....and I'm All Out of Bubble Gum - Sure, Conrad Gregor has the name of a Bond villain, and that's exactly what he's been to California League pitchers recently. In 7 games during the week ending July 13, Gregor went 8-for-25 with a double, a triple, and three home runs (which came in three consecutive games), pacing the Jethawks' offense and earning him California League Player of the Week honors.
He wasn't the only Astros system first baseman to destroy opposing pitchers, however, as 2014 second-rounder A.J. Reed went 12-for-24 over his four games during the week, with four doubles and a pair of home runs of his own. During that stretch, he drew seventeen walks and struck out sixteen times. The University of Kentucky product brings home his first-ever Player of the Week honors, doing it in the New York-Penn League.
What Happened Was...
Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) - Scheduled Day Off (All-Star Break)
The Pacific Coast League All-Stars will square off today against the International League All-Stars at 6:00 P.M. Central Time. Astros minor leaguers Max Stassi and Gregorio Petit will suit up for the PCL squad.
The RedHawks will be back in action tomorrow against the Nashville Sounds (MIL).
Oklahoma City: 50-49, 3rd - Pacific Coast League American Northern (2.5 GB)
Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) - Midland RockHounds (OAK) 6, Corpus Christi Hooks 3.
Well, this is getting annoying. Max Muncy, the Oakland Athletics' #13 prospect, hit a grand slam for the second consecutive night. After hitting the first grand slam of his professional career, the former Baylor standout took a bases loaded,1-0 fastball from Hooks starter Mike Hauschild deep to right-center field in the third inning. That shot alone would be enough to give Midland the victory, though they'd go on to add two more runs in the game. It really goes to show what one pitch can do to a game, as Hauschild's line without that inside fastball would have been 5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, which is a really nice line. Unfortunately, MiLB has declined to let me decide which individual pitches to remove from players' stat lines, so instead, he's left with what actually happened.
Corpus Christi: 13-12, 3rd - Texas League South (3.5 GB)
- 2B Tony Kemp - 1/5, K, CS
- LF Ruben Sosa - 2/5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K
- CF Delino DeShields - 1/5, K
- 3B Jonathan Meyer - 1/4, R, E
- RF Andrew Aplin - 2/3, BB
- 1B Telvin Nash - 3/4, 2B, RBI, K
- SS Carlos Perdomo - 0/2, R, 2 BB
- C Tyler Heineman - 0/3, BB, K
- DH Brandon Meredith - 1/4, R, 2 K
- RHP Mike Hauschild - 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, 101/65 Pit/Str, 4/2 GO/FO
- RHP Richard Rodriguez - 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 39/28 Pit/Str, 1/2 GO/FO
- LHP Mitchell Lambson - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 24/17 Pit/Str, 1/0 GO/FO
Lancaster Jethawks (A+) - Scheduled Day Off
Lancaster: 12-13, t-3rd - California League South (6.0 GB)
Quad Cities River Bandits (A) - Scheduled Day Off
Quad Cities: 12-12, t-4th - Midwest League Western
Tri-City ValleyCats (A-) - Scheduled Day Off
Tri-City: 20-11, 1st - New York-Penn League Stedler
Greeneville Astros (Rk) - Scheduled Day Off
Greeneville: 12-12, t-2nd - Appalachian League West
GCL Astros (Rk) - GCL Astros 6, GCL Pirates (PIT) 5.
Trailing 5-4 entering the top of the eighth inning, the Astros were looking for some kind of miracle. Pirates pitcher Yunior Montero, who took over on the mound for Cristian Mota, was happy to oblige. After giving up a single to Randy Cesar, two consecutive pop-outs gave the Astros two outs and a runner on first. A string of singles from Marlon Avea, Brauly Mejia, and Ruben Castro tied the game and loaded the bases for Arturo Michelena. Michelena hit a chopper to shortstop, but was able to beat out the throw, plating the go-ahead run. Alejandro Solarte and Juan Delis allowed just one baserunner (on a single) over the final two frames for the Pirates, securing the 6-5 victory.
GCL Astros: 12-10, t-1st - Gulf Coast League Northeast
- SS Osvaldo Duarte - 0/4, K, E
- CF Edwin Medina - 0/3
- CF Alexander Melendez - 0/2
- 3B Randy Cesar - 4/5, 2B, 3 R, E
- 1B Hector Roa - 1/5, 2B, R, RBI, 2 K
- LF Brauly Mejia - 2/3, 2B, R, RBI, BB, E
- C Marlon Avea - 1/4, R, RBI, K, PB
- DH Ruben Castro - 2/4, 2 RBI, K
- 2B Arturo Michelena - 1/4, K
- RF Luis Payano - 0/3, BB, K
- RHP Joselo Pinales - 3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 5/2 GO/FO
- LHP J.D. Osborne - 0.2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, WP, HBP, 1/1 GO/FO
- LHP Cristhopher Santamaria - 3.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 6/0 GO/FO
- LHP Alejandro Solarte - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/FO
- RHP Juan Delis - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/FO
DSL Astros Orange (FRk) - DSL Rangers (TEX) 7, DSL Astros Orange 1.
DSL Astros Orange: 14-25, t-7th - Dominican Summer League Boca Chica North
- CF Marcos Almonte - 1/5, 3B
- SS Wilson Amador - 0/2, K, 2 HBP, CS, E
- 2B Frankeny Fernandez - 2/4, R
- RF Bryan De La Cruz - 0/2, 2 BB
- LF Edgar Lorenzo - 1/3, BB, 2 K
- DH Cristopher Luciano - 0/4, 3 K
- C Orlando Marquez - 1/4, RBI, K
- 1B Jesus Bermejo - 0/3, BB, K
- 3B Anardo Peralta - 1/3, 2B, BB
- RHP Adonis Pena - 4.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, BK, HBP, 2 E, 10/0 GO/FO
- RHP Antonio Almonte - 4.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 6/3 GO/FO
- RHP Starlyn Taveras - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 2/1 GO/FO
DSL Astros Blue (FRk) - DSL Dodgers (LAD) 6, DSL Astros Blue 0.
DSL Astros Blue: 17-22, 5th - Dominican Summer League Boca Chica Northwest (7.0 GB)
- LF Andy Pineda - 3/4, BB, 3 SB, E
- 2B Rodrigo Ayarza - 1/2, 2 BB, 2 SB
- SS Joan Mauricio - 0/4, BB, 3 K
- 1B Oliver Toribio - 0/3, 2 BB, K
- 3B Reiny Beltre - 1/4, HBP, K, CS, 2 E
- DH Wander Franco - 0/2, 2 BB, K
- C Carlos Canelon - 0/3, BB, K
- RF Juan Fuentes - 0/4, 3 K
- CF Nestor Tejada - 0/4, K
- LHP Salvador Montano - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 4/3 GO/FO
- RHP Juan Cuevas - 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, WP, 11/0 GO/FO