Spring Training Leaders: 3/11/17

Checking in on the Spring Training stats for a few of the Astros who aren't a lock* to make the opening day roster ...

One caveat: Spring Training stats, especially early on are somewhat meaningless. Pitchers are working on specific pitches, tweaking their delivery and simply getting their arms back up to speed. Hitters are working on their timing in the box, tweaking their stances/load and are looking for specific pitches/locations they want to work on either hitting to the opposite field, laying off of altogether or the like. Don't make too much out of bad ST stats. But the flip side of that is that a young player who does particularly well in ST against much older and more experienced competition will put himself on the radar of the front office and the MLB coaching staff as did Tyler White in 2016. So ST stats are mostly meaningless, but not completely.

Jandel Gustave - June 2016

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Let's take a look at the pitchers first.

Obviously, these are all small itty-bitty teeny-weeny sample sizes but there are a few Astros pitchers who have not allowed a hit or a run so far, including RHP Dayan Diaz (1.0IP), RHP James Hoyt (2.0IP), LHP Albert Minnis (1.0IP) and RHP Trent Thornton (0.2IP).

However, of those pitchers having thrown a minimum of four innings so far this season, these are your early leaders:

RHP Jandel Gustave
4G 4.0IP 0.00ERA 0.500WHIP 1BB 5SO .083AVG

LHP Framber Valdez
3G 4.0IP 0.00ERA 0.750WHIP 1BB 4SO .154AVG

RHP Joe Musgrove
3G/3ST 8.0IP 1.13ERA 1.000WHIP 2BB 7SO .214AVG

RHP Michael Feliz
4G 5.1IP 3.38ERA 0.750WHIP 0BB 4SO .222AVG

RHP David Paulino
3G 7.0IP 3.86ERA 1.143WHIP 1BB 4SO .250AVG

Colin Moran - September 2015

Photo by Jayne Hansen

And now for the position players who are leading the pack early on (minimum 12 AB) ...

3B Colin Moran
16AB .438/.526/.875 1-2B 2HR

OF Alejandro Garcia
14AB .429/.500/.429

3B J.D. Davis
13AB .385/.529/.462 1-2B

OF Derek Fisher
12AB .333/.529/.500 2-2B 5SB

2B/LF Tony Kemp
21AB .333/.364/.381 1-2B

1B A.J. Reed
22AB .318/.400/.773 1-2B 3HR

*It's highly likely that some of these players will be on the opening day roster, but since those on this list who are on the 40-man roster all have options remaining, they will be the easiest to send to AAA to start the season.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, August 18, 2016

Let's play two in Adelanto and the DSL!

Fresno 2, Omaha 1 in 11 innings

W- Jandel Gustave (3-2)
L- Clayton Mortensen (3-5)

Fresno home runs: None.

Colin Moran was the hero on Taco Truck Throwdown 6. It's Fresno's biggest promotion of the year, and they sent the fans home happy.

Danny Worth put the Tacos on the board first with an RBI single in the 1st inning. Omaha tied the game with a run in the 3rd inning, and the game remained in a deadlock until the bottom of the 11th.

Alejandro Garcia led off the inning with a single and advanced to 2nd on a Max Stassi sacrifice bunt. Andrew Aplin was then intentionally walked to keep the double play in play. Nolan Fontana went down on strikes, but Moran came through with the game-winner, a single that brought Garcia home. Garcia finished 3-5 with a stolen base (1, 13 season), and Worth went 2-3 with a double.

César Valdez turned in yet another fine start for the Tacos; he allowed a run on 6 hits and struck out 9 over 7 strong innings. Brendan McCurry was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen, and he wound up throwing a 1-2-3 8th inning. Jordan Jankowski walked 1 and struck out 3 over 2 scoreless, and Jandel Gustave set the Storm Chasers down in order in the 11th inning, striking out 1.

Fresno and Omaha will wrap up their series tonight at 7:05 Pacific. Eury De La Rosa, whose contract was recently purchased from the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League, will make his organizational debut. He'll face Mike Minor.

Corpus Christi 4, Northwest Arkansas 0

W- Cy Sneed (5-5)
L- Eric Skoglund (6-9)

CC home runs: Ramon Laureano (5, 15 season; 2-run in 1st)

The Hooks took the series from the Naturals as Cy Sneed and Kevin Comer joined forces on a shutout. Sneed allowed 4 hits and fanned 5 in 7 innings, and Comer finished it off, allowing 3 hits and striking out 5 in the final two frames.

Ramon Laureano opened the scoring with a 2-run home run in the 1st inning. Mott Hyde added a sac fly in the 5th, and J.D. Davis drove in the final run of the evening with an RBI single in the 8th. Conrad Gregor and Tony Nuñez both went 2-4 from the bottom of the lineup.

Tonight, Corpus is in Little Rock for the second leg of their tour of Arkansas. Trent Thornton will take on Alex Blackford at 7:10.

Game 1: High Desert 12, Lancaster 6

W- Shane McCain (5-3)
L- Akeem Bostick (4-2, 5-3 season)

Lancaster home runs: Drew Ferguson 2 (13; solo in 4th, solo in 5th), Bryan Muñiz (12, solo in 5th)

There was plenty of offense in game 1; unfortunately for the JetHawks, their pitchers could only keep the Mavericks off the scoreboard for one half-inning. They had a 4-3 lead after their half of the 4th, but High Desert finished the game on a 9-2 run.

