Astros Farm Report: 6/4

Catching you up on the latest Astros MiLB news ...

Happy (First) Draft Day!! Astros County is a great source for info on the players drafted by the Astros, but Dustin and I will try to keep you informed on the important stuff like twitter and/or instagram handles.

WISHING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

Hector Pérez - May 2018

Photo by Jayne Hansen

6/4: LHP Kent Emanuel (26)
6/4: 1B/C/OF José Álvarez (18)
6/5: OF Carlos Machado (20)
6/6: LHP Cristofer Mezquita (18)
6/6: RHP Hector Pérez (22)
6/9: 1B Yuli Gurriel (34)
6/10: RHP José Bravo (21)

ROSTER MOVES/TRANSACTIONS

For players assigned to the Dominican Summer League which started play on Saturday, see Dustin's great post with detailed info on each player.

6/3: 2B/SS Cody Bohanek assigned to Quad Cities from Fresno
6/3: OF Derek Fisher optioned to Fresno (after being activated from the MLB DL)
6/3: OF Josh Reddick sent to Corpus Christi for a rehab assignment
6/3: SS Antonio Nunez (Fresno) activated from the DL
6/1: LHP Carlos Hiraldo assigned to Corpus Christi from extended spring training
6/1: RHP Yoanys Quiala suspended for an undisclosed number of days
6/1: LHP Kit Scheetz assigned to Corpus Christi from Buies Creek
6/1: LHP Adam Bleday assigned to Buies Creek from Quad Cities
6/1: C Gerry Castillo assigned to the GCL from the DSL
6/1: SS Yorbin Ceuta assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: 3B Sean Mendoza assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: RHP Fredy Medina assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: RHP Manny Ramirez assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: 1B Rhandall Sanchez assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: RHP Angel Macuare assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: OF Wilyer Abreu assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: 2B Jeury Castillo assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: 2B Ronaldo Urdaneta assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: SS Freudis Nova assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: SS Deury Carrasco assigned to the GCL from the DSL
6/1: 3B Yeuris Ramirez assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: C Brandon Benavente assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: RHP Luis de Paula assigned to the GCL from the DSL

6/1: C Nerio Rodriguez assigned to the GCL from the DSL
6/1: LHP Jervic Chavez assigned to the GCL from the DSL
6/1: RHP Jose Alberto Rivera assigned to the GCL from the DSL
6/1: RHP Elian Rodriguez assigned to the GCL from the DSL
5/31: RHP Ralph Garza assigned to Fresno from Corpus Christi
5/31: RHP Oscar Severino (DSL) released (signed out of the Dominican Republic in July 2016)
5/30: RHP Angel Ortega (DSL) released (signed out of Venezuela in July 2016 for $180,000)
5/30: RHP Asael Uribe (DSL) released (signed out of the Dominican Republic in March 2016)
5/30: OF Kendy Moya (DSL) released (signed out of the Dominican Republic in March 2016)
5/30: LHP Denilson Lugo (DSL) released (signed out of Venezuela in July 2016)
5/29: C Tim Federowicz (Fresno) called up to Houston and placed on the 40-man roster
5/29: RHP Jorge Alcala assigned to Corpus Christi from Buies Creek
5/29: RHP Tyler Ivey assigned to Buies Creek from Quad Cities
5/29: 3B Adrian Tovalin (Quad Cities) activated from the DL (on since 5/12)
5/28: OF Derek Fisher sent to Fresno for a rehab assignment

Missed from last week:

5/24: RHP Lupe Chavez reinstated from the Voluntary Retired List
5/22: SS Hector Leon (DSL) traded to the Orioles for international bonus pool money (signed out of Venezuela in August 2017)

ASTROS MILB DISABLED LIST

6/3: RHP Andrew Thome (Fresno) placed on the 7-day DL (retroactive to 6/2)
6/1: LHP Yeremi Ceballos (DSL) placed on the 60-day DL
6/1: RHP Carlos Quintero (DSL) placed on the 60-day DL
6/1: RHP Dariel Aquino (Quad Cities) placed on the 7-day DL
5/29: RHP Matt Ramsey (Fresno) placed on the 7-day DL
5/27: OF Carmen Benedetti (Corpus Christi) placed on the 7-day DL
5/26: RHP David Paulino (Fresno) placed on the 7-day DL (retroactive to the 25th)
5/16: LF Yordan Alvarez (Corpus Christi) placed on the 7-day DL
5/12: RHP Akeem Bostick (Corpus Christi) placed on the 7-day DL
5/8: RHP Kevin Hill (Corpus Christi) placed on the 7-day DL
5/4: RHP Francis Martes (Fresno) placed on the 7-day DL
5/3+/-: RHP Gerardo Bojorquez had TJ surgery per Instagram post
5/2+/-: OF Patrick Mathis out for approx. 6 weeks per Instagram post
4/26: RHP J.B. Bukauskas (Quad Cities) placed on the 7-day DL
4/5: RHP Ryan Thompson assigned to Fresno (starting the season on the 7-day DL); according to Instagram Ryan has had surgery, but I don't know whether or not it was TJ
4/5: RHP Edgardo Sandoval (Quad Cities) placed on the 7-day DL
4/5: RHP Matt Ruppenthal assigned to Quad Cities (starting the season on the 7-day DL)
4/5: RHP Ángel Heredia (Corpus Christi) placed on the 7-day DL
4/5: RHP Nick Hernandez (Corpus Christi) placed on the 7-day DL (Tommy John)
4/5: RHP Jose Luis Hernández (Buies Creek) placed on the 7-day DL

I will be keeping track of all the releases, retirements, trades and signings for the 2018 season here.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Bennett got to watch his daddy pitch for the first time! (Not real sure if he saw any of it 😂) #BringYourKidToWorkDay pic.twitter.com/pLDegN5j82

— Brady Rodgers (@Rodg_20) May 29, 2018

ASTROS MILB STANDINGS
Up and down arrows represent increase/decrease in win percentage over the prior week.

