Astros Farm Report: 4/16

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

WISHING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

Chas McCormick - July 2017

Photo by Jayne Hansen

4/16: RHP Nivaldo Rodríguez (21)
4/19: OF Chas McCormick (23)
4/21: RHP Justin Ferrell (24)
4/21: LHP Ryan Hartman (24)
4/21: LHP Cionel Pérez (22)
4/22: RHP Bryan Abreu (21)

TWEET OF THE WEEK

But honestly.....who looks better doing the “maternity” pose? pic.twitter.com/Fvp4tZqDCn

— Brady Rodgers (@Rodg_20) April 14, 2018

ROSTER MOVES/TRANSACTIONS

4/14: LHP Carlos Hiraldo assigned to Quad Cities from extended spring training
4/14: RHP Brendan Feldmann assigned to Buies Creek from Fresno
4/13: 1B Yuli Gurriel (Houston) activated from the DL (Corpus Christi rehab assignment)
4/12: RHP Luis Garcia assigned to Quad Cities from extended spring training
4/12: RHP Cesar Rosado (Quad Cities) assigned to Tri-City (probably a roster management move)
4/12: 3B/1B J.D. Davis (Houston) optioned to Fresno
4/10: RHP Brendan Feldman assigned to Fresno from extended spring training
4/10: RHP James Hoyt (Fresno) recalled to Houston

ASTROS MILB DISABLED LIST

4/7: C Eduardo de Oleo (Fresno) placed on the 7-day DL
4/5: RHP David Paulino (Fresno) placed on the 7-day DL
4/5: RHP Ryan Thompson assigned to Fresno (starting the season on the 7-day DL)
4/5: DH Randy Vasquez (Quad Cities) placed on the 7-day DL
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
4/5: RHP Jose Luis Hernández (Buies Creek) placed on the 7-day DL

ASTROS MILB STANDINGS

FRESNO (Pacific Coast League)

1st 8-5 .727 -.-GB W5

CORPUS CHRISTI (Texas League)

3rd 5-5 .500 2.0GB W1

BUIES CREEK (Carolina League)

T2nd 6-5 .545 1.0GB W2

QUAD CITIES (Midwest League)

8th 2-5 .286 4.0 GB L1
(The River Bandits schedule has taken a hit with all the bad weather. They've already had four postponed games!)

ASTROS MILB STANDOUTS FOR THE WEEK

Through the first 11 days of the season, there have already been a few players whose work has really stood out ..

FRESNO
OF Drew Ferguson - 10G .405/,522/.595
IF Jack Mayfield - 11RBI in 10G
LHP Kent Emanuel - 0.82 ERA/0.636 WHIP in 2 starts
LHP Reymin Guduan - 0.00 ERA/0.955 WHIP in 4 appearances (7.1IP)

CORPUS CHRISTI
OF Carmen Benedetti - 8G .333/.471/.444
OF Yordan Alvarez - 10RBI in 9G
OF Myles Straw - 8SB and 10BB in 10G
RHP Brock Dykxhoorn - 1.17 ERA/1.174 WHIP in 2 games/1 start (1BB:10K)
RHP Josh James - 2.25 ERA/0.750 WHIP in 2 games/1 start (2BB:16K)

BUIES CREEK
IF Josh Rojas - 11G .289/.426/.447
RHP Carson LaRue - 0.00 ERA/0.828 WHIP in 2 starts
RHP Corbin Martin - 0.00 ERA/0.800 WHIP in 2 starts
RHP Abdiel Saldaña - 0.00 ERA/0.889 WHIP in 2 games/1 start
RHP Justin Ferrell - 0.00 ERA/0.522 WHIP in 3 appearances (7.2IP)
RHP Jesús Balaguer - 0.00 ERA/0.529 WHIP in 2 appearances (5.2IP)
LHP Kit Scheetz - 0.00 ERA/0.923 WHIP in 3 appearances (4.1IP)

QUAD CITIES (only 7 games played due to weather)
OF Bryan de la Cruz - 5G .316/.381/.421
OF J.J. Matijevic - .542 SLG in 6G
RHP Yohan Ramirez - 0.00 ERA/0.800 WHIP in 1 start

PLAYERS TO WATCH

I plan to feature one player each week who bears watching (we'll see how long this lasts when I get super busy with travel and interviews this season). Today's player is LHP Kent Emanuel.

Kent Emanuel - April 2017

Photo by Jayne Hansen

I missed the boat on Emanuel when writing up my post on left-handers to watch over the offseason. I certainly hadn't given up on Emanuel, but his 2017 season was fairly lackluster (5.72 ERA/1.745 WHIP and 12.8 H/9 in 116.1 innings between AA Corpus Christi and AAA Fresno) so I didn't include him in that post. But apparently, he had a very good Spring Training which opened some eyes and has gotten off to a very good start in Fresno this season as well (0.82 ERA/0.636 WHIP in 2 starts). With an absolute dearth of lefty pitchers in Houston, it will be extremely interesting to see how Emanuel progresses and whether or not his stock continues to rise. Emanuel was drafted by the Astros in the third round in 2013 and he will be 24 in June.

NEWS AND LINKS

This Athletic ($) post on minor league pay was first published on April 4th, but I just now got a chance to read it. It is an excellent and well-dissected piece from Levi Weaver refuting Rob Manfred's stance on minor league pay and (deservedly) calling B.S. on it. Unfortunately, none of the minor league ballplayers who follow me can actually read it because they can't afford the subscription to the Athletic.

Corbin Martin is getting off to a good start.

Will Murphy, who I knew as the Lancaster JetHawks Assistant GM, is writing a great series about his journey working in minor league baseball. Here's Part I on finding his first MiLB job with the Modesto Nuts and Part II on his experiences getting ready for his first MiLB Opening Day. I can't wait for the next installment!!

And for another aspect of the MiLB life, check out this great advice for baseball WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends) who are just entering the life.

