Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, August 24, 2017

Fresno 10, Tacoma 1

W- David Martinez (7-11)
L- Christian Bergman (9-4)

Fresno home runs: None.

On a special Taco Thursday, Fresno dominated Tacoma in all facets of the game and cruised to the win.

David Martinez allowed one run on a solo homer, one other hit, walked 2, and struck out 10 in 7 innings of work. Dayan Diaz allowed a hit and struck out 1 over the final 2 innings.

A.J. Reed opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st inning. The Tacos busted this one wide open with a pair of 4-run innings. They put up 4 in the 2nd thanks to Alejandro Garcia's 2-run double; he and Rico Noel scored on an error on a botched force out attempt.

Drew Ferguson walked to lead off the 3rd inning. He stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd base on a balk, and scored on an error that allowed Garrett Stubbs to reach. Stubbs scored when Tony Kemp grounded into a force out. Carlos Correa hit an RBI single and Kemp scored on an error. Correa drove in the final run of the night with a sac fly in the 5th.

Kemp, Ferguson, Stubbs, Garcia, and Noel all scored twice. Noel went 3-4 with a double, while Reed finished 2-5 on the night.

Lance McCullers makes his first rehab start at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi's doubleheader with Midland was canceled

Thank you to our staff for preparing Whataburger Field for Hurricane #Harvey.

STAY SAFE SOUTH TEXAS!!! pic.twitter.com/UOb0ik6UZl

— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) August 24, 2017

Due to the threat of Hurricane Harvey. These were supposed to be the last two games between the Hooks and Hounds, so they won't be made up this year.

Corpus is in San Antonio for 4 starting tonight at 7:05 and Josh James is scheduled to take on Enyel De Los Santos. The Missions had a Pat Green post-game concert on the docket, but that's been nixed. The game is still set to go on, but this is most likely going to change.

Lynchburg 5, Buies Creek 1

W- Aaron Civale (10-2)
L- Ryan Hartman (2-5, 5-6 season)

BC home runs: Jake Rogers (11, 17 season; solo in 2nd)

The Hillcats took control by scoring twice in the 7th and the 8th.

Jake Rogers smacked a homer to start the bottom of the 2nd for the only Buies Creek run of the evening. Randy César finished 2-4.

Hector Perez only allowed one run on a solo homer and one other hit. Unfortunately, he only lasted 3.2 innings because he issued 7 walks and struck out 4. Sean Stutzman was the first man out of the Carolina Stros bullpen and struck out 2 over 1.1 innings. Ryan Hartman tagged in for 3 innings and allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 5 hits (2-run homer) and struck out 4. Erasmo Pinales struck out 2 in a 1-2-3 9th.

Matt Bower will start the first game in a 3-game weekend set in Winston-Salem. He'll face A.J. Puckett at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 5, Beloit 2

W- Robert Corniel (1-0)
L- Seth Martinez (4-9)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos are playoff-bound!

César Rosado allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2 over 2.1 scoreless innings. Devon Carr was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen and went 3.2 innings, allowing 2 runs, both of which were inherited runners that were charged to him, on 3 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3.

Josh Rojas opened the scoring with a 2-run single in the 3rd inning. Ray Henderson hit an RBI single in the 4th. Daz Cameron and Chas McCormick ripped RBI doubles in the 7th and the 8th, respectively. McCormick went 3-4 at the plate and also had an outfield assist. Cody Bohanek went 2-3 and scored twice.

Quad Cities is back home to start a 4-game series with Cedar Rapids. Nathan Thompson will face Charlie Barnes at 6:35.

Connecticut 2, Tri-City 1

W- Ken Figueroa (2-1)
L- Ben Smith (6-3)

TC home runs: None.

The Tigers got a pair off Ben Smith in the 6th to take the finale of this series.

Leovanny Rodriguez allowed 3 hits and struck out 8 over 5 shutout innings. Smith allowed the 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3 in the last 3 innings.

Miguelangel Sierra finished 2-4; he led off the 5th with a triple and scored Tri-City's only run on a Jake Meyers double. Bryan De La Cruz (2B) and Gabriel Bracamonte both finished 2-5.

The ValleyCats will start a 3-game series with Lowell tonight at 7:00 Eastern.

Johnson City 3, Greeneville 2

W- Jacob Patterson (1-1)
L- Maikel Sepulveda (0-2, 4-5 season)

Greeneville home runs: None.

The Appy Astros scored a run in the 9th to take a 2-1 lead... and then they got stunned at the end with a walk-off homer.

Juan Piñeda went 3-4 with an RBI single in the 8th that put Greeneville on the board. Oscar Campos put them in front in the 9th with a sac fly that turned into an inning-ending double play. Roman Garcia went 2-4 and scored on the sac fly.

Yhoan Acosta and Francisco Villegas pitched 3 scoreless innings apiece; Acosta struck out 4 in a perfect outing, while Villegas allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Maikel Sepulveda allowed a 2-run homer with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th. In 2.2 innings, he allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and struck out 3.

Jheyson Caraballo faces Franyel Casadilla at 7:00 Eastern.

DSL Athletics 8, DSL Astros Blue 3

W- Manuel Manzanillo (3-3)
L- Luis Garcia (1-1)

Blue home runs: None.

Wilyer Abreu scored on an error in the 4th inning. Ronaldo Urdaneta finished 2-4 with a 2-run triple in the 7th inning.

Luis Garcia went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 6. Diosmerky Taveras allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 in 2 innings, and Oscar Severino allowed 4 runs on 5 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3 in 3 innings.

DSL Rangers1 8, DSL Astros Orange 6

W- Jeifry Nuñez (3-1)
L- Jesús Bernaez (2-6)

Orange home runs: None.

Team Orange scored 4 in the 5th to tie the game at 5, but the Rangers regained control.

Fildex Perfecto drove in 3 with a groundout in the 5th and a 2-run triple in the 6th. Gerry Castillo and Sean Mendoza both had 2 hits and an RBI.

Mauricio Santana allowed a run on a triple, walked 2, and struck out 1 in the 1st inning. Miguel Matos allowed 4 runs (2 earned) on 7 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4 in 4 innings, and Jesús Bernaez allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 4 in 3 innings of work.

Thursday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Photo by Bryan Green

Leovanny Rodriguez, RHP, Tri-City

5 IP, 3 H, 8 K

Chas McCormick, OF, Quad Cities

3-4, 2B, RBI, R

Dayan Diaz's photo taken by Bryan Green.

