Happy Birthday - 8/9

Wishing a Very Happy Birthday to ...

RHP Tyler Brunnemann (24)
Brunnemann was born August 9, 1991 in Garden Ridge, Texas, and was drafted by the Astros in the 40th round in 2013 out of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. He is currently playing for the High A Lancaster JetHawks team.

Tyler Brunnemann - May 2015

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Thursday, April 23, 2015

Quad Cities with the...

Salt Lake 1, Fresno 0

W- Tyler DeLoach (1-0)
L- Alex White (0-2)
S- Edgar Ibarra (1)

Fresno home runs: None.

Tough series for the Grizzlies, as all three of their losses have been by 1 run. 2 of those 3 defeats were walkoffs.

In this game, they only had 2 hits. One of them was a double from Nolan Fontana in the 9th, but he was stranded at 2nd to end the game. The other hit was an L.J. Hoes single.

Alex White was saddled with the loss as he allowed an unearned run on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2 in 5.2 innings. Darin Downs was the first man out of the bullpen; he allowed a hit and fanned 1 in 1.1 innings. Tyson Perez worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 8th.

The Grizzlies will look to avoid being swept at 5:35 Pacific. Luis Cruz will face Drew Rucinski.

Corpus Christi 8, Frisco 2

W- Angel Báez (1-0)
L- Jake Thompson (1-2)
S- Kyle Westwood (2)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks used a barrage of doubles to take game 1 of this series. They trailed 2-1 after the 2nd but finished the game on a 7-0 run, with much of that damage coming in the 3rd and the 4th innings.

Corpus struck out 11 times, but that didn't really matter much because their bats were hot in this one. Brandon Meredith led off the 2nd with a double, and it didn't take long for him to score the Hooks' first run as Tyler Heineman replaced him at 2nd while he was dashing home. They took the lead with, guess what... a pair of RBI doubles from Carlos Correa and Conrad Gregor in the 3rd. Those came after Colin Moran led off with you guessed it... a double. Tony Kemp drew a 1-out walk in the 4th, which set the stage for a 4-run inning. Kemp scored on yet another RBI double, this one from Moran. Meredith, who was the only player in the lineup to not strike out, hit an RBI single that brought Moran home. Advancing to 2nd was Carlos Correa, who had singled in front of Meredith. Heineman struck once again with.... an RBI double. Meredith was able to score, thanks to an error. And finally, Leo Heras drew a bases-loaded walk in the 9th inning. Moran (2 2B, RBI), Correa, Gregor, and Meredith all had 2 hits. Heineman finished 3-5.

Mark Appel went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits (solo homer) and struck out 3. Angel Báez struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 5th and got the win. Kyle Westwood got a 4-inning save as he allowed 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1.

Josh Hader gets the start in game 2. He'll face Jose Leclerc at 7:05.

Modesto 11, Lancaster 5

W- Harrison Musgrave (2-1)
L- Blaine Sims (0-3)
S- Carlos Estevez (yes, that really is his name) (2)

Lancaster home runs: Jose Fernandez (1, solo in 2nd), J.D. Davis (2, 2-run in 5th), Chase McDonald (5, solo in 6th)

No shortage of fireworks in this one, as both teams combined to send 7 out of the park. Unfortunately, the JetHawks were also outgunned in the process, as they just couldn't find any answers for the Nuts' bats.

Jose Fernandez put Lancaster on the board first with a solo homer in the 2nd. J.D. Davis ripped a 2-run homer in the 5th, Chase McDonald led off the bottom of the 6th with his 5th blast of the year, and Davis added an RBI double to his ledger in the 7th inning. He finished a triple shy of the cycle. Brett Phillips (2 2B) and Chan-Jong Moon (2B) both scored a run and finished with 2 hits. McDonald extended his hitting streak to 12 games with that homer, and... he was at second base in this game. A man built like a defensive lineman playing 2nd base probably would've been a sight to see.

Blaine Sims allowed 4 runs on 6 hits (2-run homer), walked 3, and struck out 3 in 5 innings. Randall Fant was the first man out, but he only got 1 out in the 6th and allowed 4 runs on 4 hits (solo and 2-run homers). Tyler Brunnemann was once again summoned to restore order, and he did so with 2.2 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 2, and striking out 5. Again, he was the only JetHawks pitcher that did not surrender any runs. Frederick Tiburcio allowed 3 runs on 2 hits (2-run homer), walked 1, and struck out 1 in the 9th inning.

In game 2 of this 4-game set, Adrian Houser will take on Grahamm Wiest. First pitch is at 6:30 Pacific.

Quad Cities 4, Peoria 3

W- Dan Mengden (1-1)
L- Tyler Bray (1-1)

QC home runs: None.

The Banditos pulled off the sweep, and at 12-3, they are off to their best start since 2001. They trailed 3-0 after the 4th inning, but scored the game's final 4 runs.

Alfredo Gonzalez put the River Bandits on the board in the 5th with an RBI single. Mott Hyde doubled to lead off the 6th, advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch, and scored on a Jake Nottingham groundout. Quad Cities went ahead in the 7th on 2 wild pitches. Hyde drew a walk on one of those, which allowed Thomas Lindauer to score the tying run. Gonzalez scored the go-ahead run while Nottingham was up to bat. Gonzalez and Hyde had 2 hits apiece; Lindauer drew 2 walks and scored 2 runs.

Austin Chrismon went 5 innings and allowed 3 unearned runs on 5 hits and struck out 6. Dan Mengden and his magnificent mustache got the win as he threw 4 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 5.

The River Bandits will now return home, where they will finish out the month. They'll be welcoming the Burlington Bees to Modern Woodmen Park for the weekend. In the series opener, Josh James will take on Sean Newcomb. First pitch is at 7.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Colin Moran, 3B, Corpus Christi

2-5, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R

2. 

Tyler Heineman, C, Corpus Christi

3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI

1.

@QCRiverBandits JD Davis pic.twitter.com/sCZpiilcfw
— RGuill (@QCBanditPhotog) August 8, 2014

J.D. Davis, 3B, Lancaster

3-4, 2B, HR (2), 3 RBI 

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Kyle Westwood, RHP, Corpus Christi

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

2. 

Tyler Brunnemann, RHP, Lancaster

2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K

1. 

