Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Fresno 14, Las Vegas 4

W- Rogelio Armenteros (2-0)
L- Vance Worley (0-2)

Fresno home runs: A.J. Reed (4, 2-run in 2nd)

The Grizzlies jumped out to a 9-0 lead after four innings and ended up with 20 hits in another romp.

Rogelio Armenteros allowed six hits and issued a walk in his five innings of work. Kent Emanuel and Chris Nunn threw two innings apiece out of the bullpen. Emanuel allowed one hit and struck out two; the one hit was a solo homer hit by Phil Evans. Nunn allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits and also fanned two.

Josh James will make his AAA debut tonight at 7:05. He'll go up against Logan Taylor.

Corpus Christi was off

The Hooks are back home and they'll begin a series with Midland at 7:05.

Buies Creek 4, Carolina 3

W- Jesús Balaguer (3-1)
L- Alec Kenilvort (0-2)
S- Colin McKee (1)

BC home runs: None.

Buies Creek's offense came alive with a three-run 7th that put them in front. Prior to that, they only had one run and one hit.

That one run came courtesy of Troy Sieber, who hit a double with one out in the 5th that was that one hit until the 7th inning. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Carlos Canelón's groundout.

Aníbal Sierra hit a one-out single in the 7th. Sieber drew a walk, and Canelón singled to load the bases for Kristian Trompiz, who hit a flyball that resulted in a force out at second. Sierra scored but Canelón was thrown out at second for the second out. Alfredo Angarita came through with an RBI single and an error on the play allowed Trompiz to score what turned out to be the decisive run.

Jorge Alcala threw 5.2 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, walked two, and struck out six. Jesús Balaguer has had a rather rough start to May, but he's hoping that this outing is a step back in the right direction. He walked two and struck out three over 2.1 scoreless innings. The Mudcats threatened in the 9th, but Colin McKee found a way to close it out. He worked around a walk and a single to secure the victory, striking out two.

Abdiel Saldaña will start the first of a three-game series in Myrtle Beach. He'll face Alex Lange at 7:05 Eastern.

Quad Cities 7, Fort Wayne 1

W- Yohan Ramirez (3-2)
L- Emmanuel Ramirez (1-2)

QC home runs: Jake Meyers (3, solo in 3rd), Corey Julks (3, solo in 8th)

The Banditos dominated the two afternoon games to take this series from the TinCaps.

Yohan Ramirez turned in a gem as he allowed a hit, walked three, and struck four over seven shutout innings. Fort Wayne spoiled the shutout in the 9th with a solo homer off Carlos Sanabria. Sanabria pitched two innings and allowed two other hits, walked one, and struck out two.

Jake Meyers opened the scoring by leading off the 3rd with a homer. Cody Bohanek singled to lead off the 4th and dashed home on a Marcos Almonte double. Quad Cities broke things open with four runs in the 6th.

Bohanek tripled to lead off the inning and Almonte brought him in with a single. Almonte advanced to second on Corey Julks' groundout and scored on Meyers' double. Meyers stole third and Jonathan Arauz worked a walk. Arauz successfully stole second and Meyers took advantage of the errant throw down to score another run. Julks launched a leadoff home run in the 8th for the last Quad Cities run. Almonte, Meyers, and Bohanek all had two hits on the afternoon.

The River Bandits will start a three-game series with the Lake County Captains at 6:35. Luis Garcia will start the opener and he'll take on Gregori Vasquez.

Wednesday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Yohan Ramirez, RHP, Quad Cities

W (3-2), 7 IP, H, 3 BB, 4 K

Jake Meyers' photo is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Marcos Almonte, UTIL, and Jake Meyers, OF, Quad Cities

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

Meyers: 2-5, 2B, solo HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB (6)

This is his mugshot on MiLB.com.

Jesús Balaguer, RHP, Buies Creek

W (3-1), 2.1 IP, 2 BB, 3 K

Photo from their Wikipedia page.

Fresno Grizzlies: W 14-4 @ Las Vegas

14 R, 20 H, 2 E

A.J. Reed: 2-R HR (4)

Tyler White: 4-6. 2 2B, 4 RBI, 4 R

J.D. Davis: 4-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R

Kyle Tucker: 2-4, 2 RBI, R

Tony Kemp: 2-6, 3B, 2 R

Rogelio Armenteros: W (2-0), 5 IP, 6 H, BB

Beyond the Astros Top 30: Utility Players

As the old year fades away and the new season approaches, it's time to start looking at those players of interest who are beyond the Astros Top 30 (or 32 ... see below). These players may not ever make a Top 30 list (or they may), but a combination of projections, actual results, incremental improvements and intangibles keep them in the mix as interesting players to watch. I am not including any players in these posts who have already made their major league debuts since, presumably, anyone reading my blog is already very familiar with those players.

Now that all of the major players (Baseball Prospectus, FanGraphs, MLB Pipeline and Baseball America) have weighed in with their Astros Top Prospect Lists, I've integrated all of the rankings into one consensus top prospect ranking that includes 32 Astros players (16 were ranked on all four lists, nine were on three of four and the final seven were on two of four). I highly recommend checking out the included links for all of the great information provided.

Unsurprisingly, there are no true utility players on the current Astros top prospect lists since top prospects are generally projected at a specific position. Marwin Gonzalez, one of the best utility players to ever put on a uniform for the Astros, was ranked by Baseball America at #20 in 2012, but he was expected to play middle infield back then. Most utility players fall into that category more by need than by design, but their value to a team can be immense. Here are a few Astros farm hands who have shown the versatility and flexibility to contribute where needed.

UTILITY PLAYERS BEYOND THE TOP 30 (in alphabetical order)

Jack Mayfield - September 2014

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Marcos Almonte (R/R)
Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2014 for $35,000, Almonte played his fourth professional season with the Low A Quad Cities team. In 84 games, he hit .248/.276/.382 with 14 doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 11 stolen bases (8 caught stealing). He started the season off really well, batting .314/.344/.529 in 31 games in April and May which led to his Midwest League All-Star selection, but then struggled as the season unfolded, ending it on the DL. Almonte played at six different positions in 2017 with the most time spent at second base and in left field where he displayed the strongest defensive abilities. The biggest knock on Almonte is that, as he has climbed the ranks, his walk rate has fallen and his strikeout rate has risen. That is something he will have to work on if he wants to remain in the mix, but with his ability to make contact to all fields, run a little and display some decent power, I find him to be an interesting player. He will be 22 later this month and, entering his fifth pro season, will need to start moving more quickly up the ladder.
Key: Reverse his walk-to-strikeout rate trend and stay healthy!

Rodrigo Ayarza (S/R)
Originally, I wasn't going to include Ayarza in this post, mainly because he will be headed into his seventh season of pro ball in 2018 and just recently turned 23, making the calendar more enemy than friend, but I decided to ignore that for a moment to acknowledge pretty darn good seasons from him in 2017 and in Australia this past winter (summer for Aussies). Ayarza started his season with 37 games at Low A Quad Cities hitting a robust .316/.345/.544, leading to his June 1st promotion to High A Buies Creek. He struggled somewhat after the promotion and ended up missing a month of the season from late June to late July, but was coming on strong at the end of the season. In 40 games down under, he collected a  .292/.324/.476 batting line. Ayarza played five positions in 2017, contributing his mostly solid defense primarily at second base, left field and third base. A switch-hitter, Ayarza hits for more power from the left -- 16 of his 20 doubles and all eight of his home runs in 2017 came from the left -- but hits for average almost as well from the right as from the left. Ayarza isn't a base-stealing threat and rarely walks, but he does make consistent contact from both sides of the plate. Ayarza was signed as a minor league free agent in 2014 following his release by the Rangers organization. He was originally signed by the Rangers out of Panama in 2011.
Key: Work on his on-base skills while figuring out a way to turn back the hands of time. [UPDATE: Ayarza was released prior to the 2018 season.]