Drew Ferguson put Lancaster on the board in the 4th inning with his first home run of game 1. Kyle Tucker followed with a single; he advanced to 3rd on a single from Aaron Mizell and eventually scored on an error that allowed Jason Martin to reach. Trent Woodward hit an RBI infield single to bring Mizell home, and Martin scored on a wild pitch. Ferguson and Bryan Muñiz hit back-to-back solo home runs in the 5th inning. Ferguson went 3-3, while Little Tuck went 2-4 in his Lancaster debut.

Akeem Bostick went 3.1 innings and allowed 6 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 5 hits, walked 5, and struck out 4. Ralph Garza Jr. was the first man out of the Lancaster bullpen, and he allowed 6 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 7 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 1. Alex Winkelman got the final two outs of the 6th, striking out 1.

Did game 2 bring about a more positive result for the JetHawks?

Game 2: Lancaster 10, High Desert 2

W- Jose Luis Hernandez (2-3, 5-5 season)
L- Jeffrey Springs (2-2)

Lancaster home runs: Drew Ferguson (14, solo in 1st), Marc Wik (5, 2-run in 2nd), Christian Correa (2, 3 season; 2-run in 4th)

Jose Luis Hernandez went the distance and Drew Ferguson continued his rampage from game 1 as the JetHawks earned the split in the doubleheader. Hernandez allowed 2 runs; both came on solo homers. He allowed two other hits, walked 3, and struck out 3 over the 7 innings.

Ferguson opened the scoring by launching a solo homer in the 1st inning. Marc Wik got in on the act with a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning, and Christian Correa whacked a 2-run home run of his own in the 4th. Bryan Muñiz hit an RBI single in the 5th, and Ferguson scored on an error later in the inning. In the 6th, Myles Straw hit an RBI single and came around to score on an Osvaldo Duarte triple. Ferguson capped off the night by ripping an RBI double to score Duarte.

Five JetHawks had 2-hit games: Straw (RBI, 2 R), Ferguson (2B, solo HR, 2 RBI, 2 R), Muñiz, Correa (2B, 2-R HR, 2 R), and Wik (2-R HR).

The JetHawks will start a 3-game series in Lake Elsinore tonight at 7:00 Pacific.

Clinton 3, Quad Cities 2

W- Joey Strain (6-2)
L- David Schmidt (3-3, 4-4 season)
S- Matt Walker (10)

QC home runs: Dexture McCall (8. 2-run in 7th)

The Banditos managed to tie the game at 2.... only to see the LumberKings regain the lead with a run in the 8th, and that was the difference as they got swept out of Clinton.

Dex McCall's 2-run home run in the 7th inning put Quad Cities on the board, tied the game at 2, was their only scoring play of the evening, and was one of just two hits that they could muster up in the game. Arturo Michelena, who scored on the homer, singled for the other River Bandit hit.

Framber Valdez went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits, walked 3, and struck out 7. David Schmidt pitched the final 3 innings and allowed the go-ahead run in the 8th on a double. The other hit he allowed was also a double, and he struck out 1.

The Banditos are back home, and tonight, they'll start a 3-game series with Kane County at 7:00. Hector Perez will go up against Jose Almonte.

Tri-City 4, Aberdeen 2

W- Salvador Montaño (1-0, 2-1 season)
L- Zach Muckenhirn (4-2)
S- Tyler Britton (2)

TC home runs: None.

Both teams scored in the 1st and the 5th innings, but Tri-City put up the only crooked number of the game in the 5th and got an insurance run in the 8th.

Rodrigo Ayarza doubled to lead off the bottom of the 1st inning and an error allowed him to advance to 3rd. He scored the ValleyCats' first run of the evening on a wild pitch. Ayarza added an RBI single to his ledger in the 5th, and Alex De Goti later scored on another wild pitch. Ronnie Dawson drove in the final run of the evening with an RBI single in the 8th.

Ayarza (2B, RBI, R), Brauly Mejia, Chuckie Robinson (R), and De Goti (2B, R) all finished with 2 hits in the game.

Kevin Hill, Salvador Montaño, and Tyler Britton all went 3 innings for Tri-City. Hill got the start and allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 3. Montaño had home stolen on him in the 5th inning; the run was unearned. He also allowed a single, walked 4, and struck out 4. Britton allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 5 to get the save.

The ValleyCats will look for the sweep tonight at 7:00 Eastern. Dustin Hunt will take on Lucas Humpal.

Danville 3, Greeneville 2 in 10 innings

W- Drew Harrington (1-0)
L- Devon Carr (1-3)

Greeneville home runs: None.

The Appy Astros have picked a bad time to get in a funk; they're 2-8 in their last 10 contests. They took the lead in the 8th, only to see the Braves tie the game in the bottom of the inning and walk off with the win in the first extra frame.

Frankeny Fernandez put Greeneville on the board with an RBI single in the 5th inning, and Abraham Toro's RBI groundout in the 8th was their other scoring play. Stijn van der Meer scored both Greeneville runs. Fernandez and Carlos Machado both finished 2-3, and Luis Payano also finished with 2 hits.

