Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, August 12, 2018

Fresno 9, Albuquerque 4

W- Josh James (6-4)
L- Peter Lambert (2-4)

Fresno home runs: Yordan Alvarez (7, 19 season; solo in 2nd), J.D. Davis (9, 2-run in 5th)

The Grizzlies earned the split by scoring in five straight innings.

Josh James went 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on four hits (two-run homer), walked two, and struck out six. Matt Ramsey allowed a hit and struck out two over 2.1 scoreless, and Brendan McCurry allowed a run on two hits and struck out one in the 9th.

Yordan Alvarez opened the scoring when he smacked a homer in the 2nd inning. Garrett Stubbs ripped a two-run double in the 3rd and came around to score on A.J. Reed's single. Alvarez walked to lead off the 4th and scored on a double from Taylor Jones. J.D. Davis launched a two-run homer in the 5th, and finally in the 6th, Alex De Goti ripped an RBI double and stole home. Alvarez, Jones, and De Goti all finished with two hits; Alvarez and De Goti both scored two runs. Myles Straw stole two bases, giving him 23 with Fresno and 58 on the year.

Fresno will begin a three-game series with Las Vegas at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 6, Springfield 1

W- Akeem Bostick (2-4)
L- Anthony Shew (6-7)

CC home runs: Abraham Toro (2, 16 season; 2-run in 1st)

The Hooks got out to a quick start and kept the Cardinals in check to take the finale and the series.

Abraham Toro opened the scoring when he launched a two-run homer in the opening frame. He then added an RBI single to his ledger in the 3rd inning. Corpus struck for three more runs in the 5th when Carmen Benedetti hit an RBI single and Josh Rojas drove in two with a base hit. Toro and Stephen Wrenn both finished 2-4; Benedetti and Ronnie Dawson scored two runs apiece.

Akeem Bostick went five innings and allowed a run on two hits, walked two, and struck out four. Ryan Hartman tagged in to throw three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and fanning four. Carlos Sierra struck out one in a 1-2-3 9th.

Corpus Christi has Monday off. They'll start a three-game set in Tulsa on Tuesday.

Buies Creek and Frederick was cancelled

Due to rain. This game will not be made up as it was the final regular-season meeting between both clubs. Corey Julks had homered and Buies Creek was leading 2-1 in the 3rd inning before play was halted.

The Carolina Stros will have Monday off. They will welcome the Winston-Salem Dash to Campbell University for three beginning Tuesday.

Quad Cities 5, Cedar Rapids 0

W- Edgardo Sandoval (1-1)

L- Jhoan Duran (6-5)

QC home runs: Scott Schreiber (4, solo in 2nd), Colton Shaver (14, 2-run in 5th)

The Banditos got a career night from Edgardo Sandoval as he, Parker Mushinski, and Willy Collado joined forces to hold the Kernels to just three hits on Sunday.

Sandoval allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out a career-high 11 over six shutout innings. Mushinski struck out three over two perfect frames, and Collado completed the shutout by striking out one in a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Scott Schreiber whacked a solo homer to open the scoring in the 2nd inning. He then drew a one-out walk in the 5th inning, stole second, advanced to third on the errant throw down, and scored on a Logan Mattix sac fly. One batter later, Colton Shaver smacked a two-run home run. Rúben Castro singled to start the 8th, advanced to third on a bad pickoff throw, and scored the final run of the evening on a wild pitch. Castro finished 3-4 on the night and was the only man on either side to finish with a multi-hit game.

Bryan Abreu will take on Edwar Colina as the series shifts to Cedar Rapids. First pitch is at 6:35.

Tri-City 7, Vermont 3

W- Cody Deason (1-0)
L- Adam Reuss (3-2)

TC home runs: Enmanuel Valdez (6, solo in 1st), Austin Dennis (1, solo in 8th)

The ValleyCats scored a run in each of the first three innings and then as they held on to a one-run lead, they busted out for three runs in the 7th.

Enmanuel Valdez wasted little time in getting things started as he homered to start the game. Michael Wielansky kept the 2nd inning alive with a base hit; he then stole second and scored on a single from Ramiro Rodriguez, who got thrown out at second to end the inning. Valdez led off the 3rd with a single and scored when Austin Dennis grounded into a double play.

Nathan Perry drew a walk to lead off the 7th and Andy Piñeda joined him on the bases following a single. Wielansky flew out, but Ramiro delivered the big blow with a two-run triple. Alex McKenna brought Rodriguez in with a double. Dennis smacked a solo homer in the 8th, the first of his pro career. He ended up getting a tremendous reception upon his return to the dugout:

At the @VTLakeMonsters game and @austindennis80 just hit his first homer of the season. @ValleyCats teammates executed a 65 silent treatment. Near-elite indifference. Plus wait time. Fringe average hurrah kept it from being a 70. #MiLB

— Chris Palmer (@cpalmer0608) August 13, 2018

R.J. Freure started things off with three scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out three. Layne Henderson was the first man out of the Tri-City bullpen and allowed two runs on a wild pitch and a sac fly, a single, walked two, and struck out one in 1.2 innings. Cody Deason was next and he allowed a run on four hits and fanned four in 2.1 innings. J.P. France allowed two hits and struck out four in the last two innings.

