Astros MiLB postseason - 2012

[OregonStrosFan]

The Hooks and Jethawks start the post season this evening, with the ValleyCats beginning on Friday night.  Thought it might be easier to keep track of them all in a 'Astros MiLB postseason - 2012' thread. Thoughts?!?

[Reuben]

Great idea. The missus and I are going to Game 2 of the Cats series (their first at home) this Saturday, I'll try to do a recap afterwards.

[jbm]

I'm too lazy to research.  Who is starting for the Hooks, Jethawks and Valley Cats?  And, oh yeah, fuck Frisco and all Ranger related teams. 

[OregonStrosFan]

I'm too lazy to research.  Who is starting for the Hooks, Jethawks and Valley Cats?  And, oh yeah, fuck Frisco and all Ranger related teams.

RHP Paul Clemens for the Hooks and [screw you Drayton McLane for being a cheap-ass SOB and not being willing to consider spending $312K for] RHP Barrett Loux for Frisco;

RHP Tyson Perez for the JetHawks and RHP Matthew Andriese for the Storm.

IIRC, the ValleyCats are playing their final regular season game today (which will determine home field advantage throughout the playoffs), and don't begin playoff games until Friday.

[OregonStrosFan]

Minor League Ball with the MiLB playoff matchups (sans final NYPL matchups): LINK

[OregonStrosFan]

Astros County Corpus at Frisco G1 preview: LINK

And in case you are too lazy to read it, let me offer a nugget from it...

risco is the Rangers' Double-A affiliate so, you know, Strike 1. Also, they're the RoughRiders. A "RoughRider" is what you get for 75 cents in an Exxon bathroom.

[OregonStrosFan]

Astros County Lacaster at Lake Elsinore G1 preview: LINK

[OregonStrosFan]

Greg Rajan at the Hooks game in Frisco and Tweetin' away... Worth the follow if you aren't already... 

Greg Rajan ‏@GregRajan
First-pitch temperature a brisk 102 in Frisco.

[OregonStrosFan]

And the Hooks are off...

Greg Rajan ‏@GregRajan
Jon Singleton crushes the first pitch he sees for an RBI double off the RF wall to score Austin Wates for a 1-0 #cchooks lead in 1st.

[OregonStrosFan]

Yes I'm cheating by simply cutting and pasting Greg Rajan's Twitter feed here and again, so give dude a follow and keep me outta hot water...

Greg Rajan ‏@GregRajan
Ben Orloff drops a two-out RBI single into right to score George Springer. 2-1 #cchooks, top 2nd.

[OregonStrosFan]

Singleton pops an opposite field HR in T8 to tie it up!!!

[OregonStrosFan]

The Hooks lost 6-5 last night in B9, and are also down 0-1 in their best of 5 series.  Through 6 innings this evening, the Hooks are up 2-0.  Gameday LINK

ETA: Series is best of 5, not best of 3...

[OregonStrosFan]

LAN lost 1-0 last night, and is down 0-1 in the best of 3 series. Tropeano takes the hill this evening for the JetHawks (game begins at 8:00 CDST).

[OregonStrosFan]

Are Rueben and I the only ones paying attention to the Astros MiLB playoffs?!?  C'mon BusRiders...

Middle 7: Hooks 2, Frisco 0.  Gameday LINK

[OregonStrosFan]

End 7: Hooks 2, Frisco 0.  Gameday LINK

Rob Rasmussen's line thru 7: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO (93 pitches, 54 strikes).

[juliogotay]

Are Rueben and I the only ones paying attention to the Astros MiLB playoffs?!?  C'mon BusRiders...

Middle 7: Hooks 2, Frisco 0.  Gameday LINK

I'm not hanging on every pitch but I am keeping up. Playoff Baseball! Can't beat it.

[OregonStrosFan]

LAN loaded the bases (2 H, 1 BB) in B1 with 1 out, but Eric Castro struck out swinging and Telvin Nash popped up to the left side of the infield to end the inning.  End 1: LE 0, LAN 0

[OregonStrosFan]

Middle 8: Hooks 2, Frisco 0.  Gameday LINK

Rob Rasmussen out for B8 (7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO (93 pitches, 54 strikes)), Kevin Chapman taking the hill for the Hooks in B8.

