Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, May 20, 2016

Memphis 8, Fresno 7

W- Ryan Sherriff (1-0)
L- Juan Minaya (0-3)
S- Sam Tuivailala (4)

Fresno home runs: Jon Singletin (9, 3-run in 1st), Matt Duffy (2, 3-run in 5th)

The Grizzlies withstood a 5-run 3rd by scoring 3 in the 5th to tie the game, but the Redbirds had the last word in this one by breaking the tie in the bottom of the 5th.

6 of Fresno's 7 runs in this game came on a pair of 3-run homers. Jon Singleton put them on the board first with his 3-run blast in the 1st, and Matt Duffy tied the game at 7 with a 3-run shot of his own in the 5th. Duffy drove in another run when he grounded into a force out that allowed Danny Worth to score in the 3rd. Worth finished 2-4 with a double and scored 3 runs.

Brad Peacock went 2.2 innings and allowed 6 runs (3 inherited runners charged to him) on 3 hits (2-run homer), walked 6, and struck out 3. Juan Minaya was the first man out; he pitched 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and fanned 4. Reymin Guduan allowed a hit and struck out 2 over 1.1 scoreless. César Valdez and Jandel Gustave each pitched a scoreless inning; Valdez allowed a hit and fanned 1 in the 7th, and Gustave struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 8th.

Brady Rodgers will take the mound for game 3 of this series. He'll go up against Deck McGuire at 6:35.

Corpus Christi 4, Midland 3 in 10 innings

W- Aaron West (2-0)
L- Andrés Avila (1-2)

CC home runs: Nick Tanielu (1, 5 season; 2-run in 7th)

Corpus edged Midland with a run in the first extra frame. This come-from-behind win is their 11th consecutive victory, a new team record.

James Ramsay broke a scoreless tie with an RBI groundout in the 4th. However, the Hounds scored 3 in the bottom of the 4th to take the lead, and that's where it stood until the 7th. J.D. Davis drew a 1-out walk, and one batter later, Nick Tanielu connected for his first Texas League homer to tie the game at 3. Alejandro Garcia ripped a double with 2 outs in the 10th and Teoscar Hernandez came through with an RBI single that turned out to be the game-winner. Garcia and Teoscar (SB [13]) had 2 hits apiece.

Kyle Smith went 4 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 2. Chris Cotton and Aaron West combined to hold the Hounds scoreless for the final 7 innings: Cotton allowed 3 hits and struck out 2 in 2.2 innings, and West allowed 1 hit and walked 1 in 3.1 innings to get the win.

The series continues tonight at 7. David Paulino will start for Corpus; he'll face Raul Alcantara.

High Desert 8, Lancaster 3

W- Tyler Davis (1-0)
L- Matt Bower (0-1, 1-1 season)

Lancaster home runs: None.

Miscues, a quieted offense, and an early 7-0 hole sent the JetHawks to their doom on Friday night. It's not a good sign when you have more errors (4) than hits (3) in a game.

Bryan Muñiz put Lancaster on the board with a 2-run single in the 6th. Garrett Stubbs, whose 16-game hitting streak was snapped, had an RBI groundout in the 9th. Johnny Sewald and Tony Nuñez, who were both making their Lancaster debuts, both singled for the other two Lancaster hits.

Matt Bower went 2.2 innings and allowed 7 runs (3 earned) on 4 hits, walked 4, and struck out 4. Jacob Dorris stopped the bleeding with 4 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 2, and striking out 6. Ryan Thompson allowed a run on 3 hits in 1.1 innings.

Dean Deetz will start game 2 of this series. He'll take on Adam Quintana at 6:35 Pacific.

Cedar Rapids 9, Quad Cities 0

W- Fernando Romero (1-0)
L- Albert Abreu (0-5)

QC home runs: None.

Yeesh. Jayne, unfortunately, was on hand to witness this bludgeoning. I'm sure she, and the River Bandits, would like to neuralize themselves to forget this one.

Osvaldo Duarte and Christian Correa had the two Quad Cities hits in this one; both were singles. Myles Straw and Arturo Michelena both had 0-fers in their season debuts.

Albert Abreu did not get out of the 1st inning. He allowed 3 runs on 4 hits (2-run homer), walked 1, and both of his outs were recorded via strikeout. Juan Carlos Santos was the first man out; went 3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Adam Whitt was the only River Bandits pitcher to emerge unscathed; he went 3.1 innings and allowed a hit while fanning 3. Ralph Garza Jr. allowed 4 runs on 6 hits (3-run homer) and struck out 1 in the 8th.

Despite the butt-kicking, baseball provides everyone involved with a fresh start every day. The Banditos will look to bounce back tonight as Jose Luis Hernandez takes on Dereck Rodriguez, son of Iván "Pudge" Rodriguez, at 5.

Five Stars (in Four)

4.

Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Corpus Christi

2-5, go-ahead RBI single in 10th, R, SB (13)

3.

Photo from MiLB.com

Jacob Dorris, RHP, Lancaster

4 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K

2.

Photo from MiLB.com

Adam Whitt, RHP, Quad Cities

3.1 IP, H, 3 K

1.

Chris Cotton, LHP, and Aaron, West, RHP, Corpus Christi

Cotton: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 K

West: W (2-0), 3.1 IP, H, BB

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 LHP Chris Cotton

When lefty reliever Chris Cotton was promoted to Lancaster at the end of the year in 2014, he made quite the impression. The problem was that it wasn't a very good impression. In three appearances (2.2 innings), he compiled a 16.88 ERA and a 2.250 WHIP. He allowed three home runs, one in each of those three appearances, which was one more home run than he had allowed in 32 appearances for Quad Cities prior to the promotion.

