. Jandel Gustave allowed the go-ahead run on a sac fly in the 10th. He allowed a single and issued an intentional walk.

Mike Hauschild will start game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 12:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 5, San Antonio 3

W- Francis Martes (2-2)
L- Bryce Morrow (0-4)
S- Brendan McCurry (4)

CC home runs: Alex Bregman (7, 2-run in 5th), D.J. Fisher (5, solo in 8th)

This Alex Bregman guy might have some potential. The Hooks climbed back above .500 by taking 3 of 4 from their I-37 rivals. They lost 9 of their last 10 to close out April, but they've turned it around in May, going 7-3 in their first 10 games this month.

Corpus got 2 in the 2nd to get on the board, as James Ramsay hit a sac fly, and Alfredo Gonzalez hit an RBI single. Bregman, who doesn't appear to be affected by his layoff, hit a 2-run homer in the 5th that put the Hooks in front, and D.J. Fisher provided a little breathing room with an inside-the-park solo homer in the 8th. Conrad Gregor finished 2-3; 8 of the 9 players in the Hooks lineup had a hit.

Francis Martes went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits (2-run homer), walked 2, and struck out 3. Chris Cotton came out of the bullpen to throw 2.1 scoreless, allowing 1 hit, walking 1, and striking out 1. Brendan McCurry got the 5-out save; he allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1.

Tonight, the Texas League iteration of the Lone Star Series starts once again as the Hooks welcome Frisco to Whataburger Field. Cy Sneed will look to bounce back from his roughest outing of the season as he'll start game 1. His opponent is Connor Sadzeck. First pitch is at 7:05.

Rancho Cucamonga 12, Lancaster 1

W- Yaisel Sierra (1-1)
L- Rogelio Armenteros (0-1, 0-3 season)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks got rocked in this one.

Rogelio Armenteros went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs on 5 hits (solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 4. Dean Deetz and Jacob Dorris both posted identical lines in 1.2 innings and 1.1 innings, respectively. The two of them allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Dorris got a rather rude welcome to the California League.

Lancaster's only run came in the 8th on an RBI double from Drew Ferguson. Garrett Stubbs extended his hitting streak to 9 games, and Ramon Laureano was 2-2 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base (9).

Lancaster will look to get off the canvas as Josh James will start game 2. He'll face Tommy Bergjans at 7:05 Pacific.

Quad Cities and Burlington was postponed

Due to wet grounds. This series will conclude with a doubleheader, with game 1 starting at 6. Jose Luis Hernandez will take on Luis Peña in the first game, and Chris Murphy will face Jose Rodriguez in game 2.

Three Stars

3.

Alex Bregman, SS, Corpus Christi

Go-ahead 2-R HR (7)

2.

Chris Cotton, LHP, Corpus Christi

Hold (1), 2.1 IP, H, BB, K

1.

Nolan Fontana, IF, Fresno

2-4, 3-R HR (1), 4 RBI

Honorable Mentions

Matt Duffy, 3B, Fresno: 2-5, 2B, RBI
- Duffy's bat is showing signs of life after a dreadful start.

Brendan McCurry, RHP, Corpus Christi: Save (4), 1.2 IP, H, BB, K
- McCurry just keeps on rolling.

D.J. Fisher, OF, Corpus Christi: Inside-the-park solo HR (5)
- Delivered an insurance run in breathtaking fashion. Hopefully that 4-4 game gives his bat the spark it needs.

Getting to Know Astros/Hooks SS Alex Bregman

Unfortunately, in my weekend trip to Corpus Christi, Astros 2015 first round pick SS Alex Bregman didn't have his finest performance of the season as he went 0-for-4 for the evening and ended up on the DL as he came up lame trying to reach on a groundout. But, despite the 0-for-4, the Texas League Player of the Week for the week of April 17th managed to get wood on the ball in each of his four at-bats. Known for making good contact, he has only struck out five times in the first 13 games of his 2016 campaign.

Alex Bregman (L) with Joe Musgrove - April 2016

Photo by Jayne Hansen

In the 2016 Houston Farm System Handbook, I wrote the following about Bregman before I had even seen him in person.

As the second overall pick in the 2015 draft, Bregman came with certain expectations and he fulfilled them nicely. His bat speed helps him make solid consistent contact to all fields (athough much of his power has been to the pull side so far). He is not a particularly speedy runner, but makes up for it with good baserunning instincts. And he has quickly become the best defensive shortstop in the Astros minor league system. He doesn't have the spectacular skill set of a Carlos Correa, but he more than makes up for it with hard work, aggressiveness and good baseball instincts.