[OregonStrosFan]

The JetHawks go down 1-2-3 in B2. End 2: LE 0, LAN 0. BOX

[OregonStrosFan]

Frisco came back to tie it in B8, but Jason Stoffel struck out the last batter with runners on the corners to end the threat. End 8: Hooks 2, Frisco 2.  Gameday LINK

On to T9 with Hooks 6-7-8 hitters coming up (Chris Wallace, George Springer, Enrique Hernandez).

[OregonStrosFan]

Frisco pitcher strikes out the side in T9.  Stoffel back in to start B9.  Middle 9: Hooks 2, Frisco 2.  Gameday LINK

[OregonStrosFan]

Greg Rajan ‏@GregRajan
Enrique Hernandez was hoppin' mad after being punched out to end the top of the 9th. Definitely a generous call. #cchooks 2, Frisco 2.


Hooks walk the leadoff batter, who is sacrificed over to 2B.  B9 (1 our, runner on 2B): Hooks 2, Frisco 2.  Gameday LINK
[/quote]

[OregonStrosFan]

Runner at 2B gets thrown out trying to steal 3B to make it 2 outs, but the next batter hit a walk-off HR for Frisco (2nd walk off win in a row against the Hooks).  Hooks lose the the game 3-2 and go back to Corpus down 2-0 in the best of 5 series.  Final: Hooks 2, Frisco 3.

[OregonStrosFan]

LE scores in T5 with bb, bb, bb, 1B to go up 1-0 on LAN, but LAN tied it up in B5.  End 5: LE 1, LAN 1  (PBP LINK)

[OregonStrosFan]

Strike 'em out, throw 'em out to end T6. LAN will have 3-4-5 coming up in B6 (Andrew Aplin, Domingo Santana, Erik Castro). BOX SCORE

[Reuben]

Two walk-off loses for the Hooks in two games. I bet they'll be happy to get back home for the next one.

By the way, I feel like Wojciechowski was not among the scheduled pitchers?? The guy was money for the Hooks, what gives? Also surprised Grossman did not play in Games 1 or 2.

[OregonStrosFan]

Aplin struck out on 3 pitches. Santana walked on 4-straight balls. Erik Castro doubled to put runners at 2B and 3B. Nash struck out swinging for the 2nd out (announcer said of all the strikeouts Nash has had this year, he looked more fooled on that one than any of the others...). Jonathan Meyer grounded out to 2B to end the threat.  End 6: LE 1, LAN 1. Tropeano done on the night, Urkfitz in for relief in T7.  BOX SCORE

[OregonStrosFan]

By the way, I feel like Wojciechowski was not among the scheduled pitchers?? The guy was money for the Hooks, what gives?

I was surprised Clemens was among them...  Seaton takes the hill for the Hooks tomorrow night, maybe Wojciechowski Saturday?!?

[OregonStrosFan]

Urkfitz allowed a single, but emerged T7 unscathed.  Now to B7 with 8-9-1 coming up for LAN (Epps, Pena, DDS).  Middle 7: LE 1, LAN 1.  BOX SCORE

[tlott33]

You think Asher (too hard to type his last name) might have an injury issue? He came out after five shutout innings in his last start against the Missions and he hadn't thrown many pitches.

[OregonStrosFan]

-Epps rattled one around in the corner for a 2B but was thrown out trying to make it a 3B (said LE had to have a perfect play to nail him, and announcer saying it was a legitimate attempt, but given the game situation and them being home team in a must win playoff game, I'm not sure...). 1 out.
-Catcher Pena singled, 1 out, runner on 1B.
Chia Jen Lo warming up in the pen for the JetHawks.
-DeShields grounded out to 2B, but his speed keeps him out of the DP. 2 outs, DDS on 1B.
-Jio Mier at the dish while DDS gets thrown out trying to steal on the first pitch. 

End 7: LE 1, LAN 1  BOX SCORE

[Reuben]

You think Asher (too hard to type his last name) might have an injury issue? He came out after five shutout innings in his last start against the Missions and he hadn't thrown many pitches.

Somebody oughta get on the Twitter with Greg Rajan and get to the bottom of all this.

[Reuben]

So Epps has been thrown out twice on the bases in this game, once as the first out at third. Sounds like a bright kid.