FRESNO (Pacific Coast League)

🠉1st 34-23 .596 -.-GB W2

CORPUS CHRISTI (Texas League)

🠉2nd 33-23 .589 2.0GB L1

BUIES CREEK (Carolina League)

🠉1st 32-24 .571 -.-GB W1

QUAD CITIES (Midwest League)

🠉T1st 32-25 .561 -.-GB W2

DSL ASTROS (Dominican Summer League Northwest)
🠋T5th 0-1 .000 1.0GB L1

TRI-CITY (New York-Penn League)
Season starts 6/15/18

GCL ASTROS (Gulf Coast League)
Season starts 6/18/18

ASTROS MILB STANDOUTS FOR THE WEEK

Stats are for the week of 5/28 through 6/3. (Check out the May Standouts here.)

FRESNO

OF Derek Fisher: 6 games, .545/.600/.909 (hit for the cycle 6/1)
OF Jon Kemmer: 4 games, .450/.450/1.000
IF Jack Mayfield: 5 games, .429/.409/.762
OF Kyle Tucker: 6 games, .292/.379/.750 (13 RBI!)
IF Tyler White: 6 games, .320/.379/.560

Garrett Stubbs and Eduardo de Oleo hit a combined .440/.481/.600 out of the catcher's position.

RHP Josh James: 1 start, win, 1.29 ERA/1.000 WHIP, 7 IP (1 BB:9 K)
RHP Trent Thornton: 1 start, win, 1.50 ERA/0.667 WHIP, 6 IP
RHP Rogelio Armenteros: 1 start, win, 1.50 ERA/0.833 WHIP, 6 IP
RHP Mike Hauschild: 1 start, win, 1.50 ERA/1.167 WHIP, 6.0 IP (0 BB:8 K)
RHP Cy Sneed: 1 start, 2.57 ERA/1.286 WHIP, 7 IP
RHP James Hoyt: 4 perfect bullpen appearances, 2 saves, 3.1 IP
LHP Buddy Boshers: 2 bullpen appearances; 0.00 ERA/0.375 WHIP, 2.2 IP

CORPUS CHRISTI

OF Stephen Wrenn: 6 games, .417/.481/.875
1B Taylor Jones: 6 games, .381/.500/.667
SS Alex De Goti: 6 games, .375/.444/.667
C Jamie Ritchie: 3 games, .455/.538/.455
3B Randy Cesar: 6 games, .296/.345/.630 (26-game hitting streak)

LHP Cionel Perez: 1 start, 0.00 ERA/0.800 WHIP, 5 IP (1 BB:7 K)
RHP Yoanys Quiala: 1 game, win, 0.00 ERA/0.800 WHIP, 5 IP (1 BB:6 K)
RHP Riley Ferrell: 2 perfect bullpen appearances, 1 save, 2.1 IP
LHP Kit Scheetz: 2 bullpen appearances (between Buies Creek and Corpus Christi), win, 0.00 ERA/0.692 WHIP, 4.1 IP, 0 of 3 inherited runners scored

BUIES CREEK

OF Luis Payano: 5 games, .429/.529/.500
OF Ronnie Dawson: 5 games, .368/.429/.526
OF Chas McCormick: 6 games, .333/.360/.458

LHP Brett Adcock: 1 start, 0.00 ERA/0.400 WHIP, 5 IP (0 BB:6 K)
RHP Gabriel Valdez: 2 games/1 start, win, 1.13 ERA/0.750 WHIP, 8 IP
RHP Tanner Duncan: 1 bullpen appearance, save, 0.00 ERA/0.429 WHIP, 2.1 IP, 0 of 3 inherited runners scored
RHP Colin McKee: 1 bullpen appearance, win, 0.00 ERA/1.000 WHIP, 3 IP

QUAD CITIES

1B Jake Adams: 7 games, .357/.400/.786
OF Jake Meyers: 7 games, .321/.424/.536 (3 outfield assists)
SS Jonathan Arauz: 7 games, .333/.394/.400

LHP Patrick Sandoval: 2 games/1 start, 2 wins, 0.00 ERA/1.444 WHIP, 9 IP
RHP Cristian Javier: 1 game, 2.08 ERA/0.923 WHIP, 4.1 IP, 0 of 2 inherited runners scored
RHP Willy Collado: 1 game, 2.25 ERA/1.000 WHIP, 4 IP, 0 of 2 inherited runners scored (Quad Cities debut)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Josh James - April 2018

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Here is what I wrote about RHP Josh James coming in to the 2018 season:

I have long been a fan of James. He works hard, has a great pitcher's build and is aggressive on the mound. His 2017 season with AA Corpus Christi was a tale of two seasons. From April through July, James had a 2.81 ERA and a 1.203 WHIP in 67.1 innings and he earned a Texas League All-Star nod. Then, after missing the first two weeks of August, James only managed 8.2 innings over his final four appearances, going 0-4 with a 16.62 ERA and a 3.461 WHIP. It doesn't take a "rocket surgeon" to see that something was amiss with Mr. James at the end of the season. I don't have any recent notes regarding James's pitch repertoire, but I previously had him with a low to mid-90's fastball and a plus slider that may play up in a move to the bullpen. James, who was drafted in the 34th round in 2014 out of Western Oklahoma State College, recently turned 25 earlier this month.
Key: I honestly think that in this pitching-rich Astros organization, James's best opportunity may be a move to the bullpen. If that happens, as I think it may, he will need to embrace that opportunity.