Forrest Whitley went 3 innings and allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 3. Colin McKee and Carlos Hiraldo followed with 2 innings out of the bullpen; McKee allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1, and Hiraldo walked 2 and struck out 2. Devon Carr went 2.1 innings and allowed the winning run (well, it scored after he left) on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Luis Ramirez got an out in the 10th, but he hit Brett Cumberland with the bases loaded to bring in the winning run for Danville.

Jorge Alcala will start game 2 of this series. He'll face Joey Wentz at 7:00 Eastern.

DSL Astros Blue

The Blue team dropped a doubleheader to the Royals; they lost game 1 6-2 and dropped game 2 by a score of 4-2.

Anibal Sierra had a triple and an RBI in game 1. Johsson Arias allowed a run, a hit, walked 1, and struck out 3 in 3 innings.

Angel De Leon smacked a 2-run triple in game 2.

DSL Astros Orange

On the other hand, the Orange team swept the Rays 2, winning game 1 by a score of 9-2 and game 2 2-0.

Hector Martinez doubled and scored 3 runs in game 1, while Yordan Alvarez tripled and scored twice.

Kilvio Peralta and Freylin Garcia combined on a shutout in game 2; Peralta allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6, and Garcia allowed 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. Gerry Castillo ripped an RBI double in the 2nd and later scored on a Luis Coronel single. Coronel finished 2-2 on the day.

Thursday's Stars

Colin Moran, 3B, Fresno

Walk-off RBI single in 11th inning

Fresno pitchers from top: César Valdez, Brendan McCurry, Jordan Jankowski, Jandel Gustave

Valdez: 7 IP, 6 H, ER, 9K

McCurry: IP (retired side in order in 8th)

Jankowski: 2 IP, BB, 3 K

Gustave: W (3-2), IP, K

Photo by Tammy Tucker

Cy Sneed, RHP, Corpus Christi

W (5-5), 7 IP, 4 H, 5 K

Kevin Comer, RHP, Corpus Christi

2 IP, 3 H, 5 K

Drew Ferguson, OF, Lancaster

Game 1 of doubleheader: 3-3, 2 solo HR (13)

Game 2 of doubleheader: 2-3, 2B, solo HR (14), 2 R

Photo from MiLB.com

Tyler Britton, RHP, Tri-City

Save (2), 3 IP, H, BB, 5 K

A Jandel Gustave Pitch in Photos

Jandel Gustave ...

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, April 20, 2015 and Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Fresno 8, Las Vegas 4

W- Tommy Shirley (2-0)
L- Matt Bowman (0-3)

Fresno home runs: Jon Singleton (3, solo in 4th), Preston Tucker (5, 2-run in 4th)

The heart of the Grizzlies order struck terror into the extraterrestrials (OK, the humans playing for the team with the extraterrestrial mascot) as Jon Singleton, Matt Duffy, and Preston Tucker all went 3-5 with 2 runs scored.

Tucker put Fresno on the board first in the 1st with a 2-run single, and he made his way around the bases on a wild pitch and a Matt Dominguez infield single and scored on a single from Alex Presley. Singleton smacked a solo shot with 2 outs in the 4th. One batter later, Duffy doubled, and then it was Tucker's turn to go deep. L.J. Hoes drove in the final Grizzlies runs with a 2-run double in the 8th. Presley and Hoes had 2 hits apiece; everyone had a hit except for Joe Sclafani.

Tommy Shirley went 5.2 innings, and the only 2 hits he surrendered came off the bat of Dilson Herrera, who took him deep in the 5th. He walked 2 and struck out 4. Darin Downs faced one batter and retired him to end the 6th inning. Josh Fields allowed a hit and walked 2 over 2 scoreless, and James Hoyt was able to close it out, although he had to weather a storm to do so. He allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in the 9th.

Tulsa 2, Corpus Christi 1

W- Chris Anderson (3-0)
L- Travis Ballew (0-1)
S- Chris Reed (1)

CC home runs: Carlos Correa (2, solo in 6th)

Mr. Correa broke the monotony of a scoreless tie with his 2nd blast of the season, but that was the only run that the Hooks could put up on the scoreboard. Carlos had 2 of the 3 Corpus hits; the other was a single hit by Tyler White, who was making his 2015 debut. Tony Kemp also did this in the 6th inning:


Aaron West was solid, although a high pitch count forced an early exit. He allowed just 3 hits and struck out 5 over 4.2 scoreless innings. Travis Ballew was the first man out, and he threw a scoreless 6th, However, the Drillers took the lead off of him as Paul Honecker hit a 2-run homer with 2 outs in the top of the 7th. He allowed one other hit and struck out 2. Jandel Gustave struck out 1 over 2 perfect frames.

Rancho Cucamonga 13, Lancaster 8

W- Victor Araujo (1-1)
L- Edison Frias (2-1)

Lancaster home runs: Chase McDonald (3, 2-run in 2nd)

The JetHawks found themselves behind the 8-ball early as Edison Frias got rocked for 6 runs in the 1st inning. Despite the rough start, the JetHawks picked themselves up off the canvas and fired back and very nearly erased a 7-run deficit. Sadly, they were buried by a 6-run 6th inning from Rancho.

Frias only got 2 outs; he allowed 5 hits (2 2-run homers) and walked 1. Tyler Brunnemann got the JetHawks out of the inning, but not before allowing a run of his own. He threw 1.1 innings, allowing 3 hits and striking out 1. Brian Holmes tagged in for 3 innings; he allowed 6 runs (3 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits, walked 4, and struck out 4. Ambiorix De Leon technically had a scoreless outing, but he did allow the 2 runners he inherited from Holmes to score. De Leon allowed 3 hits, walked 2, and fanned 2 over 3 innings.

