AAA Fresno Grizzlies: 7-3 loss to the Reno Aces
This one was closer than the score indicates. Grizzlies starter Brad Peacock pitched well, striking out nine over 5 2/3 innings. The offense was shutdown by Aces starter Braden Shipley, the top pitching prospect in the DBacks system. The Aces had a 3-0 lead in the eigth inning, until Colin Moran hit a bases-clearing double to tie the score. Unfortunately, the bullpen coughed up the lead, allowing four runs in the bottom of the inning.
Familiar names Moran and Danny Worth led the offense. Moran now has a hit in 14 of 16 games, and Worth has hit safely in 15 of 17. Worth went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a walk. A.J. Reed was 1 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout.
AA Corpus Christi Hooks: 2-0 loss to the Midland RockHounds
Former teammates squared off in this one, as the Hooks faced former Astros farmhand Daniel Mengden. Mengden and Joe Musgrove dueled for five innings, with both turning in impressive outings. The Hooks had nine baserunners (six hits, 3 walks) against Mengden, but he struckout eight batters and kept them off the scoreboard. Musgrove allowed an unearned run on five hits, no walks (again) and seven strikeouts.
Keegan Yuhl also pitched well, allowing only a solo home run over four innings of work. The two runs stood as the Hooks were shutout for the first time this season.
Derek Fisher turned in the best night for the offense, going 1 for 2 and filling up the boxscore with two walks, a triple and a stolen base. Danry Vasquez added two hits, and Teoscar Hernandez had two walks in the leadoff spot.
High A Lancaster JetHawks: 5-4 win over the Bakersfield Blaze
Lancaster's starter Evan Grills turned in five hitless, shutout innings for the JetHawks, leading the team to a 5-4 victory. Grills' only blemish was a lone walk, and he K'd four batters. The 2010 10th round draft pick out of an Ontario, Canada high school struggled at Lancaster last year with a 7.20 ERA. He seems to have turned a corner this year, 2.40 ERA and .87 WHIP through three starts.
Riley Ferrell continued to impress, earning a five out save to quell a Blaze rally. He's still yet to allow a run on the season, and he's struckout 12 batters in 8 2/3 innings. He's a prime candidate for promotion with his major college experience and domination of this level.
Leftfielder Alejandro Garcia led the offense with two hits and two RBI. Catcher Jamie Ritchie chipped in with a hit, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored.
Low A Quad Cities River Bandits: 7-5 loss to the South Bend Cubs
A 5-5 night for lead-off man Brooks Marlow wasn't enough for the River Bandits to top the Cubs. Top prospects Daz Cameron and Kyle Tucker hit behind Marlow in the batting order, and they both went 0-4 on the night, although both did reach base via walk.
Second baseman Marlow was the Astros 29th round selection in the 2015 draft out of the University of Texas. He showed decent pop for a middle infielder last season, hitting 15 doubles and six home runs in 56 games for the Tri-City ValleyCats. This year he's hitting .315/.262/.463 for the River Bandits.
Pitching prospect Albert Abreu had what looks from the boxscore to be a Nuke LaLoush type outing. He allowed two runs on two hits and three walks in two innings, but also struckout three batters. He's been hit hard so far this year, sporting a 5.65 ERA over 14 innings, but he's also averaging 14 strikeouts per nine innings.