Happy Birthday - 11/1

Happy Birthday to ~

3B Jonathan Meyer (24)
Drafted as a third round supplemental pick in 2009 out of high school in California, Meyer split his 2014 season between the Oklahoma City team and the Corpus Christi team, hitting a combined .215/.274/.280 with 13 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 51 RBI over 120 games.

RHP Frederick Tiburcio (24)
A non-drafted free agent from the Dominican Republic, Tiburcio pitched all but one of his games for Quad Cities (with a spot appearance in Oklahoma City). In 28 bullpen appearances, he was 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA, a 1.154 WHIP and seven saves.

RHP Anthony Bass (27)
Originally drafted by the Padres in the fifth round in 2008, Bass came to Houston in a trade for Astros Rule 5 pick Patrick Schuster. In 21 bullpen appearances for the Astros, he was 1-1 with a 6.33 ERA, 1.444 WHIP and two saves. In the minors, he was 0-2 with a 2.66 ERA, a 1.131 WHIP and one save in 17 appearances.

Three former Astros mark the day as well ~

RHP Rhiner Cruz (28)
Initially signed by the Tigers as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2003, Cruz was drafted from the Mets in the December 2011 Rule 5 draft. In 72 appearances for the Astros in 2012 and 2013, Cruz was 1-3 with a 5.31 ERA and a 1.703 WHIP. He most recently played for Rakuten in the Japan Pacific League.

RHP Russ Kemmerer (83)
Kemmerer came to Houston in a trade with the White Sox in June 1962. In a total of 53 appearances for the Colt .45's in 1962 and 1963, he was 5-3 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.366 WHIP.

OF Howie Goss (died July 31, 1996 at 61)

Goss came to Houston from the Pirates in April 1963 and played in 133 games for the 1963 Colt .45's with a .209/.264/.328.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Swept.

Reno 7, Oklahoma City 6

W- Kevin Munson (3-2)
L- Andrew Robinson (0-1, 4-3 season)

OKC home runs: None.

The RedHawks were not able to hold a 6-3 lead and they got burned by the Aces' 8 and 9 hitters.

Asher Wojciechowski went 3.1 innings and allowed 3 runs (all inherited runners that were charged to him) on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 1. David Martinez allowed the 3 runners he inherited from Wojo to score, but otherwise had a fantastic outing. All 3 runs scored on the only hit he gave up, which was a triple to Mike Freeman. Martinez went 4.2 innings and struck out 6. Andrew Robinson faced 5 batters in the 9th and did not retire any of them. He allowed 4 runs on 4 hits in the inning.

Domingo Santana went 3-4 and opened up the scoring with an RBI single in the 3rd. After the Aces got that bases-clearing triple in the 4th, the RedHawks got those 3 runs, and the lead, back in the 5th as Preston Tucker drew a bases-loaded walk and Gregorio Petit hit a 2-run single. L.J. Hoes hit an RBI single in the 6th, and Petit laid down an RBI bunt single in the 9th. Petit, Hoes, Matt Duffy, Austin Wates, and Kiké Hernandez all had 2-hit games. Santana is now on a 6-game hitting streak, while Hoes is on a 7-game streak with 6 of those 7 being multi-hit games, and Petit extended his streak to 11.

Game 3 of this series has Brett Oberholtzer taking on Bo Schultz. First pitch is at 9:05.

San Antonio 5, Corpus Christi 2

W- Juan Oramas (3-0)
L- Tommy Shirley (5-3)
S- Frank Garces (4)

CC home runs: None.

Well, the Missions have had the Hooks' number as of late. Corpus has dropped 2 series in a row to San Antonio, losing 6 of the last 8 matchups.

Jonathan Meyer had a hand in both of the Hooks runs, which came in the the 2nd. He opened up the scoring with an RBI triple in the 2nd, and one batter later, he scored on an RBI single from Carlos Perdomo. Meyer wound up finishing a home run shy of the cycle. Perdomo and Ruben Sosa had 2 hits apiece, and M.P. Cokinos celebrated his 24th birthday with 2 hits and a run scored.

Tommy Shirley went 6 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Alex Sogard gave up 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1.

The Hooks will now head home for 4 against Frisco. Kyle Smith will get the nod in the opener; he'll take on Jerad Eickhoff at 7:10.

The A clubs were off

They'll be back in action tonight. Lancaster will be in Lake Elsinore for 4. First pitch will be at 9:05. Quad Cities will welcome Peoria to Modern Woodmen Park for 4 beginning at 7:00.

Vermont 6, Tri-City 0

W- Joe Michaud (1-1)
L- Austin Chrismon (1-1)

TC home runs: None.

The ValleyCats were held off the scoreboard in the first of 2 in the Green Mountain State. Alex Hernandez's double was the lone extra-base hit.

Austin Chrismon went 5 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 10 hits and struck out 2. Kevin Ferguson worked around a hit and a walk to throw a scoreless 6th, striking out 1. And, in his pro debut, Brandon McNitt allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2.

In game 2 of this series, Joe Musgrove will take on Vincent Veliz at 6:05.

DSL Rays 6, DSL Astros Blue 5

W- Jean Henriquez (1-0)
L- Dariel Aquino (0-1)

Blue home runs: Wander Franco (2, 2-run in 9th)

The Blue team walked off with a loss after Franco tied the game at 5 with his home run. And so, after an NFL season's worth of games, the Blue team's record stands at 7-9.

All 5 of their runs came in the final 4 frames of the game. In the 6th, Jonathan Matute hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Marcos Almonte to score. Matute would end up scoring on a groundout from Franco. Matute, who finished 2-4 with 2 runs scored, added an RBI single in the 7th.

Erasmo Pinales pitched 5 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. Gerald Benzant allowed 2 runs, but they both scored after he left the game. He allowed 2 hits over 1.2 innings. Ramon Rodriguez got the final out of the 7th, but not before he allowed a 2-run double that allowed the 2 runners he inherited from Benzant to score. Yan De La Cruz got 2 outs in the 8th and allowed 2 hits and issued a walk. Dariel Aquino, who is making the transition to becoming a pitcher, got 2 outs in the 9th, but Darinel Rodriguez took him deep to give the Rays the win.

The Blue team will travel to the Athletics' complex for a game later this morning. First pitch is at 9:30 A.M.

DSL Rangers2 17, DSL Astros Orange 6

W- Daniel Mavo (2-1)
L- Bryan Abreu (0-1)

Orange home runs: None.

The Orange team came out of the gate strong as they led 5-0 after 4 innings, but.... they were on the wrong end of a 17-1 run to close out the game.

Vicente Sanchez opened the scoring in the 1st with an RBI groundout, and later in the inning, Wilson Amador scored on a passed ball. They got 3 in the 4th thanks to a 2-run triple from Andy Piñeda. Rodrigo Ayarza rewarded Piñeda's effort by bringing him home with a single. Sanchez scored on a wild pitch in the 7th, but they were just overwhelmed. Ayarza and Frankeny Fernandez had 2 hits each.

Starlyng Sanchez started off with 4 scoreless, allowing a hit, walking 3, and striking out 3. It was definitely not a good morning for Orange pitchers, as they issued 17 walks. And let's leave it at that.

Three Stars

3.

David Martinez, RHP, Oklahoma City
4.2 IP, H, 6 K; alright, alright, he did allow the 3 runners he inherited from Asher Wojciechowski to score....

