Astros Tuesday Minor League Recap

I'm going to start this off with something that actually has nothing to do with the Astros.  Congratulations to the University of South Carolina Gamecocks!  They won the College World Series last night 2-1 over UCLA in extra innings.  If you missed the game, you missed a good one.  There were some solid pitching performances, especially with the battle of the closers.  Each teams closer pitched over three innings.  This was the last and final game at the storied Rosenblaut Stadium in Omaha and it couldn't have closed out in better fashion.  This was also the first NCAA Championship for USC.  Congratulations once again!

Pitching also dominated in one area of the Astros minor leagues.  The Greeneville Astros fell one out short of a no-hitter.  As a qualifier, it was a shortened seven inning game from the postponed game from Monday.  Still, Angel Gonzalez pitched the first six innings of no-hit ball with two walks and four strikeouts (three swinging).  BJ Hagen came in to finish the game and after getting the first two outs, the no-hit was spoiled.  He allowed three hits which led to two earned runs before getting the final out.  Jonathan Merritt went 2 for 4 with two strikeouts.  Ricardo Garcia failed to pick up a hit but walked twice.  Jhonny Medrano went 2 for 2 with a homerun, a stolen base, and two walks.  Marcus Nidiffer went 1 for 3 with a homerun and a strikeout.  Bubby Williams went 2 for 3 with a homerun and a strikeout.   

Round Rock lost 6-3

Shane Loux pitched seven innings but allowed five runs on nine hits (two homeruns) and struck out eight.  Matt Kata went 2 for 4 with a double and a homerun plus a walk.  Tommy Everidge went 1 for 4 with a homerun and a strikeout.  Ramon Vazquez went 1 for 4 with a double and a strikeout.  Yordany Ramirez went 2 for 3.

Corpus Christi-off

Lancaster lost 10-5

Kyle Greenwalt got smashed in his two and two-thirds innings.  He gave up eight runs on eight hits, three walks, and a strikeout.  Albert Cartwright went 2 for 5 with a double and two strikeouts.  Brandon Barnes went 1 for 5 with a double and a strikeout.  Lee Cruz went 1 for 5 with a double and two strikeouts.  Freddy Parejo went 3 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout.  Mark Ori went 1 for 4 with a double, walk, and a strikeout.  Brandon Wikoff went 1 for 3 with two walks.

Lexington won 6-5

Robert Donovan allowed five earned runs on six hits, two walks, and one strikeout in just two innings pitched.  But, Zachary Grimmett picked up the slack to get the victory in his four scoreless innings of work with just two hits and a walk while striking out five.  Wander Alvino pitched two innings of one hit ball with a walk and two strikeouts.  Jose Altuve went 3 for 4 with a double and a stolen base.  Aaron Bray went 4 for 5.  JD Martinez went 2 for 4 with a double and a strikeout.  Jio Mier went 2 for 5 with a strikeout.  Jio has been doing quite well with an OPS of .948. 

Tri-City lost 4-0

Robby Doran hasn't adjusted well yet to pro ball, and this game continues that.  He pitched four innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits, two walks, and just one strikeout.  Not a whole lot to talk about on the offense with Omar Infante and Ben Orloff picking up the only two hits, each being a single. 

Greeneville Game 1: won 7-2 Game 2: won 9-1

The first game recap was in the opener

Jeiler Castillo started the second game and pitched two innings and allowed one earned run on four hits, no walks, and two strikeouts.  Garrett Bullock pitched another two innings of scoreless ball with one hit, no walks, and two strikeouts.  Ryan Cole also pitched two shutout innings on two hits, no walks, and two strikeouts.  Justin Harper pitched one scoreless inning and only gave up one walk, no hits, and struck out one. The other Pedro Feliz went 1 for 3 with two walks and a strikeout.  Hector Rodriguez went 3 for 5.  Chris Wallace went 2 for 3 with homerun, walk, and a strikeout.  Marcus Nidiffer went 2 for 4 with another homerun and a strikeout.  Ricardo Heredia went 1 for 2 with a double, walk, and a strikeout. 

GCL Astros lost 10-6

Danilo Del Rio got hit up for four earned runs in five innings of work.  He allowed four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Matison allowed one unearned run in his one inning of work on one hit and struck out one.  Juan Mojica allowed one hit and struck out one in his two-thirds of an inning.  Juan Monzon went 1 for 4 with a homerun.  Kyle Redinger went 2 for 4 with a triple, walk, and a strikeout.  The kid continues to impress, Jose Fernandez went 2 for 3 with a walk.  Wilder Parra went1 for 3 with a homerun and a strikeout. 

DSL Astros lost 9-4

Roliner Iturralde pitched three and a third innings and allowed five runs (only two earned) on seven hits, two walks and a strikeout.  Ambiorix De Leon (anyone know how to say that first name?) pitched one inning and gave up no walks, no hits, no runs, and struck out one. Yonathan Mejia went 3 for 5 with a strikeout.  Mario Gonzales went 1 for 4 with a double and a strikeout.  Ydarqui Marte went 1 for 3 with a walk, strikeout, and his first homerun.  Luis De La Rosa went 1 for 2 with a triple and a stolen base.  Fredwin Capusano went 1 for 3 with a triple, walk, stolen base, and two strikeouts.