Well, James is still in the rotation and after a successful start with AA Corpus Christi (2.49 ERA/1.246 WHIP in 6 games/4 starts), he was rewarded with a promotion to AAA Fresno in early May. In four starts at the higher level, James has a 3.38 ERA and a 1.125 WHIP with his last start being his most successful outing for Fresno thus far (7 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 9 K).

NEWS AND LINKS

Brian McTaggart gives a preview of the Astros MLB Draft.

Buies Creek RHP Tanner Duncan's great story.

A quick Q&A with Corpus Christi Hooks LHP Ryan Hartman.

And in case you missed any of these, here are my recent interviews:

OF Chas McCormick (Buies Creek)
OF J.J. Matijevic (Buies Creek)
RHP Brandon Bielak (Buies Creek)
LHP Brett Adcock (Buies Creek)
SS Alex De Goti (Corpus Christi)
1B Taylor Jones (Corpus Christi)
RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Corpus Christi, since promoted to Fresno)

FORMER ASTROS UPDATE

Mike Foltynewicz - March 2013

Photo by Jayne Hansen

RHP Mike Foltynewicz was originally drafted by the Astros in the first round (19th overall) in 2010 out of Minooka HS in Minooka, IL. After five years in the Astros system (including 16 bullpen appearances for the Astros in late 2014), Folty was traded along with 3B Rio Ruiz and Andrew Thurman to the Braves for C Evan Gattis and RHP James Hoyt in January 2015. In his first three seasons with the Braves, he was 23-24 in 69 games with a 4.85 ERA and a 1.453 WHIP. In 12 starts so far in 2018, Folty is 5-3 with a 2.22 ERA and a 1.159 WHIP. His last appearances was a complete game 2-hit shutout (1 BB:11 K). In his last five appearances, he is 3-1 with a 0.56 ERA and a 0.938 WHIP. If Folty manages to put all the pieces together consistently (as is the case so far this season), he will indeed be a force to be reckoned with.

THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL

With last week being the 75th anniversary of the AAGPBL (All-American Girls Professional Baseball League) and the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup preliminary festivities, there have been a ton of links about women in baseball recently.

The Hidden Queer History Behind "A League of Their Own"

Decades after playing pro baseball, a lefty pitcher for the Fort Wayne Daisies gets a little help from the Midwest League Fort Wayne TinCaps.

And my personal favorite for the week, "If she's playing baseball, she must be a badass."

Looking at the Evan Gattis Trade

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published this article on Tuesday focusing on former Astros RHP Mike Foltynewicz and his road to recovery from a blood clot and related surgery last year. His first appearance of the spring season in a split squad game was rated a solid "Holy Cow!"

Mike Foltynewicz - March 2013

Photo by Jayne Hansen

That led me to wonder how all the players from that January 2015 trade with Atlanta are faring since they left the Astros fold.

RHP Mike Foltynewicz is, according to the above article, expected to be able to join the Braves as soon as mid-April. He split his 2015 season between AAA Gwinnett and Atlanta. With Gwinnett, he was 1-6 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.376 WHIP. He walked 26 and struck 63 in 56.2 innings. For the Braves, Folty was 4-6 with a 5.71 ERA and a 1.627 WHIP, walking 29 and striking out 77 in 86.2 innings. Through two Spring Training appearances, Foltynewicz has a 4.76 ERA and a 0.882 WHIP in his 5.2 innings of work. He is 24.

RHP Andrew Thurman has only appeared in one Spring Training game with the big league club at this point, but he was perfect in that one inning. The former 2013 second rounder's 2015 season was a tale of two seasons. He was putting up very nice numbers in his first six appearances in High A (2.51 ERA and 1.206 WHIP in 32.2 IP), but then this happened. Thurman missed almost two months to the disabled list after the bus accident. After coming back, he put up a 5.02 ERA and a 1.413 WHIP in his final 13 appearances of the season and his Arizona Fall League Campaign was mostly forgettable. Thurman was ranked #28 in the Braves system in Baseball America's 2016 Prospect Handbook. He is also 24.

3B Rio Ruiz struggled in his first taste of AA for the Braves (.229/.331/.318 in 126 games), but this article from the Atlanta paper reports a newly focused and more mature Ruiz showed up for Spring Training this year. In six games with the big league club, he has hit .400/.455/.500. Ruiz, who turns 22 in May, was ranked #17 in the Braves system by Baseball America going in to the 2016 season.

In return for Foltynewicz, Thurman and Ruiz, the Astros obtained DH Evan Gattis and minor league right-hander James Hoyt. Gattis hit .246/.285/.463 with 20 doubles, a mind-boggling 11 triples and 27 home runs in his first season for the Astros in 2015. He is currently working his way back from an injury (sports hernia) and is not expected to be ready by opening day. Gattis is 29.

Hoyt's 3.49 ERA and 1.204 WHIP for AAA Fresno in 2015 is somewhat misleading as he was significantly stronger in the second half of the season. He built on that with an excellent showing in Venezuelan winter ball which I spoke with him about in this December 2015 interview. In eight Spring Training appearances, Hoyt is 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA and a 0.840 WHIP. He has held hitters to a .071 batting average. He was ranked #27 in the Astros system by Baseball America going in to the 2016 season despite being much older than the average prospect at 29 years of age (see the linked interview for more on that as well).

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

Nothing but 5-star reviews for the 2016 Houston Farm System Handbook!!! Get yours today.