Now that I've had a chance to watch Bregman in person, I would add to that assessment that Bregman is a natural leader. He leads by example with a quiet confidence and calm energy. In the dugout, he's not a number one draft pick; he's just one of the guys. I found him to be personable and genuine with a quick smile and a twinkle in his eye.

Corpus Christi Manager Rodney Linares said of Bregman, "What's not to like? He started off really hot. He's got a lot of good attributes. He's a leader, shows up, works hard, smart, pretty good defensive shortstop so he's got a lot of things going for him." Bregman's hot start (.340/.431/.660) is no surprise to Linares given Bregman's knowledge of the strike zone. Linares sees a lot of potential for Bregman to hit for high average and collect more than his share of extra base hits.

Alex Bregman - April 2016

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Of Friday night's injury, the general consensus seems to be that Bregman will be on the DL a week to 10 days, but I feel certain that the Astros will play things very cautiously and the DL stint could be somewhat longer. I caught up with Bregman on Sunday morning after he spent about an hour and a half in the training room. We didn't talk about the injury in this interview, but he is anxious to do everything in his power to get back on the field as soon as possible. We did talk about several other topics, though, including the elephant in the room.

Thank you for your time, Alex, and best of luck as the season continues.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, April 17, 2016

Alex Bregman continues his reign of terror in the Texas League.

Las Vegas 3, Fresno 0

W- Sean Gilmartin (1-0)
L- Brady Rodgers (0-1)
S- Chasen Bradford (1)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizzlies' bats went silent for the first time this season.

Colin Moran finished 2-4.

Brady Rodgers had a solid outing, but with the offense MIA, he could only take the loss. Rodgers allowed a run on 7 hits and struck out 4 in 6 innings of work. Kevin Chapman allowed 2 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 2 hits and struck out 2 in 1.1 innings, and Jandel Gustave struck out 1 in 1.2 innings.

Mike Hauschild will get the start in the final game of the series. He'll face Stolmy Pimentel at 12:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 3, Springfield 2

W- Yeyfry Del Rosario (1-0)
L- Josh Lucas (0-1)
S- Aaron West (1)

CC home runs: Alex Bregman (5, 2-run in 7th)

How about that Alex Bregman. His 2-run blast proved to be the difference as Corpus came out on top in game 1 of this series.

The only hit that Brian Holmes surrendered in 5.2 innings of work was a 2-run homer from Harrison Bader in the 3rd. Other than that, he was fantastic, walking 1 and striking out 5 in that timeframe. Yeyfry Del Rosario struck out 2 over 1.1 perfect innings to get the W in his season debut. Aaron West got into a bit of a predicament in the 9th when Springfield had runners on the corners with 1 out against him, but he buckled down and got the final 2 outs without incident. West, who got the 2-inning save, allowed 3 hits and fanned 3.

The other Corpus run came on a J.D. Davis sac fly in the 6th. Mr. Bregman finished 3-4 and also stole a base (1), while Teoscar Hernandez went 2-5 out of the leadoff spot.

Cy Sneed gets the start in game 2 of this series; he'll take on Mike Mayers at 6:30.

High Desert 7, Lancaster 2

W- Cole Wiper (2-0)
L- Josh James (1-1)
S- Austin Pettibone (1)

Lancaster home runs: Bryan Muñiz (1, solo in 7th)

The JetHawks had to settle for the split as they couldn't keep the Mavericks' bats in check.

Nick Tanielu drove in Lancaster's first run with an RBI double in the 6th, and Bryan Muñiz smacked a solo homer in the 7th. Bobby Boyd and Jason Martin both finished with 2 hits and a stolen base. Boyd now has 5 thefts on the year, while Martin has 3.

Josh James allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 5 hits, walked 4, and struck out 3 in 3.1 innings. Ryan Thompson was the first man out, and he struck out 4 over 1.2 perfect innings. Trent Thornton pitched the final 4 innings, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits (solo and 2-run homers) and striking out 7.

The JetHawks will now welcome Rancho Cucamonga to The Hangar for a 3-game series starting at 6:35 Pacific. Brock Dykxhoorn will take on Andrew Sopko.

Kane County 5, Quad Cities 2

W- Junior Garcia (1-1)
L- Kevin McCanna (0-1)
S- Keegan Long (3)

QC home runs: Brooks Marlow (1, solo in 5th)

The Banditos suffered the sweep as they just couldn't get much of anything going on offense. They've been held to less than 5 runs in all but 1 of their games so far. The good news is that it's still early, so they can still get themselves going.