Fast forward to the 2015 season. Chris Cotton started the season back in Lancaster, but it didn't take him long to prove that he had what it takes to conquer The Hangar. In 13 appearances for Lancaster (25.2 innings), he had a 1.40 ERA and a 1.052 WHIP with four saves, earning him a promotion to Corpus Christi on May 22nd.

Chris Cotton - May 2015

Photo by Jayne Hansen

I spoke with Lancaster Pitching Coach Don Alexander about Cotton back in May. Alexander said, "He's been the big surprise for me. This is not a secret ... last year he struggled up here. But this year, he came into camp, and you can't always judge from Spring Training, but I saw some better stuff. I saw more aggressiveness. He got here and he's been nails. Nice mix of pitches. The stuff has tightened up; it's sharpened up. He's throwing the ball a little harder. The breaking ball against left-hand hitters has been devastating. And the changeup has become a real good weapon for him against right-hand hitters."

Alexander knows from experience that The Hangar's reputation as a very hitter-friendly ballpark can sometimes get into pitchers' heads and, although that may have been a factor in 2014 for Cotton, Alexander was extremely impressed by how Cotton put that rough start behind him, citing his overall aggressiveness and approach this season. "He did real good work here for us at the back end of games and I expect the same thing (in Corpus Christi) from what I've seen here."

And Cotton has done nicely since his promotion to AA. In 17 games (22.0 innings), he has a 2.05 ERA and a 0.909 WHIP and is 2-0 with three saves. I caught up with him last week to learn more about this lefty reliever who has climbed the depth charts with the recent trade of fellow lefty reliever Mitch Lambson.

First a little background on Cotton. Louisiana born and bred, Cotton grew up "bleeding purple and gold." His whole family went to LSU and he had his heart set on going there himself. Out of high school, he had a JuCo offer. He visited the school, but he knew he wouldn't be happy anywhere but at LSU so he started classes in Baton Rouge, setting aside his baseball career for the time being. About a month into the semester, Cotton got the word that the baseball team would be having walk-on tryouts so he went. According to Cotton, "They had no idea who I was ... little lefty throwing strikes." But they invited him back.

And Cotton persevered. He kept coming back for three or four months, throwing in intersquad games. He didn't work out with the team. He just kept showing up. "They didn't tell me I made the team until about a week before the season started. It was a great thing, growing up an LSU Tiger fan," said Cotton. He had his doubts at times, but his parents told him that he would make it and they were right.

Drafted out of LSU in the 14th round in 2013, Cotton is now in his third season with the Astros. He throws a fastball that sits 87 to 91 and hits 92, a changeup and a breaking ball that has morphed into a slider, more or less. I asked him what people should expect to see of him when he takes the mound. Cotton said, "A lot of offspeed. I'm just going to mix that in and then try to get (the hitters) off balance with my fastball. I like to be out there for as little as possible because if I'm out there for a short amount of time, I'm doing my job. I'm getting outs. If I'm out there long, then I'm having a bad day."

Coming in to the 2015 season, Cotton put that rough 2014 introduction to Lancaster behind him. "I kind of knew what to expect. Keep the ball down and get ahead. Throw strikes and mix in my offspeed more. And that's what I did. I think that's why I was successful ... getting ahead and keeping the ball down. If you can do that at Lancaster and not give up too many runs, then I feel like that (translates) to AA. Hitters are a little better (in AA). Strike zone's a little smaller. But I feel like if you can just get ahead and throw strikes and mix in offspeed, then you can be successful. That's what I've been doing and, actually, it keeps working," said Cotton.

As to what he feels he needs to work on, Cotton told me, "Right now, it would be maybe keeping the ball down even more. Hitting my spots with my fastball every time. If I can do that, it will help me even more to get ahead so I can go to my breaking ball or go to my changeup."

I asked Cotton who in the Astros system has a pitch he would like to steal. He replied, "I'd have to go with The Dragon, Chris Devenski ... his changeup. (My) changeup's my best pitch, but compared to his, it's nothing. He throws it any time he wants and people don't hit it. He's obviously right-handed, but if I could turn it into a left-handed changeup, that's a pitch I wouldn't mind having. And you could also say (Jandel) Gustave's 100 mph fastball. I wouldn't mind having that either."

As to what Astros hitter he'd least like to face, at first Cotton told me Tony Kemp, but he changed that to another player recently promoted to AAA Fresno. "No, Tyler White. I'm going to go with Tyler White. Right now, he's been seeing the ball extremely well and he's a good hitter. Just all around. He gets on base. He takes pitches that are balls. And he hits pitches that are strikes. And that's what you want to do as a hitter. He did well here. And what's he hitting (at Fresno)? Four-something in Triple A? That's not a coincidence. I faced him in Spring Training. I think he's two-for-two off me and I just can't seem to get the guy out," said Cotton. Cotton went on to point out that White has a great story as well, having that kind of success as a 33rd round pick.

As one of my final questions, I asked Cotton if he could tell me something about himself that most people don't know and might be surprised to hear. His initial response showed me that Cotton is more than capable of laughing at himself. Generously listed at 5'10" in Baseball-Reference, Cotton initially responded, "That I can dunk." Then he laughed and continued, "I'm kidding. That's a lie. That's a complete lie. I'd be surprised to see that myself. No, I can't dunk."

It turns out, however, that he has something in common with teammate A.J. Reed. "My hobbies include ping pong. I'm a big ping pong player. That's my go-to sport. I might be a better ping pong player than baseball player." Reed told me much the same when I interviewed him in May. I'm expecting an epic showdown one of these days and Cotton promised to give me the scoop when it happens.

Cotton learned a lesson at LSU and again at The Hangar a few years later. It's a lesson he's still embracing. Just keep showing up and keep throwing strikes. Brush off the failures and just keep plugging along. As long as you keep showing up, you've got a chance. In life and in baseball.