Happy Birthday - 10/7

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Mike Foltynewicz (23)
Drafted in the first round in 2010 out of high school in Illinois, Foltynewicz pitched in 21 games (18 starts) in Oklahoma City with a 5.08 ERA and a 1.461 WHIP before getting making his major league debut on August 2nd. In 16 bullpen appearances for the Astros, Folty had a 5.30 ERA and a 1.607 WHIP.

Happy Birthday wishes also go to Jason Schwartz, Lancaster JetHawks broadcaster and friend of WTHB.

Two former Astros mark the day as well ~

LHP Floyd Bluford "Butch" Henry (46)
If my name was Floyd Bluford, I'd go by Butch too! Originally drafted by the Reds in the 15th round in 1987, Henry came to Houston in September 1990 as a part of the Bill Doran trade with the Reds. Two years later, he was drafted from Houston by the Rockies in the 1992 expansion draft. In 28 starts in 1992, he went 6-9 with a 4.02 ERA and a 1.364 WHIP.

Manager Grady Hatton (died April 11, 2013 at age 90)
Hatton managed the Astros in 1966, 1967 and part of 1968, with a record of 164-221.

Tweet of the Day

Congrats to my roomie @Folty25 on getting the callup! Sholty!!!
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) August 1, 2014

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, May 30, 2014

Oklahoma City 2, Omaha 1

W- Alex White (1-0)
L- Buddy Baumann (1-1)

OKC home runs: None.

The RedHawks avoided the sweep in dramatic fashion as they scored a pair in the 9th and executed the ol' walk-off squeeze play.

Mike Foltynewicz was just excellent in this one. He pitched 7.2 innings and allowed a run on 6 hits and struck out 10. Both of his double-digit strikeout outings this season have come against the Storm Chasers. Josh Zeid only faced one batter; he struck out Paulo Orlando to end the 8th. Alex White worked around a 2-out infield single to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1 in the inning.

Well, it took them the entire game, but better late than never. The RedHawks had a chance to take control earlier, but they left the bases loaded in the 7th and the 8th. 4 batters appeared in the 9th, and all 4 of them reached. Kiké Hernandez kicked off the rally by walking, and then he advanced to 2nd on a Gregorio Petit single. Hernandez would score the tying run as Matt Duffy reached on an error. Petit moved up to 3rd on the play. One batter later, Carlos Perez laid down an exquisite bunt and Petit made an "unreal" slide home for the winning run. The bunt was scored as a sacrifice and Perez received credit for the only OKC RBI. He was also the owner of the lone RedHawks extra-base hit when he doubled with 1 out in the 6th.

Memphis is in town for 4. In game 1, Jake Buchanan will face Zach Petrick. First pitch is at 7:05.

Corpus Christi 7, Northwest Arkansas 2

W- Mike Hauschild (1-0, 3-1 season)
L- J.C. Sulbaran (2-4)

CC home runs: Telvin Nash (3, solo in 6th)

The Hooks took the opener as they were able to get themselves out of the offensive rut that they were in during the last 2 games of the Arkansas series. The Naturals briefly tied the game at 2 after they scored a pair in the top of the 3rd, but Corpus ran off 5 unanswered to get the W.

Leo Heras put Corpus on the board first in the 2nd with an RBI triple. He would score on a Tyler Heineman groundout. Nolan Fontana led off the bottom of the 3rd with a ground-rule double and scored on a Jonathan Meyer fielder's choice to put the Hooks up for good. Telvin Nash finished a triple shy of the cycle (in 3 at-bats); he swatted a solo homer (3) in the 6th and scored twice. He was plunked in his final plate appearance of the evening, in the 8th inning. Before he was hit, Heineman led off the inning with a double and scored when Delino DeShields laid down a sac bunt and an error was committed on the play. Meyer brought Nash home with a pop-fly RBI single, and DeShields scored the final run of the night on another error that allowed Preston Tucker to reach, and loaded the bases. Tucker, who finished 2-5 with a double, was credited with an RBI on the play.

Mike Hauschild finally got his 1st win at the AA level after 2 really good starts and a decent one. He pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. In his AA debut, Tyson Perez fired 3 scoreless and allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Pat Urckfitz struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th to wrap it up.

In the middle game of this series, Luis Cruz and Jordan Jankowski will take on Sam Selman at 7:10.

Lancaster 9, Rancho Cucamonga 1

W- Josh Hader (5-0)
L- Geoff Brown (1-3)

Lancaster home runs: Roberto Peña (3, 2-run in 2nd)

Rancho got on the board in the 6th to make it a 2-1 game, but the JetHawks took off in the 7th with a touchdown to run away with the opener and their 7th straight victory. Also, Josh Hader continued his fine season.

Hader went 7.2 and the only ding on his line was a solo homer to James Baldwin, which constituted the entire Rancho offense. He allowed 3 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 9. J.D. Osborne retired all 4 Quakes hitters he faced, striking out 3 of them.

Before the JetHawks' assault in the 7th, their 2 runs came in the form of a Roberto Peña (3) 2-run homer in the 2nd. A couple of triples from Ruben Sosa and Jordan Scott signaled the beginning of the end for the Quakes. Tony Kemp then ripped an RBI double. Teoscar Hernandez walked, and then Carlos Correa hit a 2-run single. Rio Ruiz continued the assault with an RBI double, and after Peña went down for the 2nd out, Conrad Gregor drew a walk. Dan Gulbransen capped it off with a 2-run triple. Rio finished 3-4, while Correa was 2-5 with a steal (13). Sosa also had a double to go along with his triple, which served as the catalyst for the big inning, and Peña also ripped a double to go along with his blast.

Game 2 of the series has Mark Appel making his return to the Lancaster rotation. He'll take on the young phenom, Julio Urias, at 6:00 Pacific.