Fresno Grizzlies (dba Fresno Tacos) pitchers: W 10-1 vs. Tacoma

9 IP, 3 H (solo HR allowed), ER, 2 BB, 11 K

David Martinez: W (7-11), 7 IP, 2 H (solo HR allowed), ER, 2 BB, 10 K

Dayan Diaz: 2 IP, H, K

Photo by Bryan Green

Juan Piñeda, IF, Greeneville

3-4, RBI

Rico Noel's photo is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

A.J. Reed, 1B, and Rico Noel, OF, Fresno

Reed: 2-5, RBI

Noel: 3-4, 2B, 2 R

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, June 26, 2017

Happy Gulf Coast League Opening Day!

Also, the Astros' A clubs blasted their counterparts from the Brewers.

Fresno 7, Albuquerque 6 in 10 innings

W- Brian Holmes (2-2)
L- Shane Carle (1-4)

Fresno home runs: Max Stassi (8, 2-run in 5th), Colin Moran (17, solo in 8th)

The Grizzlies couldn't hold a 6-2 lead, but fortunately, they were able to rectify this by literally walking off with the win in the first extra frame.

David Martinez allowed a run on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 7 in 6 innings. Ashur Tolliver was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen and got 2 outs in the 7th, allowing a run on a bases-loaded walk and a double. Overall, Tolliver issued 3 walks. Aaron West got him out of his predicament without further incident. He threw 1.1 innings, walking 1 and striking out 2. Jordan Jankowski only got one out in the 9th; he had 3 inherited runners charged to him, walked 1, and allowed 2 hits. Dayan Diaz got the final two outs of the 9th, but not before the Isotopes tied the game off of him with a sac fly, a wild pitch, and a 2-run single. The game-tying 2-run single was the one hit that Diaz allowed; he also walked 1 and struck out 1. Brian Holmes struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 10th.

Albuquerque scored a run in the 5th and the 7th; each time, Fresno responded with 2 runs in the bottom half. Max Stassi put them on the board with a 2-run blast in the 5th, while Tyler White hit an RBI single and Tony Kemp scored on an error that allowed Preston Tucker to reach in the 7th. Colin Moran led off the bottom of the 8th with a homer and Kemp added a sac fly later in the inning. The Grizzlies won via shrimp in the bottom of the 10th as Tyler White drew a bases-loaded walk.

White (2 RBI), Moran (solo HR), Stassi (2-R HR, 4 R), and Alejandro Garcia (2B) all finished with 3 hits on the evening.

It's Tuesday, and it's a Fresno home game, so you know what that means: Taco Tuesday!!!

Charlie Morton will make his second rehab appearance as he continues to work his way back from a lat strain. He'll take on Matt Flemer at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi is off until Thursday


The Texas League All-Star Game will take place tonight in Frisco. The Hooks' contingent consists of Josh James, Rogelio Armenteros, Garrett Stubbs, Jon Singleton, Drew Ferguson, J.D. Davis, and Jack Mayfield. Kyle Smith was also named a Texas League All-Star; he has since been promoted to Fresno.

The Hooks return to action on Thursday and they'll start off the 2nd half with a tour of Arkansas.

Buies Creek 8, Carolina 1

W- Jorge Alcala (2-3, 4-3 season)
L- Marcos Diplan (4-4)
S- Hector Perez (1)

BC home runs: Anibal Sierra (3, solo in 3rd)

Jorge Alcala and Hector Perez made quick work of the Mudcats on Monday. The Carolina Stros really blew it open with 4 in the 6th.

Alcala has had some issues with walks lately, but he turned in a nice outing. According to Patrick Obley of the Fayetteville Observer, Alcala hit 100 on a few occasions before settling into the mid-90s. He allowed 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4 over 5 shutout innings. Hector Perez went 4 innings and allowed a run on an infield single, one other hit, walked 3, and struck out 5. Perez faced a bases-loaded, no out situation in the 7th, but emerged with the Mudcats only getting one run against him.

Anibal Sierra opened the scoring with a solo blast in the 3rd inning. Later in the frame, Jake Rogers ripped an RBI double and Yordan Alvarez added a sac fly. Buies Creek got three straight singles to open the 6th, and Alex De Goti scored on an error that also allowed Myles Straw to reach; Straw was credited with an RBI on the play. The bases remained loaded for Ryne Birk, who promptly cleared them with a triple. Birk drove in the last run of the evening with a groundout in the 7th inning.

Sierra finished 3-3 with the homer and scored twice. Straw went 3-5 with a double and scored twice as well. Birk (3B, 4 RBI), Rogers (2B, RBI), and Jones (2 R) all had 2 hits on the night.

Matt Bower faces Jordan Yamamoto in game 2 of the series. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 8, Wisconsin 2

W- Abdiel Saldaña (3-1)
L- Jordan Desguin (4-4)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos scored in four of the first five innings and cruised to a win.

Cionel Perez went 4.1 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 7. Abdiel Saldaña was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen and threw 3.2 hitless innings, walking 2 and striking out 6. Salvador Montaño struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th.

Wander Franco got things started with a 2-run double in the 2nd inning. Quad Cities got 2 in the 3rd on an RBI single from Daz Cameron and a Troy Sieber RBI double. Ray Henderson hit a sac fly in the 4th and Sieber added an RBI single to his ledger in the 5th inning. The Banditos scored the last 2 runs of the game in the 7th: Chuckie Robinson came home on a balk and Marcos Almonte had an RBI single. Sieber finished 3-4 on the evening, while Almonte was 2-5 with a run scored and a stolen base (9).

Gabriel Valdez gets the start in game 2 of this series. He'll take on Victor Diaz at 12:05.

Tri-City 8, Vermont 5

W- Ben Smith (1-0)
L- Jose Mora (0-1)
S- Robert Corniel (1)

TC home runs: Connor MacDonald (1, 2-run in 1st), Jake Adams (2, solo in 6th)

Tri-City scored in fewer innings. No matter. They managed to avoid getting swept at home.

Jake Adams opened the scoring with a sac fly in the 1st. Abraham Toro-Hernandez followed with an RBI single, and Connor MacDonald whacked a 2-run shot. The Lake Monsters managed to tie the game with 2 runs in the 5th, but the deadlock didn't last too long as the ValleyCats hit back for 4 in the 6th.

Adams led off the bottom of the 6th with a homer. Carlos Canelon hit a sac fly, then Andy Piñeda hit an RBI single and wound up scoring on a wild pitch. MacDonald (2-4) and Adams (1-2) both homered and drove in 2 runs.

Patrick Sandoval went 4 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Parker Mushinski took ownership of the 5th, walking 2 and striking out 2. Ben Smith struck out the side in order in the 6th inning. Hunter Martin allowed 2 hits, had an inherited runner charged to him, and walked 1 in the 7th; he only got 1 out. Robert Corniel pitched the final 2.2 innings, allowing a hit, walking 2, and striking out 4.