The 2018 New York-Penn League All-Star Game will take place on Tuesday at Medlar Field in State College, Pennsylvania, the home of the State College Spikes and Penn State baseball. Austin Hansen, Alex McKenna, and Jeremy Peña will represent the ValleyCats.

GCL Astros 3, GCL Mets 2 in 10 innings

W- Jervic Chavez (1-1)
L- Miguel Ramirez (0-1)

GCL home runs: None.

The Palm Beach Stros walked off with a win on Sunday.

Jayson Schroeder and Manny Ramirez both threw three innings. Schroeder allowed a run on a sac fly, a single, walked two, and struck out five, while Manny allowed an unearned run when he threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt. He allowed one hit, walked three, and struck out five. Miguel Figueroa walked three and struck out two over 2.1 no-hit innings, and Jervic Chavez issued a walk in 1.2 innings of work.

Freudis Nova reached on an error and Wilyer Abreu smacked a ground-rule double to start the 2nd. Yeuris Ramirez brought them both in with a single. Abreu started the 10th in scoring position and Yeuris was given a free pass to first base. They both ended up pulling off a double steal and then Rhandall Sanchez was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Palm Beach Stros were on the verge of squandering this opportunity after Hector Martinez went down on strikes and Nerio Rodriguez grounded into a force out, but Carlos Diaz won the game by drawing a walk.

Sunday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Jayson Schroeder, RHP, GCL Astros: 3 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Manny Ramirez, RHP, GCL Astros: 3 IP, H, unearned run, 3 BB, 5 K

Enmanuel Valdez, IF, Alex McKenna, OF, and Ramiro Rodriguez, OF, Tri-City

Valdez: 2-5, solo HR (6), 2 R

McKenna: 4-5, 2 2B, RBI

Rodriguez: 2-3, 3B, 3 RBI, R

Quad Cities River Bandits pitchers: W 5-0 vs. Cedar Rapids

9 IP, 3 H, BB, 15 K

Edgardo Sandoval: W (1-1), 6 IP, 3 H, BB, career-high 11 K

Parker Mushinski: 2 IP, 3 K

Willy Collado: IP, K

Abraham Toro, 3B, Corpus Christi

2-4, 2-R HR (2, 16 season), 3 RBI

Corpus Christi Hooks pitchers: W 6-1 vs. Springfield

9 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 9 K

Akeem Bostick: W (2-4), 5 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Ryan Hartman: 3 IP, 2 H, 4 K

Carlos Sierra: IP, K

Taylor Jones, 1B, Yordan Alvarez, LF/1B, and Alex De Goti, IF, Fresno

Jones: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, R

Alvarez: 2-3, solo HR (7, 19 season), 2 R

De Goti: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R, SB (1, 6 season)

Photo by Bryan Green

Matt Ramsey, RHP, Fresno

2.1 IP, H, 2 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Corpus Christi with the sweep!

Fresno 5, Sacramento 0

W- Cy Sneed (8-4)
L- Jordan Johnson (0-1)

Fresno home runs: Jon Kemmer (13, solo in 3rd)

The Grizzlies earned the split with a shutout.

Cy Sneed, Buddy Boshers, and Riley Ferrell joined forces to keep the RiverCats off the scoreboard. Sneed allowed four hits, walked three, and struck out seven over 6.1 frames. Boshers and Ferrell did not allow anyone to reach during their time on the mound. Boshers got the final two outs of the 7th and threw a 1-2-3 8th, striking out one. Ferrell recorded a strikeout in a 1-2-3 9th to complete the shutout.

Myles Straw doubled to lead off the evening and scored the first run of the night on a single from J.D. Davis. Fresno got a couple more runs in the 2nd on outs as Tony Nuñez hit a sac fly and Jack Mayfield scored when Kyle Tucker hit into a force out. Jon Kemmer whacked a home run to start the 3rd inning, and Nick Tanielu capped off the evening with an RBI double in the 8th. Kemmer and Garrett Stubbs both finished with two hits on the night; Stubbs also drew a couple of walks and scored twice.

The Grizzlies kick off a five-game series with Las Vegas tonight at 6:35 Pacific. Mike Hauschild will take on Drew Gagnon in game one.

Corpus Christi 4, Northwest Arkansas 1

W- Cionel Perez (6-1)
L- Foster Griffin (3-10)
S- Carlos Sierra (2, 4 season)

CC home runs: Lorenzo Quintana (5, 3-run in 1st)

The Cubans left their mark on this game as the Hooks concluded their tour of Arkansas with a sweep in Northwest Arkansas.

Lorenzo Quintana started things off with a bang by launching a three-run homer in the opening inning and Yordan Alvarez added another run with a base hit in the 3rd. Quintana went 2-4 and was the only player on either side to finish with more than one hit.

Cionel Perez went seven innings and allowed a run on five hits, walked one, and struck out four. Carlos Sierra allowed a hit over two scoreless innings to earn the save.

Corpus will now welcome the Arkansas clubs to Whataburger Field. Jorge Alcala will take on Nathan Bannister in the first game of a three-game set with the Arkansas Travelers at 7:05.

Carolina 4, Buies Creek 2

W- Daniel Brown (3-3)
L- Tyler Ivey (0-3, 1-6 season)
S- Luke Barker (10)

BC home runs: None.

Buies Creek dropped the last two games of this series after taking the first two.