Photo by Thomas B. Shea, Houston Chronicle

Article this picture was found on

Dan Mengden, RHP, Quad Cities

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

Honorable Mentions

- Again, I generally refrain from using this blog as a platform to advocate a prospect's promotion, but Carlos Correa is hell-bent on appearing in Houston at some point this season.
- 8-game hitting snapped? No problem for Brett Phillips, he'll start another one.
- Tough-luck loss for Alex White, who pitched very well for Fresno.
- Chase McDonald has recorded a hit in all but one of the games he's played this year. No Lancaster effect here; his power is for real.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, April 19, 2015

Las Vegas 10, Fresno 5

W- Steve Matz (1-1)
L- Brady Rodgers (0-2)

Fresno home runs: None.

This game was tied at 2 after the 4th inning, but the 51s put up 3 in the 5th and the 6th to open things up in their favor.

The Grizz opened up the scoring with 2 in the 2nd, as Matt Duffy scored on a Joe Sclafani groundout and Andrew Aplin hit an RBI single. They would not score again until the 7th, when Preston Tucker hit an RBI single. Tucker, who finished 2-5 to extend his hitting streak to 21 games dating back to last season, grounded into a force out that scored Luis Flores in the 9th. One batter later, Matt Duffy hit an RBI groundout. Flores, a minor league Rule 5 draft pick, finished 2-3 with a double.

Brady Rodgers went 5.1 innings and allowed 7 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 8 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 4. Richard Rodriguez was the first man out; he went 1.2 innings and allowed 2 runs of his own, 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. Kevin Chapman gave up a run on 2 hits in the 8th.

Asher Wojciechowski would've been starting for Fresno tonight, but he's been summoned to Seattle, where he'll start for the Astros instead. Whoever is starting for the Grizzlies will take on Matt Bowman at 7:05 Pacific.

Tulsa 5, Corpus Christi 2

W- Matt Shelton (1-0)
L- Mike Hauschild (1-1)
S- Chin-hui Tsao (2)

CC home runs: None.

The Drillers pounced on Mike Hauschild immediately after his entrance as they took the series opener.

Lance McCullers had to settle for a no-decision, but he was excellent in his 2nd look at the Drillers. He allowed 2 hits, walked 3, and struck out 5 over 5 shutout innings. All 4 runs that Hauschild allowed came in the 6th. He allowed 6 hits... all singles, walked 1, and struck out 4. Mitch Lambson allowed a run on 3 hits in the 9th inning.

The 2 Corpus runs came in the 3rd on an RBI double from Jio Mier and an RBI single from Tony Kemp, who finished 2-4.

Aaron West faces Chris Anderson tonight at 7:05.

High Desert 15, Lancaster 11

W- Felix Carvallo (1-0)
L- Blaine Sims (0-2)
S- Justin Sprenger (1)

Lancaster home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (1, solo in 9th)

Wow, that was a pretty rough start for the JetHawks. They found themselves down 12-0 after the Mavericks put up 11 in the bottom of the 2nd. However, I have to give credit to them for fighting back, and in the late stages of the ballgame, they looked as though they would find a way to erase that deficit.

Blaine Sims got hammered in his 1.1 innings, and we'll leave it at that. Randall Fant pitched 2.2 innings and allowed 2 of Sims' runners to score and 1 run of his own, 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Tyler Brunnemann was the only Lancaster pitcher to have a spotless outing; he allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 4 over 2 scoreless. Frederick Tiburcio allowed a 2-run homer to Alex Burg in the 8th. He went 2 innings and allowed 2 other hits and fanned 3.

The JetHawks got on board with a pair of runs in the 3rd inning from a Jobduan Morales RBI single and a J.D. Davis sacrifice fly. Jack Mayfield hit a sac fly in the 6th, and they put a scare in the Mavs in the 7th as they had the bases loaded for a majority of the inning and ended up with 6 runs.

Danry Vásquez hit an RBI double, which advanced Chan-Jong Moon to 3rd. J.D. Davis walked to load the bases. Then, Lancaster got an RBI single from A.J. Reed, a sac fly from Chase McDonald, and another RBI single by Brett Phillips. A wild pitch advanced Reed and Phillips, and Mayfield walked to re-load the bases. Ronnie Mitchell walked to bring Reed in, and Morales hit an RBI groundout that also advanced Mitchell and Mayfield. Moon was plunked to re-load the bases, but the threat ended when Danry grounded out. Mitchell homered with 1 out in the 9th, and after Moon drew a walk, Danry, who finished 3-6, brought him home with a double. Phillips (RBI single, SB [1]), Mitchell (solo HR, RBI BB), and Morales (2 RBI) had 2 hits apiece.

The JetHawks will now head to Rancho Cucamonga for 3. In game 1, Edison Frias will face John Richy at 7:05 Pacific.

Quad Cities 7, Kane County 2

W- Brock Dykxhoorn (2-0)
L- Brent Jones (0-2)

QC home runs: Jamie Ritchie (1, solo in 3rd), Jorge Martinez (1, solo in 5th)

The Bandits trailed 2-0 after the 1st inning, but they rattled off 7 unanswered runs afterwards.

They were on the board in the 2nd inning with an RBI single from Kristian Trompiz. Jamie Ritchie smacked his 1st homer of the year in the 3rd to tie the game. Ritchie and Trompiz had 3 hits apiece; Ritchie has a hit in every game that he's played this season, and Trompiz wasn't quite done yet. Jorge Martinez put QC in the lead when he led off the bottom of the 5th with a homer, and the River Bandits built up a nice cushion in the 6th with a 4-run inning. Sean McMullen hit a sac fly, and then one batter later, Mott Hyde ripped a double. Hyde moved to 3rd on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder's choice hit by Alfredo Gonzalez, who advanced to 3rd on a Martinez double. Trompiz came up and came through with a 2-run double that stretched the Quad Cities lead to 7-2. Hyde finished 2-4 with that double and scored 2 runs.

Brock Dykxhoorn pitched 6 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. Ryan Thompson and Eric Peterson shut it down: The Closer allowed 1 hit and struck out 3 over 2 scoreless, and Peterson worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

Quad Cities will look for the sweep tonight at 7:00 as Kevin Comer takes on Jared Miller.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Jamie Ritchie, C/1B, Quad Cities

3-4, solo HR (1)

2. 

