Astros Prospect Report: Games of June 4, 2016

First things first - we are aware that the Dominican Summer League started today.  The web site seems to be a little slow at the moment getting info about the games, so we just wanted to acknowledge that we're aware of it and will post results as soon as they become available.

AAA Fresno Grizzlies: LOST 10-5 to the El Paso Chihuahuas (SDP)

A good game to just forget about and move on from.  Not only was A.J. Reed 0-5 with a strikeout on the night, but relief pitchers Jandel Gustave and Kevin Chapman were just not very good in relief of Brad Peacock, who was not terribly great himself.

Peacock allowed two runs in the first five frames and then was fairly shelled in the sixth, allowing five runs total with three home runs against, a walk, and four strikeouts.

Chris Cotton came in and performed beautifully over two innings of two hit baseball with two K's.

Andrew Aplin and Jack Mayfield each had a bevy of hits today, combining to go 5-9 with a walk in he contest.  Preston Tucker had an RBI single, and Colin Moran drove in two with a double while also walking twice on the day.

Box Score:

AA Corpus Christi: LOST 2-1 to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (KCR)

The thinnest margin for error allowed the Naturals a victory in this game.  The biggest story was Jake Junis, the starter for the Naturals, who fired six shutout innings allowing just two hits, which were both singles, along with a hit by pitch and a walk while striking out eight for his third straight excellent start.

The Hooks were able to muster only three hits on the day, with the only extra base hit being a double in the seventh inning off reliever Eric Stout by Nick Tanielu.

On the hill, Evan Grills was very nearly as good as Junis for most of the game.  The one exception came in the bottom of the fifth, when Carlos Diaz bunted for a single to lead off the frame and Terrance Gore followed with a bunt single of his own, compounded by a pair of errors.  Grills fielded the bunt and made an errant throw to first, with the ball bouncing up the right field line.  Diaz flew around the bases attempting to score, and second baseman Nick Tanielu fielded the ball and fired wildly past catcher Roberto Pena, which allowed Gore to score as well on basically the ultimate Little League home run.

Those were the only runs Grills allowed.  He struck out six hitters in five innings of work without allowing a walk, and he recorded six ground ball outs to two fly ball outs.

Edison Frias pitched three scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits and walking no one while striking out four.

Box Score:

* AVG and ERA indicate full-season averages for players and teams.

High A Lancaster: WON 7-4 over the Modesto Nuts (COL)

Scott Weathersby hurled five shutout innings, walking none and fanning five while scattering three hits.  At one point, the righty retired eight in a row and sat down fifteen of eighteen batters he faced, all in all.

Brock Dykxhoorn did not have a great night in relief, surrendering all four Nuts runs in three innings of work.  Right-hander Ryan Deemes was able to earn his third save in as many chances, however, working a scoreless ninth while allowing a hit.

Every single hitter for Lancaster had at least one hit, and a trio of hitters - Luis Reynoso, Johnny Sewald, and the sizzling Garrett Stubbs - each had a pair of hits.  Stubbs also had a pair of walks on the evening, as did Ramon Laureano, whose lone hit (a bases-loaded two-run single in the bottom of the eighth) provided crucial insurance runs.

Brooks Marlow, recently promoted from Quad Cities, hit a long two-run blast to right field to open the scoring in the bottom of the first, and the Jethawks never relinquished the lead.

Box Score: