Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Omaha 4, Fresno 3

W- Luke Farrell (6-3)
L- Brady Rodgers (12-4)
S- Andrew Edwards (5)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizzlies mounted a 9th inning rally that fell just short.

Brady Rodgers went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. Kevin Chapman allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 2 in the 5th inning. Aaron West allowed 2 hits over 3 scoreless innings, and Jandel Gustave allowed a run on 2 hits and walked 2 in the 9th inning.

Jon Singleton opened the scoring with an RBI groundout in the 1st inning. He ripped a ground-rule double in the 9th and came around to score on a double from Tyler Heineman. Alejandro Garcia brought Heineman home with a groundout, but that was as close as Fresno got to forcing extras. Singleton (2 2B, RBI, R) and Colin Moran (2B, R) both finished 2-4.

Tonight is Taco Truck Throwdown 6 in Fresno, and it's the biggest promotion of the year for the Grizzlies, who will assume their alter ego, the Fresno Tacos. César Valdez will face Jon Dziedzic at 7:05 Pacific.

Northwest Arkansas 11, Corpus Christi 6

W- Ashton Goudeau (5-12)
L- Kent Emanuel (4-3)

CC home runs: Conrad Gregor (9, solo in 2nd), Ramon Laureano (4, 14 season; solo in 3rd)

The Hooks were behind the eight-ball early in this one, trailing 8-2 after two innings.

J.D. Davis opened the scoring with a sac fly in the 1st inning, and Conrad Gregor and Ramon Laureano followed with solo home runs in the 2nd and the 3rd, respectively. Davis hit a one-out triple in the 8th and scored on a James Ramsay groundout, and in the 9th, Garrett Stubbs and Nick Tanielu hit sac flies. Gregor (solo HR, 2 R), Davis (3B, RBI, R), Laureano (solo HR, SB), and Tony Nuñez all finished with 2 hits; Laureano now has 36 stolen bases on the season.

It was a rough night at the office for Kent Emanuel. It happens, and he'll bounce back. Eric Peterson stepped in for damage control and he allowed a run on 4 hits and fanned 6 in 3.2 innings. Ryan Thompson allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2 in 3 innings.

Cy Sneed will start the series finale, and he'll face Eric Skoglund at 7:05.

Lancaster and High Desert was postponed

Due to the Blue Cut Fire, an active wildfire in San Bernardino County. If conditions permit, the JetHawks and Mavericks will wrap up their series with a doubleheader starting at 5:00 Pacific.

Clinton 4, Quad Cities 3

W- Jake Brentz (2-0)
L- Chris Murphy (5-7)

QC home runs: None.

Yet again, the Banditos could only score in one inning. Yet again, the LumberKings found some offense late, and this time, they walked off with the victory.

All 3 Quad Cities runs came in the 2nd inning, and none of them scored via hit. Stephen Wrenn stole home to open the scoring, and then Kristian Trompiz and Arturo Michelena drew bases-loaded walks. Spencer Johnson and Bobby Wernes had 2 hits apiece.

Matt Bower allowed 2 runs, both on a 2-run homer, on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 9 in 5.2 innings. Chris Murphy went 3 innings and allowed the tying and winning runs in the 9th inning; both were unearned. He allowed 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1.

The River Bandits will look to avoid the sweep as Framber Valdez gets the start. He'll face Ronald Dominguez at 6:30.

Tri-City 6, Aberdeen 4

W- Makay Nelson (2-0, 2-2 season)
L- Travis Seabrooke (1-6)
S- Angelo Serrano (1, 2 season)

TC home runs: None.

The ValleyCats started off the home stretch on the right foot with a 4-run 5th inning and 5.2 solid innings from the bullpen to get the win.

Edgardo Sandoval went 3.1 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 3. Makay Nelson tagged in to throw 4.2 innings, allowing a run on 3 hits and striking out 6, and Angelo Serrano got 3 flyball outs in the 9th to close it out.