Tyler Ivey went 5.1 innings and allowed four runs on five hits (three-run homer), walked two, and struck out four. Colin McKee two hits, walked one, and struck out two ove 1.2 scoreless, and Adam Bleday struck out two in a 1-2-3 8th inning.

The Carolina Stros' two runs came on a pair of RBI doubles from Ronnie Dawson and Osvaldo Duarte in the 3rd inning. Corey Julks finished 3-4 and was a home run shy of the cycle. Duarte, who now has a nine-game hitting streak, went 2-4 with a couple of stolen bases (16).

Buies Creek will welcome Myrtle Beach to Campbell University for a five-game series starting at 6:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities and Beloit was suspended

Due to power issues. This game was tied at 1 heading into the bottom of the 6th inning before the game was suspended. Quad Cities' run came in the 2nd on an RBI double from David Hensley.

Jairo Solís allowed a run on two hits, walked three, and struck out eight in five innings before play was halted.

This game will be completed as part of a doubleheader during the Banditos' next visit to Beloit, which will occur from August 8-10. Quad Cities and Beloit will have a regularly scheduled game at 6:35.

Vermont 1, Tri-City 0

W- Abdiel Mendoza (2-1)
L- Mark Moclair (0-2)
S- Clark Cota (1)

TC home runs: None.

There was one run in this game. Unfortunately, it belonged to the Lake Monsters.

Jeremy Peña had two of Tri-City's three hits on the afternoon and he also stole his first base of the season.

Mark Moclair went 1.2 innings and allowed the one run on two hits, walked two, and struck out three. Nivaldo Rodriguez was the first man out of the Tri-City bullpen and allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out four over 4.1 scoreless innings, and Riley Cabral threw two perfect innings.

These two teams will play another three-game series, this time in Troy. The Fourth of July game will start at 6:30 Eastern.

GCL Mets 5, GCL Astros 1

W- Ramon Guzman (3-0)
L- Jose Bravo (0-2)
S- Ronnie Taylor Jr. (1)

GCL home runs: None.

Rough day in the field for the Palm Beach Stros as they committed four errors.

Hector Martinez went 2-3 with a double and scored the GCLstros' only run of the game on a balk.

Jose Bravo allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits in 2.2 innings. Jonathan Bermúdez retired all four Mets he faced, striking out one. Fredy Medina and Joey Gonzalez threw two innings apiece; Medina allowed a run on three hits, walked two, and struck out three, and Gonzalez allowed an unearned run, a hit, walked one, and also struck out three. Bryan Solano struck out one in a 1-2-3 9th inning.

DSL Astros 6, DSL Dodgers Robinson 4

W- Diosmerky Taveras (2-1)
L- Stiven Gutierrez (0-1)
S- Jojanse Torres (1)

DSL home runs: None.

Both of these teams had an inning in which they scored a run and an inning in which they scored three runs. The Astros had an inning in which they scored twice and that was the difference in this game.

Victor Mascai opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st inning. He and Franklin Pinto scored on an error that also allowed Rolando Espinosa in the 3rd. Mascai scored again in the 5th on a balk and Jeury Castillo, who was at the plate at the time, followed with a two-run double. Castillo, Pinto, and Jose Alvarez all finished with two hits on the day.

Jairo Lopez went three innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and struck out two. Diosmerky Taveras was the first man out of the Academy's bullpen and allowed a run, a hit, walked three, and struck out three. Jojanse Torres allowed a hit and struck out four over 3.2 scoreless innings.

Tuesday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Jeury Castillo, 2B, DSL Astros: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Jojanse Torres, RHP, DSL Astros: Save (1), 3.2 IP, H, 4 K

Fresno Grizzlies pitchers: W 5-0 @ Sacramento

9 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 9 K

Cy Sneed: W (8-4), 6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 7 K

Buddy Boshers: 1.2 IP, K

Riley Ferrell: IP, K

Jon Kemmer, OF, and Garrett Stubbs, C, Fresno

Kemmer: 2-5, solo HR (13)

Stubbs: 2-2, 2 BB, 2 R

Corpus Christi Hooks pitchers: W 4-1 @ Northwest Arkansas

9 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 4 K

Cionel Perez: W (6-1), 7 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 4 K

Carlos Sierra: Save (2, 4 season), 2 IP, H

Lorenzo Quintana, C, Corpus Christi

2-4, 3-R HR (5)

Corey Julks' photo is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Osvaldo Duarte, UTIL, and Corey Julks, OF, Buies Creek

Duarte: 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 SB (16)

Julks: 3-4, R; finished home run shy of cycle

This is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Jairo Solís, RHP, Quad Cities

5 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 BB, 8 K

This game still hasn't been completed, but it's not likely that he'll return to pitch in it, even if it is scheduled to be completed a month from now.

This is Nivaldo Rodriguez's mugshot on MiLB.com.

Tri-City ValleyCats bullpen

6.1 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K

Nivaldo Rodriguez: 4.1 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K

Riley Cabral (not pictured): 2 IP; perfect outing

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, April 26, 2018

Fresno 4, Tacoma 3

W- Buddy Boshers (2-0)
L- Ryan Cook (0-1)
S- Brendan McCurry (4)

Every time the Grizzlies scored, the Rainiers managed to answer with the same amount of runs. When they scored in the 8th to break a 3-3 tie, Tacoma couldn't respond and that turned out to be the difference.

