The Houston Apollos have ended their 100 game season in the American Association.The Apollos won their 17th and last game of the season defeating the Lincoln Saltdogs 2-0 on September, 6, 2021 to the end their season.With the Apollos win the Sioux City Explorers captured the third wild card spot despite losing to Sioux Falls Canaries.Here are highlights from the Apollos season.
Blake Berry finished the season with .304 batting average and 97 hits. He played in 87 games missing two complete series due to COVID.Berry spent the entire 2020 season with Tucson Saguaros in Houston. He hit 6 home runs.
Hudson Bilodeau played 81 games and served as the teams primary catcher. Because his bat was so valuable he found himself in the lineup on days he didn't catch often in the outfield.He got 89 hits and ended the season with a .280 average and 3 home runs. He played the entire 2020 season with Salina Stockade in Houston. He played in 2019 for the Santa Fe Fuego.
Yeiler Peguero played the entire season as the starting shortshop. He got 79 hits with 4 home runs and 20 stolen bases. He spent the 2019 season with San Rafael Pacifics.
Ian Yetsko lead the Apollos in games played with 97, home runs with 10, doubles with 18. Ian played the entire 2020 season for the Roswell Invaders in Houston.
Jordan Pontious spent the major of the season at 2nd base for the Apollos. He had 73 hits and hit .255 for the Apollos.Jordan was traded to the Pioneer League to help the Missoula Paddleheads win the Championship at the trade deadline on Monday.Jordan played the entire season in 2019 with the Garden City Wind.
Aaron Takacs was the Apollos best offensive player. He joined at the halfway point and hit .337 with 9 home runs and 70 hits in just 208 at bats.Takacs spent the entire 2020 season with the Salina Stockade in Houston.
Brian Dansereau played in 63 games before breaking his had. He hit .226 with 7 home runs. Despite being a true infielder he played mainly the outfield.Brian played the 2019 season in Santa Fe and the 2020 season for Salina.
Taylor Zeutenhorst played in 62 games and became the teams first baseman down the stretch. Taylor had the team's biggest hit of the season in 9/5/2021 win against Lincoln his bases clearing double was probably the different in the Wild Card Race in the American Association.Taylor hit .233 with 6 home runs and had 26 rbis.After being hurt earlier in the season Taylor became the every day first baseman.After being released by the Seattle Mariners, Taylor spent 2016 with the original Salina Stockade, 2017 with Garden City, 2018 with California City, 2019 with Salina Stockade.
Gabe Wurtz played the last 13 games for the Apollos hitting two home runs and getting eleven hits.He has the teams biggest hit driving in the two runs against Lincoln in the last game of the season.Wurtz spent the entire 2021 season with Tucson Saguaros were he was hitter of the year.
Aaron Stubblefield played a solid utlity role during three stints with the team. Including ending the season.Aaron spent the entire 2020 season in Houston with Apollos before moving to Trinidad to play with Triggers in 2021 season.
Jared Fry was huge addition down the stretch for the Apollos. He played in 21 games as the starting catcher for the Apollos. The switch hitter hit .250 with 5 rbis.He spent the entire 2021 season with Monterey Amberjacks were he was their best player leading them to the playoffs.Robbie Carling finished the season off with 3 hits after spending the entire season with the Santa Cruz Seaweed in the Pecos League.
Collins Robinson also had three hits and five innings on the mound. He spent the entire season with Salina Stockade in the 2021 Pecos League.
Tucker Smith lead the Apollos as the mound with 19 starts and a 3-9 record.Tucker had a 7.51 ERA and pitched a team high 97 innings.
Matt Cronin was the Apollos other main starter. He started 19 games going 4-11 with a 6.60 ERA with 90 innings pitched.Cronin pitched the entire 2020 season with the Roswell Invaders in Houston.
Alex Merithew had an excellent city for the Apollos. He pitched in 34 games logging 74 innings with 73 strikeouts. He picked up 1 save and 3 of the Apollos wins.He spent the entire 2020 season with the Roswell Invaders in Houston. He pitched in 2019 in Santa Fe.
Keisy Portorreal pitched 22 games as the Apollos closer in the 2nd half of the season.He had 31 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings. He pitched for the Tucson Saguaros before joining the Apollos.
Derrick Sylve pitched in 30 games for the Apollos logging 49 innings pitched. Derrick got two saves including the biggest of the year saving the last game of the year in Lincoln.He pitched the entire 2020 season for Houston in the Pecos League. He pitched the entire 2019 season with the Roswell Invaders.
Alex MacKinnon pitched in 9 games for the Apollos logging 11.1 innings with 5 strikeouts. He spent the entire 2021 season with the San Rafael Pacifics in the Pecos League.
Pierce Smith was the Apollos best left handed option out of the pen all year.Pierce pitched in 25 games and was 2-4 with 1 save. He logged 26-1/3 innings with 21 strikeouts.
Jake Voss pitched in 11 games with 6 starts. In 30.2 innings he allowed a 7.92 ERA.
Matt Bataska also pitche 30.2 innings he pitched in 17 games and had a 7.33 ERA
Auggie Martinez had three starts for the Apollos down the stretch. He pitched 12.1 innings and held Kansas City to two hits and two runs in his start on August 29, 2021.He was Mountain Division Pitcher of the Year for the Tucson Saguaros in 2021 before joining the Apollos.
Martin Alcoverde pitched in 8 games logging 11.2 innings with 9 strikeouts and starting one game.He had an 11.57 ERA. He pitched the entire 2019 and the beginning of the 2020 season with the Tucson Saguaros before joining the Apollos.
Jeff Serin started two games for the Apollos logging 5.2 innings and posting a 9.52 ERAHe was part of Tucson Saguaros Championship Team in 2021 before joining the Apollos.
Duncan Snider started three games for the Apollos down the stretch. He did very well posting a 6.75 ERA was 10.2 innings and 14 strikeouts.The Iowa native felt right at home pitching in Lincoln and Sioux City. He was the Saguaros #2 starter on their championship team in 2021 before joining the Apollos.
Ryan Richardson was clearly the best arm the Apollos had. He was the only reliable option out of the bullpen in the first month.He went 1-1 with a 1.89 ERA in 19 innings with 23 strikeouts and only two walks. He went to Mexico before bouncing to Long Island and then Kane County.He is 2nd all time in Pecos League apperences. Ryan pitched in Roswell in 2013 and Alpine in 2014-2015-2016.He won championships in both Roswell and Alpine
