Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, July 21, 2016

Round Rock 3, Fresno 0

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

Fresno home runs: None.

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

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

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

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

Frisco 7, Corpus Christi 6 in 10 innings

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lancaster 9, High Desert 8 in 11 innings

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quad Cities 12, Dayton 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Staten Island 6, Tri-City 5

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

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

The ValleyCats' comeback bid fell one run short.

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

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

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

Greeneville 6, Johnson City 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GCL Astros 4, GCL Mets 0 (play suspended)

This game will be completed on July 26.

DSL Athletics 2, DSL Astros Blue 1

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

Blue home runs: None.

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

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

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

DSL Astros Orange 4, DSL Red Sox2 3

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

Orange home runs: None.

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

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

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

Thursday's Stars

Photo from MiLB.com

Chaz Pal, OF, Greeneville

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

Photo from MiLB.com

Diogenes Almengo, RHP, Greeneville

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

Anthony Hermelyn, C, Quad Cities

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

Scott Weathersby, RHP, Lancaster

3.2 IP, 3 K

Drew Ferguson, OF, Lancaster

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

Aaron Mizell, 2B/OF, Lancaster

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

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, June 26, 2016

Fresno 8, Tacoma 4

W- Tommy Shirley (6-4)
L- Brad Mills (3-3)

Fresno home runs: Tyler White (3, solo in 5th)

Both teams finished with 12 hits in this game, but the Grizzlies doubled up the Rainiers in the run column, thanks to a 5-run 2nd inning.

Jon Kemmer opened up the scoring with an RBI single in that 2nd inning. Jack Mayfield followed with a sac fly, and after Max Stassi drew a walk, Andrew Aplin ripped a 2-run double. Colin Moran brought Aplin home with an RBI single. Kemmer hit another RBI single in the 3rd inning, and Tyler White led off the 5th inning with a home run. Mayfield drove in the final run of the evening with an RBI single in the 7th. Aplin (2B, 2 RBI, R), White (solo HR), Preston Tucker (2B, R), and Kemmer (2 RBI, R) all had 2 hits in the game.

Tommy Shirley went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 7 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 3. Jandel Gustave was the first man out of the bullpen, and he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 1 in the 6th inning. Brendan McCurry pitched 2 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and striking out 1, and Josh Fields threw a 1-2-3 9th inning, striking out 1.

In game 3 of this series, Brad Peacock will take on Joe Wieland. First pitch is at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 9, Frisco 2

W- Kent Emanuel (2-0)
L- Reed Garrett (2-2)
S- Michael Freeman (2)

CC home runs: Conrad Gregor (5, 3-run in 6th)

In their final game before the Texas League All-Star break, the Hooks emphatically broke a 2-2 tie with a 7-run 6th inning. They wrapped up this roadtrip with a 10-3 record and went 7-2 in their two trips to Frisco.

Kent Emanuel pitched 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 5. Michael Freeman allowed just 1 hit and struck out 1 over the final 3 innings to record the save.

Alex Bregman and D.J. Fisher drew bases-loaded walks in the 2nd inning to tie the game at 2. The real fun began in the top of the 6th inning.

Roberto Peña singled to begin the 6th inning and scored the go-ahead run when James Ramsay smacked a triple. Ramsay scored on a single from Teoscar Hernandez, and Bregman reached via a walk. Fisher became the first out of the inning, but Nick Tanielu and Chase McDonald followed with RBI singles, and Conrad Gregor put the finishing touches on the offensive explosion with a 3-run home run.

Gregor (3-R HR, 2 R), Ramsay (2B, 3B, RBI, R), and Tanielu (RBI, R) all finished 3-5. Bregman finished 1-3 with the RBI walk; he also scored a run and walked two more times. Hernandez finished 2-5 with a double to go along with his RBI single and scored a run. Bregman and Hernandez have also been promoted to Fresno, and they will leave Corpus Christi following the Texas League All-Star Game.

Speaking of the Texas League All-Star Game, it will take place tomorrow at Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri. 8 Hooks were named to the South Division All-Star team: Edison Frias, David Paulino, Keegan Yuhl, and Evan Grills will be on the pitching staff, while Bregman, Hernandez, Fisher, and J.D. Davis represent Corpus Christi's position player contingent.

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

Lake Elsinore 17, Lancaster 11

W- Brad Wieck (3-1)
L- Kevin McCanna (0-1, 2-4 season)

Lancaster home runs: Keach Ballard (1, 2 season; 3-run in 9th)

The JetHawks were sent to their doom early on as the Storm scored 8 in the 1st inning.

Kevin McCanna received an extremely unfriendly welcome to the California League, and I'll leave it at that. Andrew Thome was the first man out of the Lancaster bullpen and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 in 4.1 innings. Ryan Deemes and Albert Minnis both got knocked around, and I will also leave it at that. In his first career pitching appearance, Bryan Muñiz struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th.

Jamie Ritchie put the JetHawks on the scoreboard with an RBI single in the 1st inning. In the 4th, Bobby Boyd grounded into a force out that allowed Drew Ferguson to score. Lancaster scored 3 in the 5th as Ritchie smacked an RBI double and eventually scored on a passed ball. Brooks Marlow followed Ritchie's double with an RBI single. In the 8th, Johnny Sewald hit a pop-fly RBI single, and Tony Nuñez scored on a wild pitch. Keach Ballard hit his first California League home run in the 9th inning, and Nuñez scored another run on an error.

Ritchie finished 3-4, while Garrett Stubbs went 2-6 with 2 runs scored. Nuñez was the only player in the lineup to go hitless, but he drew 3 walks and scored off of a couple of Lake Elsinore miscues.

Rogelio Armenteros will start for Lancaster tonight as they begin a 3-game series in High Desert tonight. First pitch is at 7:05 Pacific.