Tri-City has Tuesday off; they'll start a new series in Connecticut with a doubleheader on Wednesday.

Greeneville 4, Bristol 2

W- Leovanny Rodriguez (1-0)
L- Hunter Stratton (0-1)
S- Felipe Tejada (1)

Greeneville home runs: Joan Mauricio (1, 2-run in 4th)

Both teams scored 2 runs in an inning. The Appy Astros did it twice to top the Pirates on Monday.

The bottom third of the order drove in all 4 Greeneville runs. In the 2nd, Ruben Castro hit an RBI single and Wilson Amador grounded into a force out that scored Joan Mauricio. Mauricio whacked a 2-run homer in the 4th. Gilberto Celestino finished 3-3 with a walk and scored on Castro's single.

Noel Pinto allowed 2 hits and struck out 1 in his first two innings as a professional baseball player. Bristol got their 2 runs on a homer off Leovanny Rodriguez in the 5th. Rodriguez went 5 innings, allowing 3 other hits and fanning 5. Felipe Tejada allowed a hit, walked 3, and struck out 2 over the final 2 innings to earn the save.

The Appy Astros will look to sweep the series at 7:00 Eastern.

GCL Astros 10, GCL Cardinals 4

W- Juan Corniel (1-0)
L- Winston Nicacio (0-1)
S- Francisco Villegas (1)

GCL home runs: Vicente Sanchez (1, 2-run in 4th)

The GCL Astros won their first game in their new digs.

Juan Piñeda scored the first run of the day on an error following a Jose Benjamin single in the 1st inning. Vicente Sanchez smacked a 2-run homer in the 4th and Bernardo Heras added another run by scoring on a wild pitch.

Enmanuel Valdez doubled to lead off the 5th and scored on a Carlos Machado triple. Machado came home on a sac fly from Hector Martinez. In the 7th, Piñeda hit an RBI single and Valdez drew a bases-loaded walk. Piñeda finished 3-6 and capped off the afternoon with a 2-run single in the 8th. Sanchez (2-R HR, 3 R), Benjamin, and Heras all finished with 2-hit games.

Maikel Sepulveda went 1.2 innings and allowed 2 runs (both on a 2-run homer) 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1. Juan Corniel allowed a run on a solo homer, 5 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 7. Francisco Villegas allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 2 in 3 innings of work.

DSL Astros Blue 7, DSL Red Sox 1

W- Nivaldo Rodriguez (2-0)
L- Rafael Gomez (0-1)
S- Fredis Guerrero (1)

Blue home runs: None.

The Blue team busted this one open with 5 runs in the 8th.

Nivaldo Rodriguez allowed 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4 over 5 shutout innings. The Red Sox spoiled the shutout when Rafael Rincones homered off Fredis Guerrero in the 9th. That was the only hit that Guerrero allowed in his 4 innings, and he also struck out 3.

Team Blue got 2 runs in the 3rd on RBI singles from Anthony Rodriguez and Nerio Rodriguez. Ronaldo Urdaneta hit an RBI single in the 8th, and Rhandall Sanchez landed the knockout blow with a bases-clearing double. Sanchez scored the Blue team's last run on a single from Luis Coronel. Sanchez (2B, 3 RBI, R) and Yorbin Ceuta (2 R) both finished with 2 hits on the day.

DSL Dodgers2 8, DSL Astros Orange 4

W- Jose Martinez (1-1)
L- Jose Alberto Rivera (1-1)

Orange home runs: None.

The Dodgers 2 got 3 runs in the 8th to create some separation between them and Team Orange.

Luis Barajas put the Orange team on the board with a sac fly in the 2nd inning. Jose Carrillo hit an RBI single in the 3rd, and Renaigel Martis scored on an error following a Fildex Perfecto groundout in the 5th. In the 7th, Martis ripped a double, advanced to 3rd on the ensuing error, and stole home. He and Freudis Nova both finished 2-3.

Christian Mejias allowed 2 unearned runs, 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6 in 4 innings. Jose Alberto Rivera was the first man out of the bullpen and went 1.1 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him), a hit, walking 2, and striking out 3. Ronny Garcia went 2 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 2 hits, walking 3, and striking out 2. Fredy Medina struck out 2 in 1.2 innings.

Monday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Renaigel Martis, OF, DSL Astros Orange: 2-3, 2 2B, 2 R, stole home (4th SB of season)

Follow the Buies Creek Astros on Twitter!

Buies Creek Astros: W 8-1 vs. Carolina

Jorge Alcala: W (2-3, 4-3 season), 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Hector Perez: Save (1), 4 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 BB, 5 K

Ryne Birk: 2-5, 3B, 4 RBI, R

Anibal Sierra: 3-3, solo HR (3), 2 R

Myles Straw: 3-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R

Troy Sieber, 1B, Quad Cities

3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R

Photos from MiLB.com

Quad Cities River Bandits bullpen

4.2 IP, 2 BB, 7 K

Abdiel Saldaña: W (1-1), 3.2 IP, 2 BB, 6 K

Salvador Montaño: IP, K

Connor MacDonald, 1B, Tri-City

2-4, 2-R HR (1), 2 R

Juan Piñeda's photo taken by Bryan Green

Vicente Sanchez, OF, and Juan Piñeda, 2B, GCL Astros

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

Piñeda: 3-6, 3 RBI, R, SB (1)

David Martinez, RHP, Fresno

6 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 7 K

Colin Moran, 3B, Max Stassi, C, and Tyler White, IF, Fresno

Moran: 3-5, solo HR (17)

Stassi: 3-4, 2-R HR (8), 4 R

White: 3-5, 2 RBI; walk-off RBI BB in 10th

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, June 23, 2017

This Yordan Alvarez cat looks promising.

Fresno 7, Sacramento 6

W- Tyson Perez (2-0)
L- Derek Law (0-1)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizzlies walked it off Friday night.

Mike Hauschild went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs on 5 hits, walked 3, and struck out 5. Brian Holmes was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen and pitched 1.1 innings, allowing 2 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 2 hits, walking 3, and striking out 1. Kevin Comer threw 1.2 innings and allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1. Tyson Perez got a strikeout in a 1-2-3 9th.

Fresno responded to Sacramento's 3-run 1st inning with 3 of their own in the 3rd. Preston Tucker put them on the board with a 2-run single and Colin Moran hit a sac fly. Both teams scored a run in the 5th; the Grizz got theirs on a D.J. Fisher sac fly. Fisher scored on an A.J. Reed groundout in the 8th.

Max Stassi walked to lead off the bottom of the 9th and Alejandro Garcia came on to run for him. Tony Kemp joined Garcia on the bases by drawing a walk. They both advanced on a Tyler White sac bunt, and then Big Tuck got a free pass to 1st. Fisher went down on strikes, but Colin Moran came through with a walk to tie the game. One batter later, Teoscar Hernandez hit an RBI single to win it.

