Summary
* Tough night for the organisation: 1-6. Cumulative record 185-169.
* Oklahoma City gave up more runs than they scored...
* ... and Corpus Christi scored many more than they gave up.
* Lancaster lost at the Hangar.
* Quad Cities' comeback fell short despite a very promising ninth inning rally.
* Tri-City got smoked.
* The GCL Astros lost...
* ...as did Greeneville.
Oklahoma City (43-40)
Oklahoma City simply gave up too many runs to Omaha (44-37) to record a home 7-4 loss. Omaha has been tough on Oklahoma City this year, going 9-6 thus far, but happily the two teams bid adieu to each other after tomorrow night for the remainder of the regular season.
Rubber Rectangle: Getting the start and having a rough night: Asher Wojciechowski: 4IP, 9H, 5R/4ER, BB, 4K. Jorge De Leon was solid for his two-strikout perfect inning. Paul Clemens relieved and threw 65 pitches: 4IP, 6H, 2R/ER, BB, 2K, HR allowed.
Plastic Pentagon: Robbie Grossman: 2-2, 2BB, HR, 2R, RBI. On fire!! Domingo Santana continued hitting: 2-4, 2B. Preston Tucker hit his first AAA home run: 1-4, HR, R, RBI, and Matt Duffy had two hits (2-4).
Man of the Match: Uh, clearly Robbie Grossman has proven that he is ready for a promotion. He is far better than the massive production suck that has been playing in LF for the Astros in the bigs,
Corpus Christi (38-42)
Corpus had an offensive outburst in pounding on the Tulsa Drillers (42-37). Corpus managed five runs over the first two innings, then took a breather for two innings, then scored another five over the next three. At the seventh inning stretch, it was 10-0 to the Hooks. Tulsa scored three before the end, so a 10-3 Hooks win was the final result.
Rubber Rectangle: Tommy Shirley sits atop of Carson Cistulli's man-crush list, and looks set to make another appearance there this week. His line: 5IP, 0R/ER, 2H, BB, 6K. Kyle Smith relieved and gave up three runs: 3IP, 4H, 3R/ER, BB, 6K, 1HR allowed. Mitchell Lambson pitched a scoreless last inning, striking out two.
Plastic Pentagon: Hits throughout the order today, but the much-maligned top of the order did the damage tonight. In order: Tony Kemp - 3-5, BB, 3B, 2R, RBI; Delino DeShields - 3-5, BB, 2B, 3R, 2RBI, 3SB; Andrew Aplin 2-6, 2B; Jonathan Meyer 1-2, 2BB, 2R, RBI and Leo Heras - 2-4, BB, 2B, R, 3RBI, 2SB. Tyler Heineman was the only Hook without a hit, but he did walk (0-4, BB).
Man of the Match: A lot of candidates here, but I tend to lean toward dominant starting pitching. So Tommy Shirley gets the MoTM, but tips of the cap to Tony Kemp and Delino DeShields.
Luis Cruz goes for the Hooks tomorrow against Jonathan Gray. Interesting matchup.
Lancaster (48-32)
All of the scoring in this one was compressed into the first five innings. Lake Elsinore managed more scoring by virtue of a four-run fifth, and that inning was the difference in the game. Lancaster lost, 7-4.
Rubber Rectangle: Kyle Westwood had the rough start tonight: 4.1IP, 9H, 7R/6ER, 5K. Juan Minaya pitched two-and-two-thirds (2 hits, 3 strikeouts) and Zach Morton pitched the last two, giving up one hit.
Plastic Pentagon: Conrad Gregor had probably the best line tonight (3-5, 2B, 2R), but Brandon Meredith landed the big blow (2-4, HR, R, 3RBI). Doubles to Dan Gulbransen (2-4, 2B, RBI), Rio Ruiz (1-4, 2B, R) and Roberto Pena (1-3, 2B).
Man of the Match: The relief pitching was nails, so Juan Minaya and Zach Morton get the MoTM-y. Conrad Gregor and Brandon Meredith also get a shout-out.