Danry Vásquez, OF, Lancaster

3-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R

1. 

@Kristiantrompiz pic.twitter.com/9VkvcW0JnY

— RGuill (@QCBanditPhotog) April 19, 2015

Kristian Trompiz, IF, Quad Cities

3-4, 2B, 3 RBI

Three (well, technically four) Stars: Pitchers

3. 

Ryan Thompson, RHP, Quad Cities

2 IP, H, 3 K

Eric Peterson, LHP, Quad Cities

IP, H, K

2. 

Tyler Brunnemann, RHP, Lancaster

2 IP, H, BB, 4 K

1. 

Lance McCullers, RHP, Corpus Christi

5 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Let's play 2 in Lancaster!

Fresno 9, Salt Lake 8 in 11 innings

W- Kevin Chapman (1-1)
L- Ryan Mattheus (0-2)

Fresno home runs: None.

The Grizzlies staked Jake Buchanan to a 7-0 lead after the first inning, and everything was academic from there, right? Nope. That lead was dented when the Bees scored 3 in the top of the 7th and vanished in the 9th as they put up 5 to tie the game after the Grizz stopped the bleeding for a moment with a run in the 8th. Ugh. However, as the old adage goes... a win is a win is a win.

Matt Duffy got things started with an RBI single. After Preston Tucker lined out for the 2nd out of the 1st inning, the Grizzlies got three RBI singles in a row from Matt Dominguez, Max Stassi, and Ronald Torreyes. Stassi scored, and Torreyes advanced to third on an error that allowed Andrew Aplin to reach. Aplin proceeded to steal 2nd, his 2nd stolen base of the season. And then, Joe Sclafani clubbed a 2-run triple. Duffy, who finished with a career-high 5 hits, added another RBI single in the 8th. He then doubled to lead off the bottom of the 11th, and then Nolan Fontana was summoned to pinch-run. Preston Tucker was given a pass to 1st base, which brought up Matt Dominguez. Craziness ensued, as Dominguez laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by Salt Lake 3B Kyle Kubitza and thrown away, allowing Fontana to come home with the winning run. Dominguez, L.J. Hoes (3B, 2 R), and Sclafani (2-R 3B, R) had 2 hits apiece; Ronald Torreyes went 3-5.

Jake Buchanan pitched 7 innings and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4. Jordan Jankowski struck out 2 in a 1-2-3 8th. James Hoyt came on to finish it off... but the Bees had other plans. He failed to retire any of the 5 batters he faced in the 9th, allowing 5 runs (3 inherited runners charged to him) on 4 hits and walking 1. Kevin Chapman didn't help matters by allowing the Bees to empty the bases off of him, which in turn put 3 runs on James Hoyt's account, but he made amends for that by shackling them in extra innings. Chapman wound up throwing 3 scoreless (well, there is that matter of allowing 3 inherited runners to scored), allowing 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 6.

The Grizzlies will look for the sweep as Dan Straily squares off against our old friend Nick Tropeano. First pitch is at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi was off

The Hooks are preparing for their first game at Whataburger Field as they welcome Springfield for 3 games. In the opener, Mark Appel will take on Mike Mayers at 7:05.

Game 1: Lancaster 5, Stockton 1

W- Edison Frias (2-0)
L- Dylan Covey (1-1)
S- Tyler Brunnemann (1)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks got on the board in the series thanks to an outstanding start from Edison Frias, who allowed just 1 hit, walked 2, and struck out 5 over 5 shutout innings. Adrian Houser came on for his season debut in the 6th and had a tough go of it, but then again, it was the first time he came out this year. An error and a wild pitch didn't exactly help his cause, and he faced not one, but two separate bases-loaded situations. He allowed a run on a force out play, a single, and walked 2. Tyler Brunnemann was called on to get the JetHawks out of this jam, and he did so by inducing an inning-ending double play. That's clutch. He worked around a 1-out walk to finish off the first game of the twinbill, striking out 1.

J,D. Davis had a big game 1 as he went 3-3 with a double and 2 RBI singles. The first RBI single was the first run of the game, and he added another one in the 5th. Chase McDonald hit an RBI double in the 4th. The other 2 JetHawks runs were scored by Danry Vásquez in the 1st on a double play, and A.J. Reed in the 4th on another double play.

What would game 2 hold in store for Lancaster?

Game 2: Stockton 7, Lancaster 3

W- Jonathan Joseph (1-0)
L- Brian Holmes (0-1)
S- Brendan McCurry (2)

Lancaster home runs: None.

The JetHawks had to settle for the split, and they dropped the series.

They had the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th, but all they could muster up was a sac fly from Davis. James Ramsay hit a sac fly in the 3rd, and McDonald hit an RBI single in the 6th. Jose Fernandez went 2-3 with a run scored, and Jobduan Morales finished 3-3 with a run scored.

Brian Holmes went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 6. In his season debut, Ambiorix De Leon pitched a scoreless 6th, but the wheels fell off for him in the 7th as he allowed 4 runs on 5 hits and walked 2 while striking out 1. Chris Cotton cleaned up the mess as he retired all 3 batters he faced after coming on, striking out 2.

The JetHawks hit the road for the first time this season. First stop, High Desert for 4. Zach Morton will face Luis Parra in game 1 at 6:35 Pacific.

Quad Cities 2, Beloit 2 through 4.5 innings

This game was suspended due to a problem with the lighting. They'll finish this one up tomorrow, and then a 7-inning game will follow. Joe Musgrove will take on Jordan Schwartz in that game. The 2 Quad Cities runs came courtesy of a double hit by Ryan Bottger in the 4th that tied this game.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Joe Sclafani, UTIL, Fresno

2-6, 3B, 2 RBI, R

2. 

His MiLB.com profile picture.

J.D. Davis, 3B, Lancaster

Doubleheader: 4-6, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R, SB (1)

1. 

Matt Duffy, 3B/1B, Fresno

5-6, 2B, 2 RBI, R

*The 5 hits are a career-high.

Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

Kevin Chapman, LHP, Fresno

W (1-1), 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 6 K

*There's a small penalty for allowing inherited runners to score.

2. 

Tyler Brunnemann, RHP, Lancaster

Save (1) in game 1 of doubleheader; 1.2 IP, BB, K

1. 