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 8, Urkfitz back on the bump to face 9-1-2 for LE (Chia Jen Lo warming in the pen, Urkfitz likely to face only 1).

Urkfitz comes back from 3-0 (maybe 3-1) to strikeout LE 9. JetHawks going to the pen to bring in Lo to face the switch hitter Noel.  

T8 (1 out, none on): LE 1, LAN 1  BOX SCORE

[OregonStrosFan]

So Epps has been thrown out twice on the bases in this game, once as the first out at third. Sounds like a bright kid.

I started listening late so don't know about the 1st one (they said he'd been in a run-down). As for getting thrown out at 3B, FWIW JetHawks announcer seemed confident that he'd be going for 3B with his speed (and that announcer was behind him on going for 3B based upon his speed and where it was hit).

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 8: Lo goes up 1-2 on Noel, and get him out on an soft grounder to 1B (2 outs). Next batter walked, 2 outs, runner on 1B. 3-hole hitter McElroy (who hit .581 against the JetHawks this season in 8 games)went up 2-0, but struck out to end the inning.  2-3-4 coming up for the JetHawks in B8 (Jio, Aplin, Santana).

Middle 8: LE 1, LAN 1  BOX SCORE

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 8:

-Jio put one off the wall to lead off B8. 0 out, Jio on 2B.
-Aplin popped up in front of visitor bullpen. 1 out, Jio still on 2B.
-Santana (evidently) got pitched around, walking on 4-straight pitches. 1 out, runners on 1B and 2B.
-Erik Castro went down 0-2 in the count against the lefty, but fouled off a number of pitches to bring it to 3-2 before HITTING IT INTO THE RF CORNER for a 2-RBI double putting LAN up 3-1. Sounded like an EPIC at bat there by Castro!

Pitching change.

B8 (1 out, runner on 2B): LE 1, LAN 3  BOX SCORE

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 8 (1 out, runner on 2B):

-Nash Ks for the third time on the evening, 2 outs, runner on 2B.
-Jonathan Meyer with a 2-run home run into deep left to put LAN up 5-1.
-Epps grounds out to end the inning. 

End 8: LE 1, LAN 5  BOX SCORE

[OregonStrosFan]

T9 (LAN leads 5-1): Chia Jen Lo back on the bump for LAN to face 4-5-6 for LE.

-Lo strikes out Medica swinging on a 3-2 pitch. 1 out, none on.
-Kral with a line shot to Jonathan Meyer for the second out.
-Wing fouls off a couple of 3-2 pitches before walking. 2 outs, runner on 1B. 

Kenny Long coming in to face the lefty and hopefully shut the door on LE!

T9 (2 outs, runner on 1B): LE 1, LAN 5

[OregonStrosFan]

T9 (2 outs, runner on 1B with LAN up 5-1): Kenny Long on the Bump for LAN to face LHB Spangenberg

- strike outer edge (0-1), another breaking ball called strike (0-2), pitch fouled back (0-2), pitch fouled back (0-2), swing and miss for the strikeout.  3 outs!

Ballgame: LE 1, LAN 5. LAN has tied the series at 1-1.  The deciding game will be tomorrow night.

[Reuben]

Cool. Gonna be hard to follow all 3 games, not to mention the Astros, tonight...

[Ebby Calvin]

Thanks for the updates.  Keep 'em coming!

[Reuben]

Thanks for the updates.  Keep 'em coming!

Dude. You're in NJ now right? You should come to the 'Cats game tomorrow night (if there's still tickets). It's probably only, what, 2 or 3 hours drive for you? The missus and I will be there (only an hour+ drive for us).

[Reuben]

I see David Martinez is starting tonight for Lancaster. I don't know too much about him, and had always assumed he's roster filler/rotation fodder. Guy lead the team with 160 IP and managed a 9-5 record/4.38 ERA/1.33 WHIP, pretty damn good in that park and league. But on closer look, over his last ten starts (since July 15) he's gone 7-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 62 2/3 IP. That's a nice run.

[OregonStrosFan]

Cool. Gonna be hard to follow all 3 games, not to mention the Astros, tonight...

And alas, I'm going to be out so will not be following any of them very closely...