Jack Mayfield (R/R)
Mayfield, a non-drafted free agent signed in 2013 out of the University of Oklahoma, has often been overshadowed by his high draft pick teammates, but if you looked closely, you would find him on the California League All-Star roster alongside A.J. Reed and Brett Phillips in 2015 and on the Texas League All-Star roster alongside J.D. Davis, Garrett Stubbs and others in 2017. Mayfield divided the 2017 season between Corpus Christi (70 games) and Fresno (42 games), hitting a combined .283/.327/.500 with 28 doubles, two triples and a career high 20 home runs. He can expand the field at times, but most of his power is pull-heavy. Mayfield also doesn't walk a lot, but manages to get consistent hard contact and limits his strikeouts to a manageable level. Defensively, Mayfield is limited to the infield where he is better at the middle infield positions, but can hang in there at third. Mayfield's biggest asset, though, is probably his determination to do everything within his power to help win a game. He won't give up an at-bat and he won't bail on a possible double-play with the runner coming in hard. I know it's cliche, but he's going to give you 100% every time.
Key: Consistency. He had a pretty consistent season in 2017 and, if he can replicate that, it will go a long way in proving his value.

Others to Watch (in alphabetical order):

There were also several other players noted in prior posts who could play up in utility roles. Click on previous post links below for more info on these players

Alfredo Angarita (2B Post): 2017 appearances - 2B-14, SS-12, 3B-8, LF-3, RF-1, CF-1
Jose Carrillo (C Post): 2017 appearances - C-26, 1B-22, SS-1, 3B-1
Jeury Castillo (2B Post): 2017 appearances - 2B-31, 3B-17, SS-1, LF-1
Alex DeGoti (2B Post): 2017 appearances - 2B-50, SS-39, 3B-12
Drew Ferguson (CF Post): 2017 appearances - CF-55, LF-35, RF-21
Sean Mendoza (3B Post): 2017 appearances - 3B-23, LF-16, 2B-14, SS-8, CF-6, 1B-1
Kendy Moya (LF Post): 2017 appearances - LF-35, 2B-17, 3B-5, SS-3, RF-2, P-1
Josh Rojas (3B Post): 2017 appearances - 3B-30, 2B-22, SS-3, LF-1
Kristian Trompiz (SS Post): 2017 appearances - SS-44, 2B-24, 3B-10, 1B-5, LF-1
Ronaldo Urdaneta (2B Post): 2017 appearances - 2B-19, CF-17, SS-12, LF-6, 3B-5

Previous Posts:
Shortstop
Second Base
First Base

Third Base
Center Field
Right Field

Left Field
Catchers

Getting to Know Quad Cities Marcos Almonte and Abdiel Saldana

If you're new to WTHB?, you may not know that I now make it a habit to reach out to Doris Gonzalez, the Astros Supervisor of Education and Acculturation, in order to find out which of her Latin American students in the Astros organization are ready for the challenge of an English-language interview. It's a win-win. The students get to practice their English and I get the opportunity to get to know them just a little bit better. On my recent trip to Quad Cities, my victims interviewees were Utility Player Marcos Almonte and RHP Abdiel Saldana. First a little background ...

Marcos Almonte - July 2017

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Almonte signed with the Astros in February 2014 and quickly emerged as a Super Utility player with his ability to play multiple positions, hit for power and steal the occasional base. He has cooled off since his hot start to the season (.314/.344/.529 in April and May), but playing for his first full season team, he is still learning to refine his approach at the plate. According to Quad Cities Manager Russ Steinhorn, "He's learning and he's learning a lot. He's still having success. It's good to see him take in the information, learn the information, learn about the opposing pitching. He sees where he needs improvements. It's good to see him ... honing in on what he needs to do to continue to go through the organization." Personality-wise, Almonte is very outgoing, "a ball of energy ... smiling and bouncing around," and is eager to interact with the American players and show off his new English skills after classes.

Abdiel Saldana - July 2017

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Saldana, who signed with the Astros out of Panama in October of 2013, has had the opposite trajectory to his season. After mostly forgettable results through early May, he has exhibited nothing short of excellence since. In his 15 appearances starting May 9th, he is 4-2 with a save, a 1.52 ERA and a 1.183 WHIP over 47.1 innings of work. Steinhorn thinks the cool weather to start the season may have been a factor in Saldana's early struggles, but he noted, "As soon as the chill left, he's been phenomenal. He moved into the rotation and he's been great." Saldana has also been a great help to Quad Cities Pitching Coach Drew French, helping him communicate with the large number of Spanish-speaking pitchers on the staff, many of whom aren't as advanced as Saldana in their English skills. "Saldana's been really, really good. He's held a lot of roles and he's shown a lot of leadership," said Steinhorn.

Marcos and Abdiel, thank you for your time and thank you for being willing to talk with me! Best of luck to both of you as the season continues.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, June 16, 2017

Let's play two in Midland!

Fresno 15, Albuquerque 14

W- Trent Thornton (4-2, 5-4 season)
L- Shane Carle (0-3)
S- Brendan McCurry (1)

Fresno home runs: Jon Kemmer (8, led off game), Preston Tucker (12, 2-run in 6th), Reid Brignac (7, 2-run in 7th), Tyler White (9, 3-run in 7th), Colin Moran (14, 2-run in 7th)

The Grizzlies assumed their Tacos persona in a road game for the first time ever to counter the Isotopes, who became the Green Chile Cheeseburgers for one night. Yeah, that rolls off the tongue nicely. Anyway, this game was an absolute nightmare if you are a fan of pitcher's duels. 29 runs, 42 hits, 9 of which were homers.

The Tacos erased a 6-1 deficit and then had to hang on for dear life in the bottom of the 9th.

Tyler White extended his hitting streak to 10 games. All 10 have been multi-hit games. This will definitely be one of the more ridiculous non-Dominican Summer League box scores you'll see this season:

The pitching staff got demolished. As the old adage goes... some things are probably better left unsaid. Fortunately, the Tacos did slightly more damage.

Fresno is finally home. They'll host the three teams they played during their long sojourn, only in a slightly different order. El Paso will be the first guests at Chukchansi Park. Mike Hauschild will start against Tyrell Jenkins at 7:05 Pacific.

Game 1: Corpus Christi 6, Midland 2

W- Akeem Bostick (4-1, 6-2 season)
L- Evan Manarino (1-3)

CC home runs: Jack Mayfield (5, 6 season; 3-run in 1st), J.D. Davis (17, solo in 3rd), Kyle Tucker (2, 11 season; solo in 5th)

The Hooks started off the twinbill with a bang, sending 3 out of the park.

Jack Mayfield launched a 3-run homer to open the scoring. Ramon Laureano doubled to lead off the 2nd and scored on a Tony Nuñez RBI single, the only Corpus run that didn't score on a home run. J.D. Davis led off the 3rd with a homer, and Kyle Tucker smacked one to start the 5th. Mayfield finished 3-4 in game 1, while Davis (2B, solo HR) and Nuñez (RBI, SB) had 2 hits apiece.

Akeem Bostick went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 8 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Jacob Dorris struck out 1 over the final 2 innings; he faced one batter over the minimum because he hit a batter.

