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Minor League Recap: 4/16/13

Every team in the Houston Astros organization lost yesterday, and yet they managed to avoid being swept.

By Anthony Boyer
Bob Levey

Musical Chairs

Second baseman Carlos Perdomo was promoted from Quad Cities to Lancaster to help the ailing Jethawks, with Alex Gillingham and Tyler Heineman moving to the 7-day DL and Delino DeShields still being hampered by an injury - and it's a good thing he did, as he was pressed into service in the extra inning for the Jethawks last night, albeit it for the exact duration of one pitch. Outfielder Chris Epps was also activated from the Temporary Inactive list. Whatever that is.

Ballew it By 'Em

When Travis Ballew left Kissimmee for the California high desert, he never imagined that he'd need to bring long sleeves - but as he took the mound in the 9th inning last night for Lancaster, no doubt the 39-degree weather made him wish he'd done a little research. Maybe that's why he worked so quickly, striking out all six Mavericks batters he faced over 2 innings in relief.

Save Ferris

We're inching closer and closer to June, when Modern Woodmen Park - home of the Quad Cities River Bandits - will unveil a new Ferris wheel, which will stand 112 feet over the playing field. Along with the Ferris wheel, the park will feature two zip lines, a carousel, bouncy houses, and a Frog Hopper (whatever that is.) If that isn't enough reason to plan a trip to Davenport, oh yeah, they've also got the #1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, Carlos Correa, playing for the team.

Speaking of #1...

I got turned on to some video taken by Tommy Cook over at Shadows of Wrigley of a Correa home run against Kane County earlier this season. It landed over 25 feet past the left field fence, and it's a fun one to watch:

Wojo's Mojo

Including the end of the 2012 season, Asher Wojciechowski has allowed just 1 earned run over his last 6 starts: 31.2 IP, 0.28 ERA, 25 K, 6 BB. He leads the Texas League this season with an ERA of 0.00 over 14 IP. San Antonio's Burch Smith also has a 0.00 ERA, over 11 IP.

What Happened Was...

Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) - Jurickson Profar hit his first Triple-A home run and his first Triple-A triple (!) for the Round Rock Express (TEX) last night, ending the day 3/5 with 3 RBI and a run scored and leading his team to victory over the RedHawks, 8-6. Eight different RedHawks had hits, but none had more than one. Marc Krauss led the way with a 2-run double in the eighth inning and Jake Elmore extended his hitting streak to 11 games, but the RedHawks weren't able to overcome a rocky outing by Brett Oberholtzer.

