Wednesday Morning Hot Links

I would try the grasshoppers.

*A three-run double from Evan Gattis sparked a rally that saw the Astros bat around for the first time this season, this time it all happened with two outs! The 14 hits were a season high, as were the seven runs. It's the first win of the season in which the Astros have allowed five runs. After starting the season 8x48 w/RISP, the Astros were 7x13 last night.

*A.J. Hinch:
We did swing the bat a lot better, especially in the inning when we had two outs and nobody on. We ended up with six straight base runners, a couple of walks in there, couple of fortunate hits, a couple of bullets. We have a good offense. 

*George Springer hit his 4th leadoff homer of the season, but he's not trying to:
I'm honestly just trying to hit the ball hard and trying to get to first base. I know who's behind me. So if I get to first base, that's my plan. 

*No, Hinch is not moving Springer out of the lead-off spot.

Altuve:
I feel I'm in love with him, the way he plays. What else can I say about him? 

*Danny Knobler: Springer is ready to be a superstar.

*FanGraphs: Maybe the Astros need a 1B

*Also FanGraphs: George Springer is more valuable than ever

*A.J. Hinch is at the top of Stanford's wish list. Hinch is flattered, yet uninterested:
I want to be the Astros manager here for a really long time, and while it's flattering when your name gets bantered around at a place that's very special, it's really a non-story.

*See below for the results, but Forrest Whitley has been studying Roger Clemens.

On The Farm

Fresno had three position players pitch last night against Las Vegas, so you can guess how that game went. Oh, they lost 21-6, after the Grizzlies couldn't get the two-point conversion to make it a two-possession game. Tony Kemp is hitting .450 after another 2-hit night. Preston Tucker got two hits. Former-and-now-current farmhand David Martinez gave up 6ER, Jared Mortensen gave up 5ER - two errors leading to four unearned runs.

Corpus allowed NW Arkansas to put up a 7-run 2nd inning on their way to a 12-3 loss. Cy Sneed allowed 7H/6ER in 1.1IP; Ryan Thompson allowed four runs (1ER) as the Hooks made five errors on the night. Jacob Dorris gave up 5H/1ER in 3IP.

Buies Creek took their first L of the season with a 7-3 loss to Myrtle Beach. Elieser Hernandez allowed 5ER in 3.2IP; Andrew Thome threw 3.1IP, 2H/0ER, 2K:1BB. Myles Straw, Ryne Birk, and Arturo Michelena had two hits each.

Quad Cities played a double-header against Peoria last night due to the rainout of Monday's game. In Game 1, 2016 #1 overall pick got his first full-season win, throwing 5IP, 1H/0ER, 6K:2BB. Daz Cameron had two hits. Quad Cities lost Game 2, 3-2, on a walk-off.