Connor Goedert put Tri-City on the board with a sac fly in the 2nd inning. Alex De Goti drove in a run with a sac fly of his own in the 4th, and the ValleyCats took control in the 5th. Rodrigo Ayarza led off the inning with a single and he eventually scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 3. Ronnie Dawson put the ValleyCats in the lead with a 2-run triple and scored on another wild pitch. Dawson finished 2-3 with 2 runs scored. Chuckie Robinson scored 2 runs as well.

Kevin Hill will face Cody Sedlock in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

Greeneville was off

The Appy Astros will start a 3-game series in Danville at 7:00 Eastern. Forrest Whitley will take on Jaret Hellinger.

GCL Astros 2, GCL Cardinals 1

W- Felipe Tejada (1-0, 2-0 season)
L- Jonathon Mulford (1-1)

GCL home runs: None.

Joan Mauricio's 2-run single was the Kissimmee Stros' only scoring play in this game and it allowed them to walk off with the victory. Jose Benjamin and Brody Westmoreland both finished 2-3 on the day.

César Rosado went 3.2 innings and allowed 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6. Manuel Gonzalez was the first man out of the bullpen, and he threw 1.1 perfect innings. Felipe Tejada allowed the only Cardinals run, which came on a solo home run in the 6th inning. Tejada allowed 2 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 5.

Wednesday's Stars

Ronnie Dawson, OF, Tri-City

2-3, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R

Makay Nelson, RHP, Tri-City

W (2-0, 2-2 season), 4.2 IP, 3 H, ER, 6 K

Jon Singleton, 1B, Fresno

2-4, 2 2B, RBI, R

Aaron West, RHP, Fresno

3 IP, 2 K

Photo by Bryan Green

Joan Mauricio, IF, GCL Astros

Walk-off 2-run single in 9th

Photos by Bryan Green

GCL Astros pitchers: 9 IP, 6 H (solo HR), ER, 2 BB, 11 K vs. GCL Cardinals

César Rosado (top), RHP: 3.2 IP, 3 H, BB, 6 K

Manuel Gonzalez, RHP: 1.1 IP

Felipe Tejada (not pictured), RHP: W (1-0, 2-0 season), 4 IP, 3 H (solo HR), ER, BB, 5 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday. July 2, 2016

Fresno 7, Salt Lake 1

W- Tommy Shirley (7-4)
L- Tyler Skaggs (0-2)

Fresno home runs: Max Stassi (4, solo in 3rd)

The Grizzlies have outscored the Bees 34-5 in the first three games of this series.

Max Stassi's solo home run opened the scoring in the 3rd inning. Colin Moran added an RBI single in the 4th. Fresno scored two runs in the 6th: Tyler White scored on an errant pickoff throw, and Moran came home on a wild pitch. Stassi ripped a 2-run double in the 8th and scored the Grizzlies' final run of the evening on a single from Tony Kemp.

Kemp finished 3-5 at the top of the order, while Alex Bregman, Moran (RBI, 2 R), and Stassi (2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R) all finished with 2 hits in the game.

Tommy Shirley pitched 6.2 shutout innings, allowing 5 hits, walking 2, and striking out 4. Josh Fields extracted him from a bases-loaded situation without incurring any damage to end the 7th inning. Salt Lake spoiled the shutout bid by scoring a run against him in the 8th, In 1.1 innings, Fields allowed 2 hits and struck out 1. Jandel Gustave worked around 2 hits to finish off the victory, striking out 1 in the 9th.

Brad Peacock will start the series finale. He'll face Kyle McGowin at 1:05 Mountain.

Corpus Christi 6, Springfield 3

W- Evan Grills (3-1, 6-2 season)
L- Luke Weaver (4-1)
S- Aaron West (10)

CC home runs: Roberto Peña (5, 2-run in 8th)

The Hooks avoided the sweep thanks to a big inning and a homer that provided them with some insurance runs in the late innings.

That big inning was the 3rd, in which they parlayed a bases-loaded, 1 out situation into 4 runs. Chase McDonald put Corpus on the board with a sac fly. Danry Vásquez followed that with an RBI ground-rule double, and Nick Tanielu added a 2-run single. In a one-run game in the 8th inning, Roberto Peña provided the crucial insurance runs by whacking a 2-run homer. Danry (2B, RBI, R) and Tanielu (2 RBI) both finished 2-4 on the night.