[OregonStrosFan]

Recaps from 9/6 games and pitching matchup previews for 9/7 games at WTHB: LINK

[Ebby Calvin]

Dude. You're in NJ now right? You should come to the 'Cats game tomorrow night (if there's still tickets). It's probably only, what, 2 or 3 hours drive for you? The missus and I will be there (only an hour+ drive for us).

I'm embarrassed to admit that this didn't even cross my mind until you mentioned it.  I'm going to look into the travel time and tickets, but my clients may not take too kindly to me leaving for several hours.  Damn lawyers.

[OregonStrosFan]

Damn lawyers.

Tell 'em you're following a hot lead on a new ambulance driver - works every time!!!

[astrosfan76]

Hooks eliminated from the playoffs, losing to Frisco 5-0.  Seaton pitched 7 1/3 innings and only gave up 2 runs, but the Hooks only managed 2 hits.  Well, Enrique Hernandez had 2 hits, everyone else was no-hit, if you want to be technical. 

In brighter news, Lancaster defeated LE 3-2 to advance in the playoffs.  David Martinez pitched 6 innings, giving up 1 run and 5 relievers combined to hold relievers to 1 run over the final 3 innings.  Aplin had a double, triple, and walk and Santana drove in 2 runs to lead the offense.

Tri-City won 5-4, also, over Auburn. 

[Reuben]

One thing I will say: no opponent can accuse the Astros of stacking their playoff teams. I mean, I have no idea if this happens often, but all three of these clubs had key members of the heart of their lineup get promoted in the last month or so, nearly all of them struggled, and a demotion back for the playoffs could've feasibly been justifiable:

CC: Jose Martinez, Marc Krauss
LAN: Springer, Hernandez (though Aplin and DeShields have done OK in their places)
T-C: Aplin, Morales, plus RP Kenny Long

[OregonStrosFan]

JetHawks advance to the CAL Southern League Championship series (best 3 of 5, w/ LAN on the road for 2, at home for 2, and I've no clue on game 5). The winner of the Southern League Championship series will play the winner of the Northern League Championship series in a best 3 of 5 (two away and then three at home).  Playoff Procedures LINK

[Reuben]

Valleycats game rained out tonight, which really sucks for my wife and me, as the make-up time, tomorrow at 5pm ET, is not at all convenient for us to go. Oh well.

Blair Walters, whose numbers since the Astros acquired him do not instill a ton of confidence, pitches tonight for Lancaster in Game 1 of their best-of-five series with the High Desert Mavericks. 7pm Pacific start time.

[Reuben]

Jethawks just scored 2 in the 3rd to take a 2-1 lead. Mier walked for the 2nd time, Aplin K'd, Santana doubled, then Castro had an RBI single and Lowrie PH'd for Telvin Nash and hit a sac fly to right.

PBP/Box link

High Desert's #3 hitter, Leon Landry, had to leave the game with an injury. Kid hit .341 across two levels this year with 18 triples, 34 doubles, 13 homers.

[Reuben]

Jonathan Meyer with a 3-run homer, Jethawks now up 5-1 in the 5th. He's having himself quite a nice postseason.

[Reuben]

Chia Jen-Lo in to pitch the bottom of the 8th, 6-4 Jethawks.

[OregonStrosFan]

Chia Jen-Lo in to pitch the bottom of the 8th, 6-4 Jethawks.

High Desert scored 2 in B8 to tie it up.  Went to extras. JetHawks went ahead by 1 in T11, but High Desert answered with a run.  JetHawks scored another in T12 to win it though!!! BOX SCORE LINK

[Lefty]

High Desert's #3 hitter, Leon Landry, had to leave the game with an injury. Kid hit .341 across two levels this year with 18 triples, 34 doubles, 13 homers.

Please tell me he's from Louisiana.

[Reuben]

Please tell me he's from Louisiana.

As a matter of fact I believe he went to LSU. Why?

[Reuben]

The Valleycats lost tonight, 5-2. Brady Rodgers gave up 3 in the 1st, the 'Cats got within 3-2, but then gave up runs in the 7th and 8th.

The good news is this means there will actually be a Game 3 that my wife and I can actually go to tomorrow night.

Meanwhile, across the country, Wandy trade product Colton Cain goes tonight for the Jethawks vs. High Desert's Trevor Miller (no, not a lefty).

