Constable remains places unknown. Unless kidnapped, we are thinking that we will hear from him soon. I am on PreStros tonight, and this may be a little shorter than usual, because I have a bunch of non-Astro related documents to bang out this evening.
Summary
* Thank goodness for the short season teams: 4-2 for the day, 194-179
* Oklahoma City came back late, but were ultimately too far behind in the first place
* Lancaster gave up three in the bottom of the eighth and lost
* Quad Cities won a tight one due to very solid pitching
* Tri-City won after an offensive outburst
* The GCL-Astros won a very tight one by one.
* Greeneville held off a fast-finishing Kingsport team.
Oklahoma City (45-41)
Oklahoma City struggled early against Colorado Springs (36-49), finding themselves facing an 8-2 deficit after five. They managed crooked-number innings in the seventh and eighth, but it was a case of too little, too late. The final result was a 9-7 loss.
Mound: David Martinez got the start, and was lit up with the following line: 4+IP, 11H, 8R/ER, 3BB, 2K. Andrew Robinson and Pat Urckfitz combined for 4 strikeouts and 1 hit in three innings. Jason Stoffel finished with an inning, giving up 1 earned run on two hits.
Plate: All of the good batting lines were clustered at the bottom of the order. Max Stassi showed signs of getting warmer (3-5, 2B, 2R); Carlos Perez had a good night (4-5, 2R, RBI) and Joe Sclafani was on base twice (1-3, BB, R) in the 7, 8, 9 spots in the order. Matt Duffy hit a triple (1-4, BB, 3B RBI) and Preston Tucker hit a double (1-4, BB, 2B, R, RBI).
Man of the Match: Carlos Perez had 4 total bases with 4 hits. No power, but great average.
Lancaster (48-34)
Oh, Lancaster, what is happening to thee? Lancaster scored in five different innings tonight, but no crooked numbers were posted. Stockton (46-36) scored in only three innings, but two of them were three-run innings. Lancaster lost, 5-7 (after leading 5-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth).
Mound: Curious pitching line-up today, as Lance McCullers got the start, and pitched a scoreless inning, walking one and striking out one. He was activated from the DL earlier in the day, and apparently the one-inning outing was the plan all along. He was relieved by Kent Emanuel, who went 4IP, and allowing the following line: 5H, 4R/ER, 2BB, 5K, 3HR allowed. Matt Heidenreich finished the game and wore the loss: 3IP, 5H, 3R/ER, 2BB, 3K.
Plate: Teoscar Hernandez was on base three times (3-4, 2B, R, RBI), Conrad Gregor (1-4, BB, 2B, R), Dan Gulbransen (2-4, HR, R, RBI) and Danry Vasquez (1-3, BB) were all on base twice. Rio Ruiz drove in two (1-4, 2RBI).
Man of the Match: Teoscar Hernandez and Dan Gulbransen were the pick of the hitters.
Quad Cities (41-40)
Quad Cities continued their yo-yo-ing around .500 with a tight win over Beloit (32-49). The game was scoreless until the top of the fifth, then Quad Cities scored one run. They scored another run in the sixth, and Beloit answered with a single unearned run of their own. Quad Cities added another in the ninth for a 3-1 win.
Mound: Michael Feliz was the story in this one. He went 7 innings, resulting in the following line: 4H, 1R/0ER, BB, 7K. The unearned run was on the basis of a runner reaching on an error, then being driven in by a double next at bat. The author of the double was promptly picked off by the catcher to end the threat.
Frederick Tiburcio finished off the Snappers with two perfect innings, fanning three.
Plate: Brian Holberton, playing at DH today, accounted for the first run with solo home run. His line: 1-3, BB, HR, R, RBI. Brett Phillips had two hits, one of them a triple: 2-4, 3B, R, RBI. The remaining run was unearned, with James Ramsay (1-4, R) reached with a leadoff single, advanced to third to two consecutive groundouts, then scored on a wild pitch.
Man of the Match: Michael Feliz and Frederick Tiburcio can share the award - 5 base runners between the two of them versus ten strikeouts.
Tri-City (12-7)
Tri-City, who are about to be boosted with the addition of Derek Fisher, scored often against the Vermont Lake Monsters (7-12). After 6, the ValleyCats led 5-3, but they pulled away, scoring the next seven runs for a 12-4 win.
Mound: Troy Scribner got the start and was solid: 5IP, 3H, 2R/1ER, 5K, 1HR allowed. With his five strikeouts, he leads the NY-Penn league with 22K's for the season. Jeffrey Gause and Vince Wheeland threw two innings each and gave up one run each.
Plate: The monster in this game was not of the Lake variety, but rather Nick Tanielu, who had himself a night. He went 4-5, 2x2B, HR, 3R, 4RBI. Ariel Ovando also hit a home run (2-5, HR, R 3RBI). J.D. Davis went 2-4, BB, 3R and Terrell Joyce went 2-4, BB, 2B, 2R, 2RBI.
Man of the Match: Nick Tanielu hit his first home run as a professional. But even more important, he gets a MoTM-y for his mantelpiece.
GCL Astros (5-5)
The GCL Astros eked out a tight one against the GCL Phillies by a score of 2-1. Both teams scored a run in the third, and the Astros took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. They out-hit the Phillies 7-3, and Phillies also made 2 errors.
Mound: Colton Cain got the start, and pitched three innings, allowing 2 hits, 1R/ER, BB, K. He was relieved by a bedraggled looking guy with a long beard and deep suntan, wearing rags. Yes, Kyle Weiland, recently escapee from Weiland Island, pitched a scoreless inning, striking out one, and got the win. Harold Arauz did the remaining heavy lifting (3IP, H, K) and Justin Ferrell got a two inning save (3K)
Plate: Osvaldo Duarte went 2-4, 2B, R. Auturo Michelena went 1-3, 2B, RBI, scoring Brian Pena (1-2, R). Jean Estrella, Hector Roa and Kristian Trompiz all went 1-3.
Man of the Match: Kyle Weiland, for his one scoreless inning, and win, and comeback, and second appearance this season. And his escape from Weiland Island, which I understand is surrounded by electric-alligator-sharks. I wonder whether he has a volleyball called Wilson?
Greeneville (5-8)
Greenville scored in four of the first six innings, but no inning was a crooked number. Kingsport (6-7) came back with three combined runs over the sixth and seventh inning, but Greeneville had a 4-0 lead in the back prior to that, so they win 4-3.
Mound: Keegan Yuhl got the start, going 3IP, 2H, 1BB, 3K. Brock Dykxhoorn (2IP, 4H, 3R/2ER, BB, 4K) continued the rough start to his career. He was on the only pitcher scored upon from the Astros. Dean Deetz, Aaron Greenwood and Zach Davis also pitched scoreless frames.
Plate: All the hits were clustered around five players: Juan Santana (3-5, 2x2B, R), Sean McMullen (2-4), Jacob Nottingham (1-3, BB, HR, R, RBI), Luis Reynoso (2-4, 2B, R) and Antonio Nunez (1-3, BB, 2B, RBI). Of the other four position players, Trent Woodward had a walk (0-3, BB)
Man of the Match: Juan Santana and Jacob Nottingham has the best nights, and their contributions were vital in Greeneville winning. That is not to diminish the efforts of many of the other guys who also contributed, but the MoTM-y cupboard is starting to look a little bare.
Just a quick finishing note to congratulate Domingo Santana and Enrique Hernandez for their promotions to the Bigs. I am dying to see if Kiké can play short, because an 8-position utility guy who can hit would be frikking awesome. Remember that both of those two are 21 and 22 respectively. Best of luck, and I hope they both stick.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