Evan Grills went 7 innings and allowed 3 runs on 8 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Aaron West walked 1 and struck out 2 over the final 2 innings to get the save.

Tonight, the Hooks will start a 3-game series with Tulsa. Kent Emanuel will take on Scott Barlow at 6:05.

Lake Elsinore 3, Lancaster 1

W- Chris Huffman (7-3)
L- Rogelio Armenteros (4-2, 4-4 season)
S- Phil Maton (4)

Lancaster home runs: None.

All of the scoring in this game was done in the 1st inning. After that, both teams put up 8 zeroes on the scoreboard. Unfortunately, the Storm had the more productive half of the 1st inning.

The 3 runs that Rogelio Armenteros allowed in the 1st inning all scored on a home run hit by Fernando Perez. Armenteros pitched 5 innings and allowed 5 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Andrew Thome was the first man out of the Lancaster bullpen; he allowed 3 hits and struck out 1 over 2 scoreless, and Jacob Dorris worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 8th, striking out 2.

Ramon Laureano's RBI groundout in the top of the 1st was Lancaster's only scoring play. Johnny Sewald, who scored the lone JetHawks run, had 2 of their 3 hits and stole 2 bases (9, 25 season). Brooks Marlow's double in the 2nd inning was Lancaster's other hit.

In the series finale, Dean Deetz will face Walker Lockett. First pitch is at 6:00 Pacific.

Kane County 7, Quad Cities 1

W- Justin Donatella (7-4)
L- Franklin Perez (1-2)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos had no answer for an early 3-0 deficit, and they ended up getting buried by another 3-run inning from the Cougars.

Osvaldo Duarte finished 2-4, and his RBI single in the 6th was the River Bandits' only scoring play.

Franklin Perez went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs (all in the 1st) on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Juan Carlos Santos allowed 4 runs (3 earned, 1 inherited runner charged to him) on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. Ralph Garza Jr. allowed a hit in 1.2 innings.

Albert Abreu will start the series finale. First pitch is at 6:30.

Hudson Valley 5, Tri-City 1

W- Jose Alonzo (1-1)
L- Edgardo Sandoval (0-1)

TC home runs: None.

The ValleyCats dropped this game in rather non-descript fashion; they fell behind early, but they did spoil the Renegades' shutout bid.

Stephen Wrenn's RBI single in the 8th brought in the ValleyCats' only run of the game.

Edgardo Sandoval went 3 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits while striking out 2. Ben Smith allowed 4 runs on 3 hits and walked 1 while only getting 2 outs in the 4th. Howie Brey allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 4 over 3.1 scoreless innings, and Dylan James allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1 in a scoreless 8th inning.

In the series finale, Hector Perez will start for the ValleyCats. First pitch is at 5:05 Eastern.

Greeneville 6, Kingsport 2

W- Framber Valdez (1-0, 1-1 season)
L- Adonis Uceta (0-2)

Greeneville home runs: Luis Payano (2, 2-run in 4th)

Framber Valdez dominated on the mound for the Appy Astros and Josh Bonifay became the winningest manager in team history.

Valdez allowed just 1 hit, walked 2, and struck out 8 over 6 shutout innings. The K-Mets spoiled the shutout in the 8th inning with a 2-run single off of Bryan Abreu, which was the only hit that he allowed in his 2 innings. Abreu also issued 2 walks. Devin Raftery struck out 2 in a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Luis Payano's 2-run blast in the 4th inning put Greeneville on the board first. In the 5th, Tyler Wolfe hit an RBI single, and Wander Franco drove in another run with a groundout. Frankeny Fernandez smacked an RBI triple in the 7th, and Gabriel Bracamonte scored the final run of the game on an error that allowed Tyler Wolfe to reach base in the 8th. Fernandez (3B, RBI, R) and Wolfe (RBI, R, SB [2]) both finished 2-5 on the night.