FORMER ASTROS UPDATE

Nick Tropeano - May 2013

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Checking in today with RHP Nick Tropeano. Drafted by the Astros in the 5th round in 2011 out of Stony Brook University (NY), Tropeano was ranked as high as #9 in the Astros system by Baseball America (2013) prior to being traded (along with C Carlos Perez) to the Angels for C Hank Conger in November 2014. Tropeano was working to become an established part of the Angels rotation in 2016 when he was sidelined by Tommy John surgery in August of that year. It was a long slog back for him, but Tropeano made his first appearance for the Angels since July 18, 2016 on April 12th and pitched 6.2 scoreless innings in that start. On a personal note, Nick (or "Sweet Nicky" as I called him back in the day) was one of the nicest, most genuine people I've had the pleasure to meet in my time covering the Astros minors. We at WTHB wish him all the best (except when he's pitching against the Astros).

WE'RE COMING TO TAKE YOUR JOBS (WOMEN IN BASEBALL)

Learn about the first girl to play Little League in the 1950's (podcast or transcript if you prefer).

Alyson Footer talks with former USA Women's Baseball team members as part of her coverage of the Trailblazer Series.

Fangirling with two American treasures - Shirley Burkovich and Mae Blair of the AAGPBL. ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/2Mqk8C3new

— Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) April 14, 2018

Tweet of the Day

@JoseAltuve27 is a stud!! Pleasure to watch him play everyday. Congrats my dude, well deserved!!
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) September 17, 2014

Getting to Know Your Newest Astro: RHP Nick Tropeano

RHP Nick Tropeano will be the newest member of the Astros when he is officially added to the roster (presumably later today) as major league rosters are expanded. I really like Nick Tropeano, and not just because he's easy on the eyes.

Nick Tropeano - May 2013

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Let me introduce you to him a little bit. I wrote this profile on him back in 2012, and did this interview back then as well, and then interviewed him again last year in Corpus. Enjoy!

Tweet of the Day

August 31st already? What happened to the summer? I guess time really does fly when you're having fun!!
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) August 31, 2014

Happy Birthday - 8/27

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Nick Tropeano (24)
Drafted in the fifth round in 2011 out of Stony Brook (NY), Tropeano has spent the 2014 season with the AAA Oklahoma City team. In 22 games (19 starts), he is 9-5 with a 3.12 ERA and a 0.997 WHIP. He has walked 33 batters while striking out 118 in 121.1 innings pitched.

Severeal former Astros mark the day as well ~

RHP Jim York (67)
A 16th round pick by the Royals in 1969, York came to Houston in a trade with Kansas City prior to the 1972 season. In 114 games with the Astros from 1972 to 1975, he was 9-11 with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.646 WHIP.

C Ed Herrmann (died December 22, 2013 at age 67)
Obtained in a trade with the California Angels in June of 1976, Herrmann was with the Astros until he went to the Expos in June of 1978. In 151 games with the Astros, he hit .227/.293/.288. He was an All-Star for the White Sox in 1974.

3B David Gus "Buddy" Bell (63)
Originally drafted by Cleveland in the 16th round in 1969, Bell came to Houston in a June 1988 trade with the Reds and played for the Astros the remainder of that season. In 74 games, he was .253/.301/.375. In all, he played for four teams over a span of 18 seasons and won six Golden Gloves, a Silver Slugger and five All-Star nods.

RHP Mike Maddux (53)
A fifth round pick by the Phillies in 1982, Maddux came to Houston as a free agent in 2000 at the end of his career. In 21 games, he was 2-2 with a 6.26 ERA and a 1.573 WHIP. The well-traveled Maddux played for nine different teams in his 15-year major league career. He is currently the pitching coach for the Arlington Rangers.

Tweet of the Day

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

Tweet of the Day

You can never be "too" old to ride the shopping cart
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) July 24, 2014

Tweet of the Day

Why are there no knock knock jokes about America? Cause Freedom rings!! Haha. Happy 4th of July!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 #USA
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) July 4, 2014

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, June 2, 2014


Jon Singleton is coming!!!




Oklahoma City 8, Memphis 1

W- Nick Tropeano (3-4)
L- Angel Castro (5-4)

OKC home runs: Kiké Hernandez (4, 5 season; solo in 1st), Gregorio Petit (5, 3-run in 1st)

Nick Tropeano's brilliant outing and the 1st-inning homers you see above set the tone for the RedHawks as they took 3 of 4 from the Redbirds.

Tropeano started it off with 8 shutout innings and allowed 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. In the process, he lowered his ERA to 2.28, which puts him 3rd in the PCL. Jermaine Curtis spoiled the shutout with an RBI single off of Alex White in the 9th. That was the only hit and run that White allowed; he walked 1 in the inning.

Petit finished a triple shy of the cycle in 3 at-bats. Hernandez, L.J. Hoes, Erik Castro, and Adron Chambers had 2 hits apiece; Chambers scored twice and hit a 2-run double in the 3rd, while Hoes stole a base (1) and hit an RBI single in the 8th. Castro hit a double. Carlos Perez also had an RBI single in the 3rd.

The series finale pits Rudy Owens against Tim Cooney. First pitch is at 7:05.

Corpus Christi was off

They'll actually be starting a 4-game series with Midland tonight at 6:30. Tommy Shirley will face Drew Granier.

Lancaster 8, Rancho Cucamonga 2

W- Lance McCullers (3-3)
L- Tom Windle (4-4)

Lancaster home runs: Teoscar Hernandez (10, 2-run in 5th), Conrad Gregor (1, 2 season; solo in 8th)

The JetHawks also won their series as they overwhelmed the Quakes with a 6-run 5th inning and tacked on the 2-point conversion in the 8th. They had been down 2-0.

Lance McCullers pitched very well despite getting taken deep twice by Steven Proscia. He allowed 2 other hits (both of Proscia's homers were solo), walked 1, and struck out 6. Three relievers took it home; Mitch Lambson walked 1 and struck out 1 in the 7th, Dan Minor threw a 1-2-3 8th, striking out 1, and Juan Minaya worked around a walk to finish it off.

