Happy Birthday - 6/19

Wishing a Very Happy Birthday to ...

C Tyler Heineman (24)
Heineman was born June 19, 1991 in Pacific Palisades, California, and was drafted by Houston in the 8th round in 2012 out of the University of California in Los Angeles, California. He is currently playing with the AAA Fresno Grizzlies.

Tyler Heineman

LHP Cristhopher Santamaria (19)
Santamaria was born June 19, 1996 in David, Chiriqui, Panama, and signed with Houston prior to the 2013 season. He ended the 2014 season with the Gulf Coast League Astros and is likely awaiting his assignment to a short season club.

LHP Sebastian Kessay (22)
Kessay was born June 19, 1993 in Pinetop, Arizona, and was drafted by the Astros in the 22nd round in 2013 out of Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, Arizona. He has not pitched yet during the 2015 season.

Happy Birthday - 6/19

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Collin McHugh (27)
Originally drafted by the Mets in the 18th round in 2008, McHugh was selected by Houston off waivers from the Rockies in December 2013. In his first ten starts as an Astro, he is 4-4 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.079 WHIP.

LHP Sebastian Kessay (21)
Drafted by Houston in the 22nd round in 2013 out of Scottsdale Community College, Kessay made 13 appearances for Greeneville last season, putting up a 3.12 ERA and a 1.442 WHIP. This year he is playing in Tri-City. In his first appearance on Tuesday, he pitched two perfect innings and struck out four.

LHP Cristhopher Santamaria (18)
Santamaria, signed by Houston out of Panama, is in his second season with the DSL. In 2013, he had a 1.73 ERA and a 0.730 WHIP in 15 appearances (24+ innings) out of the bullpen. This season, the young lefty is starting. In four games, three starts, he is 1-1 with a 1.56 ERA and a 0.865 WHIP. Nice!

C Tyler Heineman (23)
Drafted by Houston in the eighth round in 2012 out of UCLA, Heineman is in his first season with AA Corpus. In his first 42 games, he is hitting .250/.335/.347 with 10 doubles and two triples. He boasts a 38% caught stealing rate so far this season.

Several former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

3B Bob Aspromonte (76)
Aspro the Astro was one of the original Colt .45s and Astros players, having been obtained in the expansion draft in October of 1961. In seven seasons with the Astros, Aspromonte hit .258/.313/.345 with his best season being 1967 when he hit .294/.354/.401. He was traded in December 1968 to Atlanta for utility player Marty Martinez. He led the National League in fielding percentage in 1964 and 1971.

LHP Jerry Reuss (65)
A second round pick by the Cardinals in 1967, Reuss came to Houston in a trade in April 1972, was traded away in October of 1973 and came back to Houston as a free agent 17 years later in 1990 toward the end of a 22-year major league career (but didn't pitch for Houston again at the major league level). In 1972 and 1973, Reuss was 25-26 in 74 games for the Astros with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.375 WHIP. He won 18 games in three different seasons and was an All-Star in two of those, in 1975 for the Pirates and in 1980 for the Dodgers. He came in second in Cy Young voting in 1980 to Steve Carlton.

2B Craig Smajstrla (52)
Originally drafted in the fourth round in 1981 by the White Sox, Smajstrla (can I buy a vowel?) came to Houston as a free agent in November of 1987. His eight games for the Astros in 1988 constituted his entire major league career. Used mostly as a pinch runner, he scored two runs but never got a hit in his three at bats.

LHP Bruce Chen (37)
Atlanta signed Chen as a free agent out of Panama in 1993. He came to Houston as a free agent in March of 2003 and only pitched in 11 games before being placed on waivers. In 12 innings, he had an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.833. He is currently pitching for the Kansas City Royals.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Monday's Games

Tuscon over Oklahoma City 7-5
Paul Clemens got the start and the loss as he gave up seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and three walks over five and a third. Eric Berger (2.2IP 1H 1BB 3SO) took it the rest of the way with an effective relief outing. Down 7-0, the Redhawks finally managed to get on the board in the sixth with two scoring on a Jon Singleton RBI single. The final three came across in the eighth on a two-run Brandon Laird home run and a Che-Hsuan Lin RBI single. This is the RedHawks third loss in a row and their division lead over Albuquerque has dwindled to two games.

Wisconsin over Quad Cities 9-1
Mark Appel got roughed up to the tune of seven runs on nine hits over three and a third innings. He struck out two. Mitch Lambson provided three and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief before giving way to Jamaine Cotton for the final two frames. Cotton allowed two unearned runs. The offense only managed four hits with Austin Elkins getting half of them. Elkins also drove in the only River Bandits run in the eighth with an RBI double.