Their 2 runs in this game both came in the 5th, as Brooks Marlow led off the frame with a solo shot, and Osvaldo Duarte later added an RBI double. Dex McCall went 2-3 and scored on Duarte's double.

Kevin McCanna went 3.2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 10 hits (8 singles and a double), walked 2, and struck out 3. Andrew Thome was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen and went 4 innings, allowing a run on an infield single in the 5th. He walked 1 and struck out 3. Jacob Dorris got the final 4 outs and allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 1.

The River Bandits will now embark on a roadtrip. Hopefully that'll give them some time to clear their heads and get some wins. Their first stop: Appleton, Wisconsin, where they'll play 3 against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. In game 1, Alex Winkelman will face Marcos Diplan. First pitch is at 6:35.

Three Stars

3.

Brian Holmes, LHP, Corpus Christi

5.2 IP, H (2-run HR), 2 ER, BB, 5 K

2.

Ryan Thompson, RHP, Lancaster

1.2 IP, 4 K

1.

Embed from Getty Images

Alex Bregman, SS, Corpus Christi
3-4, go-ahead 2-R HR (5) in 7th

Honorable Mentions

Brady Rodgers, RHP, Fresno: L (0-1), 6 IP, 7 H, ER, 4 K
- Good performance despite the tough-luck loss.

Andrew Thome, RHP, Quad Cities: 4 IP, H, ER, BB, 3 K
- Thome continues to be a steady presence in the River Bandits bullpen.

Osvaldo Duarte, SS, Quad Cities: 1-4, 2B, RBI
- Duarte has been a bright spot in a tough start for Quad Cities.

Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Corpus Christi: 2-5, R
- Teoscar is off to a nice start as he's looking to put a tough 2015 in the rear-view mirror.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, April 15, 2016

Two of the system's top bats shined in Friday's action.

Fresno 2, Las Vegas 1

W- Kevin Chapman (1-0)
L- Dario Alvarez (0-1)
S- James Hoyt (2)

Fresno home runs: Danny Worth (3, solo in 6th), A.J. Reed (2, solo in 8th)

The Grizz sent their fans home happy in their first game at Chukchansi Park in 2016.

A.J. Reed finished 2-4, and his solo shot in the 8th proved to be the difference in this game. That homer was his 2nd in as many nights. Danny Worth broke a scoreless tie with a solo shot, his 3rd. Worth had a 3-4 night; he's recorded a hit in all 7 games to open the season, and 5 of those games are multi-hit outings.

Brad Peacock threw 5 shutout innings, allowing a hit, walking 4, and striking out 6. Jandel Gustave was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen; he allowed an unearned run on 2 hits and struck out 2 in 1.2 innings. Kevin Chapman followed Gustave out of the pen, and he retired all 4 Vegas batters he faced, striking out 2 of them. James Hoyt struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th to close it out.

Asher Wojciechowski will get the start in game 2 of this series; he'll face Gabriel Ynoa at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 9, Tulsa 4

W- Michael Freeman (2-1)
L- Felipe Gonzalez (0-2)

CC home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (1, 2-run in 5th), Alex Bregman (4, grand slam in 6th)

Corpus Christi emphatically erased a 3-0 lead by erupting for 9 runs in a 2-inning span. This win makes it 2 series wins out of 2 for the Hooks over the Drillers; they took 2 of 3 in Corpus to open the year.

After Jack Mayfield doubled to lead off the top of the 5th, Ronnie Mitchell put Corpus on the board with a 2-run shot, his 1st AA homer. Later in the frame, Corpus took the lead after Alfredo Gonzalez and Teoscar Hernandez scored on wild pitches. Mayfield added an RBI single to his ledger in the 6th, and later in that 6th, Alex Bregman delivered the biggest hit of the evening, blowing this one wide open with a grand slam.

Bregman (grand slam), Mayfield (2B, RBI, 2 R), and Teoscar (2 2B, R) all had 2 hits apiece. Mayfield, Mitchell, and Gonzalez, who were at the bottom third of the order, scored 2 runs each.

David Paulino went 4 innings and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 6. Kyle Smith allowed a hit to the only batter he faced. Michael Freeman was stretched out for 3 innings, and he allowed a run on a sac fly, a double, walked 1, and struck out 3. Brendan McCurry pitched the last 2 innings, and he gave up 2 hits while striking out 4.