2.

#471797823 / gettyimages.com

Gregorio Petit, 2B/SS, Oklahoma City
2-4, 3 RBI

1.

Jonathan Meyer, 3B, Corpus Christi
3-4, 2B, 3B, RBI, R

An Interview with Astros Third Baseman Jonathan Meyer

Pitching and defense win championships, right? At least that's what the old saying has taught us. And what is more fun than watching a gravity-defying diving catch, a mind-blowing throw from the knees or just a perfectly turned double play? Although a few big home runs creep in to Web Gems and the SportsCenter Top 10 during the season, it is almost inevitably the big defensive plays that are the most wow-worthy.

Which brings us to Jonathan Meyer. When I was in Corpus Christi at the end of May last season, I didn't get a chance to talk with him, but I still heard a lot about him from his teammates and coach. Nick Tropeano and Mike Foltynewicz both singled out Meyer as someone they loved having behind them in the field when they pitched, Trope speaking of Meyer's great play at third and Folty saying, "Johnny Meyer at third base has made some spectacular plays." Fellow infielder Ben Orloff weighed in as well, "And Johnny Meyer at third, it's a Web Gem a night."

Corpus Christi skipper Keith Bodie also had high praise indeed, "One of the best defensive third basemen you'll see no matter where you go. He's just a natural with the glove." Bodie admitted that Meyer's bat is a work in progress, but noted that he was working hard to become the whole package at third, which is traditionally considered an offensive position in the majors. "He's getting better. He's made adjustments here. He's got the ability to drive the ball, get some extra base hits, so coupled with his defensive skills, we're looking at a potential Major League All-Star."

I wanted to talk with Meyer right after the season ended, but he was headed to the Arizona Fall League, where he started as a Taxi Squad player, but found his way into the lineup full time by the end of the season. Although not really known for his offense, he managed to hit .286/.340/.408, trailing only Cory Spangenberg of San Diego and Seattle's Chris Taylor in average for the Peoria Javelinas team.

I finally caught up with Meyer by phone on Saturday and we talked about his season, the AFL, playing in Corpus and the changes he's seen since coming into the Astros system as the third round draft pick in 2009, among other things.

Jonathan Meyer - May 2013

Photo by Jayne Hansen

The first question I asked Meyer was what he felt like he had accomplished during the 2013 season and what he was still working on. Meyer replied, "One of the things was hitting. This year was a much better year for me, hitting-wise. That's also something I still need to work on. As a player, defense has always been my forte, not so much hitting in the minor leagues, but this year was a lot better and next year, I'll be working a lot more on hitting approach."

When I noted that, ironically, his power numbers actually improved after he moved to Corpus for the 2013 season (punctuated with a career high 15 home runs) from hitter-friendly Lancaster the prior year, he had this to say, "I was just growing into my body a little bit more, getting a little bit more experience, more at bats. That helps me out being at the plate with more confidence knowing the stuff that I should be able to do and not so much doubting myself like when I was younger. I would just say it's more experience."

Meyer is an aggressive hitter who will need to work on his strikeout rate against right-handed pitchers, but there is much to like in the way he approaches an at-bat. I joked with him that it doesn't look so much like he's trying to hit the ball as he's trying to assassinate it. He laughed and agreed, "Yeah, I'm pretty aggressive when I hit."

Of his experience in the Arizona Fall League, Meyer called it a really good experience and said, "A lot of the guys out there are really highly talented guys and playing with those guys was a lot of fun, especially ... seeing how they do things. Talking with other players really helps from a lot of different perspectives." On hitting in the AFL, he noted, "All those guys are good out there, especially pitching-wise. If a guy's not throwing 95 out there, then he's 89 to 90 with a lot of sink, movement. Even guys that are throwing 95 have a lot of movement so it's tough."

But frankly, just getting the invitation to play in the Arizona Fall League was one of the highlights for him, "Definitely, when I got the invite, I was overly excited." In addition, Meyer was one of six players nominated for the Stenson Award, awarded to an AFL player who exemplifies "unselfishness, leadership and hard work." Although Meyer didn't win the award, he noted that "It was a real honor to get nominated for that."

On top of the AFL invite and the Stenson Award nomination, Meyer also earned a Texas League Post-Season All-Star nod and won the Allstate Good Hands Award for the best defender on the Corpus Christi squad at the end of the season. And with the recent news that Meyer has received an invitation to Spring Training, it has been a good year. Meyer said of the Spring Training invite, "I was very excited ... understatement ... very excited. I was really thrilled to hear that."

I asked Meyer what he thought about playing in Corpus in 2013. "Corpus is definitely about the most fun I've ever had playing baseball. The atmosphere was incredible. I could get a little out of it sometimes just staring at all of the stuff. I had to get that out. First exhibition game we played, I had to look around the stadium, make sure I saw everything so I didn't get distracted."

Known for his sterling defense, it was no surprise to me that when I asked Meyer about fellow Corpus players he enjoyed sitting back and watching, he picked out three great defenders, "I really liked three of our guys this year in Corpus. Kike Hernandez, of course, and Jiovanni Mier and Ben Orloff who isn't with us anymore. [Ben's] brother was my best friend since I was five and I got to watch [Ben] growing up so once we got drafted by the same team and I got to play with him, it was a huge, huge advantage for me. I got to learn a lot of things from him and he was one of my favorite guys to watch play."

Even when I asked Meyer which Corpus pitcher he would least like to face, the conversation came back around to defense, "I'd say Jake Buchanan. Just because one game he got 15 ground balls [outs] and it did not look fun for any of those hitters hitting. He broke all their bats or he jammed them. He is very tough. [He's] definitely one of the most, not overpowering guys, but effective guys I've seen. He's one of the most fun guys to play behind. He's a groundball machine."

Similarly, when I asked about an Astros player that Meyer felt was flying under the radar, Meyer picked David Martinez, another pitcher that he really enjoyed playing behind. "I felt like he was flying under the radar big time [before he was called up to OKC and then the majors]. This year [at Corpus], I don't know what his ERA was, but it was absurd. [Note: Martinez had a 2.02 ERA and a 0.997 WHIP in 129+ innings at Corpus in 2013.] He was another Jake Buchanan guy, works really quick and he's really fun to play behind. You'd almost miss a pitch. He'd be throwing, you turn around for a second, you look back, and the ball's already being pitched. He's another guy that I enjoy, one of the better pitchers I've played behind. The pace of the game is very important, especially coming out every single night. You're not going to feel great all the time. You're going to be tired. When you have a quicker pace, you just stay in tune with the game. [It] keeps fielders on [their] toes."

What would Meyer do if he couldn't play baseball? "I do not know. I would probably coach, which I do in the offseason at my high school, and I do enjoy it a lot."

I also asked my standard question. Can you tell me something about yourself that most people don't know and might be surprised to hear? "I'm from California and I love to shoot bows. I'm almost a country boy in California. People tell me that, that I don't belong here because I want to go hunting and stuff like that."

Since Meyer was drafted out of high school into the Astros system in 2009, he's seen a lot of change. "It's huge. You see the minor leagues and the guys that we have stacked up at positions. When I first came into the organization, there wasn't too much competition going on between levels and now you see that we have a lot of outfielders, a lot of infielders, a lot of pitchers, a lot of catchers. We have everybody we need in the minor leagues. Everybody's competing for a job every year. It's just the competition is a lot better."