Rogelio Armenteros went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Matt Ramsey was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen and allowed an unearned run on an error, a single, walked two, and struck out one in his two innings. Buddy Boshers and Brendan McCurry both pitched a scoreless inning. Boshers recorded a strikeout in a 1-2-3 8th, while McCurry worked around a hit to close out the game, striking out the side to do so.

Tony Kemp tripled to lead off the bottom of the 1st and scored on a wild pitch. Drew Ferguson, who walked and then advanced on the wild pitch, scored on an A.J. Reed groundout. Ferguson hit a groundout that scored Alejandro Garcia in the 5th. Tyler White ripped a one-out double in the 8th and scored what turned out to be the game-winning run on a J.D. Davis double. Davis and Kemp both finished with two hits on the evening.

Kent Emanuel will get the start in game 3 of this series. He'll go up against Casey Lawrence at 7:05 Pacific.

Midland 11, Corpus Christi 1

W- Norge Ruiz (2-1)
L- Yoanys Quiala (1-2)

CC home runs: None.

Well, at least they didn't get shut out.

The pitching got roughed up and I think I'll leave it at that.

Taylor Jones went 2-4 and spoiled the shutout by ripping an RBI double in the 9th. Stephen Wrenn, who scored on Jones' two-bagger, also finished with two hits on the night.

Round two of the Lone Star Series in the Texas League kicks off at 7:05 as Akeem Bostick takes on Pedro Payano.

Down East 3, Buies Creek 1

W- Jonathan Hernandez (3-1)
L- Brandon Bailey (0-2)
S- Jacob Shortslef (1)

BC home runs: None.

The Carolina Stros had six hits while holding the Wood Ducks to just two. On the other hand, the Wood Ducks scored three runs while holding the Carolina Stros to just one as they foiled Buies Creek's attempt to sweep round one of the Lone Star Series in North Carolina.

Brandon Bailey went 5 innings and allowed two unearned runs on a double and a sac fly, walked 2, and struck out 8. Kit Scheetz and Carlos Sierra both pitched two innings out of the bullpen; Scheetz allowed an unearned run on an error, a single, and struck out 4, while Sierra walked one and struck out two in a scoreless outing.

Osvaldo Duarte scored Buies Creek's only run when Kristian Trompiz beat a double play attempt in the 7th inning. Chas McCormick singled and stole a base, his fourth of the season. No one on either side finished with a multi-hit game.

Corbin Martin will start the first of a three-game weekend series with the Frederick Keys. He'll face Brian Gonzalez at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 6, Kane County 3

W- Colin McKee (3-0)
L- Jayson McKinley (0-1)
S- Tanner Duncan (2)

QC home runs: Cody Bohanek (1, 3-run in 7th)

A local kid kick-started a comeback win for the Banditos in suburban Chicago.

Jonathan Arauz tripled with one out in the 1st inning and scored the first run on a Mike Papierski double. This would be Quad Cities' only scoring play until the 7th; in the meantime, the Cougars took a 3-1 lead.

Cody Bohanek, who grew up in Oak Lawn, about an hour to the east of Kane County's ballpark, gave Quad Cities a 4-3 lead when he launched a three-run home run in the 7th inning. They got a couple of crucial insurance runs in the 8th; Papierski singled to lead things off and scored on a Bryan de la Cruz triple. De La Cruz, who finished 3-4, scored the final run of the evening on a double from Adrian Tovalin. Papierski and Tovalin both finished with identical lines; they went 2-4 with an RBI double and scored a run.

Tyler Ivey went 4.2 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits (solo homer) and struck out 5. Colin McKee and Tanner Duncan picked him up with 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. McKee allowed a hit and struck out 4 in 1.2 innings and Duncan finished it off, allowing a hit and striking out 5 in the final 2.2 innings.

The Banditos are back home to start a four-game series with Cedar Rapids at 6:35. Both teams' starting pitchers are TBA.

Thursday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Quad Cities River Bandits bullpen

4.1 IP, 2 H, 9 K

Colin McKee: W (3-0), 1.2 IP, H, 4 K

Tanner Duncan (not pictured): Save (2), 2.2 IP, H, 5 K

Cody Bohanek's photo is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Bryan de la Cruz's photo taken by Bryan Green.

Cody Bohanek, SS, and Bryan de la Cruz, OF, Quad Cities

Bohanek: Go-ahead 3-R HR (1) in 7th
De La Cruz: 3-5, 3B, RBI, R

Brandon Bailey's and Kit Scheetz's photos are their mugshots on MiLB.com.

Buies Creek Astros pitchers: L 3-1 vs. Down East

9 IP, 2 H, 3 unearned runs, 4 BB, 14 K

Brandon Bailey: L (0-2), 5 IP, H, 2 unearned runs, BB, 8 K

Kit Scheetz: 2 IP, H, unearned run, BB, 4 K

Carlos Sierra: 2 IP, BB, 2 K

J.D. Davis, 3B/1B/LF, Fresno

2-3, go-ahead RBI 2B in 8th inning

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, April 22, 2018

Let's play two in Burlington... again!

Corpus sweep!