Chase McDonald continued his outstanding start to the season as he went 3-5 with a 2-run homer (3) in the 2nd, an RBI single in the 3rd, and scored 2 runs. Brett Phillips remained on fire as he finished 2-3, ripping a 2-run triple in the 3rd. The other JetHawks run in the 3rd inning came on a Jose Fernandez single. A.J. Reed drew a walk in the 7th. He would advance to 2nd on a McDonald single, took 3rd on a wild pitch, and scored on a passed ball. Brian Holberton scored on a wild pitch in the 8th. J.D. Davis was 2-5 with a run scored.

Kane County 8, Quad Cities 6

W- Nick Baker (1-0)
L- Chris Lee (0-1)
S- Luis Ramirez (1)

QC home runs: D.J. Fisher (4, solo in 5th)

The Bandits were thwarted in their bid for a sweep as the Cougars doubled them up from the 5th to the 8th innings, outscoring them 6-3.

Quad Cities got on the board first with 3 in the 1st inning, as Nick Tanielu and Mott Hyde hit RBI singles, and Jake Nottingham added an RBI groundout. D.J. Fisher is putting his power on display as he led off the 5th with his 4th homer of the year. The other run in the 5th inning came on a Ryan Bottger groundout. Bobby Boyd grounded into a force out that scored Alfredo Gonzalez in the 8th.

Kevin Comer went 4.1 innings and allowed 4 runs (1 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 6. Chris Lee tagged in for 3.2 innings, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits and striking out 4. Albert Minnis worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

Monday's Three Stars: Position Players

Fresno sweep!

Jon Singleton, 1B

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

Matt Duffy, 3B

3-5, 2 2B, 2 R

Preston Tucker, OF

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

Monday's Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Tommy Shirley, LHP, Fresno

W (2-0), 5.2 IP, 2 H (solo HR), ER, 2 BB, 4 K

2. 

Aaron West, RHP, Corpus Christi

4.2 IP, 3 H, 5 K

1. 

Jandel Gustave, RHP, Corpus Christi

2 IP, K

Monday's Honorable Mentions

- Tony Kemp may have gone 0-4, but he probably pulled off the defensive play of the year in the Astros minors.
- Chase McDonald has probably been the best hitter in the Lancaster lineup in the early going.
- After a slow start, Brett Phillips has caught fire and has remained on fire for the JetHawks.

Games of April 21, 2015

Salt Lake 6, Fresno 5 in 11 innings

W- Frank Herrmann (1-0)
L- James Hoyt (0-1)

Fresno home runs: Domingo Santana (3, solo in 7th)

The Grizzlies scored 1 in the 9th to tie the game at 3 and took the lead with 2 in the top of the 11th.... only to walk off with the loss after the Bees stung them for 3 in the bottom of the inning.

Alex Presley went 3-5 and put Fresno on the board first with a 3rd-inning RBI single. Domingo's 3rd homer led off the 7th inning, and Joe Sclafani came through in the clutch with an RBI single in the top of the 9th. Domingo scored the go-ahead run on a Ronald Torreyes fielder's choice in the 11th, and Presley struck again with an RBI single. Domingo finished 4-5, while Jon Singleton went 2-6 with a double and triple.

Jake Buchanan had a bare minimum quality start, allowing 9 hits and striking out 3, Jordan Jankowski was the first man out; he allowed a hit, walked 2, and fanned 3. In his AAA debut, Tyson Perez tossed 2 perfect innings. James Hoyt couldn't close it out as Salt Lake got 3 off of him in the bottom of the 11th. 2 of those runs were earned; he allowed 4 hits and struck out 1.

Dan Straily will take on Nick Tropeano at 5:35 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 6, Tulsa 0

W- Kent Emanuel (1-0)
L- Julio Urias (1-1)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks staved off a sweep as they blanked the Drillers, which was an encouraging end to a pretty tough series that saw Tulsa rally in order to get the wins in the first 2 games. They got the win by knocking around the 18-year-old phenom, Julio Urias.

Tony Kemp went 2-5 and opened up the scoring with an RBI infield single in the 3rd. Jio Mier busted the game open in the 4th by clearing the bases with a triple, and one batter later, he came home on a Roberto Peña single. Telvin Nash coaxed a bases-loaded walk in the 5th. Conrad Gregor finished 2-4 and scored on Jio's triple.

Kent Emanuel started things off with 5 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits, walking 1, and striking out 2. Mitch Lambson allowed just 1 hit and fanned 3 over 3 scoreless, and Dan Minor finished things off, working around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th.

After a day off, the Hooks travel to Frisco as they close out the month on the road.

Lancaster 7, Rancho Cucamonga 6 in 11 innings

W- Gonzalo Sañudo (1-0)
L- Randy Fontanez (1-2)

Lancaster home runs: None.

Lancaster nipped the Quakes in extras, thanks to Chase McDonald's RBI single in the top of the 11th.