I had one final question for Meyer. I wanted to know the origin of his twitter handle @TheYeti1123. Where did Yeti come from? "One of my former coaches, Stubby Clapp, told me, "You're not the prettiest looking guy on the field, but you can make the play. I'm going to call you Yeti." Meyer didn't care for the nickname at first, but it grew on him.

Jonathan Meyer - May 2013

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Pitching and defense. Pitching and defense. Pitching and defense. Jonathan Meyer has you covered at third base and he couldn't be having more fun doing it.

>>>>>>><<<<<<<

Thank you for your time, Jonathan, and the best of luck in the new season!

A Final Look at the Arizona Fall League Astros

Although the Arizona Fall League isn't technically over as the Championship Game between Mesa and Surprise will be played on Saturday at 2:10 (and televised on the MLB Network), the season is over for the "Astros Eight" who played for the Peoria Javelinas. First a look at how the pitchers performed:



It's hard to take much away from these small sample sizes, but I would like to point out a few items of interest. RHP Matt Heidenreich saved his best performance for last. In his final start, he allowed only one hit in his four innings. He struck out an AFL season high of six batters and didn't walk anyone. His fall numbers definitely compared favorably to a season in which he struggled to put up an 8.23 ERA and a 1.811 WHIP in 25 appearances in Corpus Christi and which saw him spending time on the DL and on a rehab assignment.

RHP Jonas Dufek made the Fall Star team and continued to exhibit his 2013 regular season effectiveness. RHP Andrew Robinson was a victim of small sample size, one particularly rough outing and questionable defense (only five of his 13 runs allowed were earned). Unlike Heidenreich, LHP Alex Sogard saved his worst for last. Back out his final outing and he had a 1.46 ERA and a 1.216 WHIP.



Now, a few tidbits about the participating position players. From everything I've read about 1B Japhet Amador, he definitely has light tower power, but he is still a bit raw. Much has also been written about his weight. Interestingly enough, an insider article posted by Jose de Jesus Ortiz today at Baseball Amerca indicates that the Astros put him on a weight management program and he has definitely dropped a few.

CF Delino DeShields, another Fall Star team member, was at the center of conflicting reports about his effort level, but he definitely put up decent numbers. I heard from more than one person that he was being overly aggressive on the basepaths. SS Nolan Fontana just simply didn't have a very good fall campaign. He only managed two hits in his last 10 games and his OBP was far below his normal eye-popping numbers.

3B Jonathan Meyer, originally a member of the taxi squad, ended up as a starter toward the end of the season as one of the other players had to leave the team for personal reasons. From all accounts, Meyer shone defensively at third base and also put up very good offensive numbers. To top that off, according to this article from Jim Callis, Meyer was nominated for the AFL's Stenson Award for sportsmanship.

Happy Birthday - 11/1

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Rhiner Cruz (27)
Initially signed by the Tigers as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2003, Cruz was drafted from the Mets in the December 2011 Rule 5 draft. Cruz split his 2013 season between Oklahoma City and Houston. In 37 appearances for the RedHawks, he had an ERA of 4.75 and a WHIP of 1.584. Those appearances were bookended by 20 appearances in Houston where he had a 3.38 ERA and a 1.688 WHIP.

3B Jonathan Meyer (23)
Drafted as a third round supplemental pick in 2009 out of high school in California, Meyer spent his 2013 season with the AA Corpus Christi team, hitting .260/.318/.403 with 24 doubles, 15 home runs and 68 RBI. He is currently playing with the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.

RHP Frederick Tiburcio (23)
A non-drafted free agent from the Dominican Republic, Tiburcio is in his fifth season in the organization. He spent his 2013 season in Greeneville with good results. In 12 games (11 starts), he was 3-2 with a 2.43 ERA and a 1.096 WHIP.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Russ Kemmerer (82)
Kemmerer came to Houston in a trade with the White Sox in June 1962. In a total of 53 appearances for the Colt .45's in 1962 and 1963, he was 5-3 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.366 WHIP.

OF Howie Goss (died July 31, 1996 at 61)

Goss came to Houston from the Pirates in April 1963 and played in 133 games for the 1963 Colt .45's with a .209/.264/.328.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Saturday's Games

Kingsport Mets 2, Greeneville Astros 5
Greeneville built momentum slowly on Saturday before rolling in for the win at home. Starter Jandel Gustave went four innings, allowing an unearned run on four hits and striking out five. The win was claimed by Ryan Connolly (1-1), who also picked up his second blown save, after he pitched the seventh. Connolly faced five batters in the inning, giving up a run on two hits and striking out one. Gonzalo Sanudo earned his 11th save on Saturday after striking out six through the eighth and ninth inning. Alfredo Gonzalez (2X3 2R HR RBI SO) hit his first homer of the season in the seventh inning and he was also the only Astro with multiple hits in the game. Ariel Ovando (1X3 2B 2RBI BB) doubled in the eighth inning to plate two runs, marking his 30th of the year (Quad Cities and Greeneville combined).

GCL Braves 6, GCL Astros 2
The Astros outhit the Braves nine to eight Saturday, but still lost by four runs for their fourth loss in the past five games. Agapito Barrios started things off from the hill, pitching for five innings and would take the loss. Barrios (3-4) gave up four runs on six hits (HR), walked one and struck out three. Reymin Guduan followed Barrios for three frames, keeping his scoreless. Other than issuing a walk and balking in the seventh, Guduan was in control, striking out seven of the 10 he faced. Ydarqui Marte batted three-for-four, with a run scored, his 10th RBI and strikeout.

DSL Red Sox 7, DSL Astros 1
The DSL Astros had just three hits and scored one run in their game Saturday. Their lone run came in the seventh when Randy Cesar (1X4 RBI 2SO) singled to drive in Oliver Toribio (0X3 R BB SO), who was on after drawing a walk. Elieser Hernandez (4-1) earned his first loss of the season after throwing the first five innings. Hernandez allowed three runs in the third inning, but outside of that had three 1-2-3 innings, giving up four hits all day and K-ing five.

Jamestown Jammers 3, Tri-City Valley Cats 2
Tri-City tied this game up in the fifth inning and then lost it in the ninth after an error, balk and sac' fly pushed across the go-ahead run, ending their five game win-streak. Only one of the runs scored against the Valley Cats on Saturday was earned. Randal Fant started on the mound and through four innings recorded two runs (1ER), six hits, two walks and 2 Ks. Troy Scribner (0-1) took the loss after tossing the final three frames, striking out five. Scribner retired the first five he faced before giving up a hit, his only one, in the eighth. In the ninth he was charged with the unearned run and a balk. James Ramsay (1X4 R HR RBI 2SO) tied the game in the fifth inning with a solo home run, his third homer. Conrad Gregor (3X3 RBI BB) was the only Valley Cat with more than one hit in the game and drove in the their first run in the third inning.

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 7, Quad Cities River Bandits 0
Quad Cities was one hit, shut out on Saturday. They had five base runners all game. One by way of the lone hit, two players drew walks and two River Bandits were hit by pitches. This is the second time they have been one hit this season. Joe Bircher (3-2) started things off on the mound and through five innings gave up six runs on nine hits (2HR) and K-ed four, taking the loss. Danry Vasquez (1X4) owned the only hit of the game for the River Bandits, a single in the fourth frame.