Johnson City over Greeneville 7-5 (completion of 7/22 suspended game)
Jandel Gustave (4IP 8H 5R/4ER 4BB 5SO HR) had started this one back on July 22nd and had faced four batters in the fifth without recording an out before he was taken out in favor of Raul Rivera. With the bases loaded, Rivera struck out one batter before the game was suspended. Fast forward three weeks and Rivera was tasked with basically starting a game with the bases loaded, one out and a one run lead. Rivera allowed one of those runners to score and two of his own in the seventh, but he gets a big old asterisk on this loss -- tough way to come in the game. It did not help that, despite doubles from Angel Ibanez and Raul Rivera, the offense wasn't able to cross the plate again after the game re-commenced.

Greeneville over Johnson City 8-4 in 7 innings
Starter Edison Frias (5IP 9H 4R 3SO) got the win and was followed by a scoreless inning apiece from Sebastian Kessay and Chris Munnelly. Greeneville was down 3-0 after the first, but came back and chipped away at that lead, and then some. Wallace Gonzalez (2x4 2-2B 2RBI R) doubled in two runners in the second. Three more scored in the third on a Marc Wik (2x2 2BB RBI 3R) RBI single and a two-run line drive single off the wall from Christian Moronta (2x4 2RBI SB). It was Darwin Rivera's (2x4 2B 2RBI) turn in the fifth as he singled in a pair. Wik scored the final run in the seventh.

GCL Astros over GCL Tigers 3-2
Luis Ordosgoitti put up a very nice start as he works his way back from injury, allowing only one unearned run on three hits and two walks while striking out six. Matt Heidenreich pitched a perfect inning in his latest rehab appearance. Jorge Perez allowed the second Tigers run and was followed by Erick Gonzalez who earned the win in relief as the Astros scored the go-ahead run in the eighth. The offense took advantage of a little wildness from Tigers pitching. Yonathan Mejia doubled to start the seventh and then Jean Batista reached on a hit by pitch. Two wild pitches and a sac fly later, both had scored. Similarly, Javaris Reynolds singled to start the eighth, moved to second on a sac bunt, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball. Jason Martin also doubled in the game and Jose Solano went two-for-three.

DSL Astros over DSL Royals 3-0
Harold Arauz (W, 6IP 1H 1BB 4SO), Cristhopher Santamaria (2IP 2SO) and Angel Heredia (1IP 1SO) combined to one-hit the Royals. Arauz actually gave up a single to the first batter of the game and a walk to the second batter of the game, but then settled in the rest of the way. The only other baserunners in the game were in the fifth and seventh as Arauz and Santamaria each hit a batter. Hector Roa (2x4 2B RBI R) doubled in the first Astros run in the fourth. Marlon Avea drove in one in the sixth and Randy Cesar had an RBI double in the seventh. Luis Payano was two-for-three and scored a run, and Brauly Mejia went three-for-four with a double and a run.

Player of the Day: Marc Wik got on base every time up last night, drove in one and scored three times. You can't do much more than that to help your team win. In his last 10 games, Wik is hitting .345/.513/.414).

Pitcher of the Day: Harold Arauz, Cristhopher Santamaria and Angel Heredia share the honors today for their combined one-hitter. Nice job guys!!!

Astro Minor League Recaps

Tuesday's Games

Oklahoma City - All-Star Break

Corpus Christi over Midland 8-5
Ross Seaton allowed only three scattered hits and no runs through the first six innings, but then ran into a little trouble in the seventh, allowing two runs on three hits before Pat Urckfitz came in for the final out of the inning. Seaton got the win despite Pat Urckfitz and Andrew Robinson allowing three additional runs to score in the eighth and the ninth innings because the Hooks offense gave them plenty to work with. Corpus had only scored one run in the first on a Preston Tucker (2x4 BB) single when they broke things open in the sixth with a six-run inning, featuring a solo home run from Max Stassi, a two-run dinger from Erik Castro (2x5) and a bases-clearing triple from Drew Muren. Rene Garcia was three-for-five and scored a run.