Tweets of the Day

An epic battle ensued last evening in Room 308 in Midland and the stakes were large:

Biggest FIFA game of my life. pic.twitter.com/4MymcCYYfY

— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) June 11, 2015

The Booth-Cotton matchup is 0-0 at half #mulletgame

— Brian Holmes (@BHolmes130) June 11, 2015

It's so hard to sleep knowing the #mulletgame is being played right now. So much on the line.

— Morgan Ensberg (@MorganEnsberg) June 11, 2015

#mulletgame still 0-0 going into overtime. Golden Goal will be in effect

— Tyler White (@twhite409) June 11, 2015

Booth got a red card down a man

— Tyler White (@twhite409) June 11, 2015

The mood is somber in room 308 as @58percentCotton scores in the 112th minute to beat Brett Booth. A tweet cannot encompass Booth's effort.

— Brian Holmes (@BHolmes130) June 11, 2015

Unfortunately Cotton has won the #mulletgame 1-0 in the 112th min. Great game, Booth just couldn't overcome the red card.

— Tyler White (@twhite409) June 11, 2015

Scariest FIFA game of my life. But I'm taking home a pair of BAMAvsLSU football tix thanks Brett Booth

— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) June 11, 2015

Never been this distraught over a Fifa game and I wasn't even playing. The disappointment I feel is overwhelming. #mulletgame

— Tyler White (@twhite409) June 11, 2015

Right now I feel like I just scored the winning goal for USA in Russia to win 2018 FIFA World Cup #mulletgame

— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) June 11, 2015

@ImBallewDabaDi it's going to be a glorious day when a BAMA alum give me free tickets to an LSU game. Even better after we win!!

— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) June 11, 2015

Tweet of the Day

Muggy, rainy, hot and humid. I'm glad to be back in the South #GodsCountry

— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) May 22, 2015

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, April 17, 2015

Disclaimer: I guarantee that all recaps will be posted before 11 AM. If not, then I decided to combine 2 days of games into 1 recap.

Fresno 11, Las Vegas 10

W- Jordan Jankowski (1-0)
L- Duane Below (0-1)
S- James Hoyt (3)

Fresno home runs: Jon Singleton (2, 2-run in 2nd), Andrew Aplin (1, 2-run in 7th), Max Stassi (1, solo in 7th)

The Grizzlies coughed up an 8-2 lead when Vegas put up 6 in the 6th to take the lead, but that deficit was short-lived as they retook the lead with 3 in the top of the 7th.

Everyone in the lineup recorded a hit, with Nolan Fontana (2B) and Andrew Aplin (2-R HR) getting 2 each. Both of them also scored 2 runs. Domingo Santana tripled and scored 3 times. Max Stassi and Ronald Torreyes had 2 RBI apiece.

Alex White: 5 IP, 9 H, 6 R (5 earned), 2 BB, 3 K
Jordan Jankowski: W (1-0), 1.1 IP, H
James Hoyt: Save (3), IP, K

Corpus Christi 8, Springfield 5 in 6.5 innings

W- Kyle Westwood (1-0)
L- Thomas Lee (0-2)

CC home runs: Brandon Meredith (2, solo in 6th)

This game was called on account of rain. The Hooks erupted for 5 runs in the 6th, which cushioned the blow of a 4-run top of the 7th from Springfield.

Carlos Correa: 3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Colin Moran: 2-RBI single in 6th
Telvin Nash: 1-5, 2 RBI
Leo Heras: 2-3, 2 2B, R
Roberto Peña: 2-3, RBI single, R

Kyle Westwood: W (1-0); 5 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 4 K
Angel Báez: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER (2 inherited runners charged to him), 3 BB, 2 K
Jandel Gustave: 0.2 IP, 2 H

Lancaster 10, High Desert 4

W- Evan Grills (1-1)
L- Tyler Smith (0-1)

Lancaster home runs: J.D. Davis (1, solo in 3rd), A.J. Reed (2, 2-run in 8th), Chase McDonald (2, solo in 8th)

J.D. Davis and Chase McDonald have opened this season on a tear; A.J. Reed has been a little slower to get going, but once he's up to speed, they are going to be a fearsome trio in the heart of the JetHawks order. Davis opened up his account with a homer to lead off the 3rd inning, while Reed and McDonald went back-to-back in the 8th. Brian Holberton had 2 doubles and 2 RBI, and Brett Phillips went 2-5 with 2 runs scored.

Evan Grills allowed just 2 hits and struck out 4 over 5 shutout frames. Troy Scribner went 2.2 innings and allowed 4 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Randall Fant got the final 4 outs of the game, walking 1 and striking out 1.

Beloit 9, Quad Cities 6

W- Trevor Bayless (1-0)
L- Austin Chrismon (1-1)

QC home runs: Thomas Lindauer (1, 3-run in 2nd)

The River Bandits were foiled in their attempt to sweep the series as the Snappers scored 5 in the bottom of the 8th.

Thomas Lindauer finished 2-3, and his 3-run homer in the 2nd put the Bandits on the board first. Sean McMullen scored on an error after a Bobby Boyd single in the 4th, and he added an RBI double in the 7th. The previous batter, Jake Nottingham, hit an RBI single. Boyd and Nottingham also had 2 hits apiece.

Dan Mengden: 4.2 IP, 7 H (solo homer), 4 R (2 earned), 6 K
Ryan Thompson: 0.1 IP, H
Austin Chrismon: L (1-1), 2+ IP, 7 H, 5 ER, K
Albert Minnis: IP, K

Results for Saturday, April 18, 2015


Las Vegas 17, Fresno 4

W- Scott Rice (1-0)
L- Luis Cruz (0-1)

Fresno home runs: Domingo Santana (2, 2-run in 4th), Preston Tucker (4, 2-run in 8th)

Ugh.

The two 2-run home runs from Santana and Tucker constituted the entire Fresno offense. Tucker extended his hitting streak to 20 games dating back to last season.