Lancaster JetHawks 6, High Desert Mavericks 0
A night after having 30 runs scored against them, Lancaster got a little revenge in Adelanto by two-hit, shutting out the Mavericks. Kyle Smith (1-0) was at the helm for the entire game, facing just three batters over the minimum and striking out nine. Despite the six runs, no batter had more than one hit, although two JetHawks did have two RBI in the game. Nolan Fontana (1X3 2RBI 2BB) singled in the ninth, plating the final two runs of the game and Jesse Wierzbicki (1X3 R HR 2RBI BB) hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning.

Arkansas Travelers 2, Corpus Christi Hooks 3
This game had the same score as the day before and ended with a Hooks walk off win as well. On Saturday however, no extra inning were needed. The bottom of the ninth started with the Hooks down two runs. Erik Castro (1X3 R HR RBIBB SO) stepped to the plate first in the inning and homered to tie the game. Jonathan Meyer (1X4 R HR RBI SO) was next up and hit a homer of his own to put the Hooks ahead and win the game. David Rollins pitched the first six and two-thirds, tallying two runs (1ER) on five hits (HR) and a pair of walks while striking out five. Andrew Robinson (4-2) worked the final two and a third, taking the win. Robinson retired the final five he faced in order, allowing two hits and striking out two during his shift. Corpus Christi's first run of the game came with two outs in the third frame via a Preston Tucker (1X2 R HR RBI 2BB) long ball.

Oklahoma City RedHawks 1, Las Vegas 51s 4
George Springer hit a home run in the first inning for the RedHawks only score of the game and one of three hits they would have Saturday. Springer would finish one-for-three at the dish, with that run scored, RBI and homer with a walk and strikeout as well. Jake Buchanan (4-3), in a quality start, threw the first six innings and picked up his third loss of the season, recording three runs (HR), seven hits, two walks and four K. Jason Stoffel tossed the final two frames and gave up another run on a pair of hits while K-ing three.

Player of the Day: Erik Castro and Jonathan Meyer share the honor today for their win inducing, back-to-back homers Saturday. They stepped up in the ninth inning and took care of business. Great game, guys.

Pitcher of the Day: Two words: Kyle Smith. Smith dominated yesterday, throwing a complete game shutout while allowing just two hits. On top of that he struck out nine and helped his teammates recover from the whirlwind of a loss the night before. Well done.

Honorable mentions also go out to Gonzalo Sanudo and Reymin Guduan. Both of these guys came on and stepped right into the zone, getting their job done in support of their team on Saturday. Guduan struck out seven over three frames of relief. Sanudo struck out six in two and earned his 11th save, tying him for the lead in the Appalachian League.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Friday's Games

Greeneville Astros 3, Bristol White Sox 5 (7) —Game 1

Greeneville lost the first game of their doubleheader after four runs scored against them in the sixth. Enderson Franco (2-3) pitched one out into the sixth and recorded four runs on six hits, two walks and a strikeout during his shift. Chris Munnelly pitched the final two outs and gave up a solo home run to seal Greeneville's fate. Chase McDonald (2X2 R 2B RBI BB) and Tyler White (2X4 R) had two hits each in the game.  

Greeneville Astros 4, Bristol White Sox 1 (7)  —Game 2
The Astros were the ones that came back to score late in the game and win in this one, splitting the doubleheader. In the seventh, Alfredo Gonzalez (3X3 2R 2B RBI) hit an RBI double to score Angel Ibanez (1X3 R) and Ariel Ovando (1X3 R SO). The next batter, Parker Hipp (1X3 2RBI SO) hit and RBI single to score Gonzalez. Chris Lee (2-1) took the win after throwing the first six innings. Lee tallied a run, two hits a pair of walks and seven strikeouts. Gonzalo Sanudo took the hill for the last frame, striking out two of the three he faced for his eighth save of the season.  

GCL Phillies 2, GCL Astros 12 (7) —Game 1

The GCL Astros scored first and scored often in their first game of the double dip on Friday. Jose Montero pitched first for the Astros and through three innings he tallied a pair of runs, five hits (HR), three walks and three Ks. Kevin Ferguson (2-0) took the hill for the next two frames and allowed just a hit, striking one batter to pick up the win. Jason Martin was dialed in at the plate, batting three-for-three with two runs scored, three RBI and a walk. Alex Gonzalez (2X4 2R RBI) and Yoel Silfa (2X3 2R RBI) both had a pair of hits in the game. Silfa also stole his first base.

GCL Phillies 3, GCL Astros 8 (9) —Game 2

This second game was a makeup of the postponement on July 2nd and the Astros scored six in the ninth to put it away. After coming from behind to tie the game in the fifth the Astros held on for three innings before capitalizing in extras, blanking their opponent after the first frame. Samil De Los Santos took the helm for the first three and a third and in that time he recorded two runs, six hits and four strikeouts. Javier Lozano (2-0) worked the final two and two-third innings, allowing one run, two hits and K-ing three while earning the win. The Astros had seven hits in the game and Yonathan Mejia (3X5 R 2,2B 3RBI) and Jason Martin (2X3 3R RBI 2BB) combined for five of them. The pair also stole a base apiece.

DSL Indians 2, DSL Astros 1

In the bottom of the third inning, Friday, Victor Tavarez reached on a throwing error and went on to score the Astros only run of the match after a succession of wild pitches. Gerardo Juarez led off on the hill, pitching six innings and amassed one run, one walk, two hits and seven strikeouts in that time. Cristhopher Santamaria (0-1) entered to pitch the last inning and a third before picking up the loss. Santamaria gave up one run, one hit, walked one and struck out the same. Luis Payano hit two-for-four and drew a walk.

Tri-City Valley Cats 4, Aberdeen IronBirds 8
The Valley Cats came out swinging and scoring on Friday, but after dropping seven runs across the sixth and seventh inning they saw their score doubled by Aberdeen. Michael Feliz clocked in for the first five innings on the mound and allowed four hits and an unearned run in that spell. Feliz also walked one and struck out two. Andrew Thurman (1-2) followed Feliz for two innings and picked up his first blown save and the loss after giving up seven runs on seven hits (HR), walking one and striking out five. Ryan Dineen (2X4 R RBI SO), Jon Kemmer (3X4 2B) and Brett Booth 2X4 2RBI) all had multiple hit games on Friday.

Peoria Chiefs 2, Quad Cities River Bandits 5
Quad Cities didn't score first in this game but they did score more, beginning their comeback in the fourth inning to win their sixth game in a row (excluding the postponement on the 30th of last month). The 'Bandits were assisted by pitching and defense which kept the Chiefs scoreless outside of the first inning. Jobduan Morales (2X4 2B 2RBI) got the scoring started in the fourth with an RBI double that scored Jordan Scott (1X4 RBI). In the fifth, Teoscar Hernandez (2X4 R 3B HR 2RBI BB) led off with a homer to square the game. Hernandez would also hit an RBI triple in the sixth to score the last run of the game. Austin Elkins also had two hits in the game, finishing at two-for-four with a run scored and a couple strikeouts. Chris Devenski (1-2) was on the mound for the first five frames and picked up the win. Devenski recorded two runs, seven hits, a walk and a strikeout. Juan Minaya pitched the final inning, facing five batters and allowing a hit before closing it out to earn his seventh save. 