A.J. Reed got things started with an RBI single in the 1st. The JetHawks got a pair of sac flies from J.D. Davis and Reed in the 3rd. Jobduan Morales added an RBI single in the 6th, and later in the inning, Chan-Jong Moon hit into a fielder's choice that scored James Ramsay. Moon hit an RBI single in the 8th. He was back at it again in the 11th as he led off with a double. He'd score on McDonald's single. Moon, Brett Phillips, and Ronnie Mitchell all finished with 3 hits, while McDonald and Davis had 2 each.

Michael Feliz got the start; he went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned), a single, walked 3, and struck out 6. Zach Morton tagged in for 4 innings, allowing 2 unearned runs on 7 hits and striking out 3. Frederick Tiburcio allowed a game-tying 2-run home run to Brandon Trinkwon in the bottom of the 9th. He allowed 2 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 1, and Gonzalo Sañudo allowed a hit and struck out 2 over 2 scoreless to get the win.

In the rubber game, Troy Scribner will take on Scott Barlow at 7:05 Pacific.

Quad Cities 4, Peoria 3

W- Eric Peterson (1-0)
L- Zach Loraine (0-2)
S- Jose Montero (3)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos took the series opener as they scored a couple in the 8th to take the lead.

Alfredo Gonzalez went 2-4 with a stolen base (1) and put Quad Cities on the board first with a 2nd-inning RBI single. Jamie Ritchie drew a bases-loaded walk in the 4th to tie the game at 2, and he struck again in the 8th with an RBI triple that tied the game again. He scored the go-ahead run one batter later, when D.J. Fisher singled. Fisher, who also stole a base (3), and Kristian Trompiz also had 2 hits apiece.

Bryan Radziewski went 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, walking 1, and striking out 6. Eric Peterson was the first man out of the bullpen; he allowed an unearned run on 3 hits and struck out 3 over 2 innings, and Jose Montero got a 2-inning save, striking out 3.

In game 2 of this series, Joe Musgrove faces Austin Gomber at 11:00 A.M.

Tuesday's Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Jio Mier, IF, Corpus Christi

Bases-clearing 3B in 4th

2. 

Chan-Jong Moon, SS, Lancaster

3-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 3 SB (5)

1.

Domingo Santana, OF, Fresno

4-5, 2B, solo HR (3), 2 R

Tuesday's Five Stars: Pitchers

Can I really rank these performances objectively?

Kent Emanuel, LHP, Corpus Christi

W (1-0), 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 2 K

Mitch Lambson, LHP, Corpus Christi

3 IP, H, 3 K

Dan Minor, RHP, Corpus Christi

IP, H

Tyson Perez, RHP, Fresno

AAA debut: 2 IP

Jose Montero, RHP, Quad Cities

Save (3), 2 IP, 3 K

Tuesday's Honorable Mentions

- D.J. Fisher has opened up the Midwest League slate on a tear and is putting himself
- After a 2-20 start, Kristian Trompiz looks like he's getting himself going at the plate.
- Brett Phillips status: still en fuego.
- Bryan Radziewski and his big curveball have gotten out to a fine start in Quad Cities.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, April 11, 2015

Las Vegas 7, Fresno 2

W- Darin Gorski (1-0)
L- Alex White (0-1)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizzlies suffered their first setback of the season as their bats were largely held in check. They had just 3 hits, all of which were doubles, and their 2 runs came in the bottom of the 4th, as Preston Tucker scored on an error that allowed Jon Singleton to reach; Singleton would later score on an RBI double from L.J. Hoes. In case you were wondering, Tucker and Singleton had the other 2 doubles.

Alex White was roughed up in his 3.1 innings as he allowed 4 runs on 6 hits (solo and 2-run homers), walked 3, and struck out 2. Richard Rodriguez was the first man out of the bullpen; he inherited a bases-loaded situation in the 4th, but he tightroped out of the inning without further incident. Rodriguez allowed a 2-run homer to Alex Castellanos in the 5th, which ended up being the only 2 runs he allowed in 2.2 innings. He allowed one other hit and fanned 2. Jordan Jankowski worked around a walk and a hit to toss a scoreless 7th, striking out 2. Josh Fields walked Kyle Johnson to lead off the 8th, and he came around to score on a groundout. James Hoyt issued a 1-out walk in a scoreless 9th.

Fresno and Vegas will wrap up this opening series at 2:05 Pacific. Luis Cruz will face Tyler Pill.

Corpus Christi 9, Springfield 2

W- Chris Devenski (1-0)
L- Thomas Lee (0-1)

CC home runs: Telvin Nash (1, 3-run in 5th)

The Hooks opened up the season with a bang as they swept the Cardinals, outscoring them 26-8 over the 3-game set. They only scored in 2 innings in this game, but they scored plenty, I'll tell you that.

Conrad Gregor got the party started in the 2nd with an RBI double. Jio Mier followed with an RBI single, and after Tony Kemp singled to load the bases, Carlos Correa clubbed a 2-run ground-rule double. One batter later, Colin Moran added a 2-run single. Telvin Nash, whose leadoff double was the catalyst for that 6-run 2nd, smacked a 3-run homer in the 5th, his 1st of the year. Correa originally went 3-5, but his single to lead off the 5th inning was changed to an error. He, Moran, and Nash had 2-hit nights.