Quad Cities 7, Beloit 3

W- Edison Frias (2-3)
L- Lou Trivino (3-4)

QC home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (7, grand slam in 1st)

The River Bandits swept the Snappers out of the Quad Cities as they raced out to a 7-0 lead after 4 innings, powered by Mitchell's slam in the 1st.

Chase McDonald opened the scoring in the 1st with an RBI single. Later on in the inning, Mitchell homered for the 4th straight game. The grand slam (7) extended his hitting streak and his RBI streak to 5 games. The last time he hit a grand slam was in Little League. Tyler White went 2-3 with a couple of doubles; one of them brought home Brian Holberton in the 3rd. Chan-Jong Moon added an RBI double in the 4th. Holberton and Jon Kemmer also had 2-hit nights.

Edison Frias went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and struck out 7. Chris Cotton allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 2. Tyler Brunnemann finished it off by retiring all 5 Snappers he faced, striking out 3 of them.

QC will now begin a 3-game series in Wisconsin; Evan Grills will start the opener against Zach Quintana at 6:35.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Roberto Peña, C, Lancaster

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

2.

Ronnie Mitchell, RF, Quad Cities

1-2, Grand Slam (7); 4th straight game with a home run

1.

Telvin Nash, 1B, Corpus Christi

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

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Tyson Perez, RHP, Corpus Christi

3 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K; AA debut

2.

Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Oklahoma City

7.2 IP, 6 H, ER, 10 K

1.

Josh Hader, LHP, Lancaster

W (5-0), 7.2 IP, 4 H (solo HR), ER, BB, 9 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Saturday, May 24, 2014

YES SIR

Oklahoma City 10, Memphis 4

W- Mike Foltynewicz (4-3)

L- Zach Petrick (2-2)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Corpus Christi 7, Northwest Arkansas 4

W- Troy Scribner (2-0)

L- Cody Fassold (1-1)

S- Andrew Robinson (2)

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

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

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

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

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

Lancaster 6, Inland Empire 2

W- Josh Hader (4-0)

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

S- Chris Devenski (3)

Lancaster home runs: None.

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

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

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

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

Quad Cities 5, Cedar Rapids 2

W- Jandel Gustave (4-2)

L- Ethan Mildren (0-3)

S- Andrew Walter (4)

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

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

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

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

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

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Preston Tucker, OF, Corpus Christi

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

2. Momentum-shifting home runs for Quad Cities.

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

Conrad Gregor, 1B

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

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

Tyler White, 3B

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

1.

Domingo Santana, RF, Oklahoma City

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

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

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Oklahoma City

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

2.

Jandel Gustave, RHP, Quad Cities

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

Josh Hader, LHP, Lancaster

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

1.

Andrew Walter, RHP, Quad Cities

Save (4), 2.1 IP, H, K

Chris Devenski, RHP, Lancaster

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

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, May 18, 2014

Nashville 2, Oklahoma City 1

W- Jimmy Nelson (5-1)
L- Mike Foltynewicz (3-3)
S- Donovan Hand (8)

OKC home runs: None.

Both teams had 4 hits, but Nashville had one more in the column that counts. Domingo Santana's RBI groundout in the 6th represented the lone RedHawks run. Kiké Hernandez went 2-3 with a double.

Mike Foltynewicz pitched solidly, even though he got saddled with the loss. He went 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 7. Jason Stoffel threw 2 scoreless and allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1.

The RedHawks will now begin the 2nd leg of this long roadtrip: 4 games in New Orleans. Brett Oberholtzer gets the start in the opener against TBA. First pitch is at 7:00.

Midland 8, Corpus Christi 2

W- Ryan Doolittle (2-2)
L- Travis Ballew (0-1)

CC home runs: Preston Tucker (9, solo in 2nd), Telvin Nash (4, solo in 6th)

Yep, the wheels fell off for Corpus in the 8th as Midland scored a touchdown in the inning. 

The blasts from Tucker and Nash represented the Hooks' 2 runs. Tucker has homered in 3 straight. Andrew Aplin was the only player in the starting 9+1 with a multi-hit day as he went 2-4. Joe Sclafani's 6-game multi-hit streak is over, but his overall hitting streak was extended to 8 games. 

Mike Hauschild dazzled yet again; he went 7 innings and gave up a run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 8. Travis Ballew and Jorge De Leon both struggled. Let's.... let's just leave it at that.

In the series finale, Luis Cruz will face Chris Jensen at 7:10.

Rancho Cucamonga 9, Lancaster 8 in 10 innings

W- Rob Rogers (2-1)
L- Tyson Perez (0-3)

Lancaster home runs: Teoscar Hernandez (6, 3-run in 5th)

The JetHawks erased a 7-1 deficit by scoring 7 unanswered to take the lead, only to see Rancho walk off with the win.

Teoscar Hernandez, who was in the leadoff spot for the 1st time this season, opened up the scoring by coming home on a balk from Tom Windle in the 1st. He then sparked the comeback with his 3-run shot in the 5th. Carlos Perdomo finished 2-4 with an RBI single in the 7th.

Rio Ruiz kicked things off in the 8th with a double and scored on a single from Danry Vásquez. He took 2nd on the throw home, advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch, and scored on Jordan Scott's double. Scott reached in all 4 of his plate appearances (3 hits and a HBP) and had a 3-hit game for the 2nd day in a row. Jobduan Morales, who was at bat when Vásquez went to 3rd on a wild pitch, ended up walking. He moved to 3rd on Scott's double and scored the go-ahead run on another wild pitch. Morales went 0-4 in his Lancaster debut, but scored twice.