Fresno's pitchers got mauled in this one. We can just leave it at that.

Game 3 of this series is at 12:05 Pacific. Brady Rodgers will take on Rafael Montero.

Springfield 2, Corpus Christi 1

W- Corey Baker (1-0)
L- Josh Hader (0-1)
S- Kurt Heyer (1)

CC home runs: None.

The Cardinals stole one with 2 in the top of the 8th.

Jio Mier went 3-5, but he had a horrific time in the field as he was charged with all 3 Corpus errors. The only Hooks run came on a Colin Moran RBI single in the 1st inning.

Chris Devenski tossed 5 shutout innings, allowing just 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 3. The 2 runs that Springfield got off Josh Hader in the 8th were both unearned. Hader allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2 in his 3 innings. Tyson Perez worked around 2 walks to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 2.

The Hooks welcome the Tulsa Drillers to Whataburger Field today. First pitch is at 2:05, with Lance McCullers facing Matt Shelton.

Lancaster 11, High Desert 4

W- Ambiorix De Leon (1-0)
L- David Ledbetter (0-2)
S- Chris Cotton (1)

Lancaster home runs: Brett Phillips (1, solo in 4th)

Brett Phillips has officially caught fire. He's now on a 5-game hitting streak; the last 3 have been multi-hit games. Maverick, in addition to his homer to lead off the 4th, added 2 RBI singles in the 1st and the 8th innings and finished 4-5 with 2 runs scored. Speaking of people on fire at the plate, J.D. Davis also had a 4-hit night; he opened up the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st and added an RBI double in the 2nd.

Everyone in the JetHawks lineup had a hit. Everyone in the lineup scored a run except for Ronnie Mitchell, who went 1-4 with a sac fly in the 3rd. Also in that 3rd inning, Jack Mayfield hit an RBI single. Brian Holberton smacked an RBI ground-rule double, and after Mitchell's sac fly, Marc Wik brought Holberton home with an infield single. He'd score on a wild pitch. Danry Vásquez went 3-6 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored. Mayfield and Chase McDonald had 2 hits apiece.

Adrian Houser pulled off the feat of striking out 4 in an inning when he did so in the 2nd. He allowed 4 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 8 overall. Ambiorix De Leon was all over the place as he issued 5 walks in his 2 innings, but he only allowed 1 hit and didn't allow a run. Chris Cotton got the 3-inning save; he allowed 4 hits and struck out 7.

The JetHawks will look for the sweep as Blaine Sims takes the mound. First pitch is at 1:05 Pacific.

Quad Cities 2, Kane County 1

W- Keegan Yuhl (1-0)
L- Jency Solis (0-1)
S- Jose Montero (2)

QC home runs: Kristian Trompiz (1, solo in 7th)

The Banditos nipped the Cougars in the series opener with 1 in the 7th to tie, and 1 in the 8th to take the lead, which held up.

Kristian Trompiz put them on the board with his 1st homer of the season, a 1-out solo blast in the 7th. Sean McMullen hit a 1-out double in the 8th, stole 3rd, and scored what turned out to be the winning run on a Jake Nottingham groundout. Jamie Ritchie went 2-2 with 2 walks at the top of the lineup.

Josh James went 5 innings and allwoed a run on 3 hits, walked 2, and fanned 3. Keegan Yuhl tagged in for 3 perfect innings, striking out 4. Well, almost perfect. He had a wild pitch/strikeout where the batter reached 1st safely. Jose Montero worked around a hit and a walk to finish off the game.

In game 2 of this series, Brock Dykxhoorn will take on Brent Jones at 1:15.

Three Stars: Position Players

*Stats are cumulative.

3.

Domingo Santana, OF, Fresno

2-8, 3B, 2-R HR (2), 5 R

2. 

Brett Phillips, OF, Lancaster

6-10, HR (1), 3 RBI, 4 R

1. 

J.D. Davis, 3B, Lancaster

6-10, 2 2B, HR (1), 4 RBI, 4 R

Four Stars: Pitchers

4.

Chris Devenski, RHP, Corpus Christi

Saturday: 5 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K

3. 

Evan Grills, LHP, Lancaster

Friday: W (1-1), 5 IP, 2 H, 4 K

2. 

Chris Cotton, LHP, Lancaster

Saturday: Save (1), 3 IP, 4 H, 7 K

1. 

Keegan Yuhl, RHP, Quad Cities

Saturday: W (1-0), 3 IP, 4 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, April 10, 2015

Fresno 8, Las Vegas 4

W- Dan Straily (1-0)
L- Matt Bowman (0-1)

Fresno home runs: Preston Tucker (1, 2-run in 3rd), Nolan Fontana (1, solo in 5th)

The Grizz busted out for 5 in the 3rd inning, highlighted by Tucker's 2-run blast and a 2-run single from Matt Duffy. The two of them both finished 2-4, and Duffy opened up the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st. Jon Singleton hit an RBI double in that 5-run 3rd inning. Nolan Fontana's homer led off the bottom of the 5th; he reached base in all 4 of his plate appearances, drawing a walk and scoring 3 times. And finally, Matt Dominguez had a sac fly in the 8th. He was the only player in the starting 9+1 to not have a hit, but he did have that sac fly.

Dan Straily allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 3, and struck out 6 over 5 innings to record the win. Darin Downs tossed a 1-2-3 6th inning, and Jason Stoffel followed that up with a 1-2-3 inning of his own, striking out 2 in the 7th. Tommy Shirley allowed a hit and struck out 2 in a scoreless 8th, and Kevin Chapman gave up an unearned run and a hit in the 9th.

Alex White will face Darin Gorski in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 8, Springfield 2

W- Mark Appel (1-0)
L- Mike Mayers (0-1)
S- Kyle Westwood (1)

CC home runs: Teoscar Hernandez (1, solo in 7th)

The Hooks staked Mark Appel to a 5-0 lead after 0.5 innings, and he and Kyle Westwood did the rest as they held the Springfield offense in check.