Edison Frias, RHP, Lancaster

W (2-0) in game 1; 5 IP, H, 2 BB, 5 K

Honorable Mentions

- Chase McDonald continues his fine start to the season.
- The Fresno offense has been on a torrid start to their year.

Sample Entry from the 2015 Houston Farm System Handbook

As I hope my readers have discovered by now, I recently published the "2015 Houston Farm System Handbook," containing profiles of 257 players in the Astros minor league system. The book is available from Amazon as an e-book that can be read on virtually any device (desktop, laptop, tablet or phone) even if you don't own a kindle. Simply download the Kindle App, buy the book and enjoy!

Not every profile is as detailed as this one, but the following write-up on Tyler Brunnemann will give you an idea of the kind of information contained in the book.

I hope that you will consider purchasing this book which I have come to think of as an Astros minor league media guide on steroids. Your continued support is very much appreciated.

RHP Tyler Brunnemann

• B/T: R/R
• H/W: 6’2” 200#
• Born: 8/9/91 in Garden Ridge, Texas
• Age on 4/1/15: 23
• Acquisition: Drafted in the 40th Round in 2013 out of Hardin-Simmons University (Abilene, Texas)
• 2014: 2nd Season; Quad Cities (A-) with an early August promotion to Lancaster (A+)

Brunnemann’s Baseball-Reference Page for complete stats

Noteworthy:

• Held hitters to a .183/.237/.289 batting line for the season (61.2IP)
• Held lefties to a .173/.244/.333 line

Awards/Honors/Rankings:

• 2014 Quad Cities Midseason All-Star
• 2014 Championship Series MVP (California League)

2014 Fall/Winter League Stats:

Australian Baseball League: 3.12 ERA and a 1.077 WHIP in 22 games (26.0IP)

Narrative:

From 40th Round draft pick (out of 40 rounds) in 2013 to MVP of the California League Championship series in 2014 is quite the journey. When Brunnemann was at Quad Cities prior to his promotion in August, both Manager Omar Lopez and Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski sang praises to Brunnemann’s work ethic. Lopez called him a “model citizen,” someone who was “on time for everything, on top of everything and applies the information.” Borkowski said of Brunnemann, “He’s going to get every ounce out of himself that he can. He competes. He prepares. He’s ready to go.” Nothing illustrates his work ethic better than knowing he dropped 40 pounds between the end of the 2013 season and the start of Spring Training in 2014.

Those intangibles have given Brunnemann early success. He won’t blow you away with his 88 to 91 mph fastball, but he will challenge you with it and spot it well. He also gets decent movement on his changeup and the curveball that he was working on in the 2014 season. But it is his delivery that sets him apart. He somehow manages to achieve good command despite a violent finish to his delivery in which he falls off the mound to the first base side, sometimes actually having to put down his glove hand to keep from falling over. The delivery provides deception and distraction to the hitter.

Excellent walk rate, excellent strikeout rate, low home run rate, good with runners on, great lefty/righty splits ... there is a lot to like with someone like Brunnemann. On paper, the odds are certainly against a 40th round draft pick without elite “stuff,” but don’t tell Brunnemann that. His intangibles will likely take him further than many pitchers who have more natural ability, but whose drive, desire and work habits don’t match his.

Postseason Stats:

• 2013 Tri-City (New York-Penn League): 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.750 WHIP in 1.1 innings
• 2014 Lancaster (California League): 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA and a 0.750 WHIP in 6.2 innings

2014 Fall/Winter Stats:

Australian Baseball League: 2-2 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.077 WHIP in 22 games (26.0IP)

Extras:

• Twitter handle: @TBruno35
• A June 2014 interview with Brunnemann (includes the story of a benign brain tumor that he had removed when he was 11 years old)
• Threw 68.6% of his pitches for strikes in the 5 games for which that information is available
• More photos of Brunnemann

Tweet of the Day

It's January 2nd and it is 111 degrees outside...why do they call this "winter" ball? #thisisdifferent
— Tyler Brunnemann (@TBruno35) January 2, 2015

Tweet of the Day

There are probably a hundred tweets that I could pick from tonight with the JetHawks winning the California League Championship, but this response I got from Tyler Brunnemann's dad really touched me. Brunnemann, the 40th round (out of 40 rounds) draft pick from 2013 has had an amazing season. It culminated in his winning the MVP trophy for the California League Championship Series last night. Before the game was even over, his father said this to me ...

@JayneWTHB I have said numerous times, this is all still hard to believe. This is the kind of stuff that happens to other peoples kids.
— randy bestdadever (@bigbrudad) September 16, 2014

Well, this time it happened to yours. Well done, Tyler, well done.

Happy Birthday - 8/9

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Tyler Brunnemann (23)
Drafted out of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene in the 40th round in 2013, Brunnemann pitched in 25 games for Quad Cities before his recent promotion to Lancaster. For the season, he has a 1.80 ERA and a 0.860 WHIP. In 50 innings pitched, he has walked 10 while striking out 51.

Several former Astros mark the day as well ~

OF Roman Mejias (84)
Mejias was drafted from Pittsburgh in the 1961 expansion draft and spent the 1962 season with the Colt .45's. In 146 games, he hit .286/.326/.445 with 12 doubles, three triples and 24 home runs.

CF Tommy Agee (died January 22, 2001 at age 58)
Agee came to Houston in a November 1972 trade with the Mets and played in 83 games for the Astros before being traded to the Cardinals the following August. A two-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove winner in 1966 while with the White Sox, Agee was a shadow of his former self six years later when he hit .235/.294/.397 for Houston.

LHP Claude Osteen (75)
Osteen came to Houston as a part of the December 1973 trade that sent Jimmy Wynn to the Dodgers. In 23 games for Houston (21 starts), Osteen was 9-9 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.482 WHIP. He was a three-time All-Star with Los Angeles and was a part of the 1965 Dodgers World Series championship team.

RHP Bob Scanlan (48)
Originally drafted by the Phillies in the 25th round in 1984, Scanlan signed with Houston as a free agent prior to the 1998 season. In 27 games out of the bullpen, he had a 3.08 ERA and a 1.405 WHIP.

3B Mike Lamb (39)
A seventh round draft pick by the Rangers in 1997, Lamb came to Houston in a March 2004 trade with the Yankees. In 487 games over four seasons (from 2004 through 2007) for the Astros, Lamb hit .281/.342/.464.