Game 2: Corpus Christi 4, Midland 3

W- Kent Emanuel (3-3)
L- Lou Trivino (6-1)
S- Andrew Thome (4, 5 season)

CC home runs: None.

Corpus swept the doubleheader behind a 3-run 6th inning.

Jason Martin singled to lead off game 2. He then stole 2nd (2, 11 season) and scored the first run of this game on an error that allowed J.D. Davis to reach safely. This was the Hooks' only run until the 6th; in the meantime, Kenny Wilson hit a 2-run homer in the 4th to put the Hounds in front.

Davis, Jon Singleton (singles), and Garrett Stubbs (BB) loaded the bases to start the top of the 6th inning. Davis scored on a Ramon Laureano groundout and Trent Woodward followed by lashing a 2-run double to give Corpus a 4-2 lead. Martin (3B, R, SB) and Singleton both went 2-4 in the nightcap.

Kent Emanuel went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 8 hits (2-run homer), walked 1, and struck out 2. Andrew Thome pitched the last 2 innings and didn't face too much trouble, although he was greeted with a single that allowed one of Emanuel's runners to score. That was the only hit that Thome allowed and he struck out 3.

Alex Winkelman will get the start tonight as Corpus Christi looks for the sweep. He'll face Ben Bracewell at 7:00.

Buies Creek and Winston-Salem was postponed

Due to rain. A doubleheader will start at 4:00 Eastern. Hector Perez faces Dane Dunning in game 1, and Ryan Hartman gets the start in game 2 against Luis Martinez.

Quad Cities 5, Beloit 3

W- Forrest Whitley (2-2)
L- Mitchell Jordan (1-7)
S- Salvador Montaño (1)

QC home runs: Yordan Alvarez (8, 2-run in 1st), Daz Cameron (6, solo in 4th), Marcos Almonte (8, solo in 5th)

With this win and Cedar Rapids' loss, Quad Cities has moved into a tie for 2nd (and the wild-card spot in the division) with two games remaining in the Midwest League 1st half. Both teams are 1.5 games behind Kane County.

Yordan Alvarez whacked a 2-run homer in the 1st to open the scoring. Chuckie Robinson doubled to lead off the 4th, advanced to 3rd on a Ronnie Dawson single, and scored on a sac fly from Taylor Jones. One batter later, Daz Cameron launched a solo shot. Marcos Almonte started off the 5th with a solo blast. The Banditos had another opportunity to inflict more damage after Almonte's homer but couldn't cash in on a bases-loaded, one out situation. They also squandered a bases-loaded, no out situation in the 9th, but they still managed to get the win, so I'll ix-nay the plaining-comay. Almonte finished 2-5 on the night. Jonathan Arauz went 3-4 and scored a run.

Carlos Sanabria pitched 4.1 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Forrest Whitley was the first man out of the Quad Cities bullpen and went 3.2 innings, allowing 4 hits, walking 1, and striking out 8. He came out for the 9th but allowed singles to the first two men he faced, which prompted Salvador Montaño's entrance. Montaño took ownership of the 9th and finished off the game by striking out the next three batters. He did uncork a wild pitch to put both of Whitley's runners in scoring position, but he got himself together.

Yohan Ramirez takes on Zack Erwin in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 7:00.

DSL Astros Blue 2, DSL Royals 0

W- Ronaldo Marrero (1-0)
L- Delvin Capellan (1-1)
S- Denilson Lugo (1)

Blue home runs: None.

Ronaldo Marrero's transition into a pitcher seems to be going well. He and Denilson Lugo combined to throw a 2-hit shutout Friday morning.

Marrero allowed a hit and struck out 3 over 5 innings, while Lugo allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 2 the final 4 frames.

Yorbin Ceuta scored the first run of the day on a passed ball in the 1st inning. Anthony Rodriguez hit an RBI single in the 6th.

DSL Pirates 7, DSL Astros Orange 2

W- Oliver Garcia (1-0)
L- Jesus Bernaez (0-1)

Orange home runs: None.

Rough day in the field for Team Orange.

Leonardo Gonzalez scored the first run of the game on an error following a Jose Carrillo single. Renaigel Martis drove in the Orange team's only other run with a groundout in the 6th.

Jesus Bernaez only lasted 2 innings and allowed 5 runs (2 earned, 3 inherited runners charged to him), 2 hits, walked 5, and struck out 3. Angel Ortega allowed an unearned run and walked 2 in the 3rd. Asael Uribe pitched the last 5 innings and allowed an unearned run on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2.

Friday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Ronaldo Marrero, RHP, DSL Astros Blue: W (1-0), 5 IP, H, 3 K
Denilson Lugo, LHP, DSL Astros Blue: Save (1), 4 IP, H, 2 BB, 2 K

Asael Uribe, RHP, DSL Astros Orange: 5 IP, 3 H, unearned run, 2 BB, 2 K

Photo from Chris Creamer's SportsLogos.Net

Fresno Grizzlies, dba Fresno Tacos

W 15-14 @ Albuquerque

15 R, 20 H, E

Tyler White: 5-6, 3-R HR (9), 6 RBI

Jon Kemmer: 3-4, solo HR (8), 2 RBI, 4 R

Colin Moran: 3-6, 2-R HR (14), 2 R

Preston Tucker: 2-6, 2-R HR (12)

Photo by Bryan Green

Marcos Almonte, UTIL, Quad Cities

2-5, solo HR (8)

Salvador Montaño's photo from MiLB.com

Quad Cities River Bandits bullpen

4.2 IP, 4 H, BB, 11 K

Forrest Whitley: W (2-2), 3.2 IP, 4 H, BB, 8 K

Salvador Montaño: Save (1), IP, 3 K

Jack Mayfield, IF, and J.D. Davis, 3B, Corpus Christi

Mayfield: 3-4, 3-R HR (5, 6 season) in game 1 of doubleheader

Davis: 3-7, solo HR (17), 2 R (combined stats from both games of doubleheader)

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, June 10, 2017

The Astros' upper minors clubs are doing battle with the Padres' upper-level farm clubs this weekend.

Fresno 9, El Paso 5

W- Trent Thornton (3-2. 4-4 season)
L- Matt Magill (3-4)

Fresno home runs: Tyler White 2 (7; solo in 1st, solo in 6th), Colin Moran 2 (11; solo in 2nd, 2-run in 5th), A.J. Reed (10, solo in 2nd), Max Stassi (5, solo in 4th)

The Grizzlies battered the Chihuahuas with 6 homers. They suddenly forgot how to play defense in the 7th, but at least they had a 9-run cushion to work with and they managed to right the ship to come away with the win.

Fresno got on the board first courtesy of a Tyler White solo homer in the 1st. Colin Moran and A.J. Reed launched back-to-back homers to start the 2nd. Max Stassi led off the 4th with a homer, and two batters later, Alejandro Garcia ripped a... double to drive in Reid Brignac. Moran whacked a 2-run homer in the 5th, and White smacked his 2nd solo homer of the night in the 6th. White finished 3-5 on the evening, while Moran, Reed, and Brignac all had 2 hits.

Trent Thornton allowed 4 hits and struck out 4 over 6 shutout innings. Brendan McCurry got a double play in the 6th to erase an error, but getting that last out proved to be an adventure. He allowed 5 runs (1 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits. To be fair though, the defense didn't exactly do him any favors because they committed two errors while he was on the mound. Reymin Guduan struck out Christian Villanueva to get the elusive final out of the 6th, but not before an error allowed the two runners he inherited from McCurry to score. Guduan struck out 3 in his 1.1 innings; 2 of those came in a 1-2-3 8th. Jordan Jankowski struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th.