The top third of the Grizzlies order, which was Kemp (3 R, SB), White (R, BB), and Tucker (2 RBI), all finished with 2 hits on the evening.

Fresno and Sacramento will conclude their series with a doubleheader starting at 5:05 Pacific. Casey Coleman starts game 1 while Dean Deetz gets the nightcap.

Frisco 3, Corpus Christi 2

W- Shane McCain (1-1)
L- Rogelio Armenteros (2-3)
S- Reed Garrett (6)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks scored a pair in the 5th to take a 2-1 lead, but the Roughriders responded with 2 of their own in the top of the 6th. Corpus had a chance to steal it late, but they left the bases loaded to end the game.

Corpus Christi's 2 runs in the 5th came when Kyle Tucker hit into a fielder's choice that scored Jack Mayfield and an RBI single from J.D. Davis. They also missed an opportunity to do more damage in the 5th as they left the bases loaded. Davis and Drew Ferguson had 2 hits apiece.

Rogelio Armenteros went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 10 hits (9 singles and a double) and struck out 5. Sean Stutzman allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1 over 1.1 scoreless innings. Ditto for Ryan Thompson, although he threw 2.2 scoreless innings.

Brock Dykxhoorn takes on Collin Wiles in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05.

Buies Creek 3, Winston-Salem 0

W- Brett Adcock (2-3, 3-3 season)
L- Dane Dunning (3-3)
S- Nick Hernandez (8)

BC home runs: Yordan Alvarez (1, 10 season; solo in 4th)

Dane Dunning threw a complete game shutout against Buies Creek in last week's doubleheader. The Carolina Stros got even with him on Friday.

Brett Adcock, Justin Ferrell, and Nick Hernandez combined to throw a 3-hit shutout; each of them allowed one hit. Adcock went 5, walking 2, and striking out 5. Ferrell was the first man out of the bullpen and walked 1 while striking out 5 in 3 innings, and Hernandez worked around his hit to complete the shutout, striking out the side in the 9th.

Yordan Alvarez opened the scoring in the 4th with his first Carolina League home run, a solo shot. Jake Rogers went 2-3 with an RBI single in the 5th. Spencer Johnson also had a 2-hit game; he doubled in the 8th and scored the last run of the night on an error that also allowed Randy César to reach. Ryne Birk finished 2-4 with a double and scored on Rogers' single.

Franklin Perez starts game 3 of this series. He'll go up against Jimmy Lambert at 6:30 Eastern.

Quad Cities 7, Cedar Rapids 6

W- Yohan Ramirez (1-1)
L- Sean Poppen (5-2)

QC home runs: Daz Cameron (7, 2-run in 4th), Wander Franco (4, 2-run in 6th)

The Banditos nearly saw a 7-1 lead vanish, but they managed to hang on by the skin of their teeth.

Yohan Ramirez posted a nice start as he allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5 in 5 innings of work. Carlos Sanabria went 1.2 innings and allowed an RBI double, walked 5, and struck out 2. Salvador Montaño allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 1 over 1.1 innings, and Erasmo Pinales had a rocky 9th inning, allowing 4 runs on 2 hits (3-run homer) and walking 2. Despite his ordeal, he still found a way to preserve the lead.

Bryan De La Cruz put Quad Cities on the board with his RBI single in the 2nd inning. Troy Sieber, who scored on that play, hit an RBI single in the 4th and came home on Daz Cameron's blast. Ronnie Dawson led off the 6th with a single and scored when Wander Franco launched a homer. De La Cruz hit his second RBI single of the evening in the 8th.

Chuckie Robinson (R, SB), Sieber (RBI, 2 R), and De La Cruz (2 RBI) all finished 2-4 on the night.

Carson LaRue takes on Domenick Carlini at 6:35.

Lowell 7, Tri-City 2

W- Denyi Reyes (1-0)
L- Ben Smith (0-1)

TC home runs: Jake Adams (1, solo in 2nd)

The ValleyCats were foiled in their bid to sweep their first home series of 2017.

Jake Adams smacked a solo homer in the 2nd inning to open the scoring. His first home run as a pro is also his 30th this calendar year. Adams led Division I with 29 homers for Iowa in the spring. Connor MacDonald hit an RBI single in the 3rd.

Cristian Javier pitched 3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 4, and struck out 6. Ben Smith was the first man out of the TC bullpen and allowed 5 runs (4 earned, 3 inherited runners charged to him) on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 1 in 1.1 innings. Nathan Thompson didn't have any runs charged to him in his 3.2 innings, but he couldn't get Smith out of a bases-loaded quagmire unscathed. Thompson allowed 3 hits and struck out 7. Reggie Johnson struck out the side in order in the 9th inning.

César Rosado will start the first of a 3-game series against the Vermont Lake Monsters at 7:00 Eastern. He'll take on Oscar Tovar.

Bluefield 9, Greeneville 5

W- Randy Pondler (1-0)
L- Bryan Abreu (0-1)
S- Yonardo Herdenez (1)

Greeneville home runs: Juan Piñeda (1, 2-run in 9th)

Bluefield blew this game open with a pair of 4-run innings.

The Appy Astros scored twice in the 5th as Ruben Castro scored on a Juan Piñeda groundout and Carlos Machado scampered home on a passed ball. Machado ripped an RBI double in the 9th and one batter later, Piñeda launched a 2-run homer, the first of his career.

The bottom third of the order scored all 5 of Greeneville's runs; Castro and Machado scored twice, while Piñeda scored on his homer. Machado (2B, RBI, 2 R) and Brody Westmoreland both finished with 2 hits on the night.

Bryan Abreu went 4.1 innings and allowed 5 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 6. Jheyson Caraballo allowed 4 hits, walked 2, struck out 5, and allowed both of the runners he inherited from Abreu to score in 3.1 innings. Ian Hardman got the last two outs of the 8th and 1 out in the 9th, allowing 4 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits and walking 2. Dariel Aquino got the last out of the 9th inning.

Gerardo Bojorquez takes the mound as the Appy Astros wrap up their first series of the year. First pitch is at 6:00 Eastern.

DSL Dodgers1 6, DSL Astros Blue 3

W- Joan Valdez (1-0)
L- Gustavo Almonte (0-2)
S- Luis Pasen (3)

Blue home runs: None.

The Dodgers 1 seized control with 4 runs in the 8th.

Both teams scored one run in the 2nd and the 3rd innings. The Blue team got theirs on a couple of passed balls: Nerio Rodriguez scored in the 2nd and Samir Caraballo did the same in the 3rd. Caraballo scored on Angel Tejeda's RBI single in the 5th. Tejeda finished 3-3 with a double and stole 3 bases.