Francis Martes will take the mound as the Hooks look for the sweep tonight. He'll face Scott Barlow at 7:05.

Lancaster 2, High Desert 1

W- Dean Deetz (1-0)
L- Colin Wiles (0-1)
S- Riley Ferrell (2)

Lancaster home runs: None.

In their home opener, the JetHawks came out on top in a rare pitcher's duel at The Hangar.

Dean Deetz delivered 6 solid innings, allowing a run on 5 hits and fanning 4. Eric Peterson allowed a hit and struck out 1 over 2 scoreless, and Riley Ferrell worked around a hit and a walk to finish off the Mavericks, striking out 2 in the 9th.

Nick Tanielu opened the scoring with a sac fly in the 4th. High Desert tied the game at 1 in the 5th, but the tie was short-lived as Kristian Trompiz put Lancaster back in front with an RBI single in the bottom of the 5th. Drew Ferguson went 2-3.

Akeem Bostick will take on his former organization in game 2. His opponent will be David Ledbetter. First pitch is at 6:05 Pacific.

Kane County 4, Quad Cities 1

W- Carlos Hernandez (1-0)
L- Chris Murphy (0-2)
S- Keegan Long (2)

QC home runs: None.

The River Bandits' bats went silent in this loss.

They only got singles from Kyle Tucker and Bobby Wernes. Little Tuck, who swiped 3 bases, scored the only Quad Cities run in the 4th off a botched pickoff attempt.

Chris Murphy allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3 in 4.2 innings. Zac Person allowed a hit and walked another man, but he managed to get the last out of the 5th without any further damage. Matt Bower went 3 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5, and Adam Whitt pitched a 1-2-3 9th.

The series continues this afternoon as Sebastian Kessay takes on Justin Donatella at 1:!5.

Three Stars

3.

Dean Deetz, RHP, Lancaster

W (1-0), 6 IP, 5 H, ER, 4 K

2.

When you hit the home run that gives your team the win

A.J. Reed, 1B, Fresno

2-4, go-ahead solo HR (2) in 8th

1.

Embed from Getty Images

Alex Bregman, SS, Corpus Christi
2-5, grand slam (4)

Honorable Mentions

Brad Peacock, RHP, Fresno: 5 IP, H, 4 BB, 6 K

Jack Mayfield, IF, Corpus Christi: 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R
- The only guy who's been hotter than Bregman at the plate for Corpus Christi has been Jack Mayfield.

Eric Peterson and Riley Ferrell, RHPs, Lancaster
Peterson: 2 IP, H, K
Ferrell: Save (2), IP, H, BB, 2 K
- The 2 Lancaster relievers backed up Dean Deetz's fine outing by slamming the door on High Desert.

Matt Bower, LHP, Quad Cities: 3 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 5 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, April 11, 2016

Welcome back, Lance McCullers!

Fresno 5, Salt Lake 2

W- César Valdez (1-0)
L- Chris O'Grady (0-1)
S- James Hoyt (1)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizz mounted a late rally that put them in the lead and eventually gave them the W.

Tony Kemp scored the first run of the game on a Danny Worth GIDP in the 1st. That was their only run until the 7th inning, but it was well worth the wait as they seized control with 3 runs in the frame. Eury Perez tied the game at 2 with an RBI single, and one batter later, A.J. Reed put Fresno in front with a 2-run single. Kemp drove in the final run of the evening with an RBI single in the 8th.

The top of the order dished out the punishment for the Grizzlies, as Kemp finished 4-5, Perez went 3-4 with a stolen base (3), and Reed went 2-4 with a double to go along with his 2-run single. Tyler Heineman was 2-4 with a run scored. Andrew Aplin was 0-2, but he scored 2 runs and stole a base (2).

Brady Rodgers allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4 in 5 innings of work. Cesar Valdez, Edwar Cabrera, Jordan Jankowski, and James Hoyt all worked a scoreless inning. Valdez worked around a hit and a walk to throw a scoreless 6th, Cabrera threw a 1-2-3 7th, Jankowski walked 1 and struck out 1 in the 8th. Hoyt got the save, and in the process, he pulled off the rare feat of striking out 4 in one inning. One of his victims was able to reach base, but he still slammed the door.

Mike Hauschild makes his season debut in game 2 of this series. He'll take on Nate Smith at 6:35 Mountain.

Corpus Christi 5, Springfield 4 in 12 innings

W- Michael Freeman (1-0)
L- Joey Donofrio (0-1)

CC home runs: Alex Bregman 2 (2; 2-run in 1st, walk-off solo in 12th), Evan Gattis (2, solo in 3rd)

The Hooks drew even in this series by walking off with the victory.