Reno 9, Fresno 4

W- Troy Scribner (1-1)
L- Francis Martes (0-1)

Fresno home runs: Drew Ferguson (2, solo in 4th), Jon Kemmer (4, solo in 9th)

The Grizzlies and Aces both scored in four innings. Unfortunately, Reno managed to put up a few crooked numbers on their way to the victory and snapped Fresno's eight-game winning streak.

Drew Ferguson's home run in the 4th put Fresno on the board. Jon Kemmer added a run in the 5th with an RBI groundout and J.D. Davis drove in a run with his 6th-inning single. Kemmer also launched a home run in the 9th. Ferguson, Kyle Tucker, Davis, and Alejandro Garcia all had two hits on the day.

Francis Martes went 4.2 innings and allowed 6 runs on 11 hits (9 singles, a double, and a solo home run), walked 2, and struck out 3. Reymin Guduan was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen and threw 1.1 innings, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits (solo homer), walking 2, and striking out 3. Andrew Thome allowed 2 hits and recorded a strikeout in two scoreless innings of work.

Trent Thornton will get the start in the series finale. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 AM Mountain.

Corpus Christi 8, Frisco 6

W- Cionel Perez (1-1)
L- Cody Palmquist (0-3)

CC home runs: Taylor Jones (2, solo in 3rd), Yordan Alvarez (3, 3-run in 8th)

The Hooks' Twin Towers of Taylor Jones (listed at 6-7) and Yordan Alvarez (listed at 6-5 but is probably the same height as Jones now) imposed their will as they helped fuel a sweep of Arlington's AA team. Jones racked up 8 RBI during the course of this series, while Alvarez drove in 7.

Randy César doubled to lead off the 2nd inning, advanced to third on a Ryne Birk single and scored the first run of the day on a Lorenzo Quintana double. Birk and Quintana came home when Myles Straw laced an opposite-field single. Jones clubbed a solo home run in the 3rd inning. His blast would be the last Corpus scoring play until the 8th; in the meantime, Frisco scored 4 in the 5th to tie and two more in the 7th to take the lead. The Hooks wouldn't trail for long, however.

Straw and Stephen Wrenn led off with walks and one batter later, Alvarez put Corpus Christi back in front by demolishing a Cody Palmquist offering. Quintana walked to lead off the 9th. He then proceeded to steal second and scored the final run of the game on an Alex De Goti single. Alvarez (3-R HR), Jones (solo HR), César (2B, R) and Birk all finished 2-4 in this game.

Alex Winkelman went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs on 7 hits while striking out 3. Cionel Perez tagged in for the final four innings and allowed a couple of unearned runs on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4.

Framber Valdez will get the start tonight as Corpus welcomes the Midland RockHounds to Whataburger Field. First pitch is at 7:05.

Buies Creek 3, Carolina 1

W- Jesús Balaguer (2-0)
L- Cody Beckman (0-1)
S- Carlos Sierra (2)

BC home runs: Abraham Toro (2, 2-run in 8th)

Abraham Toro's two-run shot in the 8th broke a 1-1 tie in Buies Creek's favor as they took three of four from the Mudcats. The Carolina Stros have allowed 12 runs in their last eight contests.

Their other scoring play came way back in the 1st as Chas McCormick put the Carolina Stros on the board first with a sac fly to score Ronnie Dawson, who tripled to lead off the game. Toro also stole a base, his third of the season. He also got plunked twice, so maybe there was some frustration that he needed to release and he did so by whacking a home run to put his team in the lead.

Josh Rojas now has sole possession of first place in the system with 12 steals after his swipe of second in the 5th inning. Aníbal Sierra finished 2-4 with a double.

Abdiel Saldaña allowed 5 hits and fanned 3 over 5.2 shutout innings. He has not allowed a run of any kind in his first 19.2 innings this season. Jesús Balaguer threw 1.1 innings and allowed a single, a run when he plunked Ryan Aguilar with the bases loaded, walked two, and struck out two. Carlos Sierra issued a walk and struck out three over two scoreless.

Buies Creek has the day off. On Tuesday, the Carolina League iteration of the Lone Star Series begins when they welcome the Down East Wood Ducks to Campbell U.

Game 1: Burlington 3, Quad Cities 2

W- Mitchell Traver (2-1)
L- Yohan Ramirez (1-2)
S- Brett Hanewich (1)

QC home runs: None.

A 3-run 1st inning proved to be enough for the Bees to get the win in game 1.

Bryan de la Cruz ripped an RBI double in the 2nd inning. Ditto for Jake Adams in the 3rd. Adrian Tovalin finished 2-3 in game 1.

Yohan Ramirez failed to get out of the 1st inning as he allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and walked two. Both of the outs he recorded came via strikeout. Humberto Castellanos inherited a bases-loaded jam from Ramirez in the 1st and got him out of further trouble. Castellanos went on to allow 2 hits while striking out 5 over 5.1 scoreless innings.

Game 2: Quad Cities 3, Burlington 2

W- Colin McKee (2-0)
L- Sean Isaac (0-1)
S- Tanner Duncan (1)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos and Bees ended up splitting both doubleheaders. This time, Quad Cities was on the winning end of a 3-2 game.

Cristian Javier went 3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 5 (one intentionally), and struck out 5. Fortunately, his bullpen picked him up and three relievers combined to throw 4 scoreless innings. Colin McKee walked 2 and struck out 1 over 1.1 innings. Dariel Aquino got the last two outs of the 5th and the first out of the 6th; he also issued two walks and recorded a strikeout. Tanner Duncan pitched 1.2 innings; he issued a walk and all five outs he recorded came via strikeout.