Tony Kemp went 2-3 and laid down a sac bunt in the 5th. The ensuing error allowed Conrad Gregor and Ruben Sosa to come home. One batter later, Teoscar put the JetHawks on top with his blast. A single and a double from Carlos Correa and Dan Gulbransen, respectively, kept the inning going; they would both score on a couple of sac flies from Jobduan Morales and Danry Vásquez. Gregor led off the 8th with a homer, and Kemp capped off the scoring with an RBI single. He, Teoscar, and Gulbransen finished with 2 hits apiece. Jack Mayfield went 0-4 in his Lancaster debut; he started at 3B and hit 7th in the order.

The JetHawks will begin a 3-game set against Inland Empire tonight beginning at 6:30 Pacific. In the opener. Kent Emanuel will face Tyler DeLoach.

From Sunday: Quad Cities 7, Wisconsin 4

W- Adrian Houser (4-1)
L- Harvey Martin (2-4)
S- Andrew Walter (5)

QC home runs: Chan-Jong Moon (1, solo in 1st), Tyler White (3 at the time, solo in 4th), Brett Booth (1, solo in 9th)

After play resumed, we saw (or listened to) a 4-4 tie, which the River Bandits broke with 3 in the top of the 9th. Everyone finished with a hit except for Thomas Lindauer; Brett Phillips, Tyler White, and Jon Kemmer had 2 each, while Brett Booth finished 3-4.

It didn't take long for the River Bandits to get the scoring going again, as Tyler White hit an RBI single in the 6th right after Brett Phillips ripped a 1-out double. White homered on Sunday before the game was suspended. In the 9th, Brett Booth broke the tie by leading off with a homer (1). Tanner Mathis hit a single and 2 errors allowed Ronnie Mitchell to score, and allowed Mathis to advance to 3rd. He would score on a Chase McDonald single.

Adrian Houser came on after play resumed; he went 3 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and struck out 3. He did not retire the one batter he faced in the 9th, but no matter; Andrew Walter struck out the next 3 to finish it.

Now, on to the regularly scheduled game.

Wisconsin 4, Quad Cities 3

W- Trevor Seidenberger (5-1)
L- Chris Lee (2-3)

QC home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (8, solo in 2nd), Tyler White 2 (5, solo in 4th, solo in 6th)

According to Baseball Mom, they were lucky to get this one in since the field was still rather wet. This was a 7-inning game in which the Banditos walked off with a loss, foiling their sweep attempt and snapping their 6-game winning streak.

White and Mitchell were the offense. They, Jon Kemmer, and Catfish Elkins (in his 1st game off the DL) had 2-hit days. This was Elkins' first appearance since April 18. White has 5-game hitting streak going. He's got 2 hits in 4 of those 5, and 6 of the 9 hits that he's recorded in this span have either been a double or a home run. In his last 10, his triple slash line reads as .394/.500/.909.

Andrew Thurman went 4 innings and allowed a run on 4 hits and struck out 6. Chris Lee struggled through 2.2 innings; he gave up 3 runs on 6 hits, walked 4, and struck out 1.

QC's roadtrip continues with 3 in Burlington starting Wednesday at 6:30.

DSL Astros Blue 3, DSL Indians 2

W- Josue Uribe (1-0)
L- Jesús Ramirez (0-1)

Blue home runs: Connor MacDonald (1, 2-run in 3rd)

A walk-off sac fly from Hayden Timberlake gave the Blue team the sweep over the Indians' Academy after they blew a 2-0 lead in the top of the 9th.

The Aussies provided all the offense in this game, as Connor MacDonald hit his first home run, a 2-run shot in the 3rd that opened the scoring. Marcos Almonte's double was the only other extra-base hit. Wander Franco went 0-1 with 3 walks and a run scored.

Erasmo Pinales threw 5 shutout innings and allowed a hit while striking out 5. Abdiel Saldaña followed with 2 scoreless, allowing a hit, walking 1, and striking out 2. Lachlan Madden struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 8th, and Josue Uribe gave up the 2 runs in the 9th and walked 1 while striking out 1. He was absolved by Timberlake's sac fly.

The Blue team is currently at the Royals' complex.

DSL Angels 5, DSL Astros Orange 4

W- Alexander Valdez (1-0)
L- Gerald Benzant (0-1)

Orange home runs: None.

The Angels scored a pair in the 6th off Gerald Benzant and took both meetings.

Cristopher Luciano put the Orange team on the board first in the 1st with an RBI single. They scored a pair in the 3rd on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Wilson Amador and an RBI single from Andy Piñeda. And, in the 4th, Vicente Sanchez scored on a wild pitch. Piñeda finished 3-4, while Ihan Bernal went 2-3. They drew 12 walks in this game! They're learning early... get yourselves on base.

Yhoan Acosta went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. Benzant threw 3 innings and gave up 2 runs (both in the 6th; 1 earned) on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5.

The Orange team is at home, hosting the Rangers 1.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Teoscar Hernandez, CF, Lancaster
2-5, 2B, 2-R HR (10)

2.

#471797823 / gettyimages.com

Gregorio Petit, SS, Oklahoma City
3-3, 3-R HR (5)

1. Oh, just hitting a couple out of the park.

@twhite409 Whatcha doin man?!?! pic.twitter.com/CICuu52f7i
— RGuill (@QCBanditPhotog) May 8, 2014

Tyler White, 3B, Quad Cities
2-3, 2 solo HR (5)

Honorable Mentions: Ronnie Mitchell, Enrique Hernandez, Adron Chambers

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Lance McCullers, RHP, Lancaster
W (3-3), 6 IP, 4 H (2 solo HRs), 2 ER, BB, 6 K

2. Erasmo Pinales, RHP, DSL Astros Blue: 5 IP, H, 5 K

1.

