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Houston Astros Minor League Recap: 6/11/13

A domestic sweep in the minors, with the DSL Astros providing the only loss for the night as Preston Tucker, Carlos Correa, Jesse Wierzbicki, and Kike Hernandez have big nights on the farm.

By Anthony Boyer
Ryan Dunsmore

Star Light Star Bright, All-Stars I See Tonight

The Texas League announced its All-Stars this week, and six Astros minor leaguers made the cut. Catcher Rene Garcia and outfielder George Springer were named as starters, and outfielder Domingo Santana was named a reserve. Additionally, three pitchers made the South Division team: Jake Buchanan, Michael Foltynewicz, and David Martinez. Not a lot of surprises here, as Springer's 18 home runs leads the minor leagues; Buchanan's 0.80 ERA and Martinez's 9 wins lead the Texas League.

Earlier this month, the California League announced its All-Stars. Lancaster contributed three players - Outfielder Andrew Aplin was named a starter. His fellow outfielder, Preston Tucker, was named as a reserve. Pitcher Brady Rodgers was also named to the team.

The Midwest League also named their All-Star team earlier this month. Three Quad Cities River Bandits made the team: Carlos Correa will be the starting shortstop for the Western Division, and pitchers Jordan Jankowski and Lance McCullers will be joining him in Dayton.

Voting is still underway for the Pacific Coast League All-Stars.

Draft Week

While the Astros' 2013 draft was underway, a press release went out that heavily featured the top two picks in the 2012 draft: Carlos Correa and Lance McCullers were named the Quad Cities Player and Pitcher of the month, respectively, for the month of May. Theron Geith and Preston Tucker won the awards for Lancaster; Jake Buchanan and Erik Castro in Corpus Christi; and Bretts Wallace and Oberholtzer for Oklahoma City.

Zip on Out to Davenport

Modern Woodmen Park's renovation took a step forward as the Davenport City Council voted Monday to approve a measure allowing the River Bandits to close the street in front of the park for two hours before and after each game in order for fans to take advantage of the new zipline that was unveiled at last night's game.

Getting Their Hooks in the Draft

Over at MiLB.com, Michael Point has a nice article on the draft. Of course, it brings up names like Jason Jennings, Woody Williams, and Kenny Baugh, but hey. You can't win 'em all.

What Happened Was...

Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) - In their last home day game until the regular season finale on September 2nd, the RedHawks ran Asher Wojciechowski out to the mound to take on the Iowa Cubs (CHC). RedHawks First Baseman kept up his torrid pace - over his last ten games, he's hitting .357/.438/.524 - with his second-straight multihit game. Jonathan Villar and Che-Hsuan Lin contributed a pair of stolen bases each as the RedHawks rolled to an 8-5 victory. Congratulations to Ian Stewart for actually contributing a hit for Iowa in his last game before being suspended for his late-night Twitter ranting.

Oklahoma City: 34-28, t-1st, Pacific Coast League American Southern Division

  • LF Robbie Grossman - 0/2, R, 2 BB
  • 2B Jose Martinez - 1/5, 2B, RBI, E
  • 1B RedHawks First Baseman - 3/4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
  • DH Marc Krauss - 0/4, 2 K
  • CF Che-Hsuan Lin - 0/2, R, 2 BB, 2 SB
  • SS Jonathan Villar - 0/1, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SB
  • RF Andrew Simunic - 1/3, 3 RBI, SB
  • C Cody Clark - 2/4, R
  • RHP Asher Wojciechowski - 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
  • LHP Kevin Chapman - 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
  • LHP Alex Sogard - 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
  • RHP Rhiner Cruz - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
  • RHP Jose Valdez - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Corpus Christi Hooks - Hours after being named to the Texas League All-Star team, piggyback starters Michael Foltynewicz and David Martinez took to the mound. Folty struggled a bit early, walking two batters in the second inning, both of whom came home on an Eddy Rodriguez triple. The Hooks came roaring back with three runs of their own in the top of the third, and Foltynewicz retired the final ten batters he faced. Martinez threw four scoreless frames to earn his first save of the season as the Hooks topped the San Antonio Missions (SDP), 6-2. Kike Hernandez paced the offense, coming a single shy of the cycle.