  • Jonathan Villar (SS) - 1/5, RBI
  • Jake Elmore (2B) - 1/2, 2 BB, HBP, RBI, 2 SB, CS
  • Fernando Martinez (RF) - 1/5, R, 3 K
  • Brandon Laird (1B) - 1/5, R, 2 K
  • Jimmy Paredes (3B) - 1/4, R, 2 K, SB
  • Trevor Crowe (LF) - 1/4, R
  • Marc Krauss (DH) - 1/4, 2B, 2 RBI
  • Che-Hsuan Lin (CF) - 1/2, R, RBI, 2 BB, SB
  • Cody Clark (C) - 0/2, R, RBI, 2 K
  • Brett Oberholtzer (LHP) - 5 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) - The Tulsa Drillers (COL) were relentless last night, notching 18 hits and finishing up a series sweep over the Hooks with a 9-3 victory. Catcher Rene Garcia, who hadn't homered since 2011 (one of three seasons he spent in homer-friendly Lancaster), put a two-run shot out of the park. George Springer hit his own mammoth home run, albeit with no one on base. Matthew Heidenreich made it just 1.1 innings before getting the hook in his piggyback start, surrendering 5 earned runs. His ERA now stands at 12.79 on the season.
  • Austin Wates (LF) - 2/5, 3B, K
  • George Springer (CF) - 1/3, HR, R, RBI, BB, CS
  • Carlos Perez (DH) - 1/2, BB, HBP
  • Jiovanni Mier (SS) - 1/4, R, 2 K
  • Rene Garcia (C) - 1/4, HR, R, 2 RBI, K
  • Ruben Alaniz (RHP) - 5 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, L
  • Matthew Heidenreich (RHP) - 1.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 3 HR
Lancaster Jethawks (A+) - The Jethawks led the High Desert Mavericks (SEA) 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning... and that's when the wheels came off the bus. Starter Aaron West gave up 2 runs to end the fifth, piggyback starter Luis Cruz gave up 3 more to tie the game and handed it off to Travis Ballew, who struck out all six Mavericks hitters he faced in the 9th and 10th innings. In the bottom of the 11th, he handed the ball over to Thomas Shirley, who gave up a solo walkoff shot on his very first pitch. JetHawks lost, 6-5.
  • Nolan Fontana (SS) - 1/3, 2 BB, K
  • Andrew Aplin (CF) - 1/4, 2B, BB
  • Zach Johnson (1B) - 1/4, 2B, R, RBI, K
  • Preston Tucker (LF) - 3/5, HR, 2 R, RBI, K
  • Matt Duffy (3B) - 1/5, 2B, R, RBI, 2 K
  • Drew Muren (RF) - 3/4, 2B, RBI, BB
  • MP Cokinos (C) - 1/4, BB, 2 K, CS
  • Chris Epps (DH) - 1/4, RBI, 2 K
  • Aaron West (RHP) - 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 2 HR
  • Luis Cruz (LHP) - 3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, HR, WP
  • Travis Ballew (RHP) - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
  • Thomas Shirley (LHP) - 0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR
Quad Cities River Bandits (A) - Game 1: The last time I was in Clinton, Iowa, Ashford University was called Mount St. Clare Academy and it was a Franciscan school with nuns living in the top floors of all the dorms. That was the summer of 2002, and I was working on a riverboat that wasn't allowed into the water. Long story. Since then, it's been through three name changes and is no longer affiliated with the Sisters of St. Francis (who once made me the best breakfast I've ever had in my life, by the way.)

None of this has anything to do with baseball, except that the Clinton LumberKings (SEA) did not play at their home park, Ashford University Field (see what happened there?) yesterday. Instead, they traveled a scant 40 miles northeast to take on the Quad Cities River Bandits in a doubleheader.

In Game 1, Lance McCullers gave up 6 runs (3 earned) in the first three innings, and that would prove to be all the LumberKings needed as they walked away with the win, 6-3, despite a late rally by Quad Cities. These are the things that happen when you go 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
  • Joe Sclafani (2B) - 0/1, R, 3 BB
  • Carlos Correa (SS) - 0/3, RBI, BB, K
  • Chase Davidson (DH) - 1/2, 2B, 2 BB, SB
  • Rio Ruiz (3B) - 0/3, 2 K
  • Jobduan Morales (C) - 0/1, R, 2 BB, K
  • Ariel Ovando (RF) - 0/3, 3 K
  • Terrell Joyce (LF) - 1/3, 2B, R, RBI, K
  • Lance McCullers (RHP) - 2.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, L
  • Mitchell Lambson (LHP) - 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
  • Cameron Lamb (RHP) - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Game 2 - Before it could be an entire organizational sweep, the River Bandits had to play another 7-inning game against Clinton to make up for the postponed game on Monday. Once again, they fell behind early, but this time their rally was enough to overcome Clinton, 3-2, preventing the sweep.
  • Jesse Wierzbicki (1B) - 2/3, CS
  • Rio Ruiz (DH) - 0/1, R, 2 BB, K
  • Austin Elkins (2B) - 1/2, R, RBI
  • Ryan Dineen (3B) - 1/2, 2B, 2 RBI
  • Daniel Minor (RHP) - 4 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
  • Michael Dimock (RHP) - 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

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