The only ding on Appel's line was a solo homer hit by Aledmys Diaz in the 4th. He allowed just one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 4 over 5 innings. Westwood finished it off, allowing a run on a groundout hit by Diaz in the bottom of the 9th and 4 hits while striking out 1. He recorded 7 groundball outs against 1 flyball out.

Colin Moran kicked things off with an RBI double, which in turn, kicked off a 5-run top of the 1st. He and Carlos Correa were both sent home on a Telvin Nash single. Nash would score himself as Conrad Gregor added a sac fly, and Jon Kemmer delivered an RBI single in his first at-bat of the season. The Hooks added 1 in the 5th with a Teoscar Hernandez double, 1 in the 6th with a Carlos Correa double, and 1 more in the 7th as Teoscar led off the inning with his 1st homer of the year. Teoscar (2B, HR, 2 RBI), Tyler Heineman, Kemmer, Tony Kemp (2 runs scored), and Correa (2 2B, 2 BB) all turned in 2-hit performances.

Corpus will look to sweep this opening series as Josh Hader and Chris Devenski will face Thomas Lee (not the Motley Crüe drummer) at 6:10.

San Jose 5, Lancaster 0

W- Nick Vander Tuig (1-0)
L- Michael Feliz (0-1)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks were held to 5 hits as they were kept off the scoreboard. Chase McDonald went 2-4, and Danry Vásquez had the only extra-base hit: a double. He also walked twice.

Michael Feliz had a tough first go-round; he allowed 4 runs on 8 hits and struck out 4 in 2.2 innings. However, only one of those hits went for extra bases. Chris Cotton stopped the bleeding for a bit as he allowed just 1 hit (a double) and struck out 4 over 2.1 scoreless. Zach Morton pitched the final 4 innings, allowing a run on 2 hits, walking 2, and striking out 3.

In game 3, Evan Grills will face Keury Mella. First pitch is at 6:00 Pacific.

Quad Cities 5, Peoria 2

W- Joe Musgrove (1-0)
L- Austin Gomber (0-1)
S- Jose Montero (1)

QC home runs: None.

M&M. Musgrove and Montero combined to shackle the Peoria offense for the final 5 innings.

Bryan Radziewski allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5 in 4 innings of work. Joe Musgrove tagged in and allowed 3 hits while striking out 5 over 4 scoreless, and Jose Montero closed it out, striking out 2 in a 1-2-3 9th.

Everyone in the Quad Cities lineup had a hit except for Kristian Trompiz, who unfortunately had a hat trick. They got things started with a 3-run 3rd inning with a pair of RBI singles from Mott Hyde and Ryan Bottger and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Jamie Ritchie. Alfredo Gonzalez scored on an error in the 4th, and Nick Tanielu ripped an RBI triple in the 5th. Hyde, Tanielu, Bottger, and D.J. Fisher all had 2 hits; Fisher scored twice and stole his 2nd base of the year.

The Banditos will be looking for the sweep as Daniel Mengden and his glorious 'stache will face Daniel Poncedeleon in a battle of the Daniels. First pitch is at 6:00.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Corpus Christi

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

2.

Preston Tucker, OF, Fresno

2-4, 2-R HR (1)

1.

View image | gettyimages.com

Nolan Fontana, SS, Fresno
3-3, solo HR (1), BB, 3 R

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Mark Appel, RHP, Corpus Christi

W (1-0); 5 IP, 2 H (solo HR), ER, BB, 4 K

Kyle Westwood, RHP, Corpus Christi

Save (1); 4 IP, 4 H, ER, K

2.

Chris Cotton, LHP, Lancaster

2.1 IP, H, 4 K

1.

Joe Musgrove, RHP, Quad Cities

W (1-0); 4 IP, 3 H, 5 K

Jose Montero, RHP, Quad Cities

Save (1); IP, 2 K

Honorable Mentions

Here are some other noteworthy lines from Friday's slate of games:

- Matt Duffy drove in 3 with his 2 singles last night in Fresno.
- Zach Morton allowing just 1 run in his 4 innings as the 2nd tandem starter for Lancaster.
- The 4 Fresno relievers (Downs, Stoffel, Shirley, and Chapman) locking down the Grizzlies' win.

(OK, OK. Kevin Chapman gave up a run in the 9th, but it was unearned and he finished the game without further incident.)

- Carlos Correa has turned into a slugging machine in the early going; all 3 of his hits this season are doubles.
- 2 nights, 2 multi-hit games for Tony Kemp.
- Jon Kemmer also had a nice season debut as he went 2-4 with an RBI for Corpus.

Tweet of the Day

“@EducationalPics: This is what a male red kangaroo looks like. pic.twitter.com/JacrgM03sb”probably skips leg days
— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) March 29, 2015

Tweet of the Day

Bobby Shmurda was selling crack since like the 5th grade? My elementary school only let us sell candy bars and magazines
— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) December 18, 2014

Happy Birthday - 11/21

Happy Birthday to ~

OF Luis Vasquez (21)
Vasquez is in his second professional season, having played his first in the Tampa Bay organization. In 55 games for the Dominican Summer League Astros, he hit .211/.291/.289. He is from the Dominican Republic.

LHP Chris Cotton (24)
Drafted by Houston in the 14th round in 2013 out of LSU, Cotton pitched for Quad Cities for the vast majority of the 2014 season, receiving a late call-up to Lancaster. In a total of 35 appearances, he had a 4.01 ERA and a 1.234 WHIP. He walked 11 batters and struck out 50 in 58.1 innings of work.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Gary Wilson (60)
A first round pick for the Astros in 1976, Wilson's entire major league career consisted of seven and a third innings pitched in 6 games for Houston in 1979 with a 12.27 ERA and a 2.864 WHIP.

