Houston Astros Farm Report: Dan Straily and Tyler White Carrying Grizzlies

The Fresno Grizzlies were involved in some shootouts this week as the team averaged six runs per game, but allowed 5.7 runs per game themselves as the team went 3-4 over their last seven. The team split two games in Las Vegas before losing two of three in Tacoma before the series finale on Monday.

In the Grizzlies’s three wins, the team scored 30 runs, but gave up 34 runs in their four losses.

Straily leads pitching group

On Friday night, Dan Straily threw eight shutout innings while striking out seven and only allowing two hits in the team’s 9-3 win over Tacoma. Over his last five starts, Straily has compiled a 1.59 ERA, 33 strikeouts and walked only five batters.

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In between those five starts, Straily made two starts for the Houston Astros and pitched much better than his 5.06 ERA shows. With Dallas Keuchel, Scott Kazmir, Lance McCullers, Collin McHugh, and Scott Feldman locked in the five-man rotation, Straily may be the odd man out still unless the team moves to a six-man rotation.

Brett Oberholtzer may find himself in the mix as well, but the lefty allowed seven runs in five innings of work as the Grizzlies lost 5-12 to Tacoma on Sunday.

Asher Wojciechowski, who made the Astros Opening Day roster after a fantastic spring, has struggled mightily as of late. For the second consecutive start, Wojo lasted only 4 2/3 innings and gave up seven earned runs. In Thursday night’s 4-9 loss, Las Vegas tagged the righty for three home runs as well. In his last five starts, Wojciechowski has given up less than five runs only once.

Mark Appel bounced back nicely after a rough home debut in Fresno, allowing only four hits over six innings in the Grizzlies’ 7-8 loss on Saturday. Appel is still having trouble commanding the strike zone, though, as he walked three and only threw 54 of his 102 pitches for strikes. That may be the last part of his physical game that needs fine tuning. It would be nice to see him in an Astro uniform soon, dropping hammer curveballs and pumping mid-90s fastballs.

White hot

All Tyler White has done since being promoted to Fresno at the beginning of July is hit .416/.489/.636. Pretty good. White is hitting .308/.417/.485 with nine home runs between Corpus Christi and Fresno. The right-handed corner infielder and DH is also riding a 13 game hitting streak.

Matt Duffy has quietly put together a solid season at Fresno. The third baseman has hit .295/.361/.470 and 13 home runs this year. Duffy was taken in round 20 of the 2011 draft – the last draft of the Ed Wade era – and is currently riding an eight game hit streak.

Duffy is currently blocked by the likes of Luis Valbuena, Marwin Gonzales, and Jed Lowrie, but may have his number called if another injury were to occur.

Max Stassi is slowly turning things around after a brutal start to the season offensively. The catching prospect is hitting .250 in July with a .373 OBP after hitting a dismal .132 in June. With the trade of Jacob Nottingham, Stassi has the opportunity to move through the system still and find an opportunity to join the Astros in the future.

The Grizzlies finish out the month and 12-game road trip in Reno before returning home on Aug. 1 for a nine-game home stand.

Next: Kazmir earns CTH Player of the Week