First and only #mcm! @PaPaTropeano worst wingman ever because he is way hotter then everyone else around pic.twitter.com/WE2E1LlCUi
— Rudy Owens (@Rudy_Owens) June 2, 2014

Nick Tropeano, RHP, Oklahoma City
W (3-4), 8 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K

Tweet of the Day

First and only #mcm! @PaPaTropeano worst wingman ever because he is way hotter then everyone else around pic.twitter.com/WE2E1LlCUi
— Rudy Owens (@Rudy_Owens) June 2, 2014

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, May 22, 2014


New Orleans 3, Oklahoma City 2 in 10 innings

W- Grant Dayton (1-0)
L- Rhiner Cruz (1-1)

OKC home runs: None.

The RedHawks had to settle for the split as they walked off with a loss in the series finale. The Zephyrs tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the 9th, then put up 2 in the bottom of the 10th after the RedHawks regained the lead in the top of the inning.

Andy Simunic hit an RBI single in the 4th to put the RedHawks on the board first. In the 10th, Max Stassi reached on a foce attempt that scored Robbie Grossman to put OKC on top 2-1. Grossman finished 3-5 and added a double. Kiké Hernandez singled in the 2nd to extend his hitting streak to 9.

Nick Tropeano had a strong start, as he allowed just 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 8 over 6.2 shutout innings. Kevin Chapman faced 1 batter; he struck out Rob Brantly to end the 7th. In his first appearance as a member of the Houston Astros organization, Alex White threw a 1-2-3 8th inning, and it took him 9 pitches (7 strikes) to do so. New Orleans finally cracked the OKC pitchers as they got all 3 of their runs off of Rhiner Cruz. 1 of those 3 runs was earned. Rhiner pitched 1.1 innings and also allowed 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1.

The RedHawks will now begin the final leg of their Big 12 Tournament roadtrip, as they're set to begin 4 with Memphis starting tonight at 7:05. David Martinez will face Tim Cooney in game 1.

Corpus Christi 3, Arkansas 1

W- Kyle Smith (1-2; 5-2 season)
L- Brandon Sisk (0-2)
S- Michael Dimock (1)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks took this one on the strength of a 3-run 7th.

Leo Heras led off the 7th by getting plunked. He advanced to 3rd on a Tyler Heineman double, and scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Nolan Fontana put Corpus on top with a 2-run single, which turned out to be the difference in this game. Matt Duffy was the only player in the starting 9+1 to have a multi-hit game; he went 2-4

Kyle Smith, after a rough introduction to the Texas League, threw his 2nd straight 1-run outing. He went 6 innings and allowed 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 5. The bullpen took it from there; Pat Urckfitz allowed 2 hits and struck out 2 over 2 scoreless, and Michael Dimock worked around a 2-out single to shut the door, striking out Vance Albitz to end the game.

The Hooks will look for the sweep as they send out Brady Rodgers. He'll face Orangel Arenas at 7:10.

Bakersfield 8, Lancaster 2

W- Mike Dennhardt (1-0)
L- Kent Emanuel (1-1; 1-3 season)

Lancaster home runs: Rio Ruiz (4, solo in 3rd), Tony Kemp (3, solo in 5th)

The JetHawks dropped the series as their offense was shackled, save for the 2 solo blasts you see above. Yesterday was Rio's birthday, so that was a rather nice present for himself.

Kent Emanuel pitched 5 innings and allowed 5 runs (all on home runs) on 7 hits (2-run and 3-run homers) and struck out 4. Tyson Perez went 2 innings and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 2, and fanned 2. Jamaine Cotton worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 8th.

The Hawks are back home, and they'll welcome Inland Empire to The Hangar for the weekend and Monday. Lance McCullers gets the start in the opener; he'll face Mike Clevinger at 6:30 Pacific.

Quad Cities 11, Cedar Rapids 6

W- Chris Lee (2-2)
L- Aaron Slegers (4-2)

QC home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (3, 3-run in 3rd)

Well, that was fun. The River Bandits were up by as much as 10-3 after the 4th. They did get outscored 4-1 the rest of the way, but that touchdown lead provided enough cushioning for them as they took the opener of this series.

Everyone in the starting 9+1 had a hit. The top 2/3rds of the lineup had 2 hits, while the bottom third had 1. Ronnie Mitchell, who was hitting 7th, had the big hit, though: he smacked a 3-run blast (3) in the 3rd as part of a 6-run outburst. He also brought home QC's first run of the evening on a sac fly in the 2nd. Also taking place in the 3rd inning was a 2-run double from Conrad Gregor and an RBI double by Tyler White.

The Bandits were a home run shy of the cycle in the 4th, as they got an RBI double from Brett Phillips, who scored on a triple from Chan-Jong Moon, who scored on a Gregor single. And finally, in the 7th, Thomas Lindauer brought White home for the final Bandits run of the night with an RBI single.

Chris Lee went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Andrew Thurman pitched 3, and allowed 2 runs on 2 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and fanned 5. Frederick Tiburcio finished it out as he worked around a hit to do so. He struck out 1 in a scoreless 9th.

In the middle game of this series, Michael Feliz will face Ryan Eades at 7:00.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Nolan Fontana, 2B/SS, Corpus Christi

Go-ahead 2-RBI single in 7th

2.

#169991352 / gettyimages.com

Conrad Gregor, 1B, Quad Cities
2-5, 2B, 3 RBI, R

Photo courtesy of Bryan Green

Tyler White, 3B, Quad Cities
2-3, 2B, RBI, 3 R

1. Happy birthday Rio!

Rio Ruiz, 3B, Lancaster
Solo HR (4)

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

#162314184 / gettyimages.com

Alex White, RHP, Oklahoma City
IP; organizational debut after Tommy John surgery in 2013

2.

Kyle Smith, RHP, Corpus Christi

W (1-2), 6 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 5 K

1.

Nick Tropeano, RHP, Oklahoma City

6.2 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K

Tweet of the Day

WalMart is a minor leaguers best friend.
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) April 25, 2014

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, April 17, 2014

Swept.

Colorado Springs 3, Oklahoma City 2 in 11 innings

W- Manny Corpas (1-1)
L- Darin Downs (0-1)

OKC home runs: None.