Jose Antonio Hernandez allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3 in 4 innings. Yulian Frontado tagged in to throw 3 scoreless, allowing a hit and walking 2. Gustavo Almonte allowed 4 runs, a single, and walked 4 in the 8th. He hit a batter with the bases loaded, allowed a sac fly, uncorked a wild pitch, and induced a force out in which a runner scored. Natanael Ventura worked around a hit batter to throw a scoreless 9th.

DSL Indians 8, DSL Astros Orange 6

W- Wuilson Meza (1-0)
L- Wender Oberto (1-1)
S- Luigence Thomas (1)

Orange home runs: None.

Giving up 6 runs in the 1st proved to be too much for the Orange team to overcome.

Team Orange scored 3 in the 1st on RBI singles from Euclides Chavez and Jose Alvarez and a sac fly from Jeury Castillo. Freudis Nova scored on an error following a Chavez single in the 5th. Speaking of Chavez, he added a sac fly to his ledger in the 7th. He doubled in the 9th and scored on a single from Jose Carrillo. Chavez went 3-4, while Nova went 2-4 and scored twice.

Wender Oberto got the start but only got 1 out. He allowed 4 runs (3 inherited runners charged to him) on 2 hits and walked 2. Jervic Chavez allowed 2 runs, a hit, walked 3, and fanned 2 in 1.2 innings. Jairo Solis had the longest outing for the Orange team as he went 3.2 innings; the one run he allowed came on a homer hit by Jhon Torres. Solis allowed 2 other hits, walked 2, and struck out 6. The one run that Fredy Medina allowed in his 1.2 innings came on a homer hit by Henderson de Oleo in the 7th. Medina allowed one other hit and walked 4. Luis De Paula got the last two outs of the 8th.

Friday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Angel Tejeda, OF, DSL Astros Blue: 3-3, 2B, RBI, 3 SB (3)
Euclides Chavez, OF, DSL Astros Orange: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Jairo Solis, RHP, DSL Astros Orange: 3.2 IP, 3 H (solo HR allowed), ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Brett Adcock's photo from MiLB.com

Buies Creek Astros pitchers

W 3-0 @ Winston-Salem

9 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 13 K

Brett Adcock: W (2-3, 3-3 season), 5 IP, H, 2 BB, 5 K

Justin Ferrell: 3 IP, H, BB, 5 K

Nick Hernandez: Save (8), IP, H, 3 K

Juan Piñeda's photo taken by Bryan Green

Carlos Machado, OF, and Juan Piñeda, 2B, Greeneville

Machado: 2-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R

Piñeda: 1-4, 2-R HR (1), 3 RBI; 1st career HR

Photo from MiLB.com

Yohan Ramirez, RHP, Quad Cities

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

Nathan Thompson, LHP, Tri-City

3.2 IP, 3 H, 7 K

Tony Kemp, 2B, Teoscar Hernandez, OF, and Preston Tucker, OF, Fresno

Kemp: 2-4, 3 R, SB (13)

Hernandez: Walk-off RBI single

Tucker: 2-4, 2 RBI; 9-game hitting streak

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, June 22, 2017

Happy Appalachian League Opening Day!

Sacramento 9, Fresno 3

W- Andrew Suarez (1-1)
L- Charlie Morton (0-1)

Fresno home runs: None.

The RiverCats went off after Charlie Morton finished his first rehab start.

The one run that Morton allowed in his 2 innings came on a solo homer hit by Justin Ruggiano in the 1st. He allowed one other hit, walked 1, and fanned 1. Trent Thornton was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen and unfortunately had to bear the brunt of Sacramento's onslaught. In 4 innings, Thornton allowed 8 runs (7 earned) on 9 hits (2-run homer), walked 2, and struck out 5. Ashur Tolliver stopped the bleeding with 2 scoreless, allowing 2 hits and walking 1. Aaron West threw a 1-2-3 9th.

Preston Tucker finished 2-4 and hit an RBI single in the 3rd. Tony Kemp went 3-4 with a 2-run single in the 5th.

Mike Hauschild starts game 2 of this series against Joan Gregorio at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 6, Frisco 5 in 11 innings

W- Andrew Thome (4-4, 4-5 season)
L- Royce Bolinger (0-1)

CC home runs: Jon Singleton (13, solo in 2nd), Kyle Tucker (5, 14 season; solo in 7th)

Frisco got 3 in the 8th to take the lead, but the Hooks pulled themselves together to tie it in the bottom half and walked off with the win.

Akeem Bostick went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 7 hits, walked 1, and fanned 4. Alex Winkelman tagged in for 3 innings and allowed 3 unearned runs on 4 hits and struck out 5. Andrew Walter allowed 2 hits and struck out 3 over 2 scoreless innings, and Andrew Thome struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 11th.

Jon Singleton put Corpus on the board with a solo homer to start the bottom of the 2nd. Trent Woodward walked to start the 3rd inning and came around to score on a Drew Ferguson single. Ferguson, who advanced to 2nd on the ensuing error, scored when Kyle Tucker smacked a ground-rule double. Little Tuck struck again in the 7th when he took Shane McCain deep for a solo blast. Jason Martin beat out a double play attempt in the 8th and an error on the play allowed him to advance to 3rd. He scored the tying run on a Jamie Ritchie groundout.

Tony Nuñez walked to begin the 11th inning and moved to 3rd on a Ferguson single. Ferguson stole 2nd to eliminate the double play possibility. Tucker popped out, and J.D. Davis received an intentional pass to load the bases. Singleton drove in the Hooks' first run... and he drove in their last run with a sac fly to win the game.

Ferguson finished 3-5 on the evening, and the stolen base in the 11th gives him 15 on the year. Little Tuck (2B, solo HR, 2 RBI) and Jack Mayfield (SB) had 2 hits apiece.

Rogelio Armenteros takes on Pedro Payano in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05.

Winston-Salem 6, Buies Creek 5

W- Jack Charleston (2-1)
L- Matt Bower (2-3)

BC home runs: None.

The Carolina Stros scored a pair in the top of the 8th to take the lead, but the Dash managed to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th, and they ended up walking off with the win.

Myles Straw singled to lead off the game and scored the first run of the evening when Anthony Hermelyn grounded out. Straw walked to begin the 3rd and scored on a sac fly from Jake Rogers. He hit a 1-out single in the 5th and scored on Hermelyn's single. Hermelyn ripped a ground-rule double to begin the 8th and came home on Randy César's RBI single. Spencer Johnson followed with an infield single and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Ryne Birk finished 4-5, while Johnson turned in a 3-5 night. Straw (3 R), Hermelyn (2B, 2 RBI, R), and César (RBI) all had 2 hits on the evening.