Corpus seems to be taking a page out of the Astros' book, because 4 of their 5 runs were products of home runs. Alex Bregman became the first player in the system to post a multi-homer game; his 2-run blast opened the scoring, and he ended the game with a solo shot in the 12th inning. Evan Gattis' rehab went very well, as he smacked a solo shot in the 3rd inning. J.D. Davis drew a bases-loaded walk in the 5th inning to bring in the other Hooks run.

Bregman (2 HR, 3 RBI) and Teoscar Hernandez both finished with 2 hits at the top of the order.

Lance McCullers made his first rehab start, and in 3 innings, the only run he allowed was a solo shot to Bruce Caldwell. Lance allowed 2 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. Aaron West went 2 innings, and he too was taken deep by Caldwell for a solo shot. West allowed one other hit and fanned 2. Edison Frias allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 4 in 4 innings. Reymin Guduan was next; he allowed 2 hits, walked 2 and struck out 1 over 2 scoreless, and Michael Freeman struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 12th inning.

The rubber game of this series pits Keegan Yuhl and Joe Musgrove against Mike Mayers. First pitch is at 7:05.

Lancaster 10, Stockton 5

W- Josh James (1-0)
L-  Joey Wagman (0-1)

Lancaster home runs: None.

Finally, the JetHawks were able to play 9 innings. They seized control of this game with a 6-run 7th and tacked on 2 more in the 8th for good measure.

Garrett Stubbs opened the scoring with a check-swing 2-run single in the 1st inning. In that big 7th, Kristian Trompiz grounded into a force out that allowed Stubbs to score. Bobby Boyd and Ramon Laureano added RBI singles, and then Nick Tanielu ripped a 2-run double. Jamie Ritchie capped off the outburst with an RBI single. In the 8th, Trompiz scored on a passed ball, and Jason Martin drove in the last Lancaster run with an RBI single.

Tanielu (2B, 2 RBI, 2 R) and Boyd (RBI, 2 R, SB [1]) both finished 2-5.

Trent Thornton went 4 innings and allowed 4 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Riley Ferrell fanned 2 in a 1-2-3 5th. Josh James tagged in for 3.2 innings and had an inherited runner charged to him. He allowed 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Ryan Thompson got the final out of the game, but he also allowed a hit that allowed James' runner to score.

Scott Weathersby will take the hill for the JetHawks tonight. First pitch is at 7:10 Pacific.

Peoria 8, Quad Cities 4

W- Junior Fernandez (1-0)
L- Sebastian Kessay (0-1)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos held a 4-0 lead after 5 innings.... and then it went all horribly wrong.

Kevin McCanna was excellent in his season debut, allowing just 3 hits and striking out 3 over 5 shutout innings. Sadly, everything caved in on Sebastian Kessay and Zac Person. Kessay allowed 5 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him), 2 hits, and walked 3 as he only got 1 out in the 6th. Person allowed 3 runs on 6 hits (2-run homer) and struck out 1 in 1.2 innings. Jacob Dorris threw a 1-2-3 8th, but the damage was done.

Johnny Sewald singled to lead off the game, and it didn't take long for him to come around to score as Osvaldo Duarte ripped an RBI triple. Duarte later scored on an Anthony Hermelyn RBI single. In the 2nd, Sewald ripped an RBI double, and Kyle Tucker added a sac fly in the 5th. Sewald went 2-5 with the RBI double and scored twice.

Alex Winkelman will get the start in game 2 of this series, with Rogelio Armenteros following him out of the bullpen. He'll face Brennan Leitao at 6:30.

Three Stars

Tough decision. Does the 4-hit game trump 5 shutout innings?

3.

Tony Kemp, 2B, Fresno

4-5, RBI, R

2.

Photo from MiLB.com

Kevin McCanna, RHP, Quad Cities

5 IP, 3 H, 3 K

1.

Embed from Getty Images

Alex Bregman, SS, Corpus Christi

2-3, 2 HR (2), 3 RBI; walk-off solo HR in 12th

Honorable Mentions

Eury Perez, OF, Fresno: 3-5, RBI, R
- A valuable depth option should the Houston outfield run into some injury issues.

A.J. Reed, 1B, Fresno: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI
- Still no homers, but he's still trucking along at the plate.

James Hoyt, RHP, Fresno; Save (1), IP, 4 K
- That's not a typo.