Marcos Almonte's sac fly in the 4th put Quad Cities on the board. The Banditos tied the game in the 5th on Cody Bohanek's sac fly and took the lead when Corey Julks ripped an RBI double. Bryan de la Cruz finished 2-3 and was the only player on either side to have a multi-hit game in game 2.

Luis Garcia has turned in a couple of fine relief appearances since joining the River Bandits, but tonight, he will make his first start as Quad Cities opens a four-game series in Kane County. He'll face Matt Stapler at 6:30.

Sunday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Yordan Alvarez's photo is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Taylor Jones, 1B, and Yordan Alvarez, 1B/LF, Corpus Christi

Jones: 2-4, solo HR (2)
Alvarez: 2-4, go-ahead 3-R HR (3) in 8th

Abdiel Saldaña, RHP, and Carlos Sierra, RHP, Buies Creek

Saldaña: W (2-0), 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 K

Sierra: Save (2), 2 IP, BB, 3 K

Abraham Toro, 3B, Buies Creek

Go-ahead 2-R HR (2) in 8th

This is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Humberto Castellanos, RHP, and Tanner Duncan, RHP, Quad Cities

Castellanos: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 5 K in game 1 of doubleheader

Duncan (not pictured): Save (1), 1.2 IP, BB, 5 K in game 2 of doubleheader

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, April 15, 2018

Shutouts! A walk-off win! Another postponement!

Fresno 5, Reno 0

W- Reymin Guduan (1-0)
L- Joe Krehbiel (0-1)

Fresno home runs: Alejandro Garcia (1, 3-run in 7th)

Both teams combined to post 13 zeroes on the scoreboard, but the 7th inning stretch seemed to have infused some energy into Fresno's bats as they busted this game open with four runs in the 7th and one more in the 8th for good measure.

Tyler White walked to lead off the 7th, moved to second on a Jon Kemmer single, and scored the first run of the day on a Garrett Stubbs RBI single. One batter later, Alejandro Garcia whacked a three-run home run. Kemmer doubled with two outs in the 8th and scored the final run of the day on an RBI single from J.D. Davis.

Three Grizzlies pitchers combined on a one-hitter. Kent Emanuel started things off and he allowed the one hit while striking out 3 in 6 innings of work. Reymin Guduan walked two and struck out three in two innings, and Jacob Dorris completed the shutout by striking out one in a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Mike Hauschild will start the series finale. He'll take on Taylor Clarke at 11:05 AM Pacific.

Corpus Christi 10, Arkansas 7 in 11 innings

W- Riley Ferrell (1-1)
L- Stephen Perakslis (0-1)

CC home runs: Yordan Alvarez (2, walk-off 3-run in 11th)

The Travelers scored two in the 8th to tie the game. Nine innings was not enough to decide the outcome of this game, so the Whataburger Field crowd got their first taste of that moronic rule. They ended up going home happy after Yordan Alvarez obliterated a Stephen Perakslis offering in the 11th.

Alex Winkelman went 4 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 3 hits, walked 3, and struck out 4. Sean Stutzman technically pitched 3 scoreless innings... but the two runners he inherited from Winkelman both scored. He allowed an RBI single, walked three (one of which came with the bases loaded), and struck out one. Kevin Hill and Riley Ferrell both pitched two innings; Hill allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1, while Ferrell allowed two unearned runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1.

Corpus opened the scoring in the 2nd inning with a pair of two-run doubles from Jamie Ritchie and Ryne Birk. Carmen Benedetti hit a two-out single in the 5th and wound up scoring on a wild pitch. This was the Hooks' last scoring play until the 10th; in the meantime, the Travs scored twice in the 8th to tie and scored in the 10th to take the lead.

Taylor Jones started the bottom of the 10th at second, but he got lifted for Myles Straw, who scored the tying run on a Nick Tanielu groundout. Randy César started the 11th at second base, but he was erased on a fielder's choice. Alex De Goti flew out for the second out, so it all came down to Ryne Birk, who kept the game going with a single. Stephen Wrenn followed with an RBI single to tie the game, and one batter later, Alvarez won it with his homer.

Benedetti finished 3-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases (3). Birk (2B, 2 RBI, R) and Tanielu (RBI, R, 2 BB) both had two hits on the day.

Cionel Perez will take on Spencer Herrmann at 7:05. The Commissioner's Trophy will also make its appearance in Corpus Christi.

Buies Creek 5, Salem 0

W- Corbin Martin (1-0)
L- Bryan Mata (1-1)
S- Carlos Sierra (1)

BC home runs: Ronnie Dawson (1, solo in 3rd)

The Carolina Stros took the series by shutting out the Red Sox in each of the final two games.

This 5-0 game was a three-hitter. Corbin Martin allowed 2 hits, walked 3, and struck out 6 in 6 innings, and Carlos Sierra allowed one hit over the final three innings to complete the shutout.

Ronnie Dawson opened the scoring by leading off the bottom of the 3rd with a home run. Chuckie Robinson and Chas McCormick ripped RBI doubles in the 5th and Abraham Toro capped off the scoring with a 2-run single in the 6th. Dawson finished 3-5 and was the only player on either side to record a multi-hit game.