Wisconsin 12, Quad Cities 2

W- Devin Williams (3-2)
L- Justin Ferrell (3-4)
S- Drake Owenby (2)

QC home runs: None.

Well... this game started out well enough for the Banditos, but the Timber Rattlers quickly turned it into a laugher by scoring 10 runs in the 2nd inning.

Osvaldo Duarte led off the game with a double, advanced to 3rd base on a wild pitch, and scored the game's first run on a Kyle Tucker sacrifice fly. Hector Roa followed with a triple, and Dex McCall drove him in with an RBI single. Roa finished 2-4.

It was not a fun day on the mound for Justin Ferrell. However, days like these will happen in this line of work. He'll bounce back.

Juan Carlos Santos was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen and threw 3.1 innings, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits, walking 1, and striking out 6. Adam Whitt pitched 3 innings, and the only run he allowed came on a solo home run hit by Luis Aviles in the 8th. Whitt allowed one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 3.

The River Bandits are back home tonight, where they'll start a 4-game series against Cedar Rapids at 7. Albert Abreu will start for Quad Cities, and he'll face Dereck Rodriguez.

Tri-City 11, Lowell 6

W- Nick Hernandez (1-0)
L- Darwinzon Hernandez (1-1)

TC home runs: Stephen Wrenn (3, solo in 4th)

The ValleyCats used a couple of 5-run innings to hand the Spinners their first loss of the season.

The first of Tri-City's 5-run innings occurred in the 2nd. Randy César led off the frame with a double. Chuckie Robinson went down on strikes for the first out, but Kolbey Carpenter and Alex DeGoti walked to load the bases. Stephen Wrenn then hit a ground ball that could have been a double play, but an error allowed César and Carpenter to score the game's first runs. Daz Cameron followed by clubbing a 2-run double, and Taylor Jones ripped an RBI double. Stephen Wrenn smacked a solo homer in the 4th inning, and the ValleyCats responded to a 4-run 6th inning from Lowell with their second 5-run inning of the game in the 7th.

Brauly Mejia and Jones led off the inning in rather painful fashion as they were both hit by pitches. Ryne Birk walked to load the bases, and César drove in the first run of the inning with a sac fly. Robinson walked to re-load the bases. Carpenter struck out swinging for the second out, but DeGoti kept the inning alive by clearing the bases with a double. He then stole 3rd base, and the errant throw down to 3rd allowed him to score Tri-City's final run. Wrenn and Jones both finished with 2 hits in the game.

Sebastian Kessay went 4 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3. Ben Smith was the first man out of the bullpen; in 1.2 innings, he allowed 4 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 4. Nick Hernandez was next; he went 2.1 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits and struck out 2, and in his pro debut, Sean Stutzman worked around a walk to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

The series finale will take place at 7:00 Eastern. Whoever starts for Tri-City will go up against Daniel Gonzalez.

Bristol 6, Greeneville 5 in 10 innings

W- Jordan Jess (1-0)
L- Angelo Serrano (0-1)

Greeneville home runs: Luis Payano (1, solo in 2nd), Marcos Almonte (1, solo in 3rd), Chaz Pal (1, solo in 6th)

The Appy Astros couldn't hold on to a 5-2 lead and ended up walking off with a loss.

Frankeny Fernandez led off the game with a single. He then stole 2nd and scored the first run of the game on an error following a Marcos Almote single. Almonte, who advanced to 3rd on the error, scored on a sac fly hit by Wander Franco. Luis Payano clubbed a solo shot in the 2nd, and Almonte did the same in the 3rd inning. In the 6th, Chaz Pal smacked a solo shot, his first home run as a pro. Pal and Payano both had 2 hits in the game, while Almonte finished 4-5.

Framber Valdez went 4.2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 7. Nathan Thompson was the first man out of the Greeneville bullpen and threw 2.1 scoreless, allowing a hit, walking 1, and striking out 1. Lucas Williams went 2 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned, all in the 9th) on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Angelo Serrano allowed the winning run on a sac fly in the 10th inning. He also allowed 2 singles and issued an intentional walk.

Bryan Abreu was originally on the GCL roster, but he will make his U.S. debut with Greeneville. He'll take on Adam Oller at 7:00 Eastern.

Although Oller is not a member of the Astros organization, he does have ties to the area. He is a native of Conroe who graduated from Concordia Lutheran High School in Tomball and pitched at Northwestern State. His uncle, Greg Koch, was a former offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers and is now a co-host of "In the Trenches" with N.D. Kalu on 790 AM in Houston.

GCL Mets 7, GCL Astros 1

W- Carlos Hernandez (1-0)
L- Enoli Paredes (0-1)

GCL home runs: None.

The Mets ran away with this game.

Randy Vasquez's RBI double in the 2nd was the Kissimmee Stros' only scoring play. Carlos Machado, who scored on that double, finished 2-4, and Juan Piñeda went 2-3.

Enoli Paredes went 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Jose Ramos allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and struck out 4 in 3 innings. Ian Hardman and Reggie Johnson followed Ramos out of the bullpen with 2 innings apiece; Hardman allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3, and Johnson allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and struck out 2.

The GCL Astros are currently taking on the Marlins.

Sunday's Stars

This is his profile picture on Twitter.

Chaz Pal, OF, Greeneville

2-5, solo HR (1)

Photo by Bryan Green

Marcos Almonte, IF, Greeneville

4-5, solo HR (1), 2 R

Kent Emanuel, LHP, Corpus Christi

W (2-0), 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K

Conrad Gregor, 1B, Corpus Christi

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

Photo from MiLB.com

Michael Freeman, LHP, Corpus Christi

Save (2), 3 IP, H, K