Astros: Notes from wild 20-12 win for Triple-A Round Rock

The Round Rock Express came out on top by a score of 20-12, led by a player hitting for the cycle.

Normally a Round Rock Express victory isn’t huge news for Astros fans, but this one in particular is noteworthy. After falling behind 10-5 through four innings, the team thundered to a 20-12 win against El Paso on Wednesday, led by banner games from Alex De Goti and Kyle Tucker.

De Goti led the way by hitting for the cycle, going 5-for-6 with a pair of homers and six RBIs. The 24-year-old infielder was the Astros’ 15th-round draft pick in 2016 and got his first taste of Triple-A in his first full professional season.

He’s in the middle of a hot streak, hitting .476 with 17 RBIs in his last 10 games. This has raised his season batting average 20 points up to .289. He’s not on the top prospect radar, but De Goti could surprise people if he continues to play anywhere close to this.

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Tucker now has 30 homers for Round Rock this season to go along with 86 RBIs and a .925 OPS. He also has 24 stolen bases in 27 attempts, putting him on pace to post a rare 30-30 season. It’s easy to see why Jeff Luhnow refused to include him in any trades.

More than likely Tucker will join the Astros when rosters expand in September. As for his future with the team, Luhnow might have to make a move to open up a roster spot for him next year.

Other Familiar Faces

Myles Straw also had a nice night, posting two hits, two walks and two stolen bases. Nick Tanielu drove in four runs on his three hits, including two doubles. Outfielder Drew Ferguson also posted three hits and a walk.

The night was not good for starter Jose Urquidy, however. The right-hander allowed 11 runs on 14 hits in 4.2 innings of work, causing his Triple-A ERA to balloon to 5.57. The bullpen was able to right the ship, including one perfect inning from Brad Peacock in his rehab assignment.

Round Rock is now 65-49 on the season, trailing division leader San Antonio by 2.5 games. Even with the loss of key players Derek Fisher and Joshua Rojas, the lineup continues to score runs and the team continues to win. This bodes well for the future of the Astros organization.