Nick Tanielu, IF, Lancaster: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
- He's started out a bit slow, mainly because Lancaster's season is completely out of sync, but Tanielu has consistently performed at each stop. He should really thrive in the Cali League.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, April 9, 2016

El Oso Blanco's rehab takes a huge step forward. What a first series for Corpus Christi.

Fresno and Las Vegas was postponed

Due to wet grounds. The series will conclude with a doubleheader starting at 12:05 Pacific. Brady Rodgers will take on Gabriel Ynoa, while starters for game 2 are TBA.

Corpus Christi 6, Tulsa 0

W- Francis Martes (1-0)
L- Felipe Gonzalez (0-1)

CC home runs: D.J. Fisher (1, 2-run in 1st), Evan Gattis (1, 3-run in 2nd), Chase McDonald (1, solo in 8th)

The Hooks got a series win to open up 2016 thanks to a outstanding job from their pitchers, who posted 2 shutouts in 3 games.

Francis Martes walked 2 and only struck out 1, but that doesn't really matter all that much, since he allowed a single, solitary hit over 6 shutout innings. Michael Freeman and Reymin Guduan finished it off; Freeman allowed 2 hits and struck out 1 in 2 innings of work, and Guduan worked around a couple of hits to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

All 6 Corpus runs in this game were products of the long ball. D.J. Fisher opened the scoring with his first AA homer, a 2-run blast in the 1st. One inning later, the recently clean-shaven Evan Gattis unleashed his wrath on a hapless baseball, driving in 3 in the process. Chase McDonald capped it off in the 8th with a solo shot, his 1st of the year. Gattis finished 3-4, as did Jack Mayfield, who scored a run and stole a base (1). Alex Bregman went 2-4 with a walk and scored twice.

In former Astros news, Jordan Schafer threw 2 scoreless innings for the Drillers. That is not a typo; apparently he's a pitcher now. I sarcastically referred to him as "Former Astros great Jordan Schafer" on Twitter and people... got confused.

Today, the Hooks will welcome the Springfield Cardinals to Whataburger Field. In the opening game of this series, Brian Holmes will be on the mound, and he'll face Andrew Morales at 2:05.

Lancaster and San Jose was postponed

Due to rain. This game will be made up when the Giants visit Lancaster July 13-15.

Again.... weather permitting, the JetHawks will finish their first series of the season with a pseudo-doubleheader. First off, they'll need to finish up Friday's game, which they were leading 4-1 heading into the 5th. Play will resume at 1:00 Pacific. The regularly scheduled game will follow soon after, and will be a 7-inning game. In the regularly scheduled game, Josh James will take on D.J. Snelten.

Cedar Rapids 6, Quad Cities 2

W- Sam Gibbons (1-0)
L- Chris Murphy (0-1)

QC home runs: None.

In their first home game of the year, the River Bandits dropped their first series of the year.

Their two runs came off outs, as Pat Porter grounded into a force play in the 3rd that scored Johnny Sewald, while Daz Cameron added an RBI groundout in the 6th. Kyle Tucker and Osvaldo Duarte (3B, R) both went 2-4 on the day.

Chris Murphy went 4.1 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 earned, 1 inherited runner charged to him) on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3. Adam Whitt was the first man out of the bullpen; he allowed 2 runs on a double, walked 4, and struck out 1 in 1.2 innings. Ryan Deemes struck out 2 over 2 perfect frames, and Ralph Garza Jr. struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th.

The Banditos will look to avoid the sweep as Matt Bower gets the start. He'll take on Sam Clay at 1:15.

Four Stars

Since he's an MLB player on a rehab assignment, Evan Gattis is not eligible.

4.

Photo from MiLB.com

Ryan Deemes, RHP, Quad Cities

2 IP, 2 K

3.

Embed from Getty Images

Alex Bregman, SS, Corpus Christi

2-4, 2 R, BB

2.

Michael Freeman, LHP, and Reymin Guduan, LHP, Corpus Christi

Freeman: 2 IP, 2 H, K

Guduan: IP, 2 H, K

1.

Photo by Bryan Green

Francis Martes, RHP, Corpus Christi

W (1-0), 6 IP, H, 2 BB, K

Honorable Mentions

Jack Mayfield, 2B, Corpus Christi: 3-4, SB, R
- Solid night from the #9 hitter in the Hooks' lineup

D.J. Fisher, OF, Corpus Christi: 2-R HR (1)
Chase McDonald, 1B, Corpus Christi: Solo HR (1)
- Opening up their accounts in AA