Mike Hauschild starts the series finale and he'll go up against Henderson native Tyrell Jenkins at 6:05 Mountain.

San Antonio 3, Corpus Christi 1

W- T.J. Weir (2-1)
L- Andrew Thome (3-4, 3-5 season)

CC home runs: None.

The Missions got 2 off Andrew Thome in the 8th to nip the Hooks.

Trent Woodward went 2-4 and opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 2nd. Jason Martin, who was thrown out trying to score another run on the play, also finished 2-4.

Kyle Smith threw 5 perfect frames in his previous start and kept his momentum going on Saturday night with 6 strong innings, allowing an unearned run on 3 hits, walking 1, and striking out a season-high 8 batters. Andrew Thome threw a 1-2-3 7th, but the Missions got to him in the 8th with a pair of RBI singles. Thome allowed 4 hits and struck out 5 in his 2 innings.

Alex Winkelman faces Michael Kelly in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 2:05.

Wilmington 8, Buies Creek 7

W- Jacob Bodner (3-0)
L- Ralph Garza Jr. (1-2)

BC home runs: None.

The Carolina Stros managed to shake off a 1st-inning grand slam, but the Blue Rocks got a run in each of their final 3 innings to snatch the win.

Buies Creek got on the board in the 2nd as Dex McCall ripped an RBI double and Spencer Johnson scored on an Anibal Sierra groundout. They took the lead with 4 in the 4th.

Stephen Wrenn reached on an error and made it to 2nd to start the inning. McCall walked to join him on the bases. Sierra went down on strikes for the first out, but Myles Straw legged out an infield single to load the bases for Alex De Goti, who walked Wrenn home. Jake Rogers followed with an RBI single. Straw looked to be dead to rights at home... the problem was, Wilmington catcher Chase Vallot dropped the ball. De Goti scored on a sac fly from Anthony Hermelyn. Straw hit an RBI infield single in the 5th.

Everyone in the lineup recorded a hit. Hermelyn went 3-5, while Straw (RBI, R, SB), Randy César, and Stephen Wrenn (2 R) all turned in 2-hit games.

Hector Perez went 3.2 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits (grand slam), walked 5, and struck out 1. Sebastian Kessay got Perez out of a bases-loaded predicament to end the 4th without incident. Kessay ended up going 3.1 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits and fanned 3. Ralph Garza Jr. allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in the 8th.

Buies Creek and Wilmington will wrap up their series at 1:35 Eastern as Franklin Perez faces Scott Blewett.

Quad Cities 13, Beloit 5

W- Erasmo Pinales (2-1)
L- Jhenderson Hurtado (0-1)

QC home runs: Marcos Almonte (7, solo in 3rd), Carmen Benedetti (2, 3-run in 8th)

The Banditos went on a 12-1 run over the remainder of the game after falling behind 4-1 after the first two innings.

Carlos Sanabria went 3 innings and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits (3-run homer), walked 2, and struck out 5. Erasmo Pinales stopped the bleeding with 4 scoreless, allowing just 1 hit, walking 1, and striking out 4. Abdiel Saldaña allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 3 over the final 2 innings.

Ronnie Dawson opened the scoring with a sac fly in the 1st. Marcos Almonte led off the 3rd with a solo homer, then three walks loaded the bases for Taylor Jones, who got plunked to bring in another run. Daz Cameron followed with a 2-run double.

Daz added another RBI double to his ledger in the 5th inning. Carmen Benedetti launched a 3-run homer in the 8th, and Quad Cities tacked on 4 more in the 9th for good measure. Yordan Alvarez got plunked with the bases loaded. Chuckie Robinson reached on a fielder's choice that scored Almonte; an error on the play also allowed Benedetti to score. Alvarez scored the final run of the evening when Osvaldo Duarte beat out a double play attempt.

Almonte went 4-6, scored 4 times, and stole a base (7). Daz finished 3-4 with a couple of doubles, a run scored, and a stolen base (13). Benedetti, Duarte, and Jonathan Arauz each had 2 hits. Jones didn't score a run, while Arauz didn't drive in a run.

Forrest Whitley starts game 3 of this series. He'll face Mitchell Jordan at 2:00.

DSL Marlins 5, DSL Astros Blue 4

W- Elkin Alcala (1-0)
L- Ronny Garcia (0-1)

Blue home runs: None.

The Marlins scored 5 in the top of the 9th to stun the Blue team.

Ronaldo Marrero allowed 2 hits and struck out 5 over 5 shutout innings. Marrero is converting to a pitcher with the Astros after starting his career at 2B with the Phillies, who originally signed him in 2013.

Denilson Lugo pitched 3 scoreless innings, but the 9th proved to be a nightmare as he allowed 4 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 in 3.2 innings. Ronny Garcia got the final out of the 9th, but he also allowed what turned out to be the game-winning run and 2 hits.

Yorbin Ceuta opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 3rd. Alfredo Angarita ripped an RBI triple in the 5th and scored on an error that also allowed Ceuta to reach safely; Ceuta was credited with an RBI. César Cortez hit an RBI groundout in the 7th. Ronaldo Urdaneta went 3-4 with a double, 2 stolen bases (4), and scored 3 of the Blue team's 4 runs on the day.

The Blue team will take on the Marlins again on Monday.

DSL Cubs1 4, DSL Astros Orange 3

W- Edward Vasquez (1-0)
L- Angel Ortega (1-1)

Orange home runs: None.

The 9th inning proved to be unkind to both DSL teams on Saturday. The Orange team ended up walking off with a loss.

All 3 of Team Orange's runs came in the 2nd: Ramiro Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch strikeout and Jose Barajas ripped a 2-run double.

Jesus Bernaez went 3 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. Asael Uribe was the first man out of the Orange team's bullpen and threw 4 scoreless, allowing a hit, walking 4, and fanning 5. The one hit that Angel Ortega allowed was costly because it was a walk-off homer. Ortega also allowed an unearned run and walked 1 in his 1.2 innings.

These two teams play again on Monday.

Saturday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Ronaldo Marrero, RHP, DSL Astros Blue: 5 IP, 2 H, 5 K
Ronaldo Urdaneta, IF, DSL Astros Blue: 3-4, 2B, 3 R, 2 SB (4)

.@yordan_almonte pic.twitter.com/B36XPTpYCV

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) May 29, 2017

.@daz_cameron16 pic.twitter.com/sI1blJ8bRZ

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) May 29, 2017

.@Carmatron32 pic.twitter.com/n8mtEjnWA6

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) June 5, 2017

All photos above taken by Rich Guill

Marcos Almonte, UTIL, Daz Cameron, OF, and Carmen Benedetti, OF, Quad Cities
Almonte: 4-6, solo HR (7), 4 R, SB (7)
Cameron: 3-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, R, SB (13)
Benedetti: 2-5, 3-R HR (2), 2 R


Erasmo Pinales, RHP, Quad Cities
W (2-1), 4 IP, H, BB, 4 K

Kyle Smith, RHP, Corpus Christi
6 IP, 3 H, unearned run, BB, 8 K

Myles Straw, OF, Buies Creek
2-4, RBI, R, SB (15)

Trent Thornton, RHP, Fresno
W (3-2, 4-4 season), 6 IP, 4 H, 4 K

Tyler White, IF, and Colin Moran, IF, Fresno
White: 3-5, 2 solo HRs (7)
Moran: 2-4, 2 HR (11), 3 RBI

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Fresno 8, Albuquerque 2

W- Mike Hauschild (1-1)
L- Matt Flemer (2-4)

Fresno home runs: Preston Tucker 2 (10; solo in 2nd, 2-run in 8th), D.J. Fisher (13, 2-run in 1st)

Fresno won a Taco Tuesday game for the first time this season as Preston Tucker bludgeoned the 'Topes with a pair of homers.