High Desert Mavericks 2, Lancaster JetHawks 11
The JetHawks scored seven runs before the Mavericks could score one and then scored four more to win decisively on Friday night. Mike Hauschild was on the mound for nearly the entire game, pitching seven and two-thirds before giving way to Travis Ballew. Hauschild (1-1) picked up the win, his first as a JetHawk, after tallying two runs, four hits, four walks and five strikeouts. Ballew gave up a pair of hits and not much else as he finished out the game. Seven JetHawks had multi-hit games and there were 16 hits in total. Five of those hits were for extra bases including Matt Duffy's first inning, two-run blast to get the scoring started. Delino DeShields stole three bases in the game and Nolan Fontana stole one as well. Here is the rest of the box, otherwise we'd be here all day:

Midland RockHounds 5, Corpus Christi Hooks 7 (10)

The Hooks got on the board in the seventh and tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Then in the bottom of the 10th Jonathan Meyer (2X22 2R HR 3RBI) hit a giant three-run homer for the walk-off win and third Corpus Christi win in a row. Ross Seaton was on the hill for the first six innings, giving up three runs, six hits (2HR), walking two and striking out three in that time. Pat Urckfitz (5-3), who threw the final one and a third, picked up the win after giving up a run in the top of the 10th on a pair of doubles and walking one. Kiké Hernandez (2X4 R HR RBI) started the Hooks scoring off in the seventh inning with a two-out, solo shot. Then in the eighth, Domingo Santana (2X4 R HR 3RBI) tied the game with a three-run long ball. Preston Tucker also had a two hit game, hitting two-for-four with a couple runs scored and a double.

    

Reno Aces 6, Oklahoma City RedHawks 7
The RedHawks didn't score after the fifth inning Friday, but they didn't need to, holding on to win their eighth game in a row and sweep the series. Asher Wojciechowski (7-4) went the first seven innings on the mound and picked up the win, allowing two runs over five hits while striking out a trio. Alex Sogard recorded one out in the eighth while allowing four more runs on four hits. Jorge De Leon entered for the last one and two-thirds and picked up his first save as a RedHawk, tallying three hits and two Ks. Marwin Gonzalez hit a solo knock to lead off the fourth inning and was one of five Oklahoma City players with multiple hits. Here's a look at the rest of them:   

     

Player of the Day: Jonathan Meyer gets the cake today for his 10th inning, three-run, walk-off homer yesterday. Meyer came through in the clutch and now he can enjoy some cake with the Gatorade bath he took.

Pitcher of the Day: Mike Hauschild went a career-high seven and two-thirds yesterday and did it in style, reigning in the opponents with just four hits so the JetHawks could capitalize for the big win. The win also marked Hauschild's first win as a member of the JetHawks. Nice game.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Tuesday's Games

Midwest East All-Stars over Midwest West All-Stars 6-5
Starter Lance McCullers pitched one perfect inning for the West, striking out two. Jordan Jankowski allowed four runs (none earned) in a third of an inning and was charged with a blown save. Carlos Correa, the starter at short, was two-for-three with a strikeout.

Carolina All-Stars over California League All-Stars 12-2
Brady Rodgers pitched a perfect sixth for the Cal League All-Stars, striking out one. Andrew Aplin started the game and went one-for-three with a double. Matt Duffy also got a start at third and went one-for-three with a double, a sac fly RBI, a strikeout and an error. Preston Tucker entered the game in the sixth and was one-for-two with a double, a strikeout and a run scored.

Oklahoma City over New Orleans 3-1
Starter Brad Peacock (6.1IP 6H 1BB 5SO) pitched a beauty and was rewarded with the win. Eric Berger and Josh Zeid took it the rest of the way, with Zeid allowing the only New Orleans run in the ninth. The RedHawks did all of their scoring in the seventh by way of a little small ball and taking advantage of a couple of Zephyr errors. OKC only managed seven singles, two each from Jake Elmore and Che-Hsuan Lin (RBI), but it was enough.

San Antonio over Corpus Christi 8-4
Three errors and a passed ball came back to bite the Hooks as R.J. Alaniz (4IP 6H 4R/2ER 3BB 2SO) and Jorge de Leon (2.2IP 7H 3R/2ER 1BB 2SO) took the mound. Gonzalo Sanudo allowed the final run across in the ninth on a home run. Corpus Christi put one run across in the sixth on a Jonathan Meyer double and added three more in the eighth on a Domingo Santana double and a Meyer two-run home run. George Springer was three-for-four with a double, a run scored and two stolen bases (his 20th and 21st of the season).

Tri-City over Vermont 9-6
Tanner Bushue (4.1IP 4H 2R/2ER 1BB 3SO) got the start, and Albert Minnis got the win. Minnis only pitched two-thirds of an inning and allowed his inherited runner to score. Adrian Houser pitched two innings and was charged with four runs (three earned) on six hits, although two of those runs came across on Patrick Christensen's watch. Chia-Jen Lo was perfect in the ninth, striking out two and earning his first save. Tri-City scored early and often, first putting one run across in the second on a Luis Alvarez (2x3 BB R) double and one in the third on a Tony Kemp home run and then putting up crooked numbers in the fifth, sixth and seventh. Dan Gulbransen hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth. James Ramsay was two-for-four and scored a run.

DSL Astros over DSL Mariners 10-3
Geronimo Franzua (5IP 5H 2R 1BB 8SO) got the win and had plenty of breathing room as his team spotted him with seven runs in the second inning, an inning that featured four singles, a walk, a sac bunt, a throwing error, two wild pitches, a triple and a Hector Roa two-run home run. Luis Payano (2x4 BB 3RBI R), Arturo Michelena (2x5 2R) and Jarico Reynoso (2x4 RBI 2R) all hit triples in the game. Jesus Bermejo was two-for-four with an RBI and scored two runs.

Player of the Day: Jonathan Meyer has definitely found his power stroke of late. On Tuesday, he was two-for-four with a double, home run and three RBI. In his last 10 games, he is hitting .293 with a whopping .610 slugging percentage.

Pitcher of the Day: I'm going to have to go with the six and a third shutout innings from Brad Peacock. The RedHawks have gotten blown out a couple of times as of late so they needed a stopper and they got it in Peacock.

Funky Foto Friday

I've been playing with the BeFunky photo effect site again. Here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

Brady Rodgers

Brian Holmes

Carlos Quevedo

David Martinez

Joe Sclafani

Jonathan Meyer

Luis Cruz

T.J. Geith

Chris Devenski

David Rollins

George Springer

Kiké Hernandez

Astros Minor League Recaps

Thursday's Games

Fresno over Oklahoma City 4-1
Jarred Cosart was charged with the loss despite pitching a strong six innings. He allowed two runs on six hits and two walks, striking out six and allowed only his second home run of the season, a solo shot. Phillip Humber hit a batter and walked two in a third of an inning before giving way to Kevin Chapman who finished off the seventh with two bases loaded strikeouts. Rhiner Cruz gave up the final two runs in the eighth. The only RedHawks score came via an Austin Wates (2x4 2-2B) RBI double in the seventh. Wates is hitting .298/.327/.340 in his last 14 games after getting promoted to OKC. Brett Wallace was two-for-two with two walks.

