Minor League Recap: Games of May 4, 2014

AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks: 4-1 loss to Omaha (KCR)

-> Andy Simunic: 2-for-3, solo HR
-> Jon Singleton: 2-for-4, 2B
-> Domingo Santana: 1-for-3, BB, 2B
-> Enrique Hernandez: 1-for-3
-> Max Stassi: 1-for-4

SP Rudy Owens: 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K (loss)
RP Jason Stoffel: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 2 K
RP Josh Zeid: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K

Nothing much doing today. Owens got tagged for two runs each in the second and third innings, and no one managed to put anything together against Sugar Ray Marimon. Yes, that's his name, apparently. Kind of getting old for a prospect and not really impressive, but...maybe they were in awe of his name or something.

On the bright side, no strikeouts for Singleton. He has just seven in his last ten games, and just four in his last eight. Of course, he hasn't been hitting, like, at all during that time. Baby steps...

Santana is hitting though; he's up to .300/.359/.475 on the season now. The power hasn't been goofy, but with three bombs and ten doubles (and a triple), the slugging percentage has risen since the slow first couple of weeks. Seven strikeouts in his last eight games is a positive as well.

Stassi, on the other hand, hasn't completely disappeared, but with a .636 OPS and 12 strikeouts to one walk in his last ten games, he hasn't done much recently.

AA Corpus Christi Hooks: 6-4 loss to San Antonio (SDP)

-> Matthew Duffy: 2-for-3, BB, R
-> Tyler Heineman: 2-for-4, 3B, R, 2 RBI
-> Preston Tucker: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, R
-> Chris Epps: 1-for-4
-> Andrew Aplin: 0-for-3, BB
-> Nolan Fontana: 0-for-3, BB
-> M.P. Cokinos: 0-for-3, RBI
-> Joe Sclafani: 0-for-3, SB
-> Jiovanni Mier: 0-for-4, R

SP Kyle Smith: 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 9 H, 0 BB, 6 K (loss)
RP Alex Sogard: 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 K
RP Jorge De Leon: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K

I tell you what, Smith showed some fortitude today. The Missions scored in each of the first five innings (two in the second, one in each of the others). Despite that, he battled through, throwing 80 pitches in five innings.

Homers were the thing today; he gave up three. He had only given up three in 27.2 innings in Lancaster. Regression hurts. This will be a good test though; he doesn't have great stuff, so he has to pound the zone at the bottom and the corners. Elevate, and even AA hitters can give him a ride. On the plus side is the no walks and six whiffs (and 56 of his 80 pitches were strikes).

Fontana demands that you not write him off as a bench guy just yet. He's hitting .333/.435/.436 in his past ten games, though he's fanned 12 times during that period. Still looking for his first homer of the year, and he's 1-for-4 in steal attempts.

Fellow Gator Preston Tucker is hitting just .237 in his past ten games. Duffy is hitting .333 over his last six games

A+ Lancaster JetHawks: 8-6 win over San Jose (SFG)

-> Teoscar Hernandez: 3-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI
-> Danry Vasquez: 2-for-3, BB, 2B, RBI, R
-> Roberto Pena: 2-for-4, RBI
-> Carlos Correa: 2-for-5, 2 R
-> Rio Ruiz: 1-for-4, BB, R
-> Carlos Perdomo: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
-> Anthony Kemp: 0-for-2, R, 3 BB
-> Ruben Sosa: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB

SP Kent Emanuel: 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K
RP Daniel Minor: 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K (win)
RP Mitchell Lambson: 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K (save)

A furious six-run rally in the seventh inning (when trailing 5-2) is all that stood between the organization and a total sweep today.

Kemp has seven walks in his past ten games. On the season, he now has 20 walks and just 14 strikeouts in 29 games. Hernandez is 7-for-12 in his last three games, that's a nice way to break out of a slump.

Correa was DHing again today, for the third time in three games since returning. No timetable that I'm aware of for him to play the field again; they certainly won't do it until they're sure his arm is ready. Two hits is nice to see, though; three total since returning.

This was Emanuel's first start since being promoted from Quad Cities; the welcoming to the California League was a rough one, despite not giving up a homer. It's not surprising to see him up so soon though, after the Astros spent a third-round pick on him. He made it through the first three innings without allowing a run; considering he averaged 3.2 innings per start in QC, it's possible he's still adjusting to the professional routine, much like Appel (though not having had to deal with surgery, of course).

A- Quad Cities River Bandits: 6-3 loss to Beloit (OAK)

-> Jack Mayfield: 2-for-5, 2B, R
-> Chan Moon: 1-for-3, SB, 2 BB, 2 R
-> Conrad Gregor: 1-for-3, BB, RBI
-> Chase McDonald: 1-for-3, BB, 2 RBI
-> Ronnie Mitchell: 1-for-4
-> Thomas Lindauer: 1-for-4
-> Tanner Mathis: 1-for-4
-> Brett Phillips: 1-for-5

SP Adrian Houser: 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 5 BB, 2 K (loss)
RP Tyler Brunnemann: 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K
RP Gonzalo Sanudo: 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 0 K

I'm still not sure I believe Chan Moon is a real prospect, but he just keeps hitting, and if he's as slick a fielding shortstop as I've been led to believe, he won't have to set the world on fire with the bat to have a shot at sticking in the Majors in some role. There will never be much power, but he's very patient (.381 OBP this year so far), and in a full season, you can see him swiping 20-25 bags as well.

Sanudo continues to pump up his stock. The two walks in three innings is certainly unlike him though; they doubled his walk total on the entire season. ERA sits at an unsustainable 0.86, but it's nice while it lasts, and the great command has to make you believe the regression won't hit too hard when it does eventually come.

Brunnemann hasn't allowed a run in, like, a month. Really, a month; April third was the last one. Actually, that was the only run he's allowed. 0.53 ERA, 1.06 BB/9 and 8.47 K/9 in 17 innings. He will not be denied! Jump on the bandwagon!

Another clunker for Houser, darn it. Still high on him! The breakout...it's coming...

...really.........

Tomorrow's Scheduled Starters

AAA: Michael Foltynewicz vs. TBD
AA: Thomas Shirley vs. TBD
A+: TBD vs. Joe Ross
A-: TBD vs. Ethan Mildren