Abdiel Saldaña will start the opener of a three-game series with Myrtle Beach. He'll face Matt Swarmer at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities and Burlington was postponed again

Due to rain. This game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on April 22.

Quad Cities will have Monday off. They'll start a 3-game series in Peoria on Tuesday.

Sunday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Corbin Martin's photo taken by Don Carson.

Buies Creek Astros pitchers: W 5-0 vs. Salem

9 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 6 K

Corbin Martin: W (1-0), 6 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 6 K

Carlos Sierra: Save (1), 3 IP, H

Ronnie Dawson, OF, Buies Creek

3-5, solo HR (1)

This is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Yordan Alvarez, LF/1B, Corpus Christi

Walk-off 3-R HR (2)

Carmen Benedetti, OF, Corpus Christi

3-4, 2 R, BB, 2 SB (3)

Ryne Birk, 2B, Corpus Christi

2-6, 2B, 2 RBI, R

Fresno Grizzlies pitchers: W 5-0 vs. Reno

9 IP, H, 2 BB, 7 K

Kent Emanuel: 6 IP, H, 3 K

Reymin Guduan: W (1-0), 2 IP, 2 BB, 3 K

Jacob Dorris: IP, K

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.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Let's... finish up a game and play another in Connecticut!

Reno 3, Fresno 1

W- Jared Miller (3-2)
L- Reymin Guduan (5-6)
S- Silvino Bracho (6)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Aces stunned the Grizzlies with 3 runs in the 7th.

Tony Kemp went 2-4 and drove in Fresno's only run with an RBI single in the 5th.

Mike Hauschild allowed 3 hits, walked 7, and struck out 4 over 5 shutout innings. Kevin Comer worked around a couple of hits to throw a scoreless 6th, striking out 2. Reno got to Reymin Guduan and Jumbo Diaz after stretch time. Guduan only recorded one out, allowing 2 runs on a homer and one other hit. Diaz got the last two outs of the 7th, but not before allowing a run on 2 hits. Jacob Dorris threw a 1-2-3 9th, striking out 1.

The Grizzlies have Wednesday off. They'll welcome Tacoma to Chukchansi Park for their final home series of the 2017 season beginning Thursday.

Corpus Christi 5, Midland 1

W- Yoanys Quiala (3-4, 8-5 season)
L- Grant Holmes (10-12)

CC home runs: Ramon Laureano (7, 2-run in 4th), Kyle Tucker (12, 21 season; 2-run in 5th)

The Hooks launched a pair of 2-run shots to top the RockHounds on Tuesday.

Corpus also played host to some rehabbing Astros as they look to get back to full strength for September. Tony Sipp, Will Harris, and Michael Feliz all started off with a scoreless inning. Sipp walked 1 and struck out 2 in the 1st inning, Harris threw a 1-2-3 2nd and got two groundouts and a strikeout. Feliz worked around a walk to throw a scoreless 3rd, striking out 1. He walked Jorge Mateo, who got caught stealing to end the inning.

Yoanys Quiala followed with 5 innings and allowed a run on a solo homer, 5 other hits, and walked 1. Riley Ferrell struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Ryne Birk opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 2nd inning. Ramon Laureano smacked a 2-run homer in the 4th and Kyle Tucker whacked one of his own in the 5th. Laureano finished 2-3 and scored twice. Evan Gattis caught 7 innings; at the plate, he walked twice and scored a run.

Framber Valdez faces Heath Fillmyer at 7:05.

Lynchburg 6, Buies Creek 3

W- Dominic DeMasi (6-3)
L- Elieser Hernandez (4-4, 5-4 season)

BC home runs: Randy César (3, 6 season; solo in 8th)

The Carolina Stros fell behind early and couldn't quite recover.

Elieser Hernandez allowed 5 runs on 6 hits and struck out 9 in 6 innings. Carlos Sierra allowed a run on a sac fly, a double, walked 1, and struck out 4 in his 3 innings.

Jake Rogers tripled to lead off the 2nd and scored on a Carmen Benedetti groundout. Rogers added an RBI single to his ledger in the 3rd, and Randy César launched a solo homer in the 8th. Rogers, Taylor Jones, and Ronnie Dawson all finished with 2 hits on the night. Dawson was making his Carolina League debut.

Brett Adcock takes on Sean Brady in game 2. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 4, Beloit 1

W- Salvador Montaño (7-3)
L- Sam Sheehan (3-2)

QC home runs: Abraham Toro-Hernandez (8, 14 season; solo in 8th)

The Banditos got a solid night from their pitchers to take the first game of this series. With this victory, Quad Cities' magic number is now down to 2.

Carlos Sanabria went 5.2 innings and allowed an unearned run on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 8. Salvador Montaño shut it down by allowing 2 hits and striking out 7 over the last 3.1 innings.

Josh Rojas put Quad Cities on the board with an RBI single in the 4th. Rojas scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball in the 7th and Wander Franco, who was hitting at the time, extended the lead with an RBI single. Abraham Toro-Hernandez launched a homer to start off the 8th.

Ronel Blanco goes up against Zack Erwin in game 2. First pitch is at 7:00.

From June 30: Connecticut 2, Tri-City 1

W- Burris Warner (1-0)
L- Diogenes Almengo (0-2)

TC home runs: None.