Getting to Know Quad Cities RHP Tyler Brunnemann

When I mentioned to Quad Cities Pitching Coach Dave Borkowski what a steal the Astros had gotten in 2013 40th rounder Tyler Brunnemann, Borkowski responded, "All you've got to do is get drafted or be a free agent and get an opportunity. Whatever happens to him down the road, he works his butt off." That was a sentiment echoed by Quad Cities Manager Omar Lopez, "He works so hard that I think he deserves to be able to succeed every single day. He deserved to be in the All-Star game."

Lopez continued in his praise of Brunnemann, "To put a lot of words into maybe just a couple? Model citizen. On time for everything. On top of everything. Applies the information. He's one of the guys that listens and applies the information and executes it." Lopez credits Brunnemann's success to the fact that he gets the absolute maximum out of his natural abilities through hard work.

Tyler Brunnemann - June 2014

Photo by Jayne Hansen

And success is definitely something that Brunnemann has had a lot of so far this season. In 18 bullpen appearances for Quad Cities, the 22-year old righty has a 1.56 ERA and a 0.837 WHIP. In 34+ innings, he has struck out 35 batters while walking nine. Only four of 15 inherited runners have scored on his watch. His has been an incredibly reliable arm out of the Quad Cities 'pen.

But Brunnemann isn't one to toot his own horn. He's quiet and unassuming and has a kind of "Aw shucks, just doing my job, ma'am" quality about him. Even when I asked him about his off-season weight loss which totaled 40 pounds, he downplayed the magnitude of such an accomplishment, "Just changed eating habits pretty much. Eating healthy and working out a little bit more."

But even though Brunnemann is quiet, I got to know him a little bit more when I talked to him last weekend in Quad Cities. As usual with pitchers, my first question was regarding his pitch repertoire. "I throw a fastball, which is the pitch I throw the most and am most confident in, and then curveball and change up, curveball more for an out pitch. Fastball right about 88 to 91 usually, and then I think the curveball is in the lower 70's, change up maybe mid 70's. I get decent movement on the curveball and change up. [I've] been working on those both a lot."

So far this season, Brunnemann told me that he has been "just working on the curveball and throwing a lot of strikes and just working on getting outs." He continued, "And then definitely all season this year, I've been working on the curveball, tightening it up, sharpening it up and that's been going well, getting more strikeouts with it."

I asked Brunnemann what the biggest adjustment has been for him in playing professional ball, "I think the biggest adjustment might just be just being ready to play everyday. In college, we only played three times a week and in professional baseball, it's seven days a week, and just being ready to always pitch, being ready to go out there and get your work in everyday. Especially in the bullpen. Always being ready down there."

Of Brunnemann's All-Star experience, he told me, "The All-Star game was great. It was a lot of fun. The whole weekend was good, set up by West Michigan. And in the game, Bork told me eight pitches and just nice quick 1-2-3. It was a lot of fun out there. It was fun, meeting some guys from other teams, just enjoying the experience."

On the experience of being a late round draft pick, Brunnemann said, "The draft, it was a stressful day. I talked to the Astros throughout the day and it wasn't happening for a while. I was getting real frustrated at the end and then I got picked and it was great and I was just ready to go. So I went to Greeneville a week or two later. I just wanted to get playing. I don't even think about it really, being a 40th rounder. I just do what I do."

Brunnemann hails from Garden Ridge, Texas, just north of San Antonio and that is still his home in the off-season. He attended Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, and was only the second player ever to be drafted from that school and the first since the Phillies drafted Rusty Hamric in 1979. According to Brunnemann, "We're a small school out in West Texas. I think our enrollment's like 2500, not a lot of people. Just went there for baseball. I chose them because of my educational path I wanted to be on and baseball just ended up working out." He majored in exercise science and originally thought about going into physical therapy, but now his post-playing goal is to be a coach.

And, as always, I asked Brunnemann some of my silly questions. Which Astros pitcher has a pitch he would like to steal? "I'd say, this one's probably said a lot, but [Jandel] Gustave's fastball. I've seen him hit, in Greeneville last year, hit 102 so that would definitely be nice to have." Which Astros hitter would he least like to face? "I would say probably Brett Phillips. He just hits the ball a lot. He gets good counts. He's had a lot of extra base hits this year and he's fast."

When I asked Tyler who on the team makes him laugh, he didn't want to chose. "Do I have to narrow it down to one person? I would just say the bullpen as a group. We get along real well down there. We joke around and have a lot of fun and then all those guys this year have been doing great. Once we get on the mound, it's all business and the whole bullpen's been pitching real well."

Sometimes I get no answer at all, but occasionally, I will get surprised when I ask a player to tell me something about himself that most people don't know and might be surprised to hear. Such was the case with Brunnemann. "When I was 11, I had a brain tumor removed. It was benign. So I'm good now, but that happened. I was playing baseball and I has having double vision actually and that's obviously not easy. So I went to an eye doctor and I got sent in for an MRI that day and then I had surgery the next day. It was crazy. It went real fast. I was 11. I didn't even understand what was going on."

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

Brunnemann isn't a flashy player. He doesn't have the most elite stuff on the team. But he knows that he has been given an opportunity and he wants to make the most of that opportunity. Borkowski put it well, "He wants to pitch in the big leagues. He has the desire to pitch in the big leagues and he's going to get every ounce out of himself that he can. He competes. He prepares. He's ready to go. He really takes care of himself and it's a lot of fun to watch a kid like him have success." I couldn't agree more.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Oklahoma City 12, New Orleans 0

W- Jake Buchanan (4-3)
L- Brian Flynn (4-3)

OKC home runs: Gregorio Petit (4, 3-run in 5th)

Well that was fun. Jake Buchanan went the distance and put up 9 zeros in the process while the RedHawks offense unleashed hell on the Zephyrs pitching staff.

It took Buchanan 97 pitches (77 strikes) to get 27 outs. He allowed 6 hits and struck out a career-high 10. This was the first time that he's recorded double-digit strikeouts as a pro. His previous career high was 9, which came last July 5 against the Zephyrs. This was also Buchanan's 2nd career complete game shutout; his 1st came on May 1, 2011, when he fired a 4-hitter for Lancaster against Inland Empire. According to OKC announcer Alex Freedman, Buchanan is currently on a 26-inning scoreless streak. That's pretty good.