The RedHawks took the lead in extras, only to eventually walk off with a loss in the 3rd game of this series.

Kiké Hernandez, in his AAA debut, got the start in RF and went 2-3 with a run scored, 2 walks, and a steal (1). He scored on a Jonathan Meyer single in the 7th, which tied the game at 1. Ronald Torreyes came on to pinch-hit for Andy Simunic to begin the 10th inning and promptly ripped a triple. Gregorio Petit brought him home with a sac fly to give the RedHawks a 2-1 lead. Austin Wates was 1-3 with 2 walks and 3 stolen bases (8). Max Stassi saw his 12-game hitting streak come to an end as he was 0-5 with 2 strikeouts.

Collin McHugh had a nice start; he went 5 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 3. Nick Tropeano tagged in and allowed a hit and struck out 2 over 3.2 scoreless. Darin Downs pitched 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 1. The game-winning run off of Downs came on a sac fly.

Bobby Doran and David Martinez will start the series finale; they'll be taking on Pedro Hernandez. First pitch is at 7:35.

Frisco 3, Corpus Christi 2

W- Wilmer Font (1-0)
L- Brady Rodgers (0-1)

CC home runs: Preston Tucker (3, solo in 6th)

The Roughriders got 2 late runs and walked off with the victory in the opener.

Again, the Hooks offense was contained as the Frisco hurlers limited them to 5 hits. They did have a couple of chances, but nothing came of those. Rene Garcia scored on a Matt Duffy fielder's choice in the 5th to tie the game at 1, and Tucker, who went 2-4, gave the Hooks the lead with his blast (3) to begin the 6th. Telvin Nash, in his season debut, went 1-4 with 3 strikeouts. Leo Heras was 0-1 with a hat trick of walks, and Nolan Fontana logged his first multi-walk game of the season.

Colton Cain went 4 innings and allowed 2 hits, one of which was a solo home run from Ryan Rua in the 2nd, walked 3, and struck out 3. Pat Urckfitz threw a 1-2-3 5th, and Brady Rodgers went 3.1 and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits (all singles), walked 1, and struck out 2.

Aaron West and David Rollins will be on the mound for game 2, and their opponent will be Alec Asher. First pitch is at 7:05.

High Desert 8, Lancaster 4

W- Tyler Olson (1-1)
L- Chris Devenski (1-2)
S- Will Mathis (2)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks clawed back with 3 in the bottom of the 7th to cut their deficit to 1, but the Mavericks got those 3 runs back in the 8th to take the opening game of the series.

Rio Ruiz, Brandon Meredith, and Jake Rodriguez had 2 hits apiece; Meredith walked twice, while Ruiz's sac fly in the 7th accounted for Lancaster's only RBI. 3 of the 4 JetHawks runs came on wild pitches; Ruiz scored their first run on one in the 6th. Tony Kemp drew a 1-out walk in the 7th, advanced to 2nd on a Teoscar Hernandez single, and scored on 2 consecutive wild pitches. After Carlos Correa walked, Hernandez would score on the 3rd wild pitch of the inning. Teoscar went 1-4 with a steal (7) and extended his hitting streak to 5 games.

Chris Devenski pitched 4.1 innings and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 5. Mitch Lambson got the final 2 outs of the 5th via strikeout. Josh Hader had his first rough outing of the year, as he gave up 5 runs (2 inherited runners scored) on 6 hits (solo homer), walked 3, and struck out 2. Juan Minaya pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed 2 of the 3 runners he inherited from Hader in the 8th to score on a 2-run single and fanned 2.

In the middle game of this series, Mike Hauschild will take on Jochi Ogando. First pitch is at 6:30 Pacific. Mark Appel will not appear due to a "developmental decision," as Jason Schwartz put it. There probably isn't anything going on; it's just an extended period of rest for Appel.

South Bend 5, Quad Cities 0

W- Braden Shipley (1-0)
L- Albert Minnis (0-1)

QC home runs: None, obviously.

The River Bandits only had 5 hits as they got blanked in the series opener. Jack Mayfield, Tanner Mathis, and Chan-Jong Moon hit doubles.

Gonzalo Sañudo started off with 4 scoreless and allowed 3 hits while striking out 2. Albert Minnis gave up 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits in the 5th. Adrian Houser went 3 innings and allowed 3 runs (all in the 9th; 2 inherited runners scored) on 5 hits and struck out 3. Pat Christensen didn't allow any runs of his own in the 9th, but he did allow both of the runners he inherited from Houser to score. Christensen allowed a hit and struck out 1.

In the middle game of this series, Andrew Thurman and Chris Lee will face Blake Perry at 7:00.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

InsideSoCal.com: Hagerty ready to roll with Ruiz for rest of season

Rio Ruiz, 3B, Lancaster

2-4, sac fly, R

2.

Enrique Hernandez, 2B/OF, Oklahoma City

AAA debut: 2-3, R, 2 BB, SB (1)

1.

Preston Tucker, OF, Corpus Christi

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

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Collin McHugh, RHP, Oklahoma City
5 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K

2.

Tabasco Hoy (Tabasco Today)

Gonzalo Sañudo, RHP, Quad Cities
4 IP, 3 H, 2 K

1.

Nick Tropeano, RHP, Oklahoma City
3.2 IP, H, 2 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, April 13, 2014

Let's play 2 in Midland, Michigan!

Oklahoma City 4, New Orleans 3

W- Josh Zeid (2-0)
L- Chris Hatcher (0-2)

OKC home runs: Jon Singleton (4, solo in 6th), Domingo Santana (1, solo in 9th)

The RedHawks walked off with the victory as Domingo Santana played hero late. After dropping the opener, they've taken the next 2 games.