Framber Valdez allowed 3 unearned runs (1 inherited) on 5 hits, walked 3, and struck out 2 in 3 innings. Howie Brey inherited a bases-loaded pickle from Valdez in the 4th and allowed one runner to score. He got a strikeout to end the 4th and worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 5th, striking out another batter. Matt Bower went 3.1 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits (solo homer) and struck out 2.

Brett Adcock gets the call in game 2 of this series. He'll take on Dane Dunning at 7:00 Eastern.

Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 0

W- Eduardo Del Rosario (7-3)
L- Forrest Whitley (2-3)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos were stymied at the plate to open the second half.

Troy Sieber's double and Chuckie Robinson's single were the only Quad Cities hits.

Forrest Whitley pitched well but had to take the loss despite his efforts. He allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 7 in 4 innings. Dustin Hunt worked around a hit and a walk to throw a scoreless 5th. Gabriel Valdez pitched the last 4 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 2.

Yohan Ramirez faces Sean Poppen in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 6:35.

Tri-City 1, Lowell 0

W- Ricardo Castro (1-0)
L- Dakota Smith (0-1)
S- Luis Ramirez (1)

TC home runs: None.

The ValleyCats only had one hit, but they scored the only run of the game.

Miguelangel Sierra scored on a wild pitch in the 1st inning. Abraham Toro's 2-out single in the 6th was the lone Tri-City hit.

Ricardo Castro allowed a hit, walked 4, and struck out 3 in 5 innings of work. Felipe Tejada got 2 outs in the 6th, both via strikeout, but got himself into a predicament and left the bases loaded for Robert Corniel, who got a strikeout to end the inning. Corniel ended up allowing 2 hits and striking out 5 in 2.2 innings. Luis Ramirez worked around a walk to get the final two outs of the game, one via strikeout, in order to complete the shutout.

Cristian Javier takes the mound as the ValleyCats look for the sweep. He'll go up against Nick Duron at 7:00 Eastern.

Greeneville 13, Bluefield 6

W- Francisco Villegas (1-0)
L- Jose Nova (0-1)

Greeneville home runs: Brody Westmoreland (1, 2-run in 2nd)

The Appy Astros opened their campaign on a winning note thanks to a 4-run 2nd and a 6-run 5th.

Everyone in the lineup had a hit except for Enmanuel Valdez, who still scored a couple of runs. Reiny Beltre had a single on his line but didn't score.

Vicente Mota singled to lead off the 2nd and one batter later, Brody Westmoreland launched the first home run of Greeneville's season. José Benjamin and Oscar Campos followed with singles. Campos stole 3rd and Juan Piñeda walked to load the bases for Gilberto Celestino, who reached on an error that allowed Benjamin and Campos to score.

Westmoreland added an RBI double to his ledger in the 5th. Benjamin followed by hitting into a fielder's choice that scored Mota. Piñeda hit a 2-run single and scored on an error following a Wilson Amador infield single. Amador stole his way to 3rd and scored on a wild pitch. Mota scored for the third time on an errant throw from center field after Benjamin flew out in the 6th. Celestino scored on an error in the 7th and Mota capped off the evening with an RBI single.

Westmoreland went 4-5 and scored twice. Campos (2B, R, SB), Piñeda (2 RBI, R), and Mota (RBI, 3 R) finished with 2 hits on the night.

Juan Robles allowed 4 runs on 7 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6 in 3.2 innings. Willy Collado got the last out of the 4th and 2 outs in the 5th for his inning of work; he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and fanned 2. Francisco Villegas shut it down by allowing a hit and striking out 3 over 4.1 scoreless innings.

Bryan Abreu gets the start in game 2. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

DSL Astros Blue 4, DSL Dodgers1 3

W- Ronaldo Marrero (2-0)
L- Juan Morillo (0-1)
S- Christopher Javier (1)

Blue home runs: None.

Team Blue withstood a late charge from the Dodgers 1 and hung on for the win.

Denilson Lugo didn't allow a hit and struck out 3 while he was on the mound. However, he only lasted 2.2 innings and walked 6. Ronaldo Marrero tagged in to throw 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits, walking 2, and striking out 4. Oscar Severino allowed an unearned run on a wild pitch, a single, walked 1, and struck out 2 in the 8th. Christopher Javier allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 in the 9th. He still managed to pull himself together to secure the victory.

Yeuris Ramirez got plunked with the bases loaded in the 4th to bring in the first run of the day. Brandon Benavente scored on an errant pickoff throw in the 7th. The Blue team got 2 in the 8th as Ramirez got plunked with the bases loaded again, and a wild pitch allowed Angel Tejeda to score. Nerio Rodriguez and Samir Caraballo had 2 hits apiece.

DSL Astros Orange 9, DSL Indians 6

W- Jesus Bernaez (1-1)
L- Diarlin Jimenez (1-1)
S- Ronny Garcia (1)

Orange home runs: None.

Team Orange erupted for 5 runs in the 4th to take an 8-2 lead. The Indians dented that lead a bit, but the Orange team had enough of a cushion to work with.

Deury Carrasco doubled to lead off the bottom of the 1st and eventually scored the first run of the day on a wild pitch. Jeury Castillo added to the early lead with a 2-run double.

In that big 4th inning, Team Orange had 7 consecutive batters reach before the Indians could record an out. Carrasco and Freudis Nova hit RBI singles and they both advanced a base on a wild pitch. Euclides Chavez followed with a 2-run single. They ended up loading the bases but missed an opportunity to inflict even more damage. They didn't come away empty-handed, though; Jeury Castillo hit a sac fly. Michael Garcia led off the 8th with a double and scored on Freudis' 2nd RBI single of the day.

Nova finished 3-5 on the day. Carrasco (2B, 2 R), Chavez (2 RBI, 2 R), and Garcia (2B, 2 R) all finished with 2 hits.

Asael Uribe went 3 innings and allowed 2 runs, a hit, walked 3, and struck out 3. Jesus Bernaez was the first man out of the Orange team bullpen and threw 3.2 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits, walking 4, and striking out 3. Ronny Garcia allowed a run on a wild pitch, a single, walked 3, and struck out 2 in 2.1 innings.