Quad-Cities (39-38)
Quad Cities made another late comeback. Down 5-1 entering the sixth inning at Peoria (43-34), they erected a little picket fence, scoring runs in three of the last four innings. Sadly, none of the innings involved crooked numbers, so Quad Cities loses, 5-4. The ninth inning started with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with no outs, but a strikeout and two groundouts ended the game.
Rubber Rectangle: Adrian Houser got the start, and had a rough one: 6IP, 8H, 5R/ER, 2K, 1HR allowed. Kevin Comer came on and shut the Chiefs down: 3IP, 1H, 1K.
Plastic Pentagon: James Ramsay had himself a night: 2-5, 2B, 3B, 2R. Ronnie Mitchell went 2-3, BB, R. Jon Kemmer hit a double, which also scored the only run in the ninth: 1-4, 2B, RBI. Kemmer then got to sit on second base and watch his teammates fail to convert.
Man of the Match: Kevin Comer and James Ramsay were the major contributors on either sides of the ball.
Tri-City (9-7)
Tri City gave up a trio of three-run innings to Connecticut (8-8), including two in the first two innings. The ValleyCats only managed to score two runs of their own in a 10-2 loss.
Rubber Rectangle: Austin Chrismon was lit up with a 3IP, 6H, 6R/5ER, BB, 2K, 1HR allowed performance. The home run accounted for three of the runs that he gave up. Brandon McNitt relieved and threw three, working around 4 base runners: 3IP, H, 3BB, K. Kevin Ferguson and Vince Wheeland when one inning each, with the latter giving up three runs on five hits and a walk.
Plastic Pentagon: One of the two runs scored on a double-play, so only one player was credited with an RBI: Ravel Santana - 0-4, RBI. Terrell Joyce had a double (1-4, 2B, R). Ariel Ovando scored the other run (1-4, R).
Man of the Match: Brandon McNitt, for being the only pitcher to have a scoreless outing, in the total absence of any offensive stars.
GCL Astros (4-4)
The GCL Astros drop back to .500 with a loss to the GCL Pirates (3-5) by a score of 4-3. The Astros erected a little picket fence between the second and the fourth innings to lead 3-1 after five. However, the Pirates responded with a three run inning. The GCL Astros also failed to capitalise on five Pirates errors.
Rubber Rectangle: Junior Garcia got the start, and worked around seven base runners (4H, 3BB) in four-and-one-third innings pitched. He struck out one, and allowed one earned run, but was helped by a runner being cut down at the plate. Albert Minnis took the loss with a 2.2IP, 5H, 3R/ER, 4K line, and Alejandro Solate pitched the last two, striking out three.
Plastic Pentagon: Two hits to Osvaldo Duarte (2-4, R, CS) and Kristian Trompiz (2-4, RBI, SB). Doubles to Randy Cesar (1-4, 2B, R) and Richard Gonzalez (1-4, 2B).
Man of the Match: Alejandro Solarte was the best of the pitchers: 2IP, H, BB, K. And Kristian Trompiz was the best of the hitters.
Greeneville (4-6)
Greeneville took an early lead, going up 1-0 in the top of the second. Burlington answered with three, and that was more than enough. Greeneville loses, 5-1.
Rubber Rectangle: Jose Montero got the start and took the loss: 5IP, 5H, 4R/ER, 2BB, 5K, 1HR allowed. Joshua James gave up another run in one inning, and Krishawn Holley finished with two scoreless, striking out one.
Plastic Pentagon: Hitters from the 4-slot to the 7-slot all had reasonable nights. In order: Trent Woodward (1-3, BB, 2B, R); Yonathan Mejia (1-3, BB, 2B); Conner Goedert (1-4, 2B, RBI) and Luis Reynoso (1-3, BB). The other batters were pretty much rubbish.
Man of the Match: Ummm, Krishawn Holley, due to a lack of a standout offensive performer?
Thanks for reading. Please feel free to leave comments below, and I am looking forward to the Jon Gray / Luis Cruz matchup tomorrow....