Jon Singleton and Domingo Santana had all the RBIs today. Singleton was first up; he finished a triple shy of the cycle (in 4 at-bats) and opened up the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st, and after the Zephyrs tied the game in the top of the 6th, he untied it with a solo blast in the bottom of the inning. New Orleans took the lead with a 2-run double from Kyle Jensen in the 8th, and Chris Hatcher was on to close it out in the 9th. Santana had other ideas; he tied the game at 3 by taking Hatcher deep to begin the inning, and he had the last laugh by delivering the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 10th. Austin Wates went 2-3 with 2 walks and a stolen base (5). Carlos Perez was 2-4, and Ruben Sosa was 2-3 with 2 steals (2).

After getting knocked around in his first appearance on the year, Nick Tropeano has settled in a bit, throwing 8 scoreless innings since then. He threw 5 shutout innings and allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. Collin McHugh went 2 innings and allowed a run on 2 hits. Jason Stoffel was victimized by the 2-run double in the 8th; he walked 1 and struck out 1. Josh Zeid got the win by throwing 2 scoreless innings, allowing a hit, walking 2, and fanning 2.

In the series finale, David Martinez and Bobby Doran will face Bryan Evans. First pitch is at 7:05.

Corpus Christi 9, Springfield 1

W- Aaron West (2-0)
L- Jonathan Cornelius (0-2)

CC home runs: Preston Tucker (2, solo in 5th), Jio Mier (2, 3-run in 5th), Delino DeShields (2, solo in 8th)

The Hooks opened up this series with a bang as they battered the Cardinals with 14 hits and scored the game's first 9 runs. 5 of the starting 9 had multi-hit games, led by DeShields and Tucker, who had 3 each. Jio Mier, Leo Heras, and Andrew Aplin had 2 apiece. Aplin opened the scoring in the 1st with an RBI single that brought DeShields home. Jio reached on a fielder's choice in the 2nd, and an error allowed 2 to score on the play. Heras stole home on a double steal in the 4th. Tucker and Mier delivered the haymakers in the 5th with their blasts, and DeShields provided the cherry with his shot in the 8th.

David Rollins issued a lead-off walk and that was the end of his day.

Word is David Rollins left his #cchooks start today with an oblique injury.
— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) April 13, 2014

Jordan Jankowski came out in Rollins' stead and threw 3 scoreless, allowing only 1 hit, walking 1, and striking out 2. Aaron West tagged in and got the victory with 5 scoreless. He allowed a hit and struck out 2. Travis Ballew allowed a solo homer to James Ramsey in the 9th, but that was all the Cardinals got.

In the middle game of this series, Luis Cruz and Ross Seaton will face Kurt Heyer at 7:10.

Lake Elsinore 3, Lancaster 2 in 11 innings

W- Chris Nunn (1-1)
L- Dan Minor (0-1)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks couldn't finish off the sweep as they were left to rue the miscues and missed opportunities in this game. They were just 2-15 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base. In the process, they snapped a 7-game winning streak. 2 errors resulted in 2 unearned runs, including the tying run in the bottom of the 8th.

Down 1-0 in the 6th, Danry Vasquez hit a 2-run double that gave the JetHawks the lead. He, Rio Ruiz, Carlos Perdomo, and Tony Kemp all went 2-5.

Josh Hader went 5 innings and allowed an unearned run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6. That was Hader's first walk issued of the year. The unearned run came as Teoscar Hernandez misplayed a ball that was hit by Gabriel Quintana in the 1st. Chris Devenski pitched 4 innings and also allowed an unearned run on 3 hits and walked 1. Vasquez called off Kemp to catch a popup from Corey Adamson and dropped it. Adamson wound up coming home with the tying run. Dan Minor came on for the 10th and worked around a single and a walk to strike out 2 in a scoreless frame, but Diego Goris took him deep to begin the 11th to end the game.

The JetHawks will now travel to High Desert to open a 3-game set with the Mavericks. Mark Appel and Mike Hauschild will take the mound for Lancaster, and they'll take on TBA. First pitch will be at 7:05 Pacific.

Game 1: Quad Cities 11, Great Lakes 0

W- Andrew Thurman (1-2)
L- Luis Chirinos (1-1)

QC home runs: None.

Quad Cities ran roughshod over the Loons in the early afternoon, sealing the deal with an 8-0 assault over the final 3 innings. Everyone had a hit except for Jack Mayfield, who was 0-4 with a sac fly in the 5th. 8 of the 9 River Bandits in the lineup had at least 1 RBI, except for Chan-Jong Moon, who was 3-4 with 2 runs scored.

Brian Holberton opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 2nd, although he got thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Tanner Mathis hit an RBI single of his own in the inning, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on a force out, and scored on an error as the Loons tried to pick him off. Mayfield put up the first run of the 5th with his sac fly, then they got a 2-run double from Conrad Gregor, who scored on a Tyler White double. James Ramsay hit a sac fly in the 6th, and in the 7th, Jon Kemmer added another RBI double. He would score on a Ramsay single, and Brett Phillips finished it off with an RBI single.

After a rough start to his season, Andrew Thurman got himself going with 5 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits and striking out 5. Tyler Brunnemann completed the shutout; he went 2 innings and allowed 2 hits and fanned 2.

What would game 2 hold in store for Quad Cities?

Game 2: Great Lakes 5, Quad Cities 4 in 9 innings

W- Jacob Rhame (1-0)
L- Pat Christensen (0-1)

QC home runs: None.

The River Bandits walked off with a loss, but they still took 2 of 3 to finish with a .500 record on their first roadtrip of the year.

Chris Lee went 4.2 innings and allowed 4 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3. Zach Morton pitched 3.1 scoreless and gave up 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1. Pat Christensen got a groundout from the first batter he faced, but the next 3 guys all reached on him, the culminaiton of which was a walk-off single from Kyle Farmer.

Brett Phillips was 2-4 with a bases-clearing triple in the 3rd. Conrad Gregor was also 2-4; he added an RBI single in the 6th.

