minor lines, 6/29/08

AAA: Fresno defeated Las Vegas 8-3

Fresno: SS Ivan Ochoa: 3 for 5
Fresno: C Eliezer Alfonzo: 3 for 4, HR
Las Vegas: 2B Angel Chavez: 3 for 4, 2B

Fresno: RHP Brad Hennessey: 8.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K--1 HR
Las Vegas: RHP Jon Meloan: 6.0 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 8 K--2 HR

With three hits each, Ochoa and Alfonzo paced the Grizzlies' fourteen-hit attack.  Ochoa now has an eight-game hitting streak, with multiple hits in six of those games.  Alfonzo, playing his second game with Fresno since rejoining the team, connected for his 4th PCL HR this year.  The 26-year-old Chavez, the former Giant now in the Dodgers organization, also had three hits, raising his AVG to .277.

After allowing a couple runs in the first inning, Hennessey settled down (sound familiar?) and did not allow another run until the 9th inning.  His longest start of the year, in which he threw 110 pitches (73 for strikes), lowered his ERA to 5.12.  Meloan, who entered the year among the Dodgers top ten prospects and converted from a reliever to a starter, has seen his ERA rise as the season has progressed, now up to 4.77.  His 8/1 K/BB line was atypically good for him, given that his K/BB ratio was below 1.50 entering the night.

AA: Connecticut defeated Binghamton 14-5
(exploding for nine runs in 3rd inning)

Connecticut: CF Antoan Richardson: 3 for 5, BB
Connecticut: RF Ben Copeland: 4 for 6
Connecticut: LF Eddy Martinez-Esteve: 4 for 6, 2B
Connecticut: C Adam Witter: 2 for 4, 2 BB
Binghamton: CF Fernando Martinez: 3 for 4, 2 2B, HBP, SO

Connecticut: RHP Adam Cowart: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HR, 1 HB
Connecticut: RHP Ronnie Ray: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Among the Defenders' twenty-one hits, Copeland and EME each had four hits, raising their respective AVGs to .249 and .297.  Richardson and Witter also reached base four times.  They both have OBPs above .330 despite having AVGs below .225.  Martinez, the Mets' top prospect, has had three big games against the Defenders since coming off the DL, going 7 for 12 with 3 XBH, plus a BB and HBP.

Cowart evened his W-L record at 6-6, but his ERA rose a bit further to 4.25, and his BAA gained a few more points to .317.  Despite his reputation as a ground ball pitcher, his GO/AO ratio was below 1.00 in six starts this month.  In contrast to Cowart's 6/8 GO/FO line, Ray, who picked up his first save, had a 6/3 GO/FO line.

A+: San Jose defeated Modesto 4-3

San Jose: 2B Brock Bond: 2 for 5, 2B
San Jose: 3B Brad Boyer: 2 for 4, 2B
San Jose: SS Sharlon Schoop: 2 for 3, SH

San Jose: RHP Tim Alderson: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER,  2 BB, 6 K
San Jose: RHP Danny Otero: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 K

The Giants offense was led by their three non-first-base infielders, who each had two hits, including both of the team's XBHs.

Alderson matched a season-high with 7.0 IP.  He also got his H/IP back below 1.00 as he lowered his ERA to 3.13.  Alderson entered the night with a 1.00 GO/AO ratio but had a 12/3 GO/FO line.  Otero has allowed a much higher number of hits since his promotion to the Cal League, where hitters have hit .368 against him.  He received his 2nd save only when Felmy threw out the runner at the plate on the final play of the game.

A-: Augusta lost to Hickory 6-4
(scoring all four runs in the 7th inning but then allowing three runs in the 8th inning)

Augusta: 1B Angel Villalona: 2 for 4
Augusta: 3B Andrew Davis: 3 for 4

Augusta: RHP Waldis Joaquin: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Villalona and Davis accounted for over half of the GreenJackets' nine hits, which were all singles.  They improved their respective AVGs to .238 and .276.

Joaquin made his third start of the season, among 21 appearances.  The walk was his first of the month.  He presumably finished June with a 20/1 K/BB line, quite an improvement from his 23/17 K/BB line in April and May.  He also had not allowed a hit in his last four appearances nor an earned run in his last five appearances.

ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Everett 8-6
(with ten of the game's fourteen runs scored in the 7th inning)

Salem-Keizer: LF Casey Bond: 2 for 3, 2 2B, BB, SO
Salem-Keizer: 1B Mike Loberg: 3 for 5, SB, CS, E
Salem-Keizer: C Trent Kline: 1 for 3, HR, BB

Salem-Keizer: LHP Ari Ronick: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K--1 HB
Salem-Keizer: RHP Eric Stolp: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Salem-Keizer: RHP Edwin Quirarte: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 K

Bond and Loberg had the multiple-hit lines for the Volcanoes, raising their respective AVGs to .260 and .345; but it was Kline who provided the big hit with his first pro HR being a grand slam in the 7th inning after the first five Volcanoes hitters in the inning had reached base.

After three relief appearances, Ronick made his first pro start, although he pitched just three innings.  He was relieved by Stolp, who is in his third season with the Volcanoes and faced just one over the minimum in three scoreless innings.  Quirarte, the fifth Volcanoes reliever, pitched two scoreless innings, although he did allow one of three inherited runners to score, for his 3rd save.

R: Giants lost to Padres 9-3

Scottsdale: 1B C.J. Ziegler: 1 for 3, HR, BB
Scottsdale: 2B Aaron Hornostaj: 2 for 3, BB, SO, SB

Scottsdale: RHP Javier Hernandez: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

The 25-year-old Hornostaj, whom the Giants drafted back in 2001, made his 2008 season debut, and was the only Giant in the lineup with multiple hits..  He played in just two games last year.  Ziegler went deep for the 3rd time in his young pro career.

The 19-year-old Hernandez, who had a 2.63 ERA in 72.0 IP last summer in the DL, made his second start of the year.  In both starts, he has failed to get out of the 3rd inning.

DSL: Giants had their typical Sunday off-day