AAA: Fresno defeated Tucson 10-2

Fresno: CF Clay Timpner: 3 for 5, SO
Fresno: 1B Brett Harper: 3 for 5, SO
Fresno: C Eliezer Alfonzo: 3 for 5, HR, 2B, SO, SB

Fresno: RHP Julio Mateo: 5.2 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Fresno: RHP Jesse Foppert: 3.0 IP, 2 H
Tucson: RHP Juan Guteirrez: 5.0 IP, 11 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

With three hits each, Timpner, Harper and Alfonzo contributed half the Grizzlies' eighteen hits, improving their respective AVGs to .264, .283 and .350.  Alfonzo had two of the team's four XBHs, including his 3rd HR and 4th double among 13 H and 40 AB.

Mateo had an effective start to improve his ERA to 6.75 and pick up his first victory in the Giants organization.  Foppert needed just 30 pitches (19 strikes) in three scoreless innings of relief to pick up what is probably his first save as a pro.  The 24-year-old Gutierrez, acquired by the Diamondbacks as part of the Valverde deal, struck out eight but allowed eleven hits as he threw 101 pitches (67 strikes) to 26 batters in just five innings.

AA: Connecticut defeated Reading 6-5

Connecticut: 3B David Maroul: 2 for 5, 3 SO, SB
Connecticut: LF Eddy Martinez-Esteve: 3 for 5
Reading: LF Jake Blalock: 3 for 4, 2 2B

Connecticut: RHP Garrett Broshuis: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Connecticut: RHP Kelvin Pichardo: 1.0 IP
Reading: LHP Josh Outman: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K

EME's three singles raised his AVG to .265.  Maroul had his second straight multi-hit game, but with the hat trick he continues to strike out way too much.  He now has 12 H and 18 SO among 49 AB (.245 AVG).

Broshuis picked up his second win of the season.  Last year a remarkable lack of run support provided him just three wins.  With a 7/6 GO/FO line, his GO/AO ratio remains barely above 1.00.  Pichardo pitched a perfect 9th for his first save.  Earlier this week, Baseball America's Jim Callis mentioned in a chat that Outman may be becoming the Phillies top pitching prospect.  Today's start would tend to argue against that.  Nonetheless, I still think he has a great name for a pitcher.  He had allowed just 2 ER in his previous three starts this year.

A+: San Jose defeated Visalia 6-1

San Jose: RF Tyler Graham: 2 for 4, 2 SB
San Jose: CF Mike McBryde: 2 for 3, 2B, CS
Visalia: RF Gerardo Parra: 1 for 4, HR

San Jose: LHP Ben Snyder: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K--1 HR
San Jose: RHP Dan Griffin: 1.1 IP, 1 H

The speedsters Graham and McBryde each had two of the Giants' seven hits, improving their respective AVGs to .281 and .274.  McBryde was caught stealing for the first time this year when he was picked off first base, while Graham increased his theft total to 13, which ties him for the league lead (with the Angels' Bourjos).  The Diamondbacks' 20-year-old Parra, who appeared on the latter half of Baseball America's top 100 prospects list, did not have a multi-hit game in the series, but he did go deep for his 2nd HR of the season.

Snyder had a very effective start, except for the solo HR, which is just the second run he has allowed this year.  He had a 3/9 GO/FO line today, and with a GO/AO ratio below 1.00, it will be interesting to see how he fares later this year when San Jose visits some of the very hitter-friendly ballparks in the Cal League's southern division.  Griffin faced just four batters and induced GiDPs from two of them as he was credited with his first save.

A-: Augusta lost to Greenville 19-7
(allowing 13 runs to the Drive in the 7th inning)

Augusta: 2B Nick Noonan: 1 for 5, HR
Augusta: DH Thomas Neal: 2 for 4, 3B, BB, SO
Augusta: 1B Angel Villalona: 1 for 2, SO
Augusta: SS Charlie Culberson: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, 2 E
Augusta: CF James Simmons: 3 for 4, SB

Augusta: LHP Craig Clark: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 WP
Augusta: RHP Dan Turpen: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HB
Augusta: RHP Dan Runzler: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB
Augusta: LHP Andy DeLaGarza: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Augusta: LHP Joe Paterson: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K--1 HB

Noonan and Culberson, the two middle infielders the Giants drafted in the supplemental first round, both connected for their first HRs of the season.  Officially, the wind was blowing out to center field at 15 mph.  Culberson also had his first multi-hit game of the season to raise his AVG to .122.  On the downside, he committed his 10th and 11th errors of the young season.  Simmons' three singles raised his AVG to .286, and he stole his 7th bag.  Neal also reached base three times, helping to raise his AVG to .333.  Villalona, along with his manager Andy Skeels, was ejected in the 4th inning after he struck out swinging.

Clark had his least effective start.  He had allowed just 1 ER in his previous two starts.  Turpen continued his streak without allowing a run through 14 innings, but then he failed to retire any of the three hitters he faced in the 7th inning.  Failing to stem the time, Runzler and DeLaGarza allowed all but one of the ten batters they faced to reach base, and Paterson allowed all three runners he inherited to score plus one more unearned run charged to his own record before the 13-run 7th inning came to a conclusion.