The River Bandits will now head home, where they will host the West Michigan Whitecaps for 3 at Modern Woodmen Park. In the opener, Kent Emanuel and Jandel Gustave will take on Jeff Thompson at 7:00.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Brett Phillips, CF, Quad Cities

Game 1: 2-4, RBI, R

Game 2: 2-4, 3B, 3 RBI

2. Hooks sink Springfield

Delino DeShields, CF, Corpus Christi

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

Preston Tucker, LF, Corpus Christi

3-5, solo HR (2)

Jio Mier, SS/3B, Corpus Christi

2-4, 3-R HR (2)

1 (tie). ALL THE RUNS BATTED IN!!!!!!!!!

Domingo Santana, LF, Oklahoma City

2-4, game-tying solo HR (1) in 9th, walk-off RBI single in 10th

Jon Singleton, 1B, Oklahoma City

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

Honorable Mentions: Austin Wates, Leo Heras, Danry Vasquez, Conrad Gregor, Andrew Aplin


Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Andrew Thurman, RHP, Quad Cities

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

2.

Nick Tropeano, RHP, Oklahoma City

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

1.

Aaron West, RHP, Corpus Christi

W (2-0), 5 IP, H, 2 K

Honorable Mentions: Jordan Jankowski, Tyler Brunnemann, Josh Zeid, Josh Hader, Zach Morton, Chris Devenski

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Oklahoma City 3, New Orleans 2

W- Nick Tropeano (1-1)
L- Chris Hatcher (0-1)
S- Jason Stoffel (3)

OKC home runs: Max Stassi (2, solo in 2nd)

In a matinee in the Big Easy, the RedHawks won the series thanks to a 9th-inning rally that culminated in a 2-run single from Ronald Torreyes that gave them a 3-2 lead. Well, the rally consisted of 3 straight 1-out walks, and on a 1-0 count, Torreyes laced a ball into right field to bring home Domingo Santana (who entered as a pinch-runner) and Erik Castro. Max Stassi opened up the scoring with a solo homer (2) in the 2nd inning. Gregorio Petit finished 2-4 with a double.

Collin McHugh allowed 2 runs (both in the 4th) on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3 in 4 innings. Jose Cisnero was the first man out, and he threw a scoreless 5th, allowing a hit and striking out 1. Nick Tropeano tossed 3 scoreless as the piggybacker and allowed a hit, a walk, and struck out 1. And finally, Jason Stoffel notched his 3rd save of the year by fanning 1 in a 1-2-3 9th.

The RedHawks will now look for the sweep as Bobby Doran and David Martinez will team up to take on Adam Conley. First pitch is at 7:00.

Corpus Christi was off

The Hooks will have their home opener tonight as they host Tulsa in the first of 3 games. Ross Seaton and Luis Cruz will take on Dan Winkler at 7:10.

Lancaster 9, San Jose 4

W- Chris Devenski (1-1)
L- Kendry Flores (1-1)
S- Josh Hader (1)

Lancaster home runs: Tony Kemp (1, grand slam in 6th), Teoscar Hernandez (1, solo in 6th)

Sweep! That's the way to close out the first homestand of the season. After falling behind 2-1 after the 4th, the JetHawks ran off 8 unanswered, including a 6-run 6th.

Carlos Perdomo hit a triple with 1 out in the 3rd and scored the first run of the game on a Tony Kemp sac fly. Kemp would drive in another run when he grounded into a force out in the 5th, then he scored on a Teoscar Hernandez triple. And then... all hell broke loose in the 6th.

Dan Gulbransen walked to lead off the inning, then one batter later, he moved to 3rd on a Brandon Meredith double. Danry Vasquez walked to load the bases, then Jake Rodriguez walked Gulbransen home. After Jordan Scott and Perdomo struck out, Kemp stepped up and sent out a grand slam. He finished 3-4 with 2 runs scored, 6 RBI, and a steal (2). Soon after that, Teoscar Hernandez went back-to-back with a solo shot (1). Perdomo and Hernandez both finished with 2 hits.

Chris Devenski had a solid night, with his only mistake coming on a 2-run homer from Mitch Delfino in the 4th. He went 5 innings, allowed 3 other hits, and struck out 4. Josh Hader finished out the tandem complete game. He, like Devenski, got dinged by a 2-run homer from Delfino, who was the entire San Jose offense. Hader allowed 2 other hits and struck out 4 in 4 innings.

Lancaster will now head out on their first roadtrip of the season, as they travel to Lake Elsinore for 4 and High Desert for 3. The series opener in Lake Elsinore will feature the team of Mike Hauschild and Mark Appel going up against Colin Rea. First pitch will be at 7:05 Pacific.

Lansing 6, Quad Cities 4

W- Griffin Murphy (1-0)
L- Jandel Gustave (0-1)
S- Scott Silverstein (1)

QC home runs: None.

The River Bandits had their chances to get even more runs, but they left the bases loaded in the 1st and the 8th.

Lansing jumped all over Jandel Gustave in the first third of the game, as they got 5 runs off of him in 2.2 innings. He allowed 7 hits and struck out 4. Zach Morton allowed a hit in 1.1 scoreless innings. Interestingly, he did not record a groundout, which is something that he is rather adept at doing; all 4 of his outs were strikeouts. Kent Emanuel pitched the final 4 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 3.

Tyler White had all the RBIs for QC as he ripped a pair of 2-run doubles in the 1st and the 5th. Jack Mayfield went 2-4 and scored twice.

The River Bandits will look to salvage a game in the series as Evan Grills and Michael Feliz take on Crosby native Jeremy Gabryszwski at 7:05 Eastern.

Three Stars: Position Players

3 (tie).

Ronald Torreyes, 2B, Oklahoma City

GW 2-R single in 9th

Teoscar Hernandez, CF, Lancaster

2-4, 3B, solo HR (1), 2 RBI

2.

Tyler White, 3B, Quad Cities

2-4, 2 2B, 4 RBI

1.

Tony Kemp, 2B, Lancaster

3-4, Grand Slam (1), 6 RBI, 2 R, SB (2)

Honorable mentions: Max Stassi, Jack Mayfield, Carlos Perdomo

Whoa, whoa, whoa. The pitchers aren't going to be shut out.