Thursday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Ronaldo Marrero, RHP, DSL Astros Blue: W (2-0), 4.1 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Freudis Nova, IF, DSL Astros Orange: 3-5, 2 RBI, R
Deury Carrasco, IF, DSL Astros Orange: 2-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R
Euclides Chavez, OF, DSL Astros Orange: 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

Westmoreland's and Piñeda's photos taken by Bryan Green, Vicente Mota's photo from MiLB.com

Brody Westmoreland, 3B/1B, Juan Piñeda, IF, and Vicente Mota, C/1B, Greeneville

Westmoreland: 4-5, 2-R HR (1), 3 RBI

Piñeda: 2-4, 2 RBI, R

Mota: 2-4, RBI, 3 R

Photo from MiLB.com

Francisco Villegas, LHP, Greeneville

W (1-0), 4.1 IP. H, 3 K

Felipe Tejada's and Robert Corniel's photos from MiLB.com

Tri-City ValleyCats pitchers

W 1-0 vs. Lowell

9 IP, 4 H, 7 BB, 11 K

Ricardo Castro: W (1-0), 5 IP, H, 4 BB, 3 K

Felipe Tejada: 0.2 IP, H, 2 BB, 2 K

Robert Corniel: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 5 K

Luis Ramirez: Save (1), 0.2 IP, BB, K

Kyle Tucker, OF, Jon Singleton, 1B, and Drew Ferguson, OF, Corpus Christi

Tucker: 2-6, 2B, solo HR (5, 14 season), 2 RBI

Singleton: solo HR (13), walk-off sac fly

Ferguson: 3-5, RBI, R, SB (15)

Anthony Hermelyn, C, Buies Creek

2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R

Tony Kemp, 2B, Fresno

3-4, 2 RBI

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, July 15, 2016

Let's play two in Greeneville!

New Orleans 9, Fresno 5

W- Jarred Cosart (3-3)
L- Tommy Shirley (7-6)

Fresno home runs: Tyler White (8, solo in 2nd)

Yes, that is the same Jarred Cosart that once pitched for the Astros back in the day. Fresno tried to claw back from a 6-1 deficit and got to within two runs, but the Zephyrs scored 3 after stretch time to put this game out of reach.

Tommy Shirley threw 5 innings and allowed 6 runs on 6 hits (2 solos and a 2-run homer), walked 3, and struck out 2. Jordan Jankowski was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen, and he struck out 2 in a 1-2-3 6th inning. Brendan McCurry got two outs in the 7th, but the Zephyrs scored 3 runs on 4 hits against him. McCurry left the bases loaded for Kevin Chapman, who was able to prevent New Orleans from inflicting more damage. In 1.1 innings, Chapman allowed a hit and struck out 2.

Tyler White put the Grizz on the board with a solo homer to lead off the 2nd inning. Max Stassi hit an RBI single in the 6th inning. Preston Tucker drove in the Grizzlies' final two runs with an RBI single in the 7th and an RBI double in the 9th. Tucker and White both finished 2-5, while Alex Bregman and Tony Kemp both went 2-4.

Mike Hauschild will start game 3 of this series. He'll face Justin Nicolino at 6:00.

Frisco 6, Corpus Christi 1

W- Victor Payano (6-6)
L- Evan Grills (3-3, 6-4 season)

CC home runs: Roberto Peña (7, solo in 7th)

The Hooks outhit the Roughriders 10-8, but they only had one run to show for it.

Roberto Peña finished 2-4 and his solo home run in the 7th was Corpus Christi's only scoring play. Chase McDonald, Nolan Fontana, and Nick Tanielu also had 2 hits in the game.

Evan Grills went 5 innings and allowed 6 runs (5 earned) on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 2. Kyle Smith followed with 4 scoreless innings out of the bullpen; he allowed 2 hits and fanned 3.

In the series finale, Edison Frias will face Reed Garrett. First pitch is at 7:05.

Lancaster 13, San Jose 8

W- Dean Deetz (5-5)
L- Matt Cain (0-1)

Lancaster home runs: Ramon Laureano 2 (10; 2-run in 1st, solo in 6th), Marc Wik (1, solo in 5th)

The JetHawks swept the Giants out of The Hangar in a game where they teed off on a rehabbing Matt Cain and scored in all but one inning.

Ramon Laureano had an unforgettable game on his 22nd birthday; he hit two home runs, one of which came off a Major League pitcher. His 2-run homer put the JetHawks on the board in the 1st inning and tied the game at 2. Bobby Boyd added an RBI single in the 2nd. Lancaster put up 3 in the 3rd and the 4th. Their 3 in the 3rd came on a pair of RBI singles from Trent Woodward and Jamie Ritchie, and Keach Ballard grounded into a force out that allowed Jason Martin to score. Woodward and Ritchie added an RBI single and a 2-run double to their ledgers in the 4th inning, respectively. Marc Wik smacked a solo homer in the 5th, and Laureano launched a solo shot, his second home run of the evening, in the 6th. Boyd whacked an RBI triple in the 7th and scored the JetHawks' final run on a wild pitch.

Laureano finished 4-5 with 4 runs scored; he hit 2 doubles to go along with his 2 homers. Ritchie went 3-5 with 2 doubles. Wik finished 3-4 with the solo homer and scored another run. Woodward finished 2-5 and scored twice. Martin went 0-2, but he walked twice, scored twice, and stole a base (12).

Dean Deetz allowed 7 runs (5 earned) on 7 hits (solo and 2-run homers), walked 1, and struck out 6 in 5 innings. Andrew Thome was the first man out of the Lancaster bullpen; he went 2 innings and allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 1. Gonzalo Sañudo allowed a run on a sac fly, a single, and walked 1 in the 8th, and Kevin Comer allowed a hit and struck out 2 in a scoreless 9th.

Tonight, the JetHawks will begin a 4-game series in Rancho Cucamonga. Akeem Bostick will start game 1, and he'll go up against Andrew Sopko at 7:05 Pacific.

Quad Cities 2, Fort Wayne 1

W- Franklin Perez (2-2)
L- Jerry Keel (5-9)
S- Albert Abreu (3)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos only had 3 hits in this game, but they won in the column that matters most. Also, a couple of rising stars in the system delivered strong performances on the mound to help the Bandits take the series.

Myles Straw had 2 of those hits. He reached on an error and made it to 2nd to begin the game, moved over to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt, and scored the game's first run on a Hector Roa groundout. Kristian Trompiz, who had the other hit, drove in the other Quad Cities run with a sac fly in the 3rd inning.

Franklin Perez allowed a run on a groundout, 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 7 in 5 innings. Albert Abreu shut it down by allowing a hit and fanning 5 over the final 4 innings.

The River Bandits will now begin a 3-game series in Lake County, in the Cleveland area. The first two games will be played today, with game 1 starting at 5:00 Eastern. Jose Luis Hernandez and Elieser Hernandez will take on Jared Robinson and TBA.

Tri-City 10, Connecticut 2

W- Austin Nicely (3-1)
L- Locke St. John (2-3)

TC home runs: Ryne Birk (3, solo in 1st)

Tri-City stormed out of the gate with a 3-0 lead, then exploded for 6 more in the middle innings to turn this game into a laugher.