I'm not what sure what the Rangers did to Mike Hauschild while he was there, but he hasn't had the greatest start to his 2017. He did turn in his best outing of the season on Tuesday, however, going 6 innings and allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, walking 3, and striking out 3. Kevin Comer, Dayan Diaz, and Tyson Perez all threw a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. Comer was first and worked around a couple of hits and got a strikeout in the 7th. Diaz and Perez both allowed a hit and struck out 1 in the 8th and the 9th, respectively.

D.J. Fisher's 2-run blast in the 1st put the Tacos on the board first. This was his third consecutive game with a homer. The elder Tucker clubbed a solo shot in the 2nd inning. Tony Kemp hit an RBI single in the 5th and added an RBI triple to his ledger in the 7th. One batter later, he trotted home on Tyler White's single. Tucker capped off the evening by whacking a 2-run homer in the 8th.

Kemp went 3-4 and finished a home run shy of the cycle. Tucker's two hits were both homers, and Juan Centeno also had two hits in his return to Fresno.

The Grizzlies have today off. They'll start a 4-game series with Tacoma on Thursday.

Springfield 4, Corpus Christi 3

W- Kevin Herget (1-2)
L- Jacob Dorris (1-1)

CC home runs: J.D. Davis (12, solo in 6th)

The Hooks kicked off this roadtrip by walking off with a loss in the Ozarks. 

Jack Mayfield opened the scoring with an RBI double in the 2nd inning. Later in the frame, Drew Ferguson drove in a run in painful fashion when he got plunked with the bases loaded. J.D. Davis smacked a solo homer in the 6th. Mayfield (2B, RBI) and Garrett Stubbs both finished 2-4. In their Texas League debuts, Kyle Tucker went 1-4 and Jason Martin was 0-2 with a walk.

Kent Emanuel went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 7 hits (solo homer) and struck out 3. Alex Winkelman was the first man out of the Corpus bullpen and allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2 in 2 innings. The Cardinals got the winning run off Jacob Dorris with a swinging-bunt RBI single with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th. Dorris allowed one other hit and struck out 1 in 1.2 innings.

Game 2 of this series has Rogelio Armenteros facing Dakota Hudson at 6:30.

Buies Creek was off

The Carolina Stros are back home and they will begin a 4-game series with Carolina tonight at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 8, Cedar Rapids 2

W- Carlos Sanabria (1-2)
L- Eduardo Del Rosario (4-3)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos pounded out 16 hits while Carlos Sanabria flirted with a perfect game.

Sanabria was perfect through 6 and ultimately went 6.2 innings. The two runs he allowed came on a homer hit by Jermaine Palacios in the 7th inning. The three hits he allowed all occurred to lead off the inning. He also walked 1 and struck out 7. Abdiel Saldaña retired all four Cedar Rapids hitters he faced, striking out one of them, and Lucas Williams worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

Yordan Alvarez scored the first run of the evening when Marcos Almonte drove him in with a single in the opening frame. Osvaldo Duarte chipped in with an RBI single in the 4th, and then Quad Cities blew this one wide open with 4 in the 5th.

Chuckie Robinson led off the big 5th with a single, advanced to 2nd on a sac bunt from Almonte, and scored on a Ronnie Dawson double. Dawson advanced to 3rd on a Wander Franco groundout, then Daz Cameron walked and stole 2nd. Taylor Jones came through with a 2-run single which prompted the Kernels to make a pitching change. Jones advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch and Duarte greeted the new Cedar Rapids pitcher with an RBI double. Almonte ripped an RBI double in the 6th and Robinson scored the final Quad Cities run of the game on Franco's groundout.

Dawson and Alvarez both finished with 3 hits and 2 runs scored. Duarte and Almonte both had 2 hits and drove in 2. Robinson also finished with 2 hits on the night; he scored twice and walked twice.

The Banditos and Kernels will continue their series at 6:35. Neither team has announced their starters for this game, so I'm assuming (probably incorrectly) that Quad Cities has a pending transaction.

Tuesday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

What on earth is happening here.

Tony Kemp (seated), 2B, Fresno

3-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R; finished HR shy of cycle

Photo by Bryan Green

Carlos Sanabria, RHP, Quad Cities

6.2 IP, 3 H (2-R HR allowed), 2 ER, BB, 7 K

Perfect through 6 innings

.@SteveSparks37 Yordan Alvarez pic.twitter.com/Jt753n3ZLR

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) May 17, 2017

.@yordan_almonte pic.twitter.com/B36XPTpYCV

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) May 29, 2017

Yordan Alvarez's and Marcos Almonte's photos taken by Rich Guill

Ronnie Dawson, OF, Yordan Alvarez, 1B, and Marcos Almonte, UTIL, Quad Cities
Dawson: 3-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R
Alvarez: 3-4, 2B, 2 R, BB
Almonte: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI

Preston Tucker, OF, Fresno
2-4, 2 HR (10), 3 RBI

Mike Hauschild, RHP, Fresno
W (1-1), 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Let's play two in Corpus Christi! Let's also try to play two in Buies Creek!

Tacoma 5, Fresno 3

W- Kyle Hunter (2-0)
L- Kevin Comer (1-1)
S- Jean Machi (5)

Fresno home runs: Tyler White (4, 2-run in 1st)

The Rainiers got a pair of runs in the late innings to take this one.

Tyler White launched a 2-run homer in the 1st to put Fresno on the board first. Colin Moran drove in the other Grizzlies run with a sac fly in the 3rd. White finished 3-3 on the day, while Tony Kemp went 2-4 with a double, a stolen base (8), and scored two of Fresno's three runs.

Trent Thornton went 4 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Aaron West was the first man out of the Grizzlies bullpen and allowed 3 hits in 1.1 innings. Reymin Guduan got the final two outs of the 6th and the first out of the 7th, retiring one via strikeout. Kevin Comer got the last two outs of the 7th, but the one run he allowed came on a homer from Tyler O'Neill that gave Tacoma the lead. He allowed one other hit and struck out 1. Dayan Diaz allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1 in the 8th.

Mike Hauschild will face Andrew Moore in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05 Pacific.

Game 1: Springfield 3, Corpus Christi 2 in 8 innings

W- Landon Beck (1-0)
L- Andrew Thome (3-2, 3-3 season)
S- Kevin Herget (4)

CC home runs: Drew Ferguson (5, solo in 3rd)

The Cardinals got to Andrew Thome late to snatch the win in the first game of the twinbill.

In his Texas League debut, Alex Winkelman went 6 innings and allowed a run on 9 hits (all singles) and struck out 5. Thome allowed 2 runs on 5 hits (solo homer) and struck out 1 in 2 innings.

Drew Ferguson scored both of Corpus Christi's runs in game 1. He extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a solo homer in the 3rd inning. J.D. Davis hit an RBI single in the 5th inning to bring him in. Jamie Ritchie went 2-3.

Would the second game bear a more positive result?

Game 2: Corpus Christi 5, Springfield 2

W- Sean Stutzman (1-0)
L- Blake McKnight (1-4)

CC home runs: None.