Three Stars, Pitchers

3.

Nick Tropeano, RHP, Oklahoma City

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

2. Lancaster Starters

Chris Devenski, RHP, Lancaster

W (1-0), 5 IP, 4 H (2-run HR), 2 ER, 4 K

Josh Hader, LHP, Lancaster (yes, that's really him)

Save (1), 4 IP, 3 H (2-run HR), 2 ER, 4 K

1 (tie). Quad Cities reliever/starter: 5.1 IP, 4 H, ER, 7 K

Zach Morton, RHP, Quad Cities

1.1 IP, H, 4 K

Kent Emanuel, LHP, Quad Cities

4 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K

Tweet of the Day

I hate how much I love March Madness. My bracket lets me down every year haha!!!
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) March 23, 2014

Tweet of the Day

First ever #tbt Straight Gangsta? Come on Mom haha!!! pic.twitter.com/bbkDN2UNLa
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) January 16, 2014

Tweets of the Day

If only my teacher would post my final so I could finish it and graduate already
— Jordan Jankowski (@JJ_Jankowski33) December 10, 2013

Finals week is stressing me out...Oh wait #collegedropout
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) December 10, 2013

Tweets of the Day

“@PaPaTropeano: Judging a person does not define who they are. It defines who YOU are!” Super deep Nick. So many levels right there.
— Morgan Ensberg (@MorganEnsberg) November 19, 2013

@MorganEnsberg haha changing the world one tweet at a time.
— Nick Tropeano (@PaPaTropeano) November 19, 2013

Astros Minor League Recaps

Friday's Games

-Jayne has already posted her daily, updated look at the playoff situation for the minor league affiliates here.

Greeneville Astros 0, Danville Braves 2
Greeneville was two-hit, shut out by Danville in the last game of their regular season, Friday. The game was a pitchers' duel until the ninth inning, however. Jose Montero started things off on the mound and, aside from issuing a walk in the third inning, retired every other batter in order through his four innings of work, striking out five. Montero was followed by Christian Garcia for the next four frames. Garcia gave up a couple hits and walked three, allowing no runs as he struck out four. It wasn't until the ninth, with Ryan Connolly (1-2) pitching, that either team scored. Connolly allowed a pair of runs on three hits. Christian Moronta (1X4 SO) and Luis Reynoso (1X3 SO) had the only hits for the Astros.  

Vermont Lake Monsters 9, Tri-City Valley Cats 6

Despite scoring first, the Valley Cats fell behind after giving up three runs in both the third and fourth innings and never quite caught up on Friday. Troy Scribner (1-2) was the second of five pitchers in the game for Tri-City, entering in the third to replace starter Tanner Bushue (2IP 2H ER 2BB 2K), who had already issued a walk to the first batter of the inning. Scribner pitched just two innings of his own and recorded the loss, allowing five runs on five hits, walking two and striking out four. Ronnie Mitchell (2X3 RBI) and Conrad Gregor (2X4 2RBI BB) both had two hit games at the plate.  

Quad Cities River Bandits 6, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 0

The River Bandits shutout Wisconsin for a series sweep in their last away game of the regular season. Zach Morton took the hill first and through four, allowed three hits, all singles, walked one and struck out another. Mitchell Lambson (8-3) pitched the next three innings and notched the win. Lambson recorded one hit, one walk and K-ed three during his outing. Teoscar Hernandez and Carlos Correa both went two-for-four at the plate. Hernandez scored a couple of runs and Correa finished with three RBI, including knocking in two runs in the four-run fourth inning.

Lancaster JetHawks 3, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 2 (11)

The JetHawks saw this game tied in the ninth inning and won it in the 11th after a Chris Epps sac' fly scored Andrew Aplin. Brady Rodgers started on the bump and through six innings allowed a pair of hits (HR), one run and one walk as he K-ed nine, including the last three he faced. Kenny Long (2-0) picked up the win, pitching the final two frames. Long gave up a hit and a pair of walks in that time. Jesse Wierzbicki (2X5 RBI), MP Cokinos (2X5 SO) and Delino DeShields (2X4 3B BB SO) each had two hits in the game. Wierzbicki knocked in the second run of the game in the second inning with an RBI single. The first run was scored in the second as well and came when Joe Sclafani crossed the plate after a wild pitch.

Corpus Christi Hooks 1, Frisco Rough Riders 3

The Hooks were shutout until the ninth inning Friday when they scored their only run of the game. Matt Duffy drew a bases loaded walk, forcing Erik Castro (2X4 R) across the plate. Starting pitcher, Nick Tropeano (7-10) threw five innings, recording seven hits, three runs, two walks and six strikeouts. Trope' would take the loss. Michael Foltynewicz, Luis Cruz and Cameron Lamb each threw a scoreless inning to close out the game. Folty' pitched a perfect sixth. Preston Tucker picked up the only Hooks extra base hit of the day, with a double in the second inning. Tucker finished one-for-two at the plate with a pair of walks.  

Memphis Redbirds 4, Oklahoma City RedHawks 0

Oklahoma City was shutout by Memphis on Friday. Jake Buchanan (5-5) pitched the first six and two-thirds, tallying the loss. Buchanan was charged with three runs on eight hits and struck out six. Reymin Guduan finished the game on the mound, adding another run on a hit, walking three and striking out four of his own. Marc Krauss was the only RedHawk with multiple hits in the game, finishing two-for-four with a double. George Springer stole second in the fifth inning, moving his totals towards the 40/40 mark to 37/44.

Player of the Day: Chris Epps takes the cake today for his extra inning sac' fly that scored the winning run yesterday. Carlos Correa also earns a nod with his three RBI performance.

Pitcher of the Day: Brady Rodgers is definitely getting a share of the pie here today for his dominating performance on the mound, Friday. Nick Tropeano gets a share as well. Trope's six strikeouts yesterday pushed him to 130 on the season and he currently leads all Texas League pitchers in that category.