The RedHawks offense was powered by a pair of 5-run innings, and they tacked on 1 in 2 other innings to complete the dozen. They also drew 10 walks. Jon Singleton was the only player in the starting 9+1 without a hit, but he drew 4 walks and scored a run. Andy Simunic drew 3, while Ronald Torreyes walked twice. With the bases loaded and nobody out in the 2nd, Robbie Grossman kicked things off by bringing in Torreyes with a single. Kiké Hernandez followed up with a sac fly, and then Domingo Santana ripped an RBI double. Max Stassi topped it off with a 2-run double. Carlos Perez added an RBI single in the 3rd.

Stassi, who finished 4-4 with a couple of doubles, added a 2-run single in the 5th, and then one batter later, Gregorio Petit, for all intents and purposes, sealed the deal with a 3-run blast (4). Simunic provided the cherry with an RBI single in the 9th. Santana also had a 4-hit night; he scored 3 times. Petit, Hernandez, and Simunic finished with 2 hits apiece.

Asher Wojciechowski, who's been on Team Rehab all year, will make his season debut later this morning. He'll take on Bryan Evans in game 3 of this 4-game set at 11:00 A.M.

Corpus Christi was off

The Hooks will begin their tour of Arkansas. Their first stop is Little Rock, where they'll play 3 with the Travelers beginning tonight. Tommy Shirley will start the opener, and he'll be opposed by Kramer Sneed. First pitch is at 7:10.

Lancaster 8, Bakersfield 4

W- Brian Holmes (1-1)
L- James Allen (2-4)
S- Dan Minor (2)

Lancaster home runs: Teoscar Hernandez 2 (8; solo in 1st, 2-run in 8th)

The JetHawks took the opener behind the bat of Mr. Hernandez. It got a bit hairy in the middle stages of the game, but they finished with 3 unanswered runs.

Teoscar swatted a pair of homers and moved into a tie for the California League RBI lead with Bakersfield 1B Marquez Smith. His first was a solo shot in the 1st that opened the scoring. After the Blaze tied it with 1 of their own in the bottom of the frame, Lancaster responded with 3 in the top of the 2nd. Carlos Perdomo finished 3-4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI double in the inning. He'd score on a Tony Kemp single, and Kemp came home on a Teoscar double. Kemp also scored on a Teoscar groundout in the 4th. After Bako scored 2 in the bottom of the 4th to get within 1, Perdomo added an RBI single in the 5th to provide a little more separation, and Hernandez gave the JetHawks the separation they needed by sending a 2-run shot into the Central Valley night in the 8th. Kemp and Jordan Scott both went 2-5 and took part in a little thievery. Scott swiped one (2), while Kemp had a couple (18).

Brian Holmes went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs on 4 hits (3 solo homers), walked 1, and struck out 4. J.D. Osborne was a bit erratic, as he issued 3 walks and only struck out 1 in his 2 frames, but he didn't allow a hit or a run. As long as the other team doesn't score.... whatever works. Dan Minor finished it off with 2 scoreless, allowing 2 hits and striking out 2.

In the middle game of this series, Kyle Westwood will face Drew Cisco. First pitch is at 7:30 Pacific.

Quad Cities 7, Burlington 1

W- Adrian Houser (3-1)
L- Harrison Cooney (2-3)
S- Tyler Brunnemann (1)

QC home runs: None.

After a tough extra-inning loss in the series opener, the Bandits came back and smacked the Bees around, scoring 6 unanswered runs to take this one.

Adrian Houser won his 3rd straight decision with another fine outing. He went 6 innings and allowed a run on 5 hits while striking out 4. Tyler Brunnemann pitched the final 3 innings and posted 3 zeros. He allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 3 for the save.

Brett Booth went 2-4 with a pair of RBI singles; the first one opened up the scoring in the 1st, and he had another one as part of a 3-run 5th. Conrad Gregor hit an RBI single in the 3rd, while James Ramsay ripped a pair of RBI doubles in the 4th and the 8th. Tyler White added an RBI double in the 5th and ended up scoring on a Tanner Mathis force out. Mathis, who doubled and scored in the 4th, added a stolen base (6). Chan-Jong Moon went 2-5 with 2 steals (17).

In the rubber game of this series, Kevin Comer will make his first start of the season. He'll face Ryan Etsell at 7:00.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

James Ramsay, CF, Quad Cities

2-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R

2. 4-hit nights for OKC.

Domingo Santana, LF

4-6, 2B, RBI, 3 R

Photo courtesy of Bryan Green

Max Stassi, C

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

1.

Teoscar Hernandez, CF, Lancaster

3-5, 2B, 2 HR (8), 5 RBI

Honorable Mentions: Carlos Perdomo, Tony Kemp, Gregorio Petit, Andy Simunic, Brett Booth


Three Stars: Pitchers

3.

J.D. Osborne on Twitter: @jd13_osborne

J.D. Osborne, LHP, Lancaster

2 IP, 3 BB, K

Dan Minor, RHP, Lancaster

Save (2), 2 IP, 2 H, 2 K

2. Quad Cities pitchers shackled Burlington.

Adrian Houser, RHP

W (3-1), 6 IP, 5 H, ER, 4 K

Photo by John Whinery

Tyler Brunnemann, RHP

Save (1), 3 IP, H, BB, 3 K 

1. Wonder why he's got that grin on his face? Oh that's right, he just tossed a complete game shutout.

Jake Buchanan, RHP, Oklahoma City

W (4-3), CG, 6 H, 10 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Sunday, May 4, 2014

Class debuts!

Omaha 4, Oklahoma City 1

W- Sugar Ray Marimon (3-1)
L- Rudy Owens (2-1)
S- Kameron Loe (1)

OKC home runs: Andy Simunic (1, solo in 7th)

The OKC offense has really hit a rut; this was the 6th straight game in which they've scored 3 runs or fewer, and they've scored just 10 runs over their last 6 contests.

Andy Simunic went 2-3, and his solo homer (1) in the 7th inning accounted for the RedHawks' lone run. Jon Singleton also went 2-3 with a double and a bunt single.

Rudy Owens threw 6 innings and allowed 4 runs (both on 2-run doubles) on 7 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Jason Stoffel walked 2 in the 7th, but also struck out 2 in the inning. Josh Zeid worked around a walk to strike out the side in the 8th.