[Mike S.]

RHP Paul Clemens for the Hooks and [screw you Drayton McLane for being a cheap-ass SOB and not being willing to consider spending $312K for] RHP Barrett Loux for Frisco;

Fuck, I'd managed to forget/repress that blatant act of stupidity.

[Lefty]

As a matter of fact I believe he went to LSU. Why?

Because Leon Landry is a wonderfully proper coonass name, and I mean that in a good way, coming from a long line of same.

[OregonStrosFan]

Wow... ValleyCats take 14 walks on the evening and win it 16-7 (a lot closer game than the score would indicate BTW). Box Score LINK 

 First game of the NYPL Championship Series tomorrow night at The Joe vs. the Hudson Valley Renegades... 

[austro]

What are the "tri" cities? Albany, Troy, and Schenectady?

[chuck]

What are the "tri" cities? Albany, Troy, and Schenectady?

Yes, but not in that order.

[OregonStrosFan]

What are the "tri" cities? Albany, Troy, and Schenectady?

What, you don't follow the Mayor's Race standings?!? (To answer your question, yes).

[astrosfan76]

Tri-City takes the first game of the series 5-4 in 10 innings.  They pulled ahead 4-3 in the 3rd inning, which was the score until Hudson Valley scored 1 in the top of the 9th to tie it up.  Tri-City loaded the bases with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th until Tucker flied out to right, allowing Ryan Dineen to score the winning run.

[OregonStrosFan]

Jethawks win 9-6, and take the series 3-1.  They'll play a best of 5 series against the winner of the CAL N) for the CAL championship.  Box Score LINK

[astrosfan76]

MiLB with a recap of the game.  My favorite part:

After DeShields singled, Jio Mier followed with a single to right field with the runners in motion that enabled DeShields to score from first base.

"We got the signs mixed up, I thought it was a hit-and-run but it was a steal. But the guy hit the ball to right field and I scored all the way," the 20-year-old second baseman said. "That was an extra run that really helped us."

Don't know the specifics (how close it was to being a double, how deep the fielder was, etc), but that is some speed.

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120912&content_id=38291748&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&tcid=tw_share

[OregonStrosFan]

The 'Cats are play game 2 of the NYPL Championship tonight ('Cats lead the series 1-0).  At the end of 4 innings, the 'Cats lead the Renegades 1-0.

Aaron West is on the hill for the Tri-City tonight, and you can check out his current line here: Box Score LINK; or listen here: Audio LINK.

[Reuben]

'Cats lost Game 3 tonight, and lose the NYPL championship series, but still, a great season for them. True to form, they didn't go down without a fight, trailed 8-3 in the 9th and had the bases loaded when the last out was made.

Meanwhile, the Jethawks are playing Game 1 of the CAL championship, right now they're up 6-3 in the 6th. Mier and Meyer with big hits.

[astrosfan76]

JetHawks are one win away from the Championship after going Nuts on Modesto last night, winning 11-2.  All of the starters scored and 7 had at least 1 RBI, but Nash and Aplin caused the most damage, Nash going 2-4 w/ a 3-run HR and Aplin going 4-5 with 3 doubles and 2 RBI.  Blair Walters, acquired in the Myers trade, started the game, throwing 5 innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits and striking out 6.  Lo pitched the 6th and 7th, allowing 2 singles and a walk, striking out 4 of the batters he faced.  Quevedo closed out the game, allowing 1 run on 1 hit and a walk.  The lone run he surrendered scored in the 9th.  After allowing a leadoff single, he threw a wild pitch, letting the runner take second; Modesto followed with 2 flyballs to the outfield to get the runner home.  The final out was recorded when the next batter lined out to 1st.

[OregonStrosFan]

The Lancaster JetHawks are the 2012 CAL League Champions! DDS was series MVP.

[juliogotay]

The Lancaster JetHawks are the 2012 CAL League Champions! DDS was series MVP.

That is pretty cool that a kid that played most of the season at a lower level would be the series MVP.

[BudGirl]

Awesome!

[Reuben]

Anybody know where to find playoff stats? Can't find 'em on milb or bb-ref.

[Ron Brand]

Is this what you're looking for?

[Reuben]

Is this what you're looking for?

Well, one of us has good research skills, at least.