minor lines, 9/1/08

AAA: Fresno defeated Sacramento 7-4

Fresno: 3B Justin Leone: 3 for 4, SF, CS
Fresno: DH Brett Harper: 4 for 4, HR, 2B
Sacramento: RF Chris Denorfia: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SB
Sacramento: C Justin Knoedler: 0 for 4, 3 SO

Fresno: LHP Steve Hammond: 7.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Fresno: RHP Scott Munter: 1.0 IP, 1 BB

Harper seem unphased by the opposing left-handed pitchers, with solid contact resulting in four hits.  He finished the year hitting .315/.338/.577 in 352 AB.  For the season, he struggled to get on base versus lefties but not for power when he did hit them (.238/.256/.513 in 80 AB).  Leone got his AVG above .250 on the final day of the season.  Denorfia started the year in the majors with the A's, but spent the rest of the season in the minors.  He had a PCL line of .302/.342/.413 in 189 AB.  Knoedler, the ex-Giant, suffered the oh-fer with the hat trick in the season finale.

Hammond never looked dominant, but he threw strikes (70 of 105 pitches) and allowed just two runs.  He had a 5.85 ERA in eight starts after joining the Giants organization in the Durham trade.  Munter allowed a leadoff walk but still faced the minimum three batters in the 8th inning thanks to a GiDP.

AA: Connecticut lost Trenton 4-3

Connecticut: LF Olmo Rosario: 3 for 4, 2 2B, BB, SO, SB
Connecticut: 3B Simon Klink: 0 for 2, 2 BB, HBP, SO

Connecticut: RHP Joe Martinez: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Connecticut: RHP Adam Cowart: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Connecticut: LHP Paul Oseguera: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER

Rosario finished the season strong, with multi-hit lines in each of his last three games.  The 28-year-old hit .298/.333/.469 and was perhaps the Defenders