MINOR LEAGUES / GARY KLEIN : Pitcher Is in Company of Friends

Zak Krislock is running into several former high school opponents and college teammates during his travels this season through the Class-A South Atlantic League.

Krislock, a right-handed pitcher, signed with the Houston Astros last year after he was selected in the 23rd round of the amateur draft out of Oklahoma. A former standout at South Torrance High, Krislock had attended UC Irvine, El Camino College and Saddleback College before transferring to Oklahoma where he played one season.

“There’s about five (Oklahoma) Sooners in this league,” said Krislock, who is playing for Asheville (N.C.). “I see (former Torrance High standout) Jason Kendall and a couple guys from (community college) ball.

“I know a ton of people who are playing down here. Of course, when you play as many places as I did, you get to know a lot of people.”

Krislock is 4-5 with a 4.38 earned-run average and one save for Asheville, which plays in one of the most picturesque mountain settings in the minor leagues.

Krislock was the closer for Oklahoma in 1992 and helped the Sooners advance to the College World Series. He pitched in all three of the Sooners’ games in the series and earned a save against Wichita State.

Last season, Krislock was 3-4 with a 3.10 ERA and nine saves in 26 games for Auburn (N.Y.) in the short-season Class-A New York-Penn League.

This season, he has filled a variety of roles for Asheville.

“I’m doing a little bit of everything,” he said. “I’ve had a few starts, been the set-up guy and I’m occasionally used as the stopper.

“June was a tough month for me. I had an ERA under two before that and then it just exploded. I messed with some things in my motion and it didn’t work out. Now I’m back to doing what I did before and I’m doing much better.”

Krislock hopes a strong finish will earn him a promotion to Class-A Quad Cities in the Midwest League or Class-A Osceola in the Florida State League next year.

“I’m going to have to be a lot more consistent and pitch with better control (to continue advancing),” Krislock said. “I’ve got to get better command of my breaking ball, which is pretty much everyone’s problem at this level. We’ll just have to see what happens.”

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Enoch Simmons, a former outfielder at Loyola Marymount, is in Arizona recovering from a knee injury that shortened his season at Huntsville, Ala., the Oakland Athletics’ affiliate in the double-A Southern League.

Simmons was batting .234 with five home runs and 30 runs batted in before he was injured.

Simmons was assigned to extended spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz., to rehabilitate the knee.

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Dan Melendez’s first full professional season has been cut short because of a wrist injury suffered last month.

Melendez, a first baseman who helped Pepperdine win the 1992 national championship, was batting .241 with seven home runs and 30 runs batted in for San Antonio, the Dodgers’ affiliate in the double-A Texas League, when he injured his right wrist diving for a ground ball in a game against El Paso.

Melendez will probably participate in the Florida Instructional League this winter.