Corpus got an excellent spot start from Yohan Ramirez as they earned the split in the nightcap

The one run that Ramirez allowed in his 4.2 innings was a solo homer from Alex Mejia in the 5th. He also allowed 2 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 8. Sean Stutzman took over for the final 2.1 innings, and he too allowed a solo homer; Oscar Mercado took him deep in the 7th. Stutzman allowed one other hit and struck out 3.

Trent Woodward opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st. Garrett Stubbs chipped in with a 2-run single in the 2nd, and Ferguson delivered a 2-run single of his own in the 6th. Bobby Boyd went 3-3 with a couple of doubles and scored twice. Ferguson extended his hitting streak to 21 by finishing 2-3 and scoring twice. Stubbs went 2-4, and Jack Mayfield scored the other Corpus run.

The series concludes at 7:05 as Rogelio Armenteros takes on Dakota Hudson.

Buies Creek 8, Salem 3 in 5 innings

W- Sebastian Kessay (4-1)
L- Daniel McGrath (0-4)

BC home runs: Jake Rogers 2 (2, 8 season; solo in 2nd, solo in 5th)

This game was called due to lightning, which also wiped out the second game of the doubleheader. Fortunately for the Carolina Stros, they made it through 5 innings, so this game goes into the record books as a win.

Jason Martin ripped a triple in the 1st and scored the first run of the afternoon when Kyle Tucker beat a double play attempt. Little Tuck ended up scoring when Spencer Johnson got caught stealing 2nd and held out long enough for Tucker to scamper home.

Jake Rogers smacked his first homer of the day in the 2nd inning. Later in the frame, Randy César came through with the bases loaded, hitting a 2-run single. An error on the play allowed Myles Straw to score. Pat Porter hit an RBI single in the 3rd, and Rogers launched his second homer of the game in the 5th inning. He finished 3-3 on the evening while Straw went 2-2.

In his first appearance since coming off the DL, Franklin Perez allowed 3 runs (1 inherited runner charged to him) on 3 hits and struck out 3 in 2.1 innings. Sebastian Kessay allowed 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2 in 2.2 scoreless innings to get the win.

The Astros and Red Sox will conclude this series with a doubleheader. Game 1 starts at 1:00 Eastern.

Peoria 7, Quad Cities 4

W- Yeison Medina (1-0)
L- Carlos Sanabria (0-1)
S- Eric Carter (4)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos put up a crooked number in the 2nd to open the scoring, but the Chiefs hit back with 5 in the 5th to turn the tables.

Taylor Jones opened the scoring with an RBI double in the 2nd. One batter later, Osvaldo Duarte smacked a 2-run double. Marcos Almonte, who scored the first run of the evening, hit an RBI single in the 5th for one of his four hits on the night.

Carlos Sanabria went 4.1 innings and allowed 5 runs (3 inherited runners charged to him) on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 2. Forrest Whitley made his first relief appearance of the season and his first task was to get Sanabria out of a bases-loaded quagmire. Unfortunately, all three runners scored. Whitley went 2.2 innings and allowed a run of his own on 4 hits, walked 3, and struck out 4. Ronel Blanco pitched the final two innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1.

Enoli Paredes gets the start as Quad Cities wraps up this series. He'll go up against Bryan Dobzanski at 6:35.

Wednesday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Jake Rogers, C, Buies Creek

3-3, 2B, 2 solo HR (2; 8 season)

Tyler White, IF, and Tony Kemp, 2B, Fresno

White: 3-3, 2-R HR (4)
Kemp: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, SB (8)

Alex Winkelman, LHP, Yohan Ramirez, RHP, and Sean Stutzman, LHP, Corpus Christi

Winkelman: 6 IP, 9 H (all singles), ER, 5 K in game 1 of doubleheader

Ramirez (not pictured): 4.2 IP, 3 H (solo HR allowed), ER, BB, 8 K in game 2 of doubleheader

Stutzman: W (1-0), 2.1 IP, 2 H (solo HR allowed), ER, 3 K in game 2 of doubleheader

Drew Ferguson, OF, Corpus Christi

1-2, solo HR (5), 2 R, 2 BB in game 1 of doubleheader

2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB in game 2 of doubleheader

Currently on 21-game hitting streak

Photo by Bryan Green

Marcos Almonte, UTIL, Quad Cities

4-5, RBI, R

3rd consecutive multi-hit game

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, May 22, 2017

While the Astros did battle with the Tigers, their farm clubs took on the Rangers and Cardinals.

Memphis 9, Fresno 0

W- Josh Zeid (2-1)
L- David Martinez (1-6)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Redbirds forced a split by erupting for 7 runs in the 9th to push their lead to the eventual final score.

David Martinez pitched decently, but the absence of the offense meant that he had to take the L. In 6.1 innings, he allowed 2 runs on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 5. Reymin Guduan was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen and allowed a hit and walked 1 in 1.2 scoreless innings. Ryan Thompson, unfortunately, had to bear the brunt of the Redbirds' onslaught in the 9th. I'll just leave it at that.

Eduardo de Oleo went 2-4 in his first AAA game. Teoscar Hernandez doubled and also stole 3rd, his 5th steal of the season.

The Grizzlies are in the Pacific Northwest for four games against Tacoma starting at 6:05 Pacific. David Paulino will take on Tyler Cloyd.

Corpus Christi 7, Frisco 6

W- Andrew Thome (3-1, 3-2 season)
L- Reed Garrett (1-5)

CC home runs: J.D. Davis (10, 2-run in 6th), Trent Woodward (2, solo in 8th), Drew Ferguson (4, solo in 8th)

The Hooks snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and the series from the Roughriders as they scored two runs in each of the last two innings.

Bryan Muñiz singled to lead off the 2nd and opened the scoring when he came home while Ramon Laureano beat a double play attempt. Frisco responded with 3 in the bottom of the 2nd to take the lead.

J.D. Davis clubbed a 2-run homer in the top of the 6th to tie the game at 3, but the Riders regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the 6th. Trent Woodward and Drew Ferguson launched back-to-back solo blasts in the 8th to put Corpus in front, but once again, Frisco had an answer as they scored two of their own in the bottom of the 8th to go out in front. Ramon Laureano ripped a 2-run triple in the 9th to put the Hooks in the lead again, and they would not relinquish it this time around.

Ferguson extended his hitting streak to 19 games. Muñiz finished 2-4 and scored twice. Jack Mayfield also went 2-4 and scored a run.

Corpus managed to win despite not having an outstanding day in the field; they committed 3 errors and all 6 Frisco runs were unearned. Kyle Smith went 5 innings and allowed 3 unearned runs on 6 hits, walked 3, and struck out 4. Jacob Dorris was the first man out of the Corpus bullpen and allowed 3 unearned runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Andrew Thome allowed both of the runners he inherited from Dorris to score in the 8th but made up for it by throwing a scoreless 9th. He allowed a hit in 1.2 innings.

The Hooks are back home, where Kent Emanuel will start the first game of a 3-game set against Springfield. First pitch is at 7:05.

Down East 8, Buies Creek 1

W- Jeff Springs (1-5)
L- Hector Perez (2-2, 3-3 season)

BC home runs: Jason Martin (7, solo in 9th)

After the Astros took the first two games in blowout fashion, the Wood Ducks returned the favor in the last two games.

Jason Martin spoiled the shutout when he smacked a solo homer in the 9th for Buies Creek's only run of the evening.

Hector Perez went 5 innings and allowed 8 runs (5 earned) on 8 hits (2-run homer), walked 1, and struck out 6. Carlos Sierra stopped the bleeding with 3 scoreless, allowing 2 hits and striking out 3.