Chris Devenski went 3 innings and allowed 5 runs on 5 hits (3-run homer) walked 1, and struck out 5. Juan Minaya got dinged by a 2-run homer by Corey Seager in the 4th. He allowed 1 other hit and struck out 1 in 2 innings. Josh Hader tagged in and was excellent once again. He allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 9 in 4 innings of work. Tyson Perez did not retire either of the 2 hitters he faced (2 hits) in the 10th and was charged with the winning run for the Quakes, which was unearned.

Zach Morton will make his JetHawks debut in the series finale. He'll take on Fabio Martinez at 7:05 Pacific.

Quad Cities 10, Kane County 3

W- Jandel Gustave (3-2)
L- Daury Torrez (4-2)

QC home runs: Brian Holberton (3, 2-run in 4th)

One day after getting no-hit, the River Bandits got the split as they led by as much as 10-1 and pounded out 17 hits. Everyone had one except for Tanner Mathis.

Brian Holberton was dominant at the plate, as he became the first Quad Cities player to hit for the cycle since April 19, 2005, when Brandon Yarbrough did it. At that time, the franchise was known as the Swing of the Quad Cities. Yarbrough's cycle also occurred in Kane County, so I thought that was interesting.

Holberton, who ultimately finished 5-5 with 5 RBI, doubled in the 2nd, smacked a 2-run homer in the 4th, added an RBI single in the 5th, and completed the cycle with a 2-run triple in the 7th. He topped it off with another single in the 9th inning.

The 2 River Bandits runs that weren't batted in came in the 4th. Brett Booth was credited with a bunt single, but 2 errors on the play allowed both Jack Mayfield and Conrad Gregor to score. Mayfield and Gregor both finished 3-5 with an RBI and 3 runs scored. Gregor's RBI came on a single in the 5th, while Mayfield's was a groundout in the 1st that put the first run of the day on the board. After Holberton finished his cycle in the 7th inning, he scored on a Tyler White sac fly.

Jandel Gustave went 5 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits. Michael Feliz tagged in for 3.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits (solo homer) while striking out 2. Albert Minnis got the final 2 outs of the game.

The Banditos will head home to kick off a 3-game set with Burlington. Edison Frias will start the opener against Elliot Morris. First pitch is at 7:00.

Three Stars

3.

Jack Mayfield, 2B/SS, and Conrad Gregor, 1B, Quad Cities

Both went 3-5 with an RBI and 3 runs scored.

2.

Teoscar Hernandez, CF, Lancaster

2-5, 3-R HR (6), 2 R

1.

Photo courtesy of Bryan Green

Brian Holberton, C, Quad Cities

5-5, Cycle, 5 RBI, 2 R

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Oklahoma City

L (3-3), 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

2.

@jhader17 was lights out in winning game #1 against the Snappers! pic.twitter.com/G1Hc4G54do
— RGuill (@QCBanditPhotog) September 8, 2013

Josh Hader, LHP, Lancaster
4 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 9 K

1.

Mike Hauschild, RHP, Corpus Christi

7 IP, 3 H, BB, 8 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, May 5, 2014


Oklahoma City 5, Omaha 1

W- Mike Foltynewicz (3-1)
L- Ramon Troncoso (1-2)
S- Paul Clemens (1)

OKC home runs: None.

The RedHawks earned the split thanks to a couple of big 2-out hits and a combined 1-hitter from the pitching staff.

The story of the day would have to be Mike Foltynewicz. Let's just say that things got a little, uh.... testy on Twitter a couple of nights ago and leave it at that. The real story was his performance on the mound yesterday afternoon. He threw 6 innings and allowed 1 hit, a solo homer to Melky Mesa in the 3rd. The Storm Chasers only got 3 baserunners on him: Mesa's homer, and 2 walks (in the 1st and 4th). Foltynewicz struck out a career-high 12, including the final 6 batters he faced. He struck out everyone in Omaha's lineup except for Matt Fields. Paul Clemens tagged in for 3 perfect innings, striking out 1 to close it out. Together, they retired the final 16 Omaha batters, and 20 of the final 21.

Robbie Grossman led off the 3rd inning with a single. He would advance to 2nd on a sac bunt from Ronald Torreyes, and Jon Singleton got on via an intentional walk soon after. They would both advance on a Domingo Santana groundout. A Gregorio Petit walk loaded the bases, and then Kiké Hernandez laced a 1-1 pitch down the right field line to open the scoring. Andy Simunic would follow up with an RBI single to give the RedHawks a 3-0 lead.

Grossman drew a walk to begin the 7th and would come all the way around to score on a Torreyes double. Torreyes moved to 3rd on Jon Singleton's groundout and wound up scoring the final run of the afternoon on a wild pitch from Donnie Joseph. He added another double in the top of the 9th. Torreyes, Hernandez, and Simunic all had 2-hit days, while Grossman scored twice.

The RedHawks are headed home to kick off a 4-game series with Memphis. Jake Buchanan will get the start against Tim Cooney in the opener. First pitch is at 7:05.


Corpus Christi 6, San Antonio 3

W- Tommy Shirley (3-2)
L- John Hussey (1-1)
S- Jorge De Leon (2)

CC home runs: Marc Wik (1, 2-run in 6th)

The Hooks took a 2-1 lead in the 4-game set as the bullpen effectively backed up the reigning Pitcher of the Month, Tommy Shirley, who was alright himself. Also, in his first game outside of the Appalachian League, Marc Wik stole the show. Three safeties topped the field goal.

Shirley threw 5.1 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3. Both runs came in the form of back-to-back homers from Kyle Gaedele (the grandnephew of Eddie Gaedel, the shortest baseball player ever) and Lee Orr (who's from Louise, the town after El Campo when you head south on 59) in the 3rd. All 3 hits that Shirley allowed went for extra-bases; Austin Hedges doubled off of him. He wasn't at his sharpest, but he was still effective enough.