Carlos Hiraldo will start game 2 of this series. He'll face Max Wotell at 6:00 Eastern.

GCL Marlins 12, GCL Astros 4

W- Humberto Mejia (1-0)
L- Jorge Guzman (0-1)

GCL home runs: None.

The Kissimmee Stros led 3-0 after the 4th, but the Marlins turned the tables by finishing the game on a 12-1 run.

Joan Mauricio hit an RBI single in the 2nd to open the scoring. The GCLstros got 2 in the 4th as Reiny Beltre ripped an RBI double and came around to score on another RBI single from Mauricio. Beltre added an RBI single to his ledger in the 6th inning.

The Kissimmee Stros had 5 hits, and Beltre and Mauricio provided all 5 of them. Beltre finished 3-4 and scored on Mauricio's singles. Mauricio also stole his first base of the season.

In his first rehab appearance, Alex Winkleman allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 5 over 3 scoreless innings. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off for the bullpen. I think I'll leave it at that. Cristian Javier did allow 5 runs in 3.1 innings, but he also struck out 7. Silver linings.

The Kissimmee Stros have a doubleheader with the Cardinals today.

DSL Athletics 7, DSL Astros Blue 3

W- Jhenderson Hurtado (1-0)
L- Juan Corniel (0-3)

Blue home runs: None.

The Blue team opened up the scoring with a field goal, but they were trumped by the A's touchdown.

Carlos Canelon hit a single in the 2nd, and an error on the play allowed Angel De Leon to score and César Cortez to advance to 3rd. Cortez proceeded to steal home, while Canelon took 2nd base. Ronny Jimenez hit an RBI single in the 3rd inning. Canelon and Nicolás Miranda both finished 2-4.

Javier Navas allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5 in 4 innings. Juan Cuevas allowed a solo homer to Martin De Los Santos and struck out 2 in the 5th. Juan Corniel allowed 4 unearned runs on 4 hits (3-run homer), walked 2, and struck out 3 in 2 innings, and Yonatan Quintin allowed 2 hits and fanned 1 in 2 scoreless.

DSL Astros 4, DSL Phillies2 4 through 6.5 innings

Play was suspended due to rain.

Humberto Castellanos went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Luis Castro allowed a run on a single, walked 1, and struck out 2 in the 6th.

The Orange team scored 2 in the 4th on a Ramiro Rodriguez RBI single and a force out that scored Enmanuel Valdez. In the 6th, Ramiro scored on an error and Ronaldo Urdaneta drew a bases-loaded walk.

Saturday's Stars

Photo from MiLB.com

Framber Valdez, LHP, Greeneville

W (1-0, 1-1 season), 6 IP, H, 2 BB, 8 K

Max Stassi, C, Fresno

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

Tommy Shirley, LHP, Fresno

W (7-4), 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Photo by Bryan Green

Reiny Beltre, 3B, GCL Astros

3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R

Photo by Bryan Green

Joan Mauricio, SS, GCL Astros

2-4, 2 RBI, SB (1)

Meet the GCL Astros

The Gulf Coast League Astros had its roster updated on the MiLB website. Their season will kick off tomorrow in Lakeland as they'll be traveling to take on the Tigers.

The GCL Astros play their games at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, although the games actually take place on the back fields. They are in the GCL Northeast division, with the Braves, the Tigers, and the Yankees 2. Most GCL games will take place at noon Eastern, although there will be several early start times at 10 A.M.

The bulk of the roster is mainly DSL players making their U.S. debuts this season. This is the roster as it appears (as of this moment) on MiLB.com. What's after the hyphen is how the Astros acquired the player, and where he played in 2014.