Josh Hader was tagged for a 2-run homer by Jacob Wilson in the 3rd inning, which turned out to be the only Springfield runs. Hader allowed one other hit, walked 4, and struck out 3 in 3 innings. Jandel Gustave, fresh from his spring foray in Arizona with the Royals and the Padres, threw 2 scoreless, allowing a hit and striking out 1. He faced a bases-loaded situation in the 4th but escaped unscathed. Chris Devenski took the Hooks home with 4 scoreless, allowing 4 hits and striking out 3.

The 2nd leg of Corpus Christi's season-opening roadtrip takes them to Tulsa, now an affiliate of the Dodgers. In the opener, Lance McCullers will take on Jeremy Kehrt. First pitch is at 2:05.

San Jose 8, Lancaster 3

W- Christian Jones (1-0)
L- Evan Grills (0-1)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks were pounded as the Giants got the upper hand in the series. They got a 10-hit night, but struck out 15 times and had just 3 runs to show for it. Lancaster had runners on 2nd and 3rd in the bottom of the 9th as they threatened to cut into the deficit, but James Ramsay struck out to end the game.

All 3 JetHawks runs came off of RBI doubles. Ronnie Mitchell got the Hawks on the board with one in the 4th. James Ramsay smacked one of his own in the 5th, and J.D. Davis ripped one in the 8th. Ramsay was a home run shy of the cycle, and he was on the verge of completing it in order. He singled with 1 out in the 1st, hit that RBI double in the 5th, and tripled and scored in the 8th on Davis' double. J.D. Davis and Jose Fernandez both finished 2-4.

Evan Grills was knocked around in his 3.1 innings as he gave up a pair of 3-run innings; 5 of those runs were earned. He allowed 8 hits, 4 of which were doubles, and a 3-run homer to Tyler Horan in the 1st. Grills walked and struck out 1. Gonzalo Sañudo gave up 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits and struck out 3 in 3.2 innings. Frederick Tiburcio pitched the final 2 innings, allowing a hit and striking out 2.

The JetHawks will look for the split at 2:00 Pacific. Troy Scribner will take on D.J. Snelten.

Peoria 4, Quad Cities 1

W- Daniel Poncedeleon (1-0)
L- Dan Mengden (0-1)
S- Kyle Grana (1)

QC home runs: None.

The River Bandits were foiled in their bid for a season-opening sweep as their offense was held. The lone Quad Cities run was scored in the 3rd by Sean McMullen, who scored on two passed balls. He led off the inning with a single, was sacrificed over to 2nd, and then the passed balls happened. Bobby Boyd went 2-4 at the top of the order.

Dan Mengden allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 8 over 4 innings of work. Keegan Yuhl tagged in for 3 innings, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits. Albert Minnis tossed a 1-2-3 8th inning.

The Banditos are ready for their first home series of the year. They will be welcoming the Clinton LumberKings, who will be making the first of many 40-mile journeys south to Davenport. In game 1, Austin Chrismon will take on Pat Peterson, the identical twin brother of Eric Peterson. First pitch is at 1:15.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Carlos Correa, SS, Corpus Christi

2-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R

2. 

James Ramsay, OF, Lancaster

3-5 (finished a home run shy of the cycle), RBI, R

1. 

Telvin Nash, 1B/DH, Corpus Christi

2-5, 2B, 3-R HR (1), 2 R

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Jandel Gustave, RHP, Corpus Christi

2 IP, H, BB

2. 

Frederick Tiburcio, RHP, Lancaster

2 IP, H, 2 K

1. 

Chris Devenski, RHP, Corpus Christi

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

Honorable Mentions

- Nice to see J.D. Davis with a 2-hit outing. Let's see if that gets his bat going. Ditto for Colin Moran.

Happy Birthday - 10/12

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Jandel Gustave (22)
A non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Gustave spent his 2014 season with the Low A Quad Cities River Bandits. In 23 appearances (14 starts), he was 5-5 with a 5.01 ERA and a 1.557 WHIP. He walked 29 batters and struck out 82 in 79 innings of work.

C Brett Booth (24)
Drafted in the 34th round in 2013 out of the University of Alabama, Booth also spent his season with the River Bandits. In 56 games (38 at catcher and 18 at DH), he hit .242/.322/.390 and had a caught stealing rate of 40%.

One former Astro with a birthday today ~

LHP Sid "El Sid" Fernandez (52)
The Hawaiian-born pitcher was the third round pick of the Dodgers in 1981. He was best known, however, for the ten years he spent pitching for the Mets from 1984 to 1993. He was an All-Star for New York in 1986 and 1987. He went on to play for Baltimore and Philadelphia, before pitching in one game for the Astros in 1997. His one start for Houston, a win, proved to be his last major league appearance.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, May 29, 2014

Omaha 4, Oklahoma City 3

W- Ryan Verdugo (1-1)
L- David Martinez (5-3)
S- Spencer Patton (10)

OKC home runs: None.

Close, but no cigar. The RedHawks got burned by a bases-clearing double from Mike Moustakas in the 3rd, and they have lost 3 straight since coming home.

Domingo Santana went 2-4 and led off the 2nd with a double. He'd come around to score OKC's first run of the evening on a Gregorio Petit single. After Jon Singleton doubled to lead off the 4th, Santana hit a single to drive him in. L.J. Hoes hit a sac fly in the 8th, which made it a 4-3 game at the time. Santana and Petit finished with 2 hits apiece.