Travis Ballew was the first man out of the Corpus bullpen and got the final 2 outs of the 6th without incident. He did serve up a home run to Yeison Asencio to begin the 7th, but shook that off to retire the side, striking out 2. Pat Urckfitz worked around a single and an error to throw a scoreless 8th, striking out 1. Jorge De Leon finished it up with a 1-2-3 9th, striking out Gaedele to end it.

The Hooks got deuces in 3 innings. Joe Sclafani started things off by reaching on an error in the 1st, advanced to 3rd on another error, and scored the first run of the game on an Andrew Aplin force out. Later in the inning, Jio Mier added an RBI single. After Mier grounded out to begin the 4th, the catchers reached; Tyler Heineman walked and advanced to 3rd on a René Garcia double. Heineman scored on Marc Wik's groundout, and Sclafani brought Garcia home with a single. Wik would go on to deposit a 2-run homer onto the berm in left field in the 6th for the Hooks' final 2 runs. That was his first homer since August 21, 2012, when he was playing with Greeneville. Nolan Fontana and Preston Tucker had 2 hits apiece. Aplin was the only member of the starting 9+1 to not have a hit, but he did get an RBI on the force out in the 1st.

In the series finale, it appears that the tandem system will be back online, according to the Hooks' game notes from yesterday. Matt Heidenreich and Brady Rodgers will take on Josh Geer at 7:10.


Lake Elsinore 7, Lancaster 4

W- Joe Ross (3-2)
L- Lance McCullers (1-2)
S- Brandon Alger (1)

The JetHawks clawed their way back from an early 6-0 hole, but some missed opportunities prevented them from completing the comeback; they went 0-13 with runners in scoring position.

Lance McCullers only lasted 1.2 innings in this one, as he gave up 6 runs (5 earned) on 4 hits and walked 3. This was his first outing this season in which he failed to record a strikeout. Juan Minaya did an excellent job of picking McCullers up; he followed with 4.1 no-hit innings, walking 1 and striking out 7. Jamaine Cotton threw the final 2 innings and gave up a run on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1.

After a lull in the 3rd in which neither team scored, the JetHawks went on a little 4-0 run over the second third of the game. They got on the board with a pair in the 2nd; after Teoscar Hernandez beat out a bunt single, he scored on a Carlos Correa triple. Correa wound up scoring on a sac fly from Dan Gulbransen. Danry Vasquez led off the 5th with a double and would score 2 groundouts later. Hernandez and Correa led off the 6th with singles. They'd advance to 2nd and 3rd on a Rio Ruiz groundout, which really had some potential. However, all that came of that situation was a Gulbransen groundout that scored Hernandez. Correa finished 3-4, while Hernandez was 2-4 with 2 runs scored; he's on a 4-game hitting streak, and he's posted multiple hits in 3 of those 4. Danry Vasquez finished 2-4 with a run scored; both of his hits were doubles, and it was his 2nd straight 2-hit night.

Forgot to mention this, but this is a battle for 1st in the California League South. With the loss, Lancaster is now 2 games behind Lake Elsinore. Game 2 features another intriguing pitching matchup, as Josh Hader will face off against Zach Eflin. First pitch is at 6:05 Pacific.

Cedar Rapids 5, Quad Cities 2

W- Brandon Bixler (2-1)
L- Chris Lee (0-1)
S- Hudson Boyd (5)

QC home runs: Chase McDonald (1, solo in 5th)

The River Bandits dropped the opener and were condemned to a 3rd straight loss as their bats were held in check. They only had 4 hits in this game; one of them was a solo homer by Chase McDonald (1) in the 5th. Brett Phillips led off the 6th by reaching on an error, and after advancing station-to-station, he would score on a Conrad Gregor fielder's choice. That run actually tied the game. However, the Kernels broke the tie with a 3-run top of the 8th.

Andrew Thurman went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. Chris Lee was saddled with the loss; he allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and walked 3 in 3 innings of work. Andrew Walter threw a scoreless 9th despite facing a bases-loaded situation. He allowed a pair of singles, walked 1, and struck out 2 in the frame.

The middle game of this series will be a morning/early afternoon game. Will there be a little OKC Matinee Magic in store for Quad Cities? Jandel Gustave will face Josue Montañez at 11 A.M.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Carlos Correa, SS, Lancaster

3-4, 3B, RBI, R

2.

I spy Batman.

Enrique Hernandez, Utility, Oklahoma City

2-4, 2B, 2 RBI

1.

Marc Wik, OF, Corpus Christi

1-4, 2-R HR (1), 3 RBI; season debut

Honorable Mentions: Ronald Torreyes, Andy Simunic, Teoscar Hernandez, Danry Vasquez, Preston Tucker

Three Stars: Pitchers


3.

Photo courtesy of Bryan Green

Juan Minaya, RHP, Lancaster 
4.1 IP, BB, 7 K

1 (tie). OKC 1-hitter, led by Studmuffin himself.

Mike Foltynewicz, RHP

W (3-2), 6 IP, H (solo HR), ER, 2 BB, 12 K

#471425789 / gettyimages.com

Paul Clemens, RHP

Save (1), 3 IP, K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Let's play 2 in Davenport! Never mind.

Oklahoma City 2, Round Rock 0

W- Rhiner Cruz (1-0)
L- Justin Germano (1-3)
S- Josh Zeid (3)

OKC home runs: Gregorio Petit (2, 2-run in 1st)

This game lasted 2 hours and 7 minutes. This was the shortest OKC game since the 2012 season finale: September 3, 2012. The RedHawks topped Round Rock 1-0 that day in 2 hours, 2 minutes.