Italics - player bats/throws left-handed
Asterisk - player is a switch-hitter

Coaching Staff

Manager - Marty Malloy
Hitting Coach - Vinny Lopez
Pitching Coach - Hector Mercado

Pitchers

Gerald Benzant - International free agent, 2013; DSL Orange/Blue
Junior Garcia - Signing date unknown, making professional debut; not to be confused with another Junior Garcia, who played in the GCL and Tri-City in 2014
Carlos Hiraldo - International free agent, 2013; DSL Blue
Dylan James - undrafted free agent (West Texas A&M), 2014; making professional debut
Lachlan Madden - International free agent, 2014; DSL Blue
Adonis Peña - Signing date unknown; DSL Orange
Carlos Pizzolato - International free agent, 2013; DSL Orange
Moreno Polanco - Signing date unknown; DSL Blue
Luis Ramirez - International free agent, 2014; DSL Blue
Abdiel Saldaña - International free agent, 2013; DSL Orange/Blue
Carlos Sanabria - Signing date unknown; DSL Orange/Blue
Edgardo Sandoval - Signing date unknown; DSL Orange
Starlyn Taveras - International free agent, 2013; DSL Orange

Catchers

Ihan Bernal -  International free agent, 2014; DSL Orange/Blue
Jake Bowey - International free agent, 2013; GCL/DSL Blue
Christian Correa - undrafted free agent, Nicholls State, 2015; making professional debut
Jorge Martinez - 25th round, 2015 draft, Carlos Beltrán Baseball Academy; making professional debut

Infielders

Jared Cruz - acquired as PTBNL on 9/5/14 from Braves to complete trade for Andrew Robinson, which occurred 7/3/14; GCL Braves
Wander Franco - International free agent, 2013; DSL Blue
Connor MacDonald - International free agent, 2012; however, he did not debut until 2014.
Jonathan Matute - International free agent, 2013; DSL Blue
Joan Mauricio - International free agent, 2013; GCL/DSL Blue

Outfielders

Bryan De La Cruz - International free agent, 2013; DSL Orange/Blue
Frankeny Fernandez - International free agent, 2013; DSL Orange/Blue
Edgar Lorenzo - International free agent, 2013; DSL Orange/Blue
Nestor Muriel - 6th round, 2015 draft, Carlos Beltrán Baseball Academy; making professional debut
Vicente Sanchez - International free agent, 2014; DSL Orange
Nestor Tejada - International free agent, 2013; GCL/DSL Blue
Kyle Tucker - 1st round (5th overall), 2015 draft, Plant High School (Tampa); making professional debut

Happy Birthday - 10/22

Happy Birthday to ~

SS Joan Mauricio (18)
An international free agent signed out of the Dominican Republic, Mauricio had a very successful freshman season in 2014. In his first 43 games for the Dominican Summer League Astros, Mauricio hit .275/.376/.444, leading to his promotion to the Gulf Coast League for his final 22 games of the season (.127/.271/.211).

Several former Astros mark the day as well ~

SS/OF Brian Bixler (32)
A second round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2004, Bixler was claimed by Houston off waivers from the Nationals in November 2011. In his only season with the Astros, he split his time between Oklahoma City and Houston. In 75 games with the Redhawks, he hit .269/.346/.361. In 36 games with Houston, he hit .193/.253/.330. Most recently, he played in the Padres minor league system in 2014.

LHP Frank DiPino (58)
DiPino came to Houston as a part of a September 1982 trade with Milwaukee for Don Sutton. In 201 games pitched for the Astros from 1982 to 1986, he had a 3.65 ERA and a 1.304 WHIP. He left Houston in a July 1986 trade for Davey Lopes.

RHP Cecil Upshaw (died February 7, 1995 at age 52)
Upshaw came to Houston in an April 1973 trade with Atlanta. In 35 games out of the bullpen that season, he was 2-3 with a 4.46 ERA and a 1.383 WHIP. After the season, he was traded to Cleveland.

CF Gerald Young (50)
Originally drafted by the Mets in the fifth round in 1982, Young came to Houston in an August 1984 trade with New York. Playing for the Astros from 1987 to 1992, Young hit .246/.330/.302 and stole 153 bases.

Manager "Harry the Hat" Walker (died August 8, 1999 at age 82)
Walker managed the Astros from 1968 to 1972 and compiled a 355-353 record. According to Wikipedia:

"Harry the Hat" got his nickname from his habit during at-bats of continually adjusting his cap between pitches — there were no batting helmets in his day.