minor lines, 8/17/08

AAA: Fresno defeated Las Vegas 6-3

Fresno: 3B Scott McClain: 1 for 3, HR, SF
Fresno: 1B Brett Harper: 2 for 4, HR

Fresno: LHP Erick Threets: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 E
Fresno: RHP Osiris Matos: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Las Vegas: RHP James McDonald: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K--1 HR, 2 HB

McClain and Harper connected for their 25th and 15th HRs.  Harper was the only Grizzly with multiple hits.

Threets threw 75 pitches (47 strikes) in his second start.  He had just a couple strikeouts but a 10/2 GO/FO line.  Matos struck out four of the eight batters he faced in his third PCL appearance.  McDonald, who entered the year among the Dodgers' top ten prospects and has improved his stock since then, made his third PCL start, which was clearly the least effective of his three starts.  In his previous two starts, he had allowed 3 ER while recording 20 K.

AA: Connecticut defeated Erie 6-3

Connecticut: CF Antoan Richardson: 1 for 4, HR, BB, SO
Connecticut: 2B Olma Rosario: 3 for 5, 3B
Connecticut: 1B Simon Klink: 3 for 3, 2B, BB

Connecticut: RHP Joe Martinez: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Connecticut: RHP Ronnie Ray: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Connecticut: RHP Justin Hedrick: 1.0 IP, 1 R, 1 BB--1 WP

In the 1st inning, Richardson connected for his 5th HR of the summer.  A year ago, he had 2 HRs.  With three hits each, Rosario and Klink accounted for over half of the Defenders' eleven hits.  At least in terms of AVG, all three of those Defenders are so far having their best month of the season.

Martinez had another fine start, although not quite as fine as his last four starts, during which he had allowed just 2 ER combined.  The victim of a lack of run support in many of his starts, he improved his W-L record to 9-9.  His K/BB ratio remains exactly 3.00.  Ray had his fifth appearance this month without allowing an earned run.  Hedrick issued just his third walk in eleven appearances since the all-star break.

A+: San Jose lost to Visalia 5-3

San Jose: RF-CF Mike McBryde: 3 for 3, BB
San Jose: C Jackson Williams: 1 for 4, 2B, GiDP, PB

San Jose: RHP Kevin Pucetas: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

The only Giant to reach base base twice, McBryde reaching base in all four of his plate appearances.  He entered the night hitting .313/.366/.401 in 147 AB since the Cal League's all-star break and further improved upon that.  Williams' 5th double was the Giants' only XBH, but he also committed his 9th PB in 38 games with the Giants.

Pucetas allowed all five runs in the 3rd inning and finally suffered his first loss of the season.  His ERA stands at 2.73 after 22 starts.

A-: Augusta defeated Lexington 14-2

Augusta: SS Juan Ciraco: 3 for 5, 2B, BB, SB
Augusta: DH Thomas Neal: 5 for 5, 2B, BB
Augusta: 1B Angel Villalona: 1 for 5, HR, SO, E
Augusta: LF Garrett Baker: 3 for 5, HR, 3B, 2B
Augusta: 3B Andrew Davis: 1 for 2, 2B, 3 BB, SO

Augusta: LHP Scott Barnes: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Neal reached base in all six trips to the plate and had five of the GreenJackets' seventeen hits, raising his AVG to .280.  Ciriaco had another three-hit game.  Villalona had his 14th HR.  With his 8th HR, 6th triple and 19th double, Baker was only a single short of the cycle, but his SLG remains below .400.  Davis reached base four times, although he has not had an OBP of .330 or better in any month this year.

Barnes' fourth start as a GreenJacket was perhaps his least effective start yet given that he had allowed only 1 ER in his previous three starts combined.  His peripheral stats remain impressive over those four starts with 10 H, 6 BB and 21 K in 20.2 IP.

ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Spokane 5-2

Salem-Keizer: DH Conor Gillaspie: 0 for 4, 2 SO
Salem-Keizer: C Johnny Monell: 1 for 3, HR

Salem-Keizer: RHP Orlando Yntema: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K--2 HR, 1 HB, 1 WP, 1 IBB

Gillaspie had the oh-fer with a couple strikeouts in his first NWL start.  Monell's 3rd HR of the season was one of just four hits for the Volcanoes.

Yntema suffered his first loss with the Volcanoes despite having an ERA above 5.50 in four starts and eight appearances.

R: Giants lost to Royals 11-3

Scottsdale: CF Wendell Fairley: 1 for 1, 3 BB, HBP

Scottsdale: RHP Kelvim Marte: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K--1WP, 1 BK, 1 PO

Fairley, who entered the game with a .366 OBP despite just a .320 SLG, reached base in all five trips to the plate.  He now has 21 BB among 151 AB.

Marte was charged with two runs in the 5th inning to suffer his first loss of the season.  The 19-year-old's peripheral stats in the AZL remain very good with 17 H, 7 BB and 25 K in 24.2 IP.

DSL: Giants had their typical Sunday off-day
(Today was their final scheduled off-day of the season.)