SS/2B Tripp Cromer (47)
Originally drafted by the Cardinals in the third round in 1989, Cromer first signed with Houston as a free agent in December 1999. In 12 games for the Astros in 2000 and 2003, he hit .167/.231/.333.

Tweet of the Day

I'm not sure what is worse, @minnis33 bitching when the Chiefs play or when he plays FIFA
— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) September 14, 2014

Tweet of the Day

“@BleacherReport: Flooding around a MiLB team's stadium results in some incredible photos http://t.co/m5VYXepiey”..boogieboarding on the 4th
— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) July 3, 2014

Tweets of the Day

U S A!!! #IBelieveThatWeWillWin
— Chris Swift Munnelly (@swiftmunn) June 22, 2014

USA USA USA!!!!! #IBelieveThatWeWillWin
— Jonas Dufek (@JonasDufek) June 22, 2014

'MMMMEERRRRRICCCCAAAAAAA
— Lance McCullers Jr. (@LMcCullers_41) June 22, 2014

#USA !
— Kent Emanuel (@KentEmanuel) June 22, 2014

USA USA USA
— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) June 22, 2014

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, June 5, 2014

Happy Draft Day!

Omaha 6, Oklahoma City 3

W- Aaron Brooks (5-1)
L- Brett Oberholtzer (1-2)
S- Spencer Patton (12)

OKC home runs: Erik Castro (2, solo in 3rd)

The RedHawks lost their 2nd consecutive 6-3 decision in the series opener.

Brett Oberholtzer went 6 innings and gave up 5 runs (4 on homers) on 8 hits (2 solos and a 2-run), walked 1, and struck out 6. Jorge De Leon allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 1 in the 7th, and Kevin Chapman struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 8th.

Erik Castro got OKC on the board with a solo homer in the 3rd. Marc Krauss hit an RBI double in the 6th, and Domingo Santana smacked an RBI double in the 8th. Austin Wates (15) and Kiké Hernandez (5) had steals, and Castro was the only RedHawk with a multi-hit game, going 2-4.

Game 2 of this series will be at 7:05 and will feature David Martinez on the mound. He'll face John Lamb.

Midland 3, Corpus Christi 2

W- Nate Long (6-1)
L- Mike Hauschild (1-1, 3-2 season)
S- Seth Frankoff (11)

CC home runs: Preston Tucker (14, solo in 6th)

The Hooks dropped their 4th straight, and dropped the series in the process, as they got burned by Midland's #9 hitter, Beau Taylor, who hit a pair of RBI doubles.

Delino DeShields, not hitting leadoff for the first time this season (5th), went 2-4 with an RBI single in the 1st. Preston Tucker was 1-1 with 3 walks; the 1 hit was a solo homer (14) in the 6th inning.

Mike Hauschild grinded his way through 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 9 hits and struck out 5. Alex Sogard struck out 3 over 3 perfect innings.

The Hooks will look to avoid a sweep as Jordan Jankowski takes on Chris Jensen. First pitch is at 7:00.

Lancaster 16, Inland Empire 7

W- Brian Holmes (2-1)
L- Elliot Morris (1-1)

Lancaster home runs: Tony Kemp (4, solo in 1st), Teoscar Hernandez (11, solo in 1st), Dan Gulbransen (3, 3-run in 4th), Rio Ruiz (5, 3-run in 5th)

Sweep! After the 66ers scored 2 in the top of the 1st, the JetHawks scored 2 unanswered touchdowns. Everyone in the lineup had an RBI except for Conrad Gregor, who went 1-2 with 2 walks and 3 runs scored. Everyone had a hit except for Jordan Scott.

The JetHawks responded to IE's 2 in the 1st by having Tony Kemp and Teoscar Hernandez hit back-to-back solo shots in the bottom of the inning. And then the floodgates opened. Dan Gulbransen cleared the bases with a triple in the 3rd, then came home on a Ruben Sosa double. Roberto Peña added an RBI single in the 4th, and then Gulbransen unleashed a 3-run shot. Rio Ruiz decided to swat a 3-run homer of his own in the 5th. Gulbransen singled in the 6th, and Scott added a run in the frame by hitting a sac fly to score Gregor. Carlos Correa, after a hat trick of walks, hit an RBI triple in the 7th and scored on Rio's groundout. Gulbransen completed the cycle by leading off the 8th with a double. Teoscar had 3 hits and 3 runs scored. Kemp, Rio, and Peña had 2 each. Correa scored 4 times, which meant that he reached base in all of his plate appearances and scored every time he reached base. He also stole a base (18), too. So did Teoscar (20) and Ruben Sosa (13).

Brian Holmes went 7 innings and allowed 4 runs on 5 hits (2-run and solo homers), walked 2, and struck out 3. J.D. Osborne threw a scoreless 8th, but ran into some trouble in the 9th as he allowed 3 runs, 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1. He left with 2 on base. Mitch Lambson got the last 2 outs without incident.

The JetHawks are on the road for the weekend; they'll be playing 4 in Visalia beginning tonight at 7:00 Pacific. Zach Morton will face Braden Shipley.

Burlington 2, Quad Cities 1

W- Trevor Foss (2-4)
L- Tyler Brunnemann (0-2)
S- Alan Busenitz (8)

QC home runs: None.

Tyler Brunnemann shot himself in the foot when he uncorked a wild pitch in the bottom of the 8th, which allowed Angel Rosa to break a 1-1 tie.

Brian Holberton's RBI groundout in the 6th accounted for the only River Bandits run. Tanner Mathis and Chan-Jong Moon had 2 hits apiece.