The Carolina Stros are headed home, albeit briefly, for a 3-game series against Salem. Alex Winkelman will face Daniel McGrath at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities 5, Peoria 1

W- Cionel Perez (3-2)
L- Ian Oxnevad (0-4)
S- Kevin Hill (1)

QC home runs: Marcos Almonte (6, 2-run in 2nd)

The Banditos got a masterful performance from Cionel Perez to take the opener of this series from the Chiefs.

Cionel did not allow a hit, walked 1, and struck out 10 in 7 innings of work. Peoria greeted Kevin Hill by spoiling the no-hit bid to start the 8th and then spoiled the shutout with a run in the 9th. Hill allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3 in the final two frames.

Marcos Almonte opened the scoring by smacking a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning. The other three Quad Cities runs came in the 8th on a 2-run double from Chuckie Robinson and an RBI single from Ronnie Dawson. Almonte and Robinson both finished 2-4 on the night. Daz Cameron also had 2 hits and stole a base, his 9th of the season. The homer was Almonte's 6th of the season, which matches a career high he set in 2015 between both DSL teams and the GCL.

Gabriel Valdez gets the start in game 2 of this series. He'll take on Steven Farinaro at 6:35.

Monday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

.@CionelP threw a no-hitter thru 7 innings tonight pic.twitter.com/M4qcsUXimw

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) May 23, 2017

Photos of Cionel Perez taken by Rich Guill

Quad Cities River Bandits pitchers

W 5-1 vs. Peoria

9 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 13 K

Cionel Perez: W (3-2), 7 IP, BB, 10 K

Kevin Hill: Save (1), 2 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 3 K

Chuckie Robinson, C, Quad Cities

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

.@yordan_almonte pic.twitter.com/EQ5JhJhWLD

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) May 8, 2017

Photos by Rich Guill
Marcos Almonte, IF, Quad Cities
2-4, 2-R HR (6)

Carlos Sierra, RHP, Buies Creek
3 IP, 2 H, 3 K

Ramon Laureano, OF, Corpus Christi
1-4, go-ahead 2-R 3B in 9th, 3 RBI

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, May 4, 2017

Sacramento 4, Fresno 2

W- Kraig Sitton (2-0)
L- David Martinez (0-4)
S- Ryan Webb (2)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizzlies made it interesting with a run in the 9th, but their comeback bid fell short.

D.J. Fisher went 2-4 with a double and put Fresno on the board with an RBI groundout in the 5th inning. Jon Kemmer also finished 2-4 with a double; his two-bagger came in the 9th and he came around to score on a Juan Centeno single. Tony Kemp went 2-4 as well.

David Martinez allowed 3 runs on 7 hits (2-run homer), walked 3, and struck out 4 in 5 innings of work. Kevin Comer was the first man out of the bullpen; the RiverCats executed a double steal in the 7th and got an unearned run off of him after Centeno's errant throw down to 2nd. Comer also allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 3. Reymin Guduan allowed 2 hits and struck out 1 over 1.1 scoreless, and Sean Stutzman worked around a hit and a couple of walks to throw a scoreless 9th.

These two California rivals will wrap up their series tonight at 7:05 Pacific. Trent Thornton will get the start tonight and he'll be opposed by Dan Slania.

Midland 5, Corpus Christi 2

W- Cody Stull (2-1)
L- Cy Sneed (1-2)
S- Joel Seddon (1)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks dropped the series out in Midland.

Bobby Boyd put Corpus on the board by drawing a bases-loaded walk in the 2nd inning. Mott Hyde scored the Hooks' other run in the 4th following a balk. Tony Nuñez and Alejandro Garcia had 2 hits apiece.

Cy Sneed went 4 innings and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits (2-run homer), walked 4, and struck out 8. Carlos Hiraldo was summoned from extended spring training to fill a vacant roster spot in Corpus and acquitted himself well in his first appearance outside of the Rookie leagues, allowing a run on 7 hits and striking out 2 in 3.1 innings of work. All but one of the hits that Hiraldo allowed were singles. Andrew Thome got the final two outs of the 8th, walking 1 and striking out 1.

The Hooks will look to avoid the sweep as Kyle Smith gets the start. He'll face Ben Bracewell at 7:00.

Buies Creek 9, Myrtle Beach 4

W- Hector Perez (1-0, 2-1 season)
L- Thomas Hatch (0-3)

BC home runs: None.

The Buies Creek Astros only scored in one inning... but it was good enough for them to take game 1 in Myrtle Beach.

In his first Carolina League start, Hector Perez went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 7. Sebastian Kessay was the first man out of the Astros bullpen and threw 3 scoreless, allowing a hit and striking out 4. Nick Hernandez struck out the side in order in the 9th.

Buies Creek sent 14 men to the plate in a 9-run 4th inning. Myles Straw kicked it off with a single. Jason Martin and Dex McCall both walked to load the bases. Pat Porter went down on strikes, but Anibal Sierra reached on an error that allowed Straw to score the Astros' first run. Osvaldo Duarte put BC in front with an RBI single. The last 7 runs all came with 2 outs in the inning; Christian Correa struck out and the Pelicans made a pitching change soon after. The move panned out... for Buies Creek.

Arturo Michelena and Johnny Sewald both drew bases-loaded walks. Duarte scored on a wild pitch, and Straw hit an RBI single in his second plate appearance of the frame. Martin drew another walk to re-load the bases for McCall, who cleared them with a double. Straw went 3-5 and was the only player in the Astros lineup with a multi-hit game.

Elieser Hernandez will take on Justin Steele in game 2. First pitch is at 7:05 Eastern.

Quad Cities 11, Fort Wayne 3

W- Brett Adcock (1-0)
L- Jerry Keel (1-2)

QC home runs: Marcos Almonte 2 (5; 2-run in 4th, grand slam in 5th), Alex De Goti (3, 2-run in 5th)

The Banditos took the series from the TinCaps behind a show of force on the mound and at the plate.

Brett Adcock was stellar on the mound, allowing just one run on 4 hits, walking 1, and striking out a career-high 11 in 6 innings of work. Salvador Montaño pitched the 7th and allowed 2 runs, walked 5, and struck out 1. One run scored on a bases-loaded BB and the other scored on a sac fly. Lucas Williams allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 5 over the final 2 innings.

While Adcock dominated on the mound, Marcos Almonte terrorized the TinCaps on offense: he launched a 2-run homer to put Quad Cities on the board and in the lead in the 4th inning. Alex De Goti clubbed a 2-run homer of his own in the 5th to open up the floodgates. Jake Rogers, Randy César, and Chuckie Robinson all drew walks to load the bases for Almonte, who promptly cleared them with a grand slam.

Taylor Jones got plunked to open the 6th and Rodrigo Ayarza followed by ripping a double. De Goti walked to load the bases for Rogers, who hit a sac fly. César followed with an RBI single; an error on the play allowed De Goti to advance to 3rd. Robinson drove in the Banditos' final run of the evening by lacing an RBI single.

Almonte (2 HR, 6 RBI) and Rogers (2B, RBI, 2 R) both finished with 2 hits apiece. Rodrigo Ayarza finished 3-4 with a double, 2 runs scored, and a stolen base (1) out of the bottom of the order.

Quad Cities welcomes the Lake County Captains to Modern Woodmen Park for the weekend. Cionel Perez will start game 1 and he'll face Brady Aiken at 6:35. Yes, that is the same Brady Aiken who was drafted #1 overall by the Astros in 2014.

