Astros Prospect Report: Games of July 4, 2015

The Houston Astros' primary minor league affiliates combine to go 4-2 on the day, with each loss by one run.

AAA Fresno muscles past Tacoma: (W 10-3)

Tony Kemp went 2-5 with his second home run, a three run home run that put the Grizzlies up 9-3 in a game they'd go on to win 10-3 at home at Chukchansi Park.  L.J. Hoes, Tyler White and Tyler Heineman each contributed 3 hits, and Brett Oberholzer made his first start at AAA since being optioned there following an uncharacteristically bad start versus the Yankees in which he was ejected after a pitch sailed very near Alex Rodriguez's jersey following a home run.  Oberholzer went six innings, allowing six hits, three runs (earned) with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts for Fresno.

AA Corpus Christi gets a big day from Colin Moran, Michael Feliz: (W 5-1)

Colin Moran burst forth from a slump that saw him hover around a .200 batting average over his previous ten games by going 2-4 with a double and a triple with two runs and two RBIs.  Brett Phillips continued showing his increasing comfort in AA, with his batting average hovering at .320  after a 1-4 day.  Michael Feliz went 5 strong innings, allowing 2 hits and one run with two strikeouts and one walk.

High A Lancaster falls on 9th inning Lake Elsinore rally: (L 6-5)

Catcher Jacob "The Sheriff" Nottingham continued his torrid pace since his call up from Quad Cities, going 2-5 with a double and two RBI.  His average is now .353 in four games since being called up from Quad Cities, where he was an All Star this season with a .326/.387/.543 slash line.  Derek Fisher went 2-5 with a home run and a double, Jack Mayfield went 2-3 with 2 walks and scored 3 runs, A.J. Reed went 2-4 with a walk and a run scored, while Akeem Bostick, who has been very good this season, allowed two runs (1 earned) in the bottom of the 9th inning of an appearance in which he went 3.2 IP.

Low A Quad Cities ride bats to extra inning win: (W 8-5)

Alex Bregman and Nick Tanielu each had good days at the plate, collecting three hits apiece.  Bregman had a double, two RBI, and scored a run, but perhaps his most crucial at bat of the day was to lead off the eleventh inning, when he drew a walk.  Nick Tanielu followed with a single, and then Ramon Laureano struck the fatal blow, a three run home run to left field.

Short season A Tri-City dig early hole, nearly climb out: (L 6-5)

Pat Porter had a massive day, going 3-5 with 2 doubles and a 2 run homerun, and Elieser Hernandez was nearly unhittable in his 4 innings of relief work.  Hernandez allowed only one hit, no runs, and recorded 10 of his 12 outs via strikeout.  A truly dominant performance, but all for naught, as the team's bats were unable to climb out of the six run hole dug for them by the game's starter, Rogelio Armenteros.

Rookie league Greeneville, led by Goedert, pour the hits on Elizabethton: (W 10-3)

Connor Goedert went 4-5 with two RBI and a run scored to raise his batting average to a ridiculous .500 ten games into the Rookie league shortened season.  More on his gaudy performance thus far in a moment.  Junior Garcia started, hurling four innings of one hit ball with 1 BB and 4 K's.  Ryan Deemes threw three innings in relief, allowing one run with four hits and recorded six strikeouts.  Connor Goedert has some interesting statistics in ten games so far this year.  In 36 total at bats, he has 4 doubles, 2 home runs, 12 RBI, 1 triple, and 4 walks.  So, he has a triple in 3% of his at bats, a home run in 6% of his at bats, a double in 11% of his at bats, and a single in 31% of his at bats.  Also of note are his RBI totals.  RBI is widely considered, at least in SABR circles, to not be truly representative of a hitter's ability - it's considered a "team stat" by many in the SABR crowd.  It is noteworthy, however, that he is averaging an RBI every third at bat - or slightly better than an RBI per game so far this season.