Corpus Christi over Northwest Arkansas 10-4
Bobby Doran (W, 6-1) and Nick Tropeano (S, 5) each allowed two runs and each struck out five. The duo, arguably the most effective of the tandems, combined for nine hits. The Hooks put up three in the second on a Jonathan Meyer (3x5 4RBI 3R) two-run home run and a Kiké Hernandez RBI single and added on another in the fourth on a Max Stassi (3x4 2-2B 3RBI) RBI double. But they really took control in the fifth as they scored four after Northwest Arkansas walked three of the first four batters, setting things up for Meyer and Stassi to drive in two each. The final two came in the eighth on a Domingo Santana (2x4 2B R) bases-loaded walk and a Erik Castro RBI single. Michael Burgess was two-for-four with a double and scored a run. George Springer was one-for-three with two walks and stole a base. Stassi is hitting .342/.381/.474 in his last 10 games.

Lancaster over Inland Empire 8-7
Despite a rough start for Blair Walters (3.1IP 7H 5R/3ER 1BB 4SO) in which he was the victim of three errors committed by his team, the JetHawks held on to win in a wild way, literally. Jonas Dufek pitched the next three and two-thirds and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk while striking out five, but it was T.J. Geith who earned his fifth win of the season in relief as he pitched a perfect eighth. The 'Hawks put up four runs in the second as Brandon Meredith drove in one with an RBI single and subsequently scored on a wild pitch, and Carlos Perdomo drove in two with his single. Three more runs came across in the fifth as Preston Tucker (3x4 R) drove in two and Matt Duffy scored on a fielding error. The final and deciding run scored in the eighth as Tyler Heineman reached on the first triple of his professional career and scored on a wild pitch, one of three Inland Empire wild pitches. Travis Ballew then converted his eighth save of the season in the ninth. Andrew Aplin was two-for-four with a double and scored a run. Delino DeShields came in as a defensive substitution in the eighth and walked in his only plate appearance. He then promptly stole second and then third on a double steal with Joe Sclafani. Lancaster regained first place in the division with the win.

Wisconsin over Quad Cities 7-4
Jamaine Cotton had a rough outing in his first loss of the season, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out three in only three innings. Gera Sanchez allowed the final run across in the fifth via a solo home run before giving way to Vincent Velasquez who had an excellent outing, allowing only one hit and one walk in four innings. He struck out eight batters. The River Bandits did not get into the run column until the seventh when Terrell Joyce hit his second home run of the season followed by an Ariel Ovando double driving in Rio Ruiz. They put up another two in the eighth on a Roberto Peña two-run double. Teoscar Hernandez wore a golden sombrero for the night as he went 0-for-five with four K's. Carlos Correa and Rio Ruiz also put up 0-fers, but each walked twice. Jordan Scott stole his 11th base of the season. The Quad Cities team has now dropped six games in a row and have fallen to a tie for fourth place in their division.

Player of the Day: I've got to go with Johnny Meyer for his 4-RBI night in which he was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

Pitcher of the Day: I don't give nearly enough love to relievers, so I want to acknowledge Travis Ballew for nailing down his eighth save of the season in a tenuous Lancaster lead, a save that allowed Lancaster to reclaim first place in their division.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Wednesday's Games

Oklahoma City - Off Day

Corpus Christi over San Antonio 10-8
Mike Foltynewicz got the start and allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out four in four innings (and reportedly hitting 103 on an admittedly hot radar gun). He was followed by four innings from David Martinez (W, 6-0) who also allowed three runs on seven hits and and a walk. He also struck out four. Andrew Robinson gave up two runs in the ninth, but Corpus held the lead they had since a big six-run second inning. In that inning, the Hooks scored five of the six runs with two outs despite getting no extra-base hits as they benefited from two errors and two hit batters. Jonathan Meyer (3x5 4RBI) added on two additional runs in the fourth via the long ball and Ben Orloff (2x5 2B) drove in the final two in the seventh with an RBI single. Domingo Santana (2x4 2B R), Erik Castro (2x5 2B) and Kike Hernandez (2x4 BB) all had nice nights as well.

Visalia over Lancaster 5-2
Chris Devenski got the start and took the loss as he gave up four runs on seven hits and a walk in four innings. Jonas Dufek (1H 1BB 2SO) pitched a scoreless fifth before giving way to Brady Rodgers (4H 2BB 3SO) who allowed one run in his three innings of work. Visalia led from the first inning on. The 'Hawks managed two runs in the fifth, one on a Tyler Heineman single and one on a Matt Duffy sac fly, but they never reached the run column again. The only extra base hit was a Telvin Nash double; Telvin also walked two times. Brandon Meredith did his best Matt Duffy impression as he was hit by a pitch.

Quad Cities over Wisconsin 9-4
Lance McCullers left after one inning with hip tightness and his quest for that elusive first win will have to wait at least a few more days. Mitch Lambson was pressed into service for two innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits and three walks. Michael Dimock already has his fifth win in relief for the season as he pitched two scoreless innings, striking out five. Daniel Minor pitched a very strong final four scoreless frames, allowing only three hits, striking out four and walking none. Quad Cities scored early with one run scored on a Miles Hamblin (2x2 2RBI 3BB0 double in the first, but didn't manage to get on the board again until a four-run fifth and a four-run sixth cemented their lead. Teoscar Hernandez was four-for-five with an RBI, walk and three runs scored. Carlos Correa (3x5 2B 2RBI 2R), Roberto Pena (2x4 2B BB 2R), and Jordan Scott (2x4 BB R) also had nice games.

Players of the Day: I love my man Teoscar, scoring three runs on a four-for-five night and making things happen! And Johnny Meyer is definitely heating up at the plate, going .325/.372/.500 in his last 10 games and driving in 11 runs, four of them last night alone.

Pitcher of the Day: Daniel Minor gets to be king for the day. Not only did he have a good night, he also had his best outing of the season.

Astros Minor League Depth - Third Base

Over the next few weeks as we approach Spring Training, I'll be looking at the Astros minor league depth, position by position. Today, we look at the third basemen in the organization who had the best seasons in 2012.

Rio Ruiz - August 2012

Photo by Jayne Hansen

The embedded chart shows third basemen in the organization ranked from high to low in terms of OPS. I have noted their current age, the last level at which they played and, if they spent significant time at multiple positions, that information is included as well. I am including Brandon Laird's 2012 minor league numbers since he was removed from the 40-man roster and will likely start the season at AAA in 2013.

With the arrival of Matt Dominguez in the Carlos Lee trade last season, some of the pressure has been taken off in shoring up a position which I would argue is still the worst in the Astros system in terms of depth. The acquisitions of Bobby Borchering and Brandon Laird also helped give the Astros some breathing room at the top of the system. Borchering is still a work in progress since he struggled in his promotion to AA this season and in the Arizona Fall League this past fall, but at only 22, he has time.

Matt Duffy leads the list out of all the third basemen in OPS. As I had hoped, he turned some of his doubles power from 2011 into home run power in 2012. He's just been an all-around solid hitter since being drafted in 2011. Despite a fairly average walk rate, he has kept his OBP high in an unconventional way -- he was hit by pitches 41 times in 2012. If Duffy can keep hitting and showing that power stroke, he should be able to move quickly through the ranks, but he will have to keep proving that he can handle the position defensively.

I'll be honest. I'm not sure what to make of Jonathan Meyer. He is considered a good defender, but in his second year with Lancaster, his power numbers declined slightly and he drew significantly fewer walks. Meyer only recently turned 22 so he is definitely still young enough to make some adjustments and get to the next level developmentally, but I think 2013 will be crucial for him.