Michael Feliz went 4 innings and got dinged by Kody Eaves to begin the bottom of the 1st. After that, though, he gave up just 2 more hits. Feliz also walked 4 and struck out 6. Chris Cotton allowed a hit and struck out 1 over 2 scoreless. Brunnemann pitched 2 innings, and that wild pitch turned out to be the difference. That run was unearned; he gave up 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1.

The Bandits will look to avoid the sweep tonight at 6:30. TBA will get the start for QC; he'll take on Ryan Etsell.

DSL Astros Blue 6, DSL Rays 2

W- Abdiel Saldaña (1-0)
L- Jose Disla (0-1)

Blue home runs: None.

The Blue team held the Rays in check as they've emerged on top in their division so far. It's a tight one... the other 5 teams are within 2 games of them in the early going.

Salvador Montaño started with 4 scoreless and allowed 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Abdiel Saldaña followed up with 3 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 2, and striking out 1. The Rays spoiled the shutout bid as they got a pair (1 earned) off of Gabriel Valdez in the final 2 innings. He allowed 4 hits and struck out 1.

Hayden Timberlake opened the scoring with a sac fly in the 2nd, which was part of a 3-run inning. Edgar Lorenzo added an RBI double, and he would score on a Nestor Tejada single. Connor MacDonald added an RBI single in the 4th, and Joan Mauricio hit an RBI groundout. Mauricio brought home the final run of the morning with an RBI single in the 8th. He also hit a triple to lead off the 3rd, but was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice. Wander Franco went 1-2 with 2 runs scored and 3 walks. It's the 4th consecutive game in which he's walked more than once, and he's now the owner of an 11:0 BB:K ratio.

They're at the Rays' complex so they can play a game there.

DSL Yankees1 16, DSL Astros Orange 15

W- Jose Pujols (1-0)
L- Juan Cuevas (0-1)
S- Rafael Ordaz (2)

Orange home runs: None.

On the other hand, the Orange team is still on the schneid. At least the Marlins are there to keep them company. You can count on the DSL to provide some downright wacky stuff. The Orange squad blew a 14-1 lead. Argggggghhhhhhhhh.....

Cristopher Luciano is turning out to be an early bright spot for the Orange offense; he finished a homer shy of the cycle, going 4-4 with 4 RBI, 2 runs scored, and reached in all 5 of his plate appearances. The Orange team opened the scoring with a pair of RBI doubles from Ihan Bernal and Luciano in the 1st. Rodrigo Ayarza hit an RBI single in the 2nd. Luciano added a 2-run single in the 3rd, and a passed ball and a wild pitch later, he'd score himself. Jesus Bermejo scored on yet another wild pitch, and Ayarza finished the 6-run inning with a 2-run single.

They got 5 more in the 4th as Bernal scored on... a wild pitch. Vicente Sanchez added a 2-run single, and then another wild pitch scored Bryan De La Cruz. Wilson Amador hit an RBI groundout for the final run of the inning. Luciano hit an RBI triple for the final Orange run of the morning.

Let's just say that it wasn't the prettiest display of pitching. The two teams combined for 12 wild pitches, a passed ball, and 22 walks. Oh, and 31 runs. All 15 Orange runs were earned. Orange pitchers, on the other hand, had 8 unearned runs. Edwin Villarroel, Adonis Peña, Michael Richez, and Juan Cuevas all had rocky outings. Let's leave it at that. Please. The one guy who didn't was in the middle of all of them. Tomas Lopez, who made his first appearance ever after injuries wiped out his first 2 seasons, threw 2.1 scoreless and allowed 1 hit while walking 2.

Both teams are at it again, this time at the Astros complex.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Rio Ruiz, 3B, Lancaster

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

2. Cristopher Luciano, 1B, DSL Astros Orange: 4-4, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB

1.

Dan Gulbransen, DH, Lancaster

Cycle (in 5 at-bats), 6 RBI, 2 R

Honorable Mentions: The other 7 guys in the Lancaster lineup, Rodrigo Ayarza, Preston Tucker, Delino DeShields, Erik Castro, Joan Mauricio, Tanner Mathis

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Chris "58%" Cotton, LHP, Quad Cities

2 IP, H, K

2. Salvador Montaño, LHP, DSL Astros Blue: 4 IP, 4 H, BB, 5 K

1.

Alex Sogard, LHP, Corpus Christi

3 IP, 3 K

Tweets of the Day

@58percentCotton haha couldn't imagine it happening any other way. . Got to catch up with you out in BP during these next couple days.
— Eric Aguilera (@Ags_33) May 20, 2014

Happy Birthday - 11/21

Happy Birthday to ~

LHP Chris Cotton (23)
Drafted by Houston in the 14th round in 2013 out of LSU, Cotton pitched for Tri-City in 2013. In eight appearances (six starts), he was 3-3 with a 1.74 ERA and a 1.097 WHIP. He walked only two batters in 31 innings.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Gary Wilson (59)
A first round pick for the Astros in 1976, Wilson's entire major league career consisted of seven and a third innings pitched in 6 games for Houston in 1979 with a 12.27 ERA and a 2.864 WHIP.

SS/2B Tripp Cromer (46)
Originally drafted by the Cardinals in the third round in 1989, Cromer first signed with Houston as a free agent in December 1999. In 12 games for the Astros in 2000 and 2003, he hit .167/.231/.333.