The Tigers scored the only two runs of the game after play resumed.

Carlos Hiraldo and Corbin Martin both threw 4 innings; Hiraldo did that almost 2 months ago and allowed 2 hits while striking out 4. Martin came on after play resumed and allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. Diogenes Almengo allowed a single in the 9th and an error allowed the runner to advance to 3rd, and then a sac fly allowed the runner to score; the run was unearned.

Kristian Trompiz's RBI single in the 4th inning back on June 30 turned out to be Tri-City's only scoring play.

Connecticut 1, Tri-City 0

W- Dean Aldridge (1-0)
L- Colin McKee (1-4)
S- Drew Carlton (6)

TC home runs: None.

Both teams had 3 hits, but the Tigers had the only run.

Bryan De La Cruz, Gabriel Bracamonte, and Kyle Davis all singled.

Brandon Bielak allowed 2 hits and struck out 3 over 4 scoreless innings, while Colin McKee allowed the only run on a single, walked 1, and struck out 4 in 2 innings. The run was unearned.

Game 2 of this series begins at 7:05 Eastern.

Bristol 7, Greeneville 3

W- Max Kranick (1-0)
L- Humberto Castellanos (4-1, 6-1 season)
S- Alex Manasa (1)

Greeneville home runs: Brody Westmoreland (8, solo in 2nd)

The Appy Astros suffered a costly series loss to the Appalachian League's worst team.

Brody Westmoreland smacked a solo homer in the 2nd inning. Gilberto Celestino hit an RBI single in the 3rd and it turned into a Little League home run thanks to an error. Celestino and Westmoreland both went 2-4.

Chad Donato allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out a career-high 9 in 3.2 innings. Juan Corniel was the first man out of the Greeneville bullpen and allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 4 in 2.1 innings. Humberto Castellanos allowed 4 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2 in 2 innings, and Noel Pinto threw a 1-2-3 9th, striking out 1.

Greeneville will begin what is probably their biggest series of the season in Johnson City; the Cardinals are currently two games ahead of the Appy Astros in the standings. Remember... in the Appalachian League, the top two teams in each division are the playoff teams. Jairo Solis takes on Alvaro Seijas in game 1. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

DSL Astros Blue 8, DSL Royals 3

W- Flaer Gonzalez (3-1)
L- Carlos Sanchez (1-1)

Blue home runs: None.

Team Blue and the Royals scored in the same number of innings, but the Blue team's three crooked numbers topped the Royals' single tallies.

Angel Macuare struck out 4 over 3 perfect innings. Manny Ramirez, Flaer Gonzalez, and Jonger Ochoa all pitched 2 innings; Ramirez was first, and he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Gonzalez followed by allowing a hit, walking 1, and striking out 1. Ochoa allowed a run on 3 hits and fanned 1.

There weren't really any offensive standouts, but Leonardo Gonzalez did reach in all four of his plate appearances, finishing 2-2 with a couple of walks, one of which came with the bases loaded in the 7th inning.

DSL Pirates 6, DSL Astros Orange 5 in 10 innings

W- Wilmer Contreras (5-1)
L- Cristofer Melendez (0-3)

Orange home runs: None.

The Orange team scored a run in the 8th to tie the game at 3, but the Pirates regained control in the first extra frame. Team Orange managed to cut the deficit to one run... but no cigar.

Renaigel Martis hit an RBI single in the 3rd. Euclides Chavez tripled in the 4th and ended up scoring on a wild pitch. Gerry Castillo hit an infield single and an error on the play allowed Kelvin Perez to score. Perez started the 10th in scoring position and scored on another error that allowed Deury Carrasco to reach. Carrasco scored on a sac fly from Castillo.

Carlos Perdomo went 3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 4. Ronny Garcia technically struck out the side in the 4th, but one of his victims managed to reach base safely. He also induced a groundout. Asael Uribe followed with 4 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 6. Cristofer Melendez threw 2 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1.

Tuesday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Angel Macuare, RHP, DSL Astros Blue: 3 IP, 4 K; perfect outing
Leonardo Gonzalez, OF, DSL Astros Blue: 2-2, RBI, R, 2 BB

Ramon Laureano, OF, Corpus Christi

2-3, 2-R HR (7), 2 R

Quad Cities River Bandits pitchers: W 4-1 @ Beloit

9 IP, 8 H, unearned run, 2 BB, 15 K

Carlos Sanabria: 5.2 IP, 6 H, unearned run, 2 BB, 8 K

Salvador Montaño: W (7-3), 3.1 IP, 2 H, 7 K

Yoanys Quiala, RHP, Corpus Christi

W (3-4, 8-5 season), 5 IP, 6 H (solo HR allowed), ER, BB

Carlos Sierra, RHP, Buies Creek

3 IP, H, ER, BB, 4 K

This is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Brandon Bielak, RHP, Tri-City

4 IP, 2 H, 3 K

This is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Juan Corniel, RHP, Greeneville

2.1 IP, H, BB, 4 K

Both photos taken by Bryan Green.

Brody Westmoreland, 1B/3B, and Gilberto Celestino, OF, Greeneville

Westmoreland: 2-4, solo HR (8)
Celestino: 2-4, RBI; Little League HR (also scored on error following RBI single)