The series finale will take place later this morning, as Mike Foltynewicz will face Ramon Troncoso at 11:05 A.M.

San Antonio 6, Corpus Christi 4

W- Devin Jones (4-1)
L- Kyle Smith (0-1, 4-1 season)
S- Johnny Barbato (7)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks fought back from an early 6-0 deficit, but ran out of steam.

All 4 Hooks runs came in the 5th. Matt Duffy ignited the rally by drawing a walk, and he scored the first run of the game on a double from Preston Tucker. An error allowed Jio Mier to reach while Tucker took 3rd; they both came home on Tyler Heineman's 2-run triple. Heineman would score on an M.P. Cokinos groundout. Duffy and Heineman had 2 hits apiece.

The Missions greeted Kyle Smith rather rudely in his AA debut. He went 5 innings and gave up 6 runs on 9 hits (3 solo homers) and struck out 6. Alex Sogard allowed 3 hits and struck out 1 over 3 scoreless, and Jorge De Leon worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th.

Game 3 of this series has Tommy Shirley on the mound, and he'll be taking on John Hussey. First pitch is at 7:10.

Lancaster 8, San Jose 6

W- Dan Minor (2-1)
L- Jorge Bucardo (0-2)
S- Mitch Lambson (2)

Lancaster home runs: Teoscar Hernandez (4, solo in 2nd)

The power of the 7th-inning stretch. The JetHawks erased a 5-2 deficit with a 6-run bottom of the 7th to take the series finale and 2 of 3 in the series.

Roberto Peña went 2-4 and hit an RBI single in the 4th to put the JetHawks on the board, down 3-1. Teoscar Hernandez went 3-5 with a solo homer in the 5th (4). After seeing his average drop to .234 on April 30, Hernandez has responded by going 7-12 with a couple of 3-hit games in the series to raise his average to .269.

Danry Vasquez, Ruben Sosa, and Tony Kemp all walked to begin the 7th, and Hernandez promptly sent them all home with a double that tied the game. Teoscar was credited with 2 RBI, as an error was committed on the play. Carlos Correa then hit a single and advanced to 2nd on a throw to 3rd. Rio Ruiz walked to re-load the bases. After Dan Gulbransen and Peña became the first 2 casualties of the inning, Carlos Perdomo came through with a 2-run single. Vasquez, who went 2-3 with a double and started all of this with a leadoff walk, came back up and hit an RBI single. Carlos Correa was 2-5 with 2 runs scored.

Kent Emanuel went 4.2 innings and allowed 5 runs on 7 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3 in his High-A debut. Dan Minor threw 2.1 scoreless, allowing a walk while fanning 2. Mitch Lambson was taken deep by Mitch Delfino to begin his outing... but no matter. After the homer, Lambson struck out the side in the 8th, and worked around a hit batter to close it out. He struck out 4 in 2 innings, and Delfino's home run was the only hit he gave up.

The JetHawks will now hit the road to begin a 4-game series in Lake Elsinore. Lance McCullers gets the start in the opener; his opponent will be Joe Ross. First pitch is at 6:05.

Beloit 6, Quad Cities 3

W- Junior Mendez (1-2)
L- Adrian Houser (0-1)
S- Sam Bragg (2)

QC home runs: None.

Well, the crooked-numbered inning bit Quad Cities once again, as a 4-run 5th was the difference for the Snappers.

Chan-Jong Moon hit a 1-out single in the top of the 1st, stole 2nd (8), and came around to score on a Conrad Gregor single. That would be QC's only run until Chase McDonald hit a 2-run single in the 8th. Jack Mayfield was the only River Bandit with a multi-hit day, going 2-5 with a double and a run scored. Mayfield is now on a 6-game hitting streak. Brett Phillips extended his hitting streak to 5 with a single in the 3rd.

Adrian Houser pitched 3.2 innings and gave up 5 runs on 5 hits, walked 5, and struck out 2. 4 of those 5 runs came in the 5th and came in the form of a Tyler Marincov grand slam. Tyler Brunnemann struck out 1 over 1.1 perfect innings, and Gonzalo Sañudo allowed a run on a force out in the 8th, a hit, and walked 2 in 3 innings.

The River Bandits will return home to open up a 3-game series against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. TBA (was Kent Emanuel's spot in the rotation) will take on Ethan Mildren at 7:00.

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Tyler Heineman, C, Corpus Christi

2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, R

2.

Andy Simunic, Utility, Oklahoma City

2-3, solo HR (1) in 7th

1.

Teoscar Hernandez on Twitter: @TeoscarH

Teoscar Hernandez, CF, Lancaster

3-5, 2B, solo HR (4), 3 RBI, 2 R

Honorable Mentions: Jon Singleton, Danry Vasquez, and Carlos Correa


Three Stars: Pitchers

The bullpens of all 4 teams combined to allow just 2 runs on 7 hits.

4. Quad Cities

Tyler Brunnemann on Twitter: @TBruno35

Tyler Brunnemann, RHP

1.1 IP, K

Gonzalo Sañudo, RHP

3 IP, H, ER, 2 BB

He walked 2?!!!?!!???????

3. Lancaster

Dan Minor, RHP

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

Mitch Lambson, LHP

Save (2), 2 IP, H (solo HR), ER, 4 K

2. Corpus Christi

Alex Sogard, LHP

3 IP, 3 H, K

#180229888 / gettyimages.com

Jorge De Leon, RHP
IP, H

1. Oklahoma City

Jason Stoffel, RHP
IP, 2 BB, 2 K

Josh Zeid, RHP

IP, BB, 3 K

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, April 25, 2014

Nashville 5, Oklahoma City 3

W- Mike Fiers (4-0)
L- Jake Buchanan (1-2)

OKC home runs: Kiké Hernandez (1, solo in 4th; 2 season)

The RedHawks offense was mowed down by Mike Fiers, who struck out 10 of them. Kiké Hernandez went 2-4 with a solo homer (1) in the 4th and scored 2 of the 3 OKC runs. They got a pair of RBI groundouts from Robbie Grossman and Ronald Torreyes in the bottom of the 9th. Gregorio Petit went 2-5, and Andy Simunic finished 3-4.