Tweet of the Day

I wonder what house the sorting hat would put me in #Slytherin
— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) November 16, 2013

Tweet of the Day

Really been off my tweeting game...it's pretty tough finding time with my off season job of managing 2 football teams #fantasyleague
— Chris Cotton (@58percentCotton) October 23, 2013

Tweet of the Day

Tri-City ValleyCats ‏@ValleyCats
'Cats @nypennleague All-Stars heading to Connecticut! Andrew Walter, @58percentCotton @cjmoon91 and Michael Feliz pic.twitter.com/jgpqC3LTSL

Astros Minor League Recaps

Saturday's Games

Elizabethton Twins 1, Greeneville Astros 2
For the second day in a row Greeneville scored both runs in one inning and then took advantage of solid pitching to secure the win—their third in a row. Starter Enderson Franco (2-2) recorded the win after allowing just three hits and an unearned run through six innings on the hill while walking one and striking out four. Gonzalo Sanudo came on to close out the ninth and retired the side, striking out one to notch his second save. Ariel Ovando (1X3 R SO) crossed the plate for Greeneville's first score in the third on a Jack Mayfield (2X4 R RBI) RBI single. Later in the inning Brett Phillips (1X4 3B RBI SO) hit a triple to bring Mayfield home. 

GCL Yankees2 7, GCL Astros 8

The Astros battled back several times in this game and hung on to score the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. After the first two batters in the ninth were retired for the Astros, Ydarqui Marte (3X5 2R 2B RBI 2 SO) singled and then stole second. Yoel Silfa (2X5 RBI SO), who was at the plate during Marte's steal, followed with a single of his own, bringing Marte around for the walk-off win. Alex Gonzalez (3X5 2B RBI 2SO) also had a three-hit game while Yonathan Mejia (2X5 2R RBI SO) and Jacob Nottingham (2X5 R SO) added two hit performances. The GCL Astros sent five pitchers to the mound Saturday and all but the last, Kevin Ferguson, allowed at least a run. Ferguson (0-1) would also take the win after facing five batters, allowing two hits, walking one and striking two out.   

DSL Rays 0, DSL Astros 3
The DSL Astros came back in a big way after losing the last three in a row, shutting out their opponents yesterday while allowing just three hits. Harold Arauz (1-0) started and picked up the win, pitching six innings, giving up a pair of hits and striking out four. Starting with the last batter of the second inning, Arauz retired the last 15 he faced in order (If you are paying attention, that is two more than he should have faced in that time. Two of his strikeouts ended with the pitch getting away from the catcher, so in both the third and fifth innings there were four outs). Junior Garcia entered in the seventh and collected his first save after completing the game, allowing only a hit and striking out three. Jean Estrella went two-for-three at the plate with a run scored.

Tri-City Valley Cats 5, Batavia Muckdogs 4
The Valley Cats allowed a pair of two-run innings in the eighth and ninth but tallied the win nonetheless. Chris Cotton (1-1) was on the mound for the first five frames and earned his first win after retiring every batter he faced, striking out five. Patrick Christensen got the save (2) after working the ninth inning. Ronnie Mitchell went two-for-three at the dish with two runs scored, a double, a walk and two RBI on his eighth inning blast. Four other Tri-city players recorded multi-hit games, although no one besides Mitchell had any XBHs. Here's a look at the box:

Dayton Dragons 4, Quad Cities River Bandits 3
Despite seven shutout innings by starter Jordan Jankowski, the River Bandits lost after allowing a four-run eighth inning. Jankowski allowed four hits and struck out six in his time on the hill. Quad Cities got on the board Saturday in the seventh when Luis Alvarez (1X4 R  HR 2RBI 2SO) hit a two-out homer, scoring Rio Ruiz (0X4 R SO). Dan Gulbransen collected three hits in the game, going three-for-four with a double and an RBI.   

Modesto Nuts 6, Lancaster JetHawks 10
Lancaster scored ten runs for the second night in a row and tallied another win. In the first inning Lancaster batted around the order and scored five runs on five singles, a double and a walk. Five JetHawks had two hit games and four of them also had two RBI in addition. Brady Rogers (8-5) tossed the first five innings, gave up five runs on eight hits (HR), walked one, struck out six, and escaped with the win. Michael Dimock allowed another run in the ninth on a triple and a double while striking out three amongst the hits. Here's a peek at Lancaster's offense on Saturday:

Frisco RoughRiders 4, Corpus Christi Hooks 3 (11)
This was the Hooks' third extra-inning game of their last four and it was close throughout. Corpus blanked Frisco until the eighth inning before falling in the 11th. David Martinez threw the first seven and a third, giving up a pair of runs over six hits and three walks while striking out two. Jorge De Leon (0-3) toed the rubber for the last two innings and took the loss, allowing a run in the final frame on one hit and a walk and K-ing one. Jonathan Meyer (2X5 R HR RBI SO) brought the scores all square in the eighth inning when he hit his 12th homer of the season. Domingo Santana was swinging his bat, finishing three-for-five with an RBI and strikeout in the game. Rene Garcia was in multiples as well, batting two-for-five with a strikeout of his own.

New Orleans Zephyrs 4, Oklahoma City RedHawks 2
Oklahoma City had seven hits, but couldn't string any together on Saturday and fell to their opponents at home. Their first run in the fifth came after Jimmy Paredes (2X3 R BB) reached on a single and then advanced on a stolen base and throwing error before crossing the plate on a Jose Martinez (0X3 RBI SO) ground out. The second RedHawks run came by way of a Brandon Laird (1X4 R HR RBI) solo shot in the ninth inning. Asher Wojciechowski started and pitched six innings, allowing a run on five hits, walking a pair and striking out three. Hector Ambriz (0-1) clocked in for the next two innings and left with the loss. Ambriz gave up another two runs (1ER) on three hits (HR) and struck out two. Wojo was the only RedHawks pitcher to not allow a homer in the game.

Player of the Day: Instead of splitting hairs, I'm going with the diplomatic route today and awarding the honors to Joe Sclafani, Matt Duffy, Chris Epps and Brandon Meredith of Lancaster. They all put out on Saturday and all deserve a big pat on the back.

Pitcher of the Day: There are split honors here today too. Why? Because Harold Arauz retired fifteen in a row yesterday and that is definitely worthy of a nod. Also, Chris Cotton came along and retired all fifteen he faced, like dominoes. So he gets a nod too. That's how it works here at WTHB.