minor lines, 4/18/08

AAA: Fresno lost to Tacoma 3-2

Fresno: 1B Scott McClain: 2 for 3, HR, BB
Tacoma: DH Jeff Clement: 1 for 3, HR, BB

Fresno: RHP Nick Pereira: 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K--1 HR, 1 HB
Fresno: RHP Bartolome Fortunato: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Tacoma: LHP Ryan Feierabend: 8.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HR, 1 E

McClain was the only player in the game with two hits and the only Grizzly to reach base twice.  His 2-run, 2-out HR in the 4th inning provided the Grizzlies' offense.  Clement, the Mariners' top prospect, didn't have two hits, so his AVG slipped to .412, but he once again had a big game that included his 4th HR.  This morning's Fresno Bee has an article profiling Manny Burriss and explaining why he is no longer preoccupied with being promoted to the next level.

Pereira had a "quality start," but he is still walking a lot of batters.  He threw 57 of 96 pitches for strikes.  On the season he has 11 BB and 9 K in 15.1 IP.  Fortunato, the 33-year-old minor league free agent, entered the game with 5 BB in 5.0 IP, but he threw 9 of 10 pitches for strikes in a perfect 9th inning.  The 22-year-old Feierabend had another very effective start, his longest of the season, although his ERA did creep up to 1.80 after four starts.

AA: Connecticut defeated Reading 1-0

Connecticut: C Adam Witter: 1 for 3, HR, SO
Connecticut: LF Eddy Martinez-Esteve: 2 for 3

Connecticut: RHP Brooks McNiven: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Connecticut: RHP Kelvin Pichardo: 1.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
Connecticut: RHP Sergio Romo: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Reading: RHP Carlos Carrasco: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K--1 HR

Witter provided the game's only run with his 5th HR, a solo shot with two outs in the 4th inning.  With two hits, EME was the only player to reach base in the pitcher's duel that finished in less than two hours.

McNiven had a very effective start, allowing just three baserunners in seven scoreless innings.  He had a 10/9 GO/FO line and improved his ERA to 1.53.  Reportedly, he threw less than 50 pitches.  Pichardo and Romo, the latter who picked up his 5th save, finished off the shutout.  Carrasco, who is the Phillies' top prospect, was the tough luck loser.  After three starts, his season line is now 13 H, 7 BB, 4 R and 21 K in 18.0 IP.  He had a 10/4 GO/FO line in this start, although his GO/AO ratio is just 1.20.

A+: San Jose defeated Visalia 5-4

San Jose: C Pablo Sandoval: 2 for 4, 2B, HBP 2 SO
San Jose: DH Andy D'Alessio: 2 for 4, 2 2B, SO
San Jose: RF Robert Felmy: 2 for 3, BB, PO

San Jose: LHP Clayton Tanner: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
San Jose: RHP Steven Edlefsen: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K--1 WP
San Jose: RHP Taylor Wilding: 0.2 IP
Visalia: RHP Barry Enright: 5.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K--1 HB

Four Giants had two hits each among the team's dozen hits.  Among them, Sandoval and D'Alessio each contributed three of the team's five XBHs (all doubles).  Sandoval now has 8 doubles and a .467 AVG.  D'Allesio now has 5 doubles and a .283 AVG.  Sandoval and Felmy were the two Giants to reach base three times, but Felmy was also picked off.  He did have an outfield assist to throw out a runner at the plate.

Tanner had his least effective start, giving up in his fourth start of the season his first four runs, which raised his ERA to a still very good 1.66.  Edlefsen pitched nearly four innings of scoreless relief, although he did allow one of two inherited runners to score.  Wilding induced groundouts from both batters he faced to pick up his 3rd save.  Enright, who the Diamondbacks selected 73rd overall out of Pepperdine in the 2nd round last year, has allowed 3+ ER in all four of his starts.  He improved his ERA to 8.31 and was in line for the victory until his bullpen gave up the lead.

A-: Augusta lost to Kannapolis 0-3

Augusta: 3B Andrew Davis: 1 for 4, 2B, 2 SO

Augusta: LHP Madison Bumgarner: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K--1 HB
Augusta: LHP Andy DeLaGarza: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 4 K
Augusta: LHP Joe Paterson: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Kannapolis: RHP Charlie Shirek: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

The GreenJackets' offense managed just five hits, and Davis, the 12th round pick a year ago, managed its only XBH.  Davis is hitting just .217/.321/.304 through 46 AB after he hit .278/.361/.400 in 270 AB last summer in the NWL.

Bumgarner had perhaps his least effective start as a pro.  It was not his shortest start, but it did include the first walks he has issued as a pro.  Two other southpaws provided scoreless relief as DeLaGarza and Paterson lowered their respective ERAs to 2.38 and 1.50.  Shirek, a 23rd round selection by the White Sox, has enjoyed an impressive start to this season.  After four starts, he has 16 H, 2 BB, 1 ER and 16 K in 23.2 IP, and both walks and the earned run came in the season opener, so he has been even better since then.