Ryne Birk got things started with a solo home run in the 1st inning. Later in the inning, Ronnie Dawson smacked a 2-run double. Jake Rogers hit a 2-run single in the 5th, and then in the 6th, Birk added an RBI single to his ledger. He then stole 2nd (3), advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch, and scored on a Carmen Benedetti single. Randy César clubbed an RBI triple and scored on a Dawson groundout. César finished 4-4 and drove in the final run of the evening with an RBI single in the 8th. He and Benedetti, who went 3-4, scored 3 runs apiece. Rogers and Birk both went 2-5.

Kevin Hill and Austin Nicely pitched 4 innings apiece. Hill allowed 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3, while Nicely allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 1. Juan Carlos Santos allowed a hit and struck out 1 in a scoreless 9th inning.

The ValleyCats will look for the sweep as Ryan Hartman takes the mound. He'll take on Gregory Soto at 7:00 Eastern.

Game 1: Greeneville 3, Pulaski 1

W- Devin Raftery (1-0)
L- Will Jones (1-2)

Greeneville home runs: Luis Payano (3, 2-run in 6th)

Luis Payano's 2-run home run in the 6th broke a 1-1 tie and gave the Astros the victory in the first game of the twinbill. Vicente Sanchez scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch in the 3rd inning.

Carlos Hiraldo went 5 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Devin Raftery pitched the final 2 innings and allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3.

Game 2: Greeneville 5, Pulaski 2

W- Devon Carr (1-1)
L- Spencer Mahoney (1-1)

Greeneville home runs: None.

Once again, the 6th inning was extremely kind to Greeneville as they took control of game 2 with 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th.

Gabriel Bracamonte opened the scoring with an RBI double in the 1st inning. Tyler Wolfe led off the 6th with a single, and business began to pick up.

Troy Sieber brought Wolfe home with an RBI double to tie the game at 2, and then Vicente Sanchez came in to pinch-run for him. He'd score the go-ahead run when Abraham Toro grounded into a fielder's choice. An error on the play allowed Toro to advance to 2nd base, and Connor MacDonald drove him in with an RBI double. MacDonald scored the final run of game 2 on a Frankeny Fernandez single. Sieber and MacDonald both finished 2-3... they both hit an RBI double and scored a run.

Carlos Sanabria went 4.2 innings and had an inherited runner charged to him; the run was unearned. The only hit he allowed was a single in the 1st inning, and he walked 2 while striking out 5. Lucas Williams got the final out of the 5th, but not before he allowed a 2-run triple that gave the Yankees the lead. He also got the first 2 outs of the 6th, allowing 2 hits, walking 2 and striking out 3. Devon Carr allowed a hit, walked 1, and recorded the final 4 outs of the game, all via strikeout.

Tonight, Patrick Sandoval will get the start as Greeneville begins a 3-game series with Bluefield. First pitch is at 6:00 Eastern.

GCL Astros 7, GCL Nationals 3

W- César Rosado (2-0)
L- Matt Pirro (1-2)

GCL home runs: Wilson Amador (1, 2-run in 5th), L.P. Pelletier (1, solo in 9th)

The Kissimmeee Stros managed to get some insurance runs in the late innings to secure the win.

Wilson Amador finished 3-5 and put them on the board with an RBI double in the 3rd. He added a 2-run homer to his ledger in the 5th inning. Before Amador's blast, however, Juan Piñeda led off the inning with a triple and Andy Piñeda brought him in with a single. Juan Piñeda ripped a 2-run double in the 8th, and L.P. Pelletier whacked a solo homer, his first home run as a pro, in the 9th inning. Amador was a triple shy of the cycle, while Juan Piñeda was a home run shy. Oscar Campos finished 3-3, and Pelletier and Andy Piñeda both finished 2-5.

César Rosado allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2 in 5 innings. Bryan Abreu tagged in for 3 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 2, and fanned 4. Dariel Aquino struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th.

DSL Royals 4, DSL Astros Blue 3 in 13 innings

W- Emmanuel Estevez (2-1)
L- Robert Corniel (0-1)

Blue home runs: None.

The Blue team pulled ahead with a run in the top of the 13th, but the Royals walked off with the win in the bottom of the inning.

Angel Tejeda put them on the board with an RBI double in the 3rd. Ozziel Sanchez-Galan hit an RBI single in the 5th, and Nicolás Miranda smacked an RBI double in the 13th inning. Tejeda, Sanchez-Galan, and Nestor Tejada all had 2 hits on the day.

Jheyson Caraballo allowed a run on 3 hits and fanned 3 in 6 innings. Johsson Arias allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2 in 3 innings. Juan Cuevas was next, and he allowed 2 hits and struck out 2 over 2 scoreless innings. Robert Corniel allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and walked 1 in 1.2 innings.

DSL Phillies2 8, DSL Astros Orange 2

W- Jose Jimenez (1-0)
L- Miguel Matos (2-1)

Orange home runs: None.

Kendy Moya scored both of the Orange team's runs. He scored the first run of the game on an error that allowed Ramiro Rodriguez to reach in the 1st; Rodriguez was credited with an RBI. Moya scored again on a single from Enmanuel Valdez in the 3rd. Valdez finished 2-4.

Asael Uribe allowed an unearned run on 3 hits, walked 3, and fanned 2 in 4.1 innings. The bullpen faltered badly in the late innings. I'll leave it at that.

Friday's Stars

Photo from MiLB.com

Ryne Birk, 2B, Tri-City

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

Photo from MiLB.com

Carmen Benedetti, 1B/OF, Tri-City

3-4, RBI, 3 R

Photo by Bryan Green

Randy César, 3B, Tri-City

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

Enjoy the game kid #LoveMyJob #astros ⚾️

A photo posted by Louis-philippe Pelletier (@lp_pelletier24) on Jul 11, 2016 at 4:47pm PDT

Photo from his Instagram account

L.P. Pelletier, 2B, GCL Astros

2-5, solo HR (1); first pro HR

Photo by Bryan Green

Wilson Amador, OF, GCL Astros

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

Photo by Bryan Green

Juan Piñeda, 2B, GCL Astros

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

Ramon Laureano, OF, Lancaster

4-5, 2 2B, 2 HR (10), 3 RBI, 4 R on his birthday

Jamie Ritchie, C, Lancaster

3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI

Franklin Perez, RHP, Quad Cities

W (2-2), 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Albert Abreu, RHP, Quad Cities

Save (3), 4 IP, H, 5 K

Photo by Bryan Green

Luis Payano, OF, Greeneville

Go-ahead 2-R HR (3) in game 1 of doubleheader