Lancaster - Day Off (their first day off after 26 straight games which I put in perspective here in case you misssed it)

Quad Cities - Day Off

Tri-City - Day Off

Greeneville - Day Off

GCL Pirates over GCL Astros 6-3
Francis Ramirez went the first four, giving up two runs on two hits and three walks and striking out six, and was followed by scoreless outings from Kevin Ferguson (2IP 2H 1SO), Juan Santos (1IP 1BB) and Chris Munnelly (1IP 1H 2SO). The Astros had a 3-2 lead going into the ninth. And then this happened:

GCL Pirates Top of the 9th

• Pitching Change: Erick Gonzalez replaces Chris Munnelly.
• Ulises Montilla walks.
• Adam Landecker reaches on a force attempt, throwing error by pitcher Erick Gonzalez. Ulises Montilla to 2nd.
• Daniel Arribas ground bunts into a force out, catcher Brett Booth to shortstop Luis Reynoso. Ulises Montilla out at 3rd. Adam Landecker to 2nd. Daniel Arribas to 1st.
• Carlos Ozuna reaches on a throwing error by shortstop Luis Reynoso. Adam Landecker scores. Daniel Arribas to 3rd.
• Justin Maffei walks. Carlos Ozuna to 2nd.
• Pitching Change: Zachary Dando replaces Erick Gonzalez.
• Nick Buckner walks. Daniel Arribas scores. Carlos Ozuna to 3rd. Justin Maffei to 2nd.
• Austin Meadows walks. Carlos Ozuna scores. Justin Maffei to 3rd. Nick Buckner to 2nd.
• Reese McGuire singles on a fly ball to right fielder Luis De La Rosa. Justin Maffei scores. Nick Buckner to 3rd. Austin Meadows to 2nd.
• Luis Urena strikes out swinging.
• Ulises Montilla strikes out swinging.

The Astros scored one in the first on a Yonathan Mejia single, one in the fifth on a Jose Solano home run and one in the sixth on a Luis Reynosa single. Jason Martin had the only other extra base hit, a double. The Astros were limited to six hits.

DSL Indians over DSL Astros 5-1
Geronimo Franzua and Cristhopher Santamaria each pitched three scoreless innings, allowing two hits each and were followed by Juan Delis. Delis walked three straight batters without recording an out and was replaced by Angel Heredia. Before all was said and done, those three batters plus two more scored in the frame. The Astros were held to four hits with the only extra base hit being a Luis Payano (2x3) double. The lone Astros run scored in the sixth inning on a Kristian Trompiz sac fly.

Player of the Day: Drew Muren's three-run triple, plus his two walks, gives him the edge.

Pitcher of the Day: In seven appearances this season (10.2IP), Cristhopher Santamaria has not allowed a run. This latest appearance was his longest of the season.

Happy Birthday - 6/19

LHP Sebastian Kessay (20)
Drafted by Houston in the 22nd round in 2013 out of Scottsdale Community College, Kessay will start his professional career playing for the Greeneville Astros Rookie League club.

LHP Cristhopher Santamaria (17)
I have no information on Santamaria other than the fact that he has pitched one perfect inning for the DSL Astros in his one appearance so far this season.

C Tyler Heineman (22)
Drafted by Houston in the eighth round in 2012 out of UCLA, Heineman spent his first short season with Tri-City winning the New York-Penn League batting title with a .358 average which earned him a promotion to Hi-A Lancaster for 2013. In 49 games for the JetHawks so far this season, he is hitting .274/.373/.390.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

3B Bob Aspromonte (75)
Aspro the Astro was one of the original Colt .45s and Astros players, having been obtained in the expansion draft in October of 1961. In seven seasons with the Astros, Aspromonte hit .258/.313/.345 with his best season being 1967 when he hit .294/.354/.401. He was traded in December 1968 to Atlanta for utility player Marty Martinez. He led the National League in fielding percentage in 1964 and 1971.

LHP Jerry Reuss (64)
A second round pick by the Cardinals in 1967, Reuss came to Houston in a trade in April 1972, was traded away in October of 1973 and came back to Houston as a free agent 17 years later in 1990 toward the end of a 22-year major league career (but didn't pitch for Houston again at the major league level). In 1972 and 1973, Reuss was 25-26 in 74 games for the Astros with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.375 WHIP. He won 18 games in three different seasons and was an All-Star in two of those, in 1975 for the Pirates and in 1980 for the Dodgers. He came in second in Cy Young voting in 1980 to Steve Carlton.

2B Craig Smajstrla (51)
Originally drafted in the fourth round in 1981 by the White Sox, Smajstrla (can I buy a vowel?) came to Houston as a free agent in November of 1987. His eight games for the Astros in 1988 constituted his entire major league career. Used mostly as a pinch runner, he scored two runs but never got a hit in his three at bats.

LHP Bruce Chen (36)
Atlanta signed Chen as a free agent out of Panama in 1993. He came to Houston as a free agent in March of 2003 and only pitched in 11 games before being placed on waivers. In 12 innings, he had an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.833. He is currently pitching for the Kansas City Royals.