minor lines, 8/21/08

AAA: Fresno defeated Sacramento 9-5

Fresno: CF Ben Copeland: 3 for 5, 2B, GiDP
Fresno: 2B Travis Denker: 3 for 5, HR
Sacramento: 2B Donnie Murphy: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, E

Fresno: LHP Steve Hammond: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Fresno: LHP Geno Espineli: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 K--2 HR
Sacramento: RHP Vin Mazzaro: 5.1 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 2 K--1 HR, 1 WP

With three hits each, Copeland and Denker accounted for nearly half of the Grizzlies' thirteen hits.  Copeland has a .339 AVG but just 3 XBH in 56 AB in the PCL.  Denker homered for the fourth time in his last six games.  The A's Murphy had another big game against Fresno, including his 10th HR and 8th double.

Three of Hammond's six starts for the Grizzlies have been quality starts, but he still has an ERA over 6.25 in those six starts.  Espineli did not allow a HR in any of his first 34 appearances this year.  But then called up to the majors, he allowed 4 HRs in his nine appearances there and then allowed 2 HRs in his second appearance since being demoted back to the minors.  The A's Mazzaro dominated the Texas League with a 1.90 ERA and .229 BAA in 22 starts, but in four PCL starts, he now has a 6.75 ERA and .333 BAA.

AA: Connecticut lost to Akron 4-2

Connecticut: SS Kyle Haines: 1 for 3, BB, 2 K
Connecticut: 3B Julio Cordido: 0 for 4, 3 SO
Akron: 3B West Hodges: 3 for 4, HR

Connecticut: RHP Dave McKae: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 HR
Connecticut: RHP Ronnie Ray: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 K

With one of the Defenders' five hits and one of their two walks, Haines was the only Defender to reach base twice.  In his fifth game with Connecticut after a sub-.600 OPS in 224 AB with Fresno, the 28-year-old Cordido suffered the oh-fer with the hat trick, remaining hitless through 16 AB.  The Indians' Hodges began the season ranked among the Indians top five prospects and then hit .315/.389/.474 in 340 AB before the all-star break.  He has cooled off since the break, with last night's strong line lifting his post all-star break numbers to just .202/.248/.333 in 129 AB.

McKae made his eight start and tenth appearance since the start of July, and this was one of only two starts in that time that he has pitched past the 6th inning.  A 15/3 GO/FO line raised his GO/AO ratio to 1.34.  Ray allowed 2 ER, after having allowed just 2 ER in his previous 17.2 IP since the all-star break.  His season ERA rose back above 3.00.

A+: San Jose defeated Rancho Cucamong 7-1

San Jose: 2B Brock Bond: 3 for 4, 2B, BB, SO
San Jose: 3B Brad Boyer: 4 for 5, SO
San Jose: 1B Brett Pill: 3 for 5, 2B
San Jose: LF Bobby Felmy: 3 for 5, 2B, SO
Rancho Cucamonga: LF Reggie Willits: 2 for 4, SO

San Jose: LHP Clayton Tanner: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
San Jose: RHP Juan Trinidad: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K

After having four of the Giants' fifteen hits, Boyer is hitting nearly .500 in his last ten games (18 for 38).  His Cal League AVG for the season is now above .350.  Bond, Pill and Felmy each had three hits, raising their respective AVGs to .296, .262 and .284.  The Angels' Willits, one of two Quakes with multiple hits, played his second rehab game with the Quakes.

Tanner, who wore down at the end of last season, has pitched very effectively this year down the stretch.  Since coming off the DL in July, he has an ERA of 2.89 in nine starts, although his 2.29 K/BB ratio in that time is less inspiring.  Trinidad stranded two inherited runners and lowered his own ERA to 1.67.

A-: Augusta defeated Kannapolis 4-2

Augusta: 1B Angel Villalona: 3 for 4, 2 2B
Augusta: RF James Simmons: 0 for 3, 3 SO

Augusta: LHP Madison Bumgarner: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K
Augusta: RHP David Mixon: 1.0 IP, 1 K

Villalona, the lone GreenJacket to reach base twice, had his second three-hit game this week, although his last three-hit game before that was back in May.  He had his team-leading 28th and 29th doubles.  Simmons suffered the hat trick as his strikeout woes continue.

Just another dominant start for Bumgarner, although this was the first time he has been removed in the middle of an inning in at least two months.  He should have one more start during the regular season, but in his four starts in August so far he has stats of 18 H, 2 BB, 0 R and 39 K in 27.1 IP.  With a perfect 9th inning in his 20th appearance, Mixon lowered his ERA to 1.50 and received his 5th save.

ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Everett 6-5

Salem-Keizer: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 1 for 3, 2 BB, SO, E
Salem-Keizer: DH Jose Flores: 2 for 4, BB
Salem-Keizer: C Johnny Monell: 2 for 5, 2 2B, SO, PB

Salem-Keizer: LHP Ari Ronick: 4.0+ IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K--1 HB, 1 WP, 1 BK
Salem-Keizer: LHP Dan Runzler: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Salem-Keizer: RHP Edwin Quirarte: 1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K

With two more doubles, Monell has 16 H and 7 XBH in 36 AB over his last nine games.  Gillaspie and Flores reached base three times each for the Volcanoes.  After his third straight multi-hit game, the 21-year-old Flores now has a line of .296/.395/.350 in 226 AB this year.

Ronick allowed just one run through four innings but failed to retire any of the four batters he faced in the 5th inning.  In four of his last five starts, he has 4.0 IP or less.  Runzler remains a very effective setup man for the Volcanoes, despite his BB/IP ratio above 0.50, and he has been credited with 15 holds in his 23 appearances.  Aside from the walks, he has been very hard to hit with 16 H and 35 K in 25.1 IP.  Quirarte earned his 12th save.

R: Giants defeated A's 2-0

Scottsdale: CF Wendell Fairley: 2 for 4, SB
Scottsdale: SS Brandon Crawford: 2 for 4, 2B, CS

Scottsdale: LHP Aaron King: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K--1 PO

Hitting in the top two spots in the rookie Giants lineup, Fairley and Crawford each had two hits.  Fairley extended his hitting streak to eight games.

Making his fourth start among nine pro appearances, King had his best start yet, including a new career high with 9 K.  The 19-year-old whom the Giants drafted in the 7th round this year lowered his ERA below 3.00.

DSL: Giants defeated Red Sox 1-0

Dominican: 2B Cesar Osuna: 1 for 3, BB
Dominican: LHP Ebert Fernandez: 5.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
Dominican: RHP Edward Noel: 2.2 IP, 1 BB, 5 K--1 WP

Osuna (18.6 y.o.) was the only Gigante to reach base twice.  He has a .350 OBP.  Fernandez (17.9 y.o.) and Noel (19.8 y.o.) combined for eight shutout innings with 1 H and 11 K.  Noel did not allow a fly ball out and has a 2.74 GO/AO ratio, along with a 1.00 K/IP ratio, in 23 relief appearances.