Corpus Christi: 39-25, 1st - Texas League South
  • LF-CF George Springer - 1/5, 2B, R, 4 K
  • C Rene Garcia - 1/5, R, K
  • 1B Jonathan Singleton - 2/4, 3B, R, 2 RBI, BB, K
  • CF Justin Maxwell - 1/4, RBI
  • RF Domingo Santana - 1/4, HR, R, RBI, K
  • 2B Enrique Hernandez - 3/4, 2B, 3B, HR, R, RBI
  • SS Jiovanni Mier - 2/4, R, K, SB
  • RHP Michael Foltynewicz - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
  • RHP David Martinez - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Lancaster Jethawks (A+) - A year ago Monday, Nolan Fontana and Preston Tucker helped the Florida Gators top Carlos Rodon and the North Carolina State Wolfpack to punch their ticket to Omaha. What a difference a year makes. On the heels of an eight-game losing streak, Tucker got sick of losing. He took the team on his shoulderswith four hits, including two doubles, to go along with a strong pitching performance from a pair of lefties - Luis Cruz and Kyle Hallock - to put Lancaster on top of the High Desert Mavericks (SEA), 3-1.

Lancaster: 36-29, 1st - California League Southern Division
  • SS Nolan Fontana - 0/4, 2 K
  • 2B Joe Sclafani - 2/4, 2 2B, R, K
  • RF Preston Tucker - 4/4, 2 2B, R, RBI
  • 1B M.P. Cokinos - 1/4, 2B, 2 RBI, K
  • LHP Luis Cruz - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
  • LHP Kyle Hallock - 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
  • RHP Travis Ballew - 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Quad Cities River Bandits (A) - With Byron Buxton and the Cedar Rapids Kernels (MIN) in town, Quad Cities came ready to play. The offense jumped on Cedar Rapids' starter, Hein Robb, with two runs in the first, but then ceded four runs in the third. From there, Lance McCullers and piggyback starter Daniel Minor held the Kernels scoreless as the River Bandits offense put up a run in the fifth and then five more runs in the game's final two frames as Quad Cities won, 8-4.

Quad Cities: 35-28, 3rd (4.0 GB) - Midwest League Western Division
  • CF Teoscar Hernandez - 0/3, 2 R, 2 BB
  • SS Carlos Correa - 2/2, 3 R, 3 BB, SB
  • 1B Jesse Wierzbicki - 3/5, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, K
  • 3B Rio Ruiz - 1/4, RBI, 3 K, SB
  • 2B Catfish Elkins - 0/2, 2 BB, K, SB
  • RHP Lance McCullers - 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
  • RHP Daniel Minor - 3.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
  • RHP John Neely - 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Oh, and by the way... CF Byron Buxton: 0/5, 2 K

DSL Astros (Rk) - The DSL Rays (TBR) and the DSL Astros swapped runs, with the Astros putting up two runs in the second and the Rays following with two of their own in the third. The Rays followed with two in the sixth, but the Astros put up three in the bottom of the frame. One apiece in the seventh... but when the Rays put up two in the top of the ninth, the Astros couldn't mount enough offense in the bottom of the frame to pull ahead, dropping the game 7-6. A strong performance by Arturo Michelena, who doubled twice. Five of the six Astros' runs were unearned, with Jesus Bermejo picking up the only actual RBI, which is impressive in its way.

DSL Astros: 4-4, 3rd (2.5 GB) - Dominican Summer League Boca Chica Northwest
  • CF Luis Payano - 0/4, 3 K
  • 2B Arturo Michelena - 2/4, 2 2B, R, BB, K
  • RF Brauly Mejia - 1/2, 2B, R, 2 BB
  • C Marlon Avea - 1/3, 2B, R
  • DH Jesus Bermejo - 1/4, RBI, 2 K
  • RHP Harold Arauz - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
  • RHP Joselo Pimenez - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
  • RHP Gerardo Juarez - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
  • RHP Angel Heredia - 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
  • LHP Javier Saucedo - 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

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