Thursday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

.@brett_adcock pic.twitter.com/SUSgP6k6VK

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) April 23, 2017

Photo by Rich Guill
Brett Adcock, LHP, Quad Cities
W (1-0), 6 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 11 K

Photo by Bryan Green
Marcos Almonte, UTIL, Quad Cities
2-4, 2 HR (5), 6 RBI

Lucas Williams, RHP, Quad Cities
2 IP, H, BB, 5 K

Carlos Hiraldo, RHP, Corpus Christi
3.1 IP, 7 H, ER, 2 K; first appearance above a Rookie league

.@mylesstraw pic.twitter.com/UDFekabwtA

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) July 30, 2016

Photo by Rich Guill
Myles Straw, OF, Buies Creek
3-5, RBI, 2 R

Derek Fisher, OF, Fresno
2-4, 2B, RBI
Currently on a 9-game hitting streak

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Las Vegas 6, Fresno 1

W- Donovan Hand (1-2)
L- Keegan Yuhl (1-2)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Tacos dropped their first Taco Tuesday game of the year as Vegas got the jump on Keegan Yuhl by tagging him for 5 runs in the 2nd inning.

Yuhl ultimately went 5 innings and allowed 6 runs on 7 hits (5 singles, a double, and a solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 2. Jordan Jankowski allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 3 over 2 scoreless innings. Reymin Guduan and James Hoyt both tossed a scoreless inning; Guduan allowed a hit and struck out 1 in the 8th, while Hoyt struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th.

Jon Kemmer's RBI single in the 2nd was Fresno's only scoring play of the evening. Preston Tucker, who scored on the play, went 2-4. D.J. Fisher also finished 2-4; one of his hits was a double.

Brady Rodgers will go up against Tyler Pill in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 6:35 Pacific.

Corpus Christi 10, Northwest Arkansas 9

W- Trent Thornton (1-1)
L- Ashton Goudeau (0-2)

CC home runs: J.D. Davis (2, 3-run in 3rd)

Just like they did on their season-opening tour of Arkansas, Corpus took 2 of 3 from both of the Arkansas clubs at Whataburger Field. They had to withstand a 9th-inning uprising to secure this one though.

The Naturals put up crooked numbers in all of the innings in which they scored, but the Hooks scored in more innings.

Both teams scored twice in the opening frame; Corpus Christi's two runs came when Drew Ferguson scored on a double play and Ramon Laureano came home on an error that also allowed Alejandro Garcia to reach safely. J.D. Davis clubbed a 3-run home run in the 3rd.

The Naturals scored 3 in the 4th to take a 7-5 lead, but the Hooks were able to draw even thanks to a Ferguson RBI double in the bottom of the 4th and a pair of RBI singles from Trent Woodward and Tony Nuñez in the 5th. Mott Hyde hit an RBI single in the 7th and Ferguson scored Corpus Christi's final run of the game on a wild pitch in the 8th.

The top four in the Corpus lineup (Ferguson, Ramon Laureano, Jon Singleton, Davis) all scored twice. Everyone in the lineup had a hit; Ferguson led the way with a 3-5 game. Davis and Garcia both finished 2-5.

Kyle Smith went 2.2 innings and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2. Jacob Dorris was the first man out of the Hooks bullpen and threw 1.1 innings. The three runs he allowed all came on a home run hit by Samir Duenez in the 4th inning. He allowed two other hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Trent Thornton went 5 innings and the two runs he allowed came when Mauricio Ramos took him deep in the 9th. He allowed three other hits and struck out 2.

After a day off, the Hooks will begin a series in Frisco. Kent Emanuel is listed as the starter for Thursday's opener and he'll face Yohander Mendez at 7:05 that night.

Myrtle Beach 6, Buies Creek 0

W- Dillon Maples (2-0)
L- Andrew Thome (0-1)
S- Scott Effross (3)

BC home runs: None.

A silent night from the offense spoiled a masterful outing from Alex Winkelman, who allowed just one hit and struck out a career-high 10 over 6 shutout innings. The Pelicans roughed up Andrew Thome and got all of their runs off of him. In 1+ inning, Thome allowed 6 runs (4 earned, 2 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits (2-run homer) and struck out 2. Sebastian Kessay struck out 2 in the 8th; an error allowed two of Thome's runners to score.

Not much has gone right for Osvaldo Duarte this season. He's had a rough go of it in the field and committed the error in the 8th that allowed two runs to score; it was his 8th error of the season. At the plate, it took him 6 games to reach base for the first time (via a walk) and 7 to record his first hit. Entering this series, he was 2-34 at the plate.

Duarte finished 3-4 for the second consecutive game and stole his 2nd base of the season. In the process, he has raised his average from .059 to .190 in three days.

In the series finale, Justin Ferrell will take on Oscar de la Cruz. First pitch is at 7:05 Eastern.

Quad Cities 12, Burlington 2

W- Hector Perez (1-1)
L- Andrew Vinson (1-1)

QC home runs: Marcos Almonte (1, 3-run in 2nd), Daz Cameron (3, solo in 2nd), Randy César (2, solo in 3rd), Ronnie Dawson (1, 2-run in 3rd), Stephen Wrenn (2, solo in 4th)

The Banditos bludgeoned the Bees by smashing five home runs for the second straight evening. It was a pretty blustery evening in Burlington with 20 MPH winds blowing out to center field for this game. On the other hand, the wind was variable and just 5 MPH on Monday.

Hector Perez was the beneficiary of the generous run support; he went 5.2 innings and the two runs he allowed came on back-to-back solo homers to start the 3rd inning. He allowed two other hits, walked 1, and struck out 7. Carlos Sierra struck out 3 over 2.1 perfect innings, and Lucas Williams struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Everyone in the starting 9+1 recorded a hit. Jake Rogers kicked things off with an RBI triple in the 1st inning. Marcos Almonte made quite a first impression by whacking a 3-run homer in the 2nd inning. Two batters later, Daz Cameron smacked his 3rd homer of the season. Alex De Goti followed by ripping a double and came home on Rogers' double.

Randy César led off the 3rd with a homer and Ronnie Dawson clubbed a 2-run homer later in the inning. Stephen Wrenn launched a solo shot in the 4th. Dawson scored on a wild pitch in the 6th and Rodrigo Ayarza capped off the romp with an RBI double in the 7th.

Quad Cities will look for the sweep as Ryan Hartman takes the mound. He'll face Sam Pastrone at 11:30 AM.

Tuesday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Photo by Bryan Green

Marcos Almonte, IF, Quad Cities

2-5, 2B, 3-R HR (1), 2 R; season debut

Photo by Bryan Green

Alex Winkelman, LHP, Buies Creek

6 IP, H, 10 K

14.1 IP, 4 H, BB, 21 K, .089 opponent BA, 0.35 WHIP in first 3 appearances this season

Jake Rogers, C, Quad Cities

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

Currently on a 7-game hitting streak

Quad Cities pitchers: W 12-2 @ Burlington

9 IP, 4 H (2 solo HR), 2 ER, BB, 11 K

Hector Perez: W (1-1), 5.2 IP, 4 H (2 solo HR allowed), 2 ER, BB, 7 K

Carlos Sierra: 2.1 IP, 3 K

Lucas Williams: IP, K

Drew Ferguson, OF, and J.D. Davis, 3B, Corpus Christi

Ferguson: 3-5, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R

Davis: 2-5, 2B, 3-R HR (2), 2 R

Both are currently on 7-game hitting streaks.