Well, there you have it. All the offense in this game came off the bat of Gregorio Petit in the 1st inning. That blast would also be the only OKC hit until the 6th, when Ronald Torreyes singled. Max Stassi had the other RedHawks hit, a single in the 7th.

The pitching staff combined on a 4-hitter. Mike Foltynewicz pitched 4 innings and allowed 2 hits, walked 4, and struck out 3. Rhiner Cruz threw 2 scoreless and allowed 2 hits while striking out 3. Chia-Jen Lo struck out 2 over 2 perfect frames, and Josh Zeid finished it with a 1-2-3 9th.

Jake Buchanan will face Ryan Feierabend in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05. The tandem system in OKC is now in a holding pattern, per Brian McTaggart.

Luhnow said OKC going with six-man rotation now that Seaton and Harrell out. Will go back to tandem starters later.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 29, 2014

OKC rotation: Owens, Foltynewicz, Buchanan, Tropeano, Martinez and Doran.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 29, 2014

Midland 9, Corpus Christi 8

W- Jesus Castillo (1-0)
L- Jorge De Leon (1-2)

CC home runs: Chris Epps (2, 3-run in 2nd)

The Hooks coughed up a 7-1 lead and wound up walking off with the loss after the RockHounds put up 4 in the bottom of the 9th.

7 of the 8 Corpus runs came in the 2nd inning. Tyler Heineman began the assault with a bases-clearing double. Chris Epps then clubbed a 3-run homer (2), and Matt Duffy added an RBI double. Andrew Aplin went 2-5 with an RBI single in the 9th, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Matt Duffy and M.P. Cokinos both finished 2-4, and everyone in the lineup scored a run except for Joe Sclafani, who was 0-2 with 3 walks.

Matt Heidenreich allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on a force out and a sac fly, a hit, walked 6, and struck out 2 in 4.2 innings of work. Jordan Jankowski went 1.1 innings and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Travis Ballew was the only Hooks pitcher with a scoreless outing, as he allowed 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1 over 2 innings. Jorge De Leon blew it.

Game 2 will feature Tommy Shirley as he faces Drew Granier at 11:00 A.M. Is the tandem system also on hold in Corpus?

Lancaster 5, High Desert 3

W- Lance McCullers (1-1)
L- Scott DeCecco (1-2)
S- Jamaine Cotton (3)

Lancaster home runs: Brandon Meredith (5, solo in 8th)

Before the game, a players-only meeting was held. According to Eric Smith, although no one discussed what was said behind closed doors, it seems that the purpose was to let some frustration go. The venting looked like it had a positive effect, as the JetHawks snapped a 3-game losing streak. Lance McCullers rendered the High Desert offense useless, and now they're in a 3-way tie with the Mavericks and Lake Elsinore at the top of the Cal League South division.

The JetHawks struck out 17 batters, which tied a team record set back in 1997, when they were a Mariners affiliate. McCullers tossed 5 shutout innings and allowed 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out a career-high 10. Kyle Smith allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits (solo homer) and struck out 7 in 3.2 innings. Jamaine Cotton got D.J. Peterson to fly out for the final out of the game.

The Lancaster offense finally cracked Scott DeCecco, who had really shackled them in his first 2 appearances. Brandon Meredith went 3-4; he singled to lead off the bottom of the 4th and scored the first run of the night on Dan Gulbransen's double. Gulbransen would score on a Carlos Perdomo sac fly, and Ruben Sosa added an RBI single to wrap up the scoring in the 4th. Perdomo, who went 2-3, scored on a force out that was hit by Jake Rodriguez in the 6th, and Meredith hit a solo shot (5) in the 8th. Rodriguez finished 2-4 with a run scored and was credited with an RBI on his force out in the 6th.

Josh Hader and Chris Devenski will face Dylan Unsworth in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 6:30 Pacific.

Quad Cities and Clinton was rained out, again

Due to wet grounds. They'll play two doubleheaders; 2 games tonight and 2 games on Thursday. Kent Emanuel (game 1) and Jandel Gustave (game 2) will be the pitchers for tonight. Emanuel will face Eddie Campbell and Gustave is taking on Tommy Burns. First pitch of game 1 will be at 6:00.


Three Stars: Position Players

3. ALL THE OFFENSE

Gregorio Petit, SS, Oklahoma City
1-3, 2-R HR (2) in 1st

2. They only had 1 hit apiece, but they sure made 'em count.

Chris Epps, OF, Corpus Christi

As the DH: 3-R HR (2) in the 2nd

4 of Epps' 7 hits have gone for extra bases. He's sporting an .848 OPS despite only hitting .206 through his first 10 games with the Hooks.

Tyler Heineman, C, Corpus Christi
1-3, 3-R 2B in 2nd, R

1.

Brandon Meredith, OF/1B, Lancaster
3-4, solo HR (5), 2 R

Three Stars: Pitchers

Hmm.... shutout, or team record?

2.

Lance McCullers

W (1-1), 5 IP, 3 H, BB, 10 K

Kyle Smith

3.2 IP, 6 H (solo HR), 3 R (1 earned), 7 K

Jamaine Cotton

Save (3); Recorded final out of the game

Cotton only needed to get one out, but his role was just as big as McCullers' and Smith's. Also, if a team's pitchers all performed well, then it would make sense to include all of them, right?

1. OKC shutout wins.

Mike Foltynewicz

4 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 K

Rhiner Cruz

W (1-0), 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K

Chia-Jen Lo

2 IP, 2 K

Josh Zeid
Save (3), IP