David Martinez pitched 7 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits, walking 3, and striking out 5. Alex White struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 8th, and Jason Stoffel gave up a run on a sac fly, walked 3, and struck out 1 in the 9th.

OKC will look to avoid the sweep as Mike Foltynewicz, who struck out 12 the last time he faced the Storm Chasers, takes the hill. He'll take on John Lamb at 7:05.

Arkansas 4, Corpus Christi 0

W- Michael Roth (4-3)
L- David Rollins (0-1)
S- Michael Brady (1)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks were shut out in the final 2 games of this series after taking the opener 6-2. Jio Mier and Preston Tucker had 2 hits apiece; Jio's double in the 9th was the only extra-base hit for Corpus. The two of them were stranded on 2nd and 3rd to end the game. René Garcia was 1-1 with 2 walks.

David Rollins went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Alex Sogard threw 3 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 3. Michael Dimock pitched the final 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 1.

The other Arkansas team is in Corpus for the weekend. Mike Hauschild will start the opener against J.C. Sulbaran at 7:10.

Lancaster 5, Lake Elsinore 3

W- Chris Devenski (2-5)
L- Colin Rea (5-3)
S- Jamaine Cotton (5)

Lancaster home runs: Jobduan Morales (1, 2 season; solo in 3rd)

The JetHawks took sole possession of 1st place in the California League South with their sweep of the Storm. After Lake Elsinore took a 2-1 lead after 3 innings, the JetHawks responded with 4 unanswered runs, which included a 3-run 6th.

Jobduan Morales put the JetHawks on the board with a solo homer in the 3rd, his 1st as a JetHawk and 2nd of the season. That would be their only run of the game until they took control in the 6th inning, when they got RBI singles from Rio Ruiz and Danry Vásquez, and Ruben Sosa scored when Carlos Perdomo scored on a force out. Conrad Gregor brought home the JetHawks' final run of the night with an RBI single in the 8th. Tony Kemp finished 2-5 with a run scored. Perdomo, despite going 0-3, scored twice and added a couple of stolen bases (8). Carlos Correa went 1-3 with a steal (12).

Chris Devenski went 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 5. Matt Heidenreich allowed a hit over 2 scoreless, and Jamaine Cotton shook off a solo homer from Hunter Renfroe to close it out. He allowed one other hit in the 9th, but nothing came of it.

The JetHawks will now begin a 7-game homestand. First up is a 4-game set with Rancho Cucamonga. Josh Hader will start the opener; he'll face Chris Anderson at 6:30 Pacific.

Quad Cities 2, Beloit 1

W- Jandel Gustave (5-2)
L- Matt Stalcup (0-2)

QC home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (6, 2-run in 7th)

That 2-run homer was all the offense for Quad Cities. Mitchell homered for the 3rd straight game, while Jack Mayfield, who also scored on the blast, finished 2-3 as he was the only player on either side to have a multi-hit game. They swiped 3 more bases without getting caught. Brett Phillips (9), James Ramsay (14), and Mayfield (2) were the thieves in this game.

Michael Feliz was just dominating. He threw 5 no-hit innings and walked 1 while striking out 8. Jandel Gustave was victimized by a sac fly in the 6th but allowed nothing else the rest of the way. That run was unearned, by the way. He went 4 innings and allowed both Beloit hits, walked 1, and struck out 4.

The River Bandits will look for the sweep tonight. Edison Frias will take on Lou Trivino at 7:00.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

#479247957 / gettyimages.com

Gregorio Petit, SS, Oklahoma City
2-3, RBI

2.

Domingo Santana, LF, Oklahoma City

2-4, 2B, RBI, R

1.

Ronnie Mitchell, LF, Quad Cities

Go-ahead 2-R HR (6) in 7th; 3rd straight game with a home run

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Alex Sogard, LHP, Corpus Christi

3 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K

1.

Feliz avg 95 high 98 yesterday... then Gustave took over, avg 97 high 99... #heat
— Jeff Luhnow (@jluhnow) May 30, 2014

Michael Feliz, RHP, Quad Cities

5 IP, BB, 8 K

Jandel Gustave, RHP, Quad Cities

W (5-2), 4 IP, 2 H, unearned run, BB, 4 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, May 24, 2014

YES SIR

Oklahoma City 10, Memphis 4

W- Mike Foltynewicz (4-3)

L- Zach Petrick (2-2)

OKC home runs: Domingo Santana 2 (9; solo in 2nd, 2-run in 3rd), Adron Chambers (2, solo in 2nd)

This game was actually made final with 2 outs in the top of the 9th as the rain rolled in.

The RedHawks took the 2nd game in this 4-game set on the strength of 2 Domingo Santana homers. No comeback in the cards for Memphis, as the bullpen stabilized itself. OKC was up by as much as 10-2 in the 8th. 

Santana put OKC on the board with a solo homer in the 2nd. Adron Chambers followed with a solo shot of his own to put the RedHawks in the lead, which turned out to be for good. Santana added a 2-run shot in the 3rd, and then Ronald Torreyes hit an RBI single in the 4th. Carlos Perez went 3-3 with 2 doubles; his 2nd double of the evening cleared the bases in the 7th, and he would come around to score on a Robbie Grossman double. Chambers brought home the RedHawks' final run of the evening on a sac fly in the 8th. Austin Wates finished 3-5 with a double and 3 runs scored. Torreyes, Santana, and Kiké Hernandez had 2 hits apiece; Hernandez is now on a 10-game hitting streak. 