Andy Simunic is a symbol of the third base depth problem. Simunic did a terrific job in giving the Astros an option in playing third base for them and he defended at that position very capably, but he really doesn't profile as a third baseman. He profiles as the middle infielder he was drafted as. He had a very good season with Corpus, but he doesn't bring the power expected from a corner infielder.

Another symbol of the depth problem is Darwin Rivera. He had a great season with the bat for the GCL, but it was a step backward for him as he played at Greeneville the prior season and did not do well. If he shows he can hit more advanced pitching, there may be hope for him as a DH, but his poor fielding at third base to date makes it unlikely that he will stick at that position.

Which brings me to Rio Ruiz, the Astros fourth round draft pick from 2012. In my opinion, Ruiz is the real deal. He will be a good defender, a great hitter and a natural leader. He won't turn 19 until May, but I think he will move very rapidly through the system.

As a final note, there are players who did not play extensively (if at all) at third base in the 2012 season who may see some time at third base if the need arises, particularly 1B/DH Erik Castro and 2B John Hinson.

Monday: First Base
Tuesday: Second Base
Wednesday: Shortstop

Happy Birthday - 11/1

RHP Rhiner Cruz (26)
Initially signed by the Tigers as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2003, Cruz was drafted from the Mets in the December 2011 Rule 5 draft. In 52 appearances for the Astros in 2012, Cruz had an ERA of 6.05 and a WHIP of 1.709. But that's not the whole story. Like much of the Astros bullpen, Cruz was effective early in the season and late in the season. In between? Not so much. In April, May and August through October, his ERA was 3.13 and his WHIP was 1.473. In June and July? 12.46 ERA and 2.250 WHIP.

3B Jonathan Meyer (22)
Drafted as a third round supplemental pick in 2009 out of high school in California, Meyer spent his second season with Lancaster in 2012, hitting .272/.315/.375 with 24 doubles, two triples and eight home runs. Like  many of his Lancaster teammates, his hot bat helped he JetHawks get to the playoffs as he hit .350/.409/.600 with four doubles, two home runs and 13 RBI in his final 10 regular season games. He carried that into the playoffs, hitting .343 with three doubles, two home runs, a stolen base and 10 RBI.

RHP Frederick Tiburcio (22)
A non-drafted free agent from the Dominican Republic, Tiburcio is in his fourth season in the organiztion. He spent 2011 with the GCL Astros and 2012 with the Greeneville Astros with remarkably similar results.

2011 - 12 games (10 starts), 3-5 record, 4.47 ERA, 1.399 WHIP, 54-1/3 IP
2012 - 12 games (11 starts), 3-5 record, 4.47 ERA, 1.354 WHIP, 58-1/3 IP

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Russ Kemmerer (81)
Kemmerer came to Houston in a trade with the White Sox in June 1962. In a total of 53 appearances for the Colt .45's in 1962 and 1963, he was 5-3 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.366 WHIP.

OF Howie Goss (died July 31, 1996 at 61)
Goss came to Houston from the Pirates in April 1963 and played in 133 games for the 1963 Colt .45's with a .209/.264/.328.

Minor League Recaps

Monday's Games

Hudson Valley over Tri-Cty 2-1 in 11 innings
This game was the definition of a pitcher's duel as each team's pitching staff allowed only three hits. Brady Rodgers got the start going two innings and giving up one hit, which happened to be a solo home run, in his two innings. He was followed by a masterful seven-inning hitless relief performance from Brian Holmes. Travis Ballew was charged with his first loss in relief as Scott Zuloaga allowed one of Ballew's base runners to score in the 11th inning. Euris Quezada got the final out in the top of the 11th, but the damage was done as Tri-City failed to score in the bottom of the frame. M.P. Cokinos pushed across the only Tri-City run by way of a bases loaded walk. Joe Sclafani, Preston Tucker and Tyler Heineman owned the three Tri-City hits, all singles. The Tri-City staff did collect eight walks in addition to the three hits, but also struck out 13 times. Two games remain for Tri-City in the regular season.

Rome over Lexington 9-1
Lexington's season finale wasn't exactly the way they wanted to end it, but they should take comfort in the fact that their 69-69 (.500) finish was a step up from the 59-79 (.428) record from 2011. Mike Foltynewicz got the start and the loss as he went to 14-4 on the season. Folty gave up five runs (three off two home runs) on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts in three and a third innings pitched. Judging from Folty's last two starts, I think he might just have run out of gas at the end of an otherwise excellent season. Four additional pitchers came in with only Gabriel Garcia remaining unscathed in the run column. The Legends were held to five hits, including an RBI double from Teoscar Hernandez. Ruben Sosa was two-for-four and scored the Legends only run. Nolan Fontana walked four times to bring his season total to 65 over 49 games. He ended the season with a very lopsided .225 batting average and a .464 on base percentage. I will be taking a more in-depth look at Lexington's season later this week.

Lancaster over High Desert 11-5
Blair Walters got the start and the win as he went to 3-3 on the season as he allowed five runs on six hits with seven strikeouts over five and two-thirds innings. He was followed by three and a third innings of one hit relief from Brad Dydalewicz, Pat Urckfitz, Kenny Long and Jorge de Leon (although Dydalewicz did make things a little too interesting with three walks and had to be bailed out by Urckfitz). Lancaster led the entire game, but they broke things wide open with nine runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Jonathan Meyer was en fuego with a three-for-five afternoon and five RBI via two home runs. His second home run of the day was followed immediately by Telvin Nash with his 29th of the season. Carlos Perez was also three-for-five with a double and Rafy Valenzuela was two-for-four and ended the season hitting .429/.432/.771 over his last 10 games. But the big story of the game were the stolen bases. Yes, Jio Mier and Domingo Santana swiped one each, but Delino DeShields broke the century mark as he stole his 100th and 101st bases of the season. What an amazing feat! Lancaster ends their regular season with a final record of 74-66 or a .529 win percentage as opposed to last year's .393 win percentage. I will do a final look at the season after the playoffs are over. The first playoff game will be Lancaster at Lake Elsinore on Wednesday.

Corpus Christi over San Antonio 4-1
Corpus Christi ended their regular season with an exclamation point as their 81-59 (.579) record not only was tops in the Texas League, it gave the Hooks 31 more wins than last season's dismal 50-90 record. Bobby Doran got the start and the win in a very nice five-inning stint in which he allowed only four hits with five strikeouts. Matt Heidenreich gave up the one San Antonio run and was quickly pulled for Josh Zeid. Zied, Kevin Chapman, Jake Buchanan and Jason Stoffel (S, 27) provided scoreless relief. The Hooks scored a couple early and then were able to add on a couple of insurance runs late on a wild pitch and an Andy Simunic single. Simunic was two-for-five with an RBI and scored a run; Jay Fernandez was three-for-four and scored a run; and Ben Orloff was two-for-three with a double, walk and run scored. The Hooks first playoff game will be Wednesday at Frisco.

Oklahoma City over Round Rock 1-0
Dallas Keuchel (3IP) and Sergio Perez (2IP) allowed no hits through the first five innings; Aneury Rodriguez (W, 4-7) allowed only two hits in his three innings of work; and Chuckie Fick (S, 3) allowed one hit in the ninth for a combined three hit shutout. The Redhawks were being shutout as well until a Brad Snyder RBI double broke the impasse. Of the seven Redhawks hits, three of them belonged to Snyder. This brings the Oklahoma City season to a close with a final record of 78-65 (.545). I will be looking at the Redhawks season later this week as well (I hope).