Jake Buchanan went 4 innings and allowed 3 runs (all on a homer from Hunter Morris) on 6 hits and struck out 2. 5 relievers pitched an inning each: Darin Downs (5th) gave up a run on 2 hits and struck out the side. Chia-Jen Lo (6th) worked around a hit and a walk to throw a scoreless inning. Ditto for Jason Stoffel (7th), who struck out 1. Kevin Chapman (8th) allowed a run on 2 hits and struck out 1, and Josh Zeid struck out the side in order in the 9th.

The series continues at 7:05 with Ross Seaton and Nick Tropeano taking on Brad Mills.

Corpus Christi 6, Frisco 4

W- Troy Scribner (1-0)
L- Jerad Eickhoff (1-2)
S- Jorge De Leon (1)

CC home runs: None.

With Jayne in attendance, the Hooks jumped out tot a 6-1 lead, although it got a little close for comfort at the end righ there. I don't know the exact record of all Astros affiliates when she's in attendance, but I'm pretty sure she's the good-luck charm.

The Hooks went all relievers in this one, although the guy that started has done so in the past. Jordan Jankowski got the start as the starting pitchers got an extra day of rest. He went 3 innings and gave up a run on 3 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. The first man out of the bullpen was Troy Scribner, fresh from Kissimmee. Clearly not fazed from the effects of going straight to the Texas League from extended spring training, Scribner tossed 2 scoreless, allowing a hit, walking 2, and striking out 1 in the process. The organization's top facial hair prospect, Michael Dimock, was next, and he threw 2 scoreless. He allowed a hit and struck out 1. Pat Urckfitz allowed 2 unearned runs on 2 hits and struck out 1 as he got 2 outs in the 8th, 1 via strikeout. Jorge De Leon did allow an unearned run in the 9th, but was able to get the 4-out save, allowing a hit and striking out 1.

The Hooks got the scoring started in the 1st as Andrew Aplin scored on an error that allowed Preston Tucker to reach. After Frisco tied it with 1 in the top of the 2nd, the Hooks responded with a Tyler Heineman RBI single and a 2-run double from Nolan Fontana. Jio Mier chipped in with a 2-run double of his own in the 6th inning. Preston Tucker and Chris Epps had 2 hits apiece, while Leo Heras was 1-2 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.

Brady Rodgers will take the mound in game 2 of this series; he'll be opposed by Luke Jackson. First pitch is at 7:10.

Lancaster 6, Rancho Cucamonga 3

W- Kyle Smith (4-0)
L- Geoff Brown (0-1)
S- Lance McCullers (2)

Lancaster home runs: Carlos Perdomo (1, solo in 5th)

The JetHawks were held in check by Clayton Kershaw for 5 innings. Let's see... the reigning Cy Young winner against a Class A Advanced lineup... that's to be expected, right?

Well, someone forgot to tell Carlos Perdomo that. On his 24th birthday, he had both of the JetHawks' hits off Kershaw, including a home run to lead off the 5th (1) that put them on the board, down 2-1. Perdomo was the only player on either side to have a multi-hit game; both teams only had 5 apiece.

After Kershaw exited, they got themselves going and finished on a 6-1 run. Rio Ruiz tied it with a double in the 6th and wound up scoring the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Ruiz wasn't done yet; he drew a bases-loaded walk in the 7th, and Brandon Meredith provided some separation with a 2-run single. In the process, they rocked Julio Urias, the 17-year-old phenom from Mexico who was rated by Baseball America as the Dodgers' #3 prospect.

Kyle Smith fought hard against Kershaw. The result was a very solid outing for him, and he got the W to boot. In 5 innings, Smith gave up 2 runs (both on solo homers), one other hit, walked 1, and struck out 5. Lance McCullers had a bit of a scare, as he slipped on the mound and was favoring his elbow (initially leg) a little in the 9th.

Grounder to McCullers and he slips on the mound and is pain. Looks to be holding his right leg. #JetHawks
— Eric Smith (@Eric_L_Smith) April 26, 2014

McCullers said he's fine. Landed on his right elbow and was scared for a second. #JetHawks #Astros
— Eric Smith (@Eric_L_Smith) April 26, 2014

At the time of this incident, there was 2 outs in the 9th. He shook it off and got that last out. McCullers went 4 innings and gave up a run on 2 hits, walked 3, and struck out 3.

Game 3 of this series has Chris Devenski and Josh Hader taking on TBA; the JetHawks game notes has Lindsey Caughel as the starter. First pitch is at 7:05.

Peoria 8, Quad Cities 4

W- Jimmy Reed (1-1)
L- Kent Emanuel (0-1)

QC home runs: None.

The River Bandits were victimized by the multi-run homer in this one; namely the 3-run home run and the grand slam. Peoria only scored in 2 innings, but they put up 4 in both of them.

Brian Holberton went 2-4 and put QC on the board first in the 1st with a 2-run double. James Ramsay hit an RBI single in the top of the 6th, and Conrad Gregor went 3-5 with an RBI double in the 7th. Chan-Jong Moon was 1-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 steals (6).

Kent Emanuel went 4 innings and gave up 4 unearned runs on 5 hits (3-run homer), walked 2, and struck out 3. Chris Cotton allowed a grand slam and struck out 2 in the 5th. Jandel Gustave allowed 2 hits and struck out 3 in 2 scoreless, and Tyler Brunnemann struck out the side in order in the 8th.

In the middle game of this series, Michael Feliz and Evan Grills will face Silfredo Garcia at 1:00.

Three Stars: Pitchers

3. Corpus FNGs

Photo courtesy of Bryan Green

Troy Scribner, RHP, Corpus Christi

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

Michael Dimock, RHP, Corpus Christi

2 IP, H, K

2. Striking out the side in order

Photo courtesy of John Whinery (greenevilleastrosphotos)

Tyler Brunnemann, RHP, Quad Cities

IP, 3 K

Josh Zeid, RHP, Oklahoma City

IP, 3 K

1.

Photo courtesy of Bryan Green

Kyle Smith, RHP, Lancaster

W (4-0), 5 IP, 3 H (2 solo HRs), 2 ER, BB, 5 K

Lance McCullers, RHP, Lancaster

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

Three Stars: Position Players

3.

Brian Holberton, C, Quad Cities
2-4, 2B, 2 RBI

2.

Enrique Hernandez, 2B/OF, Oklahoma City

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

1.

Carlos Perdomo, SS, Lancaster

2-4, solo HR (1)