Mike Foltynewicz pitched 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 4, and struck out 2. Chia-Jen Lo allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 in 1.1 innings, and Rhiner Cruz got the final 2 outs of the 8th. 

Jake Buchanan will face Scott McGregor in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 6:05.

Corpus Christi 7, Northwest Arkansas 4

W- Troy Scribner (2-0)

L- Cody Fassold (1-1)

S- Andrew Robinson (2)

CC home runs: Preston Tucker (11, solo in 4th)

The Hooks took the opener with a 4-run 8th which gave them a 6-3 lead. The big hit in that frame belonged to Tyler Heineman, who cleared the bases with a triple. He would score on an RBI bunt single from Delino DeShields. Joe Sclafani added an RBI single in the 9th. 

Before they closed the game on a 5-1 run, the Hooks' 2 runs came back in the 4th inning. Preston Tucker put the Hooks on the board with his 11th homer of the season, a solo shot that tied the game at 1. Telvin Nash followed that up with an RBI single to give Corpus the lead. They, along with DeShields, had 2-hit nights; Tucker also added a steal (3) and scored twice. Nolan Fontana went 1-3 with a run scored and 2 walks; he's now on a 7-game hitting streak. 

Mike Hauschild went 5 innings and gave up 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits (solo homer) and struck out 6. Travis Ballew walked 2 in the 6th, but still posted a scoreless inning. Troy Scribner got dinged by a solo homer from Orlando Calixte in the 8th. That turned out to be the only hit he would allow in his 1.2 innings; he walked 1 and struck out 2. Andrew Robinson finished it off by retiring all 4 Naturals he faced, striking out 1.

In the middle game of this series, Luis Cruz will take on J.C. Sulbaran at 6:05.

Lancaster 6, Inland Empire 2

W- Josh Hader (4-0)

L- Yeiper Castillo (0-1, 3-4 season)

S- Chris Devenski (3)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks soared out of the gate, leading 5-0 after the 2nd. They also got solid performances on the mound from Josh Hader and Chris Devenski as they got even in the series. 

Hader had another nice outing as he went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6. Devenski brought it home with 4 scoreless; he allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and fanned 3.

Carlos Correa opened the scoring with an RBI groundout in the 1st. The JetHawks loaded the bases with 3 straight singles to open the 2nd, then got 4 runs from a Tony Kemp walk, a couple of sac flies from Teoscar Hernandez and Rio Ruiz, and an error that allowed Kemp to score. Kemp, who went 0-1 with 2 runs scored and 4 walks, drew another bases-loaded walk in the 5th. Carlos Perdomo, Jordan Scott, and Ruben Sosa all had 2 hits apiece. Correa's double represented the only JetHawks extra-base hit.

Game 3 of this series features Zach Morton on the mound. He'll face Mark Sappington at 2:00 Pacific.

Quad Cities 5, Cedar Rapids 2

W- Jandel Gustave (4-2)

L- Ethan Mildren (0-3)

S- Andrew Walter (4)

QC home runs: Conrad Gregor (1, 3-run in 6th), Tyler White (2, solo in 6th)

A 4-run 6th was the difference as the Bandits completed the series sweep. They are now above .500 for the first time since a 3-2 win over West Michigan on April 16 gave them a 6-5 record. 

James Ramsay led off the bottom of the 1st by drawing a walk, advanced to 3rd when a pickoff throw went awry, and scored the first run of the game on a passed ball. Down 2-1 entering the bottom of the 6th, Conrad Gregor put QC in the driver's seat with his first blast of the season. The 3-run homer put the River Bandits up 4-2, and Tyler White followed that up by going back-to-back with a solo shot. 

Jandel Gustave was solid in his 6.2 innings; he allowed 2 runs on 7 hits, walked 2, and struck out 8 on the way to getting the win in his 3rd consecutive appearance. Andrew Walter closed it out with 2.1 scoreless, allowing a hit and striking out 1.

The River Bandits are in Burlington for 3 beginning today at 2:00. Evan Grills will start the opener against Harrison Cooney.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Preston Tucker, OF, Corpus Christi

2-4, solo HR (11), SB (3), 2 R as the DH

2. Momentum-shifting home runs for Quad Cities.

@conradgregor55 hits his 1st home run of the season and his dad catches it! Unbelievable! http://t.co/2gcldCeJuk
— RGuill (@QCBanditPhotog) May 25, 2014

Conrad Gregor, 1B

1-4, 3-R HR (1) in 6th

@twhite409 pic.twitter.com/ENgyucmoeI
— RGuill (@QCBanditPhotog) May 24, 2014

Tyler White, 3B

1-4, solo HR (2) in 6th

1.

Domingo Santana, RF, Oklahoma City

2-4, 2 HR (9), 3 RBI

Honorable Mentions: Carlos Perez, Tony Kemp, Austin Wates, Kiké Hernandez, Carlos Perdomo

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Oklahoma City

W (4-3), 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K

2.

Jandel Gustave, RHP, Quad Cities

W (4-1), 6.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

Josh Hader, LHP, Lancaster

W (4-0), 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 6 K

1.

Andrew Walter, RHP, Quad Cities

Save (4), 2.1 IP, H, K

Chris Devenski, RHP, Lancaster

Save (3), 4 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K