Futures Game: U.S. lost to World 3-0

World: 1B Pablo Sandoval: 0 for 1, BB, CS
World: 1B Angel Villalona: 0 for 2
World: CF Che-Hsuan Lin: 2 for 2, HR
U.S.: 3B Mat Gamel: 0 for 0, 2 BB
U.S.: 1B Matt LaPorta: 1 for 3, BB, SO
U.S.: RF Nate Schierholtz: 0 for 4, SO

World: RHP Henry Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K
World: RHP Shairon Martis: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB
U.S.: RHP Trevor Cahill: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K
U.S.: LHP Brett Anderson: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB
U.S.: RHP Will Inman: 1.0 IP, 1 K
U.S.: RHP Kevin Pucetas: 1.0 IP, 2 H

Two Giants farmhands, Sandoval and Villalona, manned first base for the world squad, and they reached base one time in four plate appearances.  Schierholtz, the other Giants' hitter to appear in the game, had an oh-fer.  Gamel and LaPorta, who until recently were teammates with the Brewers' double-A affiliate until the Brewers traded LaPorta to the Indians in the Sabathia deal, reached base twice each for the America squad.  The Red Sox' 19-year-old Lin, who had just 5 HRs in 319 AB in the Sally League, was the game's hero with his two-run, two-out HR in the 7th inning, although Sandoval's RBI groundout in the 1st inning had already given the World team the only run they would need.

Pitching the 9th inning for their respective teams were Martis, the ex-Giant farmhand, and Pucetas, a current Giants farmhand.  Both pitchers threw nine strikes, Martis over 19 pitches and Pucetas over 12 pitches.  The Padres' Inman was the only American pitcher (with eighteen different pitchers in the game having exactly 1.0 IP each) not to allow a baseunner.  The A's had three different pitchers--Cahill, Anderson and Rodriguez--appear in the game.  The three, who all began the season in the Stockton rotation, combined for 2 H, 2 BB and 5 K in 3.0 IP.

AAA: Fresno defeated Colorado Springs 8-1

Fresno: 2B-LF Matt Downs: 3 for 5, HR, 2B, SB
Fresno: 3B Scott McClain: 2 for 5, 2B

Fresno: RHP Jesse Foppert: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Fresno: RHP Billy Sadler: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K

Downs' three hits, including his 2nd PCL HR, paced the Grizzlies' eleven-hit attack.  His third straight multi-hit game raised his AVG to .260 in twenty games with Fresno.  McClain, who had his 27th double, was the only other Grizzly with multiple hits.

After 21 relief appearances, Foppert made his first start of the year, and statistically it appears as one of his better appearances.  His ERA remains over 7.00.  Two more scoreless innings for Sadler lowered his ERA to 0.78, but what may be more important for getting him back to the majors is more strikes and fewer walks.  Today 24 of 42 pitches were for strikes.

AA: Connecticut lost to New Hampshire 9-2

Connecticut: DH Carlos Sosa: 0 for 2, BB, HBP, SO
New Hampshire: PR-LF Travis Snider: 3 for 4, 2 2B

Connecticut: LHP Ben Snyder: 4.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--2 HR
New Hampshire: LHP Ricky Romero: 8.0+ IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--1 HB, 1 WP

Sosa was the only Defender to reach base twice, but his OBP remains just .319.  Snider, the Blue Jays' top prospect, had another strong game, improving the 20-year-old's season line to .271/.340/.480.  Romero, often maligned given his status as the sixth overall pick in 2005, had eight shutout innings before surrendering a couple runs in the 9th inning.  Still, his ERA remains above 5.50.

A+: San Jose lost to Stockton 18-5

San Jose: 2B Travis Denker: 2 for 4, HR, BB, E
San Jose: RF Dan Ortmeier: 0 for 3, 2 BB, 3 SO
San Jose: 1B Brett Pill: 3 for 5, HR, 2B, 2 SO
Stockton: 3B Chris Carter: 2 for 5, HR, 2B

San Jose: RHP Henry Sosa: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 3 BB, 5 K--1 HR
Stockton: RHP Craig Italiano: 0.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--2 HR

Leading the Giants with three of their dozen hits, Pill continues to swing a very hot bat.  He went deep for his 8th HR to lead off the 4th inning.  Ortmeier had a couple walks and hat trick in his sixth rehab game.  Denker had a huge game in his second game following his reassignment to the minors.  The jump down to the lower minors may seem surprising, but with Fresno away on a road trip and starting its three-day all-star break tomorrow, the alternative assignment to San Jose makes sense.  Carter, whom the A's acquired during the off-season, went deep for the 25th time this year.  The A's shifted him across the diamond defensively from first base to third base about three weeks ago.  After a mediocre April and a poor May, his bat really came alive last month, as he hit .319/.452/.714 in 91 AB in June.

Sosa had his worst start of the year.  He had allowed 13 ER through his first nine starts before allowing 9 ER today, raising his ERA by a run and a half from 2.68 to 4.18.  Italiano, the A's second round pick in 2005, had re-emerged as a prospect this year with a 1.16 ERA through fourteen starts in the low-A Midwest League, but he was hit hard today.  He allowed just 9 ER in the Midwest League but has now allowed 19 ER in four appearances in the Cal League.

A-: Augusta lost to Delmarva 2-0

Augusta: CF Shane Jordan: 2 for 4, SB

Augusta: RHP Chance Corgan: 5.0+ IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K

With two of the GreenJackets' six hits, Jordan had the team's only multi-hit line, and he also had his 25th SB, which is just a couple shy of the organization lead.

After six starts, Corgan now has solid but not great peripheral stats of 30 H, 11 BB and 23 K in 29.1 IP.  I think that the 6 K today established a new career high as a pro.

ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Yakima 7-3

Salem-Keizer: DH Francisco Peguero: 3 for 4, 2B, BB

Salem-Keizer: RHP Wilbur Bucardo: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Salem-Keizer: RHP Trey Webb: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Salem-Keizer: LHP Dan Runzler: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 3 K

Batting third in the lineup, Peguero led the Volcanoes' ten-hit attack with three hits of his own that improved his AVG to .323, the best in tonight's Volcanoes' lineup.

Bucardo had his longest and best start of the year, including a new season high with 5 K.  It was his second start without a walk.  After six starts, his peripheral stats are now 29 H, 6 BB and 17 K in 28.2 IP.  Plus he has a 2.37 GO/AO ratio.  Runzler had one of his best appearances of the season as he struck out three of the five batters he faced and stranded three inherited runners.  He inherited the three runners when Webb was ejected after issuing a bases-loaded walk.

R: Giants lost to Rangers 4-3

Scottsdale: CF Wendell Fairley: 2 for 5, HR, SO
Scottsdale: 2B Dan Cook: 3 for 4, SB

Scottsdale: RHP Jorge Bucardo: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K--1 HR
Scottsdale: LHP Scott Barnes: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K--1 WP

Fairley had his first pro HR, as well as his second straight multi-hit game.  Cook led the offense with three hits that raised his AVG to .225 in ten AZL games.  He began the season going 5 for 13 in six games with Salem-Keizer before being reassigned.

Making his fourth start, Bucardo had his longest start of the year.  His last two starts have been more effective than his first two starts at least.  Barnes, making his third pro appearance, was credited with the blown save and the loss, although the go-ahead run scored after he left the game.

DSL: The Giants had their typical Sunday off-day