Player of the Day: I have a feeling that Delino DeShields stolen base accomplishment will remain an Astros minor league record for a long, long time. It really is an amazing feat. Honorable mention goes to Jonathan Meyer for his two home run, five RBI afternoon.

Pitcher of the Day: I continue to be extremely impressed by Brian Holmes. In his seven innings of relief, he gave up zero hits and one walk and recorded seven strikeouts. He is definitely a player to watch.

Minor League Recaps

Thursday's Games

Connecticut over Tri-City 7-3
Juan Minaya had a bit of a rough start, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks in five innings and was followed by Jamaine Cotton who also got hit around giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits. Euris Quezada and Scott Zuloaga provided scoreless relief but it was too little, too late as Tri-City was unable to come back from an early deficit. The ValleyCats were held to seven singles, three of them belonging to M.P. Cokinos who also drove in two.

Hickory over Lexington 3-1
Jonas Dufek got the hard luck loss as he put up a quality start, allowing three runs on seven hits (two home runs) and a walk with 11 strikeouts over seven innings. He was followed by a perfect inning from Nate Pettus. The Legends lone run came via a Zach Johnson sac fly, his 108th RBI of the year.

Corpus Christi over Frisco 7-2
Matt Heidenreich got the start and his third win of the season as he allowed only one run on four hits over five innings of work. Alex Sogard pitched two scoreless innings, Kevin Chapman allowed one run in one inning, and Jason Stoffel extended his scoreless streak to seven games. George Springer and Kike Hernandez both were three-for-five with Springer hitting his first home run since his promotion to Corpus. Jake Goebbert followed Springer, knocking out back-to-back home runs. Ben Orloff and Goebbert were both two-for-four with two RBI each.

Lancaster over Inland Empire 2-0
What a great game! I'm glad I got to listen to Jason Schwartz with the call for the last few innings of the game as a pitcher's duel was being played out. Tyson Perez had a fantastic outing, allowing only five hits and no walks over seven and a third innings with five strikeouts. Kenny Long followed, striking out four of the five batters he faced and earning his first win as a JetHawk and preserving the shutout in the process. Jonathan Meyer was the star of the game, driving in the two Lancaster runs in the top of the ninth to break the 0-0 tie. He, along with catcher Carlos Perez, was also instrumental in a fielder's choice play at the plate to keep Inland Empire scoreless. Jio Mier was two-for-four and scored a run. Lancaster's magic number to earn a spot in the playoffs has now been reduced to one.

Oklahoma City over Albuquerque 3-1
Brett Oberholtzer had his best start since joining the Redhawks rotation as he gave up one run on seven hits and no walks with six strikeouts over seven and a third innings, but he wasn't awarded with the win as OKC took the lead late. Chuckie Fick got the win in relief and Jose Valdez earned his 21st save. Brian Bixler (2x3 RBI) and Brad Snyder (2x4 2B 2RBI) drove in all the Redhawks runs with singles as OKC mounted a small ball offense on their six hits and one walk.

Player of the Day: I have to go with Jonathan Meyer for a solid two-for-four night, a clutch two-out RBI single in the ninth inning and his great play in the field.

Pitchers of the Day: Tyson Perez with his seven and a third shutout innings gets the nod, but I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge Brett Oberholtzer's great outing as well. Both pitchers deserved better than a no decision.

Minor League Recaps

Sunday's Games

Bluefield over Greeneville 3-2
With the loss, Greeneville has been officially eliminated from a playoff berth. They have only two games left in their season. Frederick Tiburcio was charged with the loss as he gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits with five strikeouts over six innings. Erick Gonzalez and Mike Hauschild were perfect in relief. Down 3-0 going into the seventh inning, Greeneville did battle back but fell just short. Mike Martinez was two-for-three with a double, a walk and a run scored; Ariel Ovando was one-for-four with a double and an RBI; and Rio Ruiz drove in the other run.

Tri-City over Vermont 9-4
Brady Rodgers notched his seventh win as he went five innings and allowed three runs on six hits. Euris Quezada gave up one unearned run in his three innings of work while striking out five. Scott Zuloaga pitched a scoreless ninth. And four runs allowed really wasn't much of a problem as Tri-City scored early and led 8-0 after two. With that kind of score, you might expect a few long balls, but there was only one solo homer from M.P. Cokinos. It was a three-run double from Dan Gulbransen that helped pad the lead. Ryan Dineen was two-for-four with a double. Gulbransen and Joe Sclafani each had a stolen base.

Charleston over Lexington 5-4
The Legends' woes continue as they have now dropped 11 in a row after leading this one through five innings. Chris Devenski had a rocky outing but got away with it as he walked six in five innings to go with three hits, but only allowed one run. Evan Grills gave up three in his one inning and was charged with a blown save. After Lexington scored in the bottom of the sixth, Nate Pettus inherited a tied game and kept it that way until allowing one run in the ninth for the loss. The good news is that Teoscar Hernandez, in his first at bat since being promoted to Lexington whacked out a 2-run bomb which was immediately followed with a solo shot from birthday boy Justin Gominsky. Nolan Fontana was two-for-five with two doubles and scored a run; Matt Duffy was two-for-four with a RBI, a walk and a stolen base; and Jordan Kreke had two hits as well.

Corpus Christi over San Antonio 2-1
Asher Wojciechowski pitched a very strong six scoreless innings (2H 2BB 4SO) for his second win with the Hooks, and was followed by Josh Zeid who allowed a solo home run for the only run the Missions were to plate. Arcenio Leon pitched the ninth to earn his second save of the season. Austin Wates had a great night, going three-for-four and scoring a run. The Hooks' runs were driven in by an Andy Simunic sac fly and a Chris Wallace single. Wates and George Springer each swiped a bag.

Lancaster over Lake Elsinore 7-4
Nick Tropeano got an early birthday present in the form of his fifth win for Lancaster as he allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts over five innings. Chia-Jen Lo followed to give up an additional run in his one and two-thirds innings. Carlos Quevedo pitched a scoreless one and two-thirds and was followed by Kenny Long who retired the final two batters via strikeout to earn his second save with the JetHawks. Domingo Santana hit his 19th home run of the season; Jonathan Meyer was three-for-five with two doubles and two RBI; and Grant Hogue was two-for-four with a double, walk, run scored and stole a base.

Oklahoma City over Iowa 4-3
Rudy Owens earned his first win with the Redhawks as he pitched six solid innings (two runs on seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts). Aneury Rodriguez and Chuckie Fick were in lockdown mode before giving way to Jose Valdez who earned his 19th save despite allowing a run to cut the lead to one. Jimmy Paredes was two-for-four with a double and cranked out his 13th long ball of the season, while Mike Hessman got his 31st.

Player of the Day: There were several good outings, but I'm going with Jonathan Meyer for his big three hit, two double, two RBI night.

Pitcher of the Day: Six scoreless innings earns Wojo a little WTH love.

Tweet of the Day

Lancaster JetHawks ‏ @JetHawks

Picture of @TNash100's fall last night He went from neutral to 5th gear to park. "He had it coming"- J. Meyer saidhttp://twitpic.com/9bekhg

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Apparently, Telvin Nash had an issue running the bases on Tuesday night.  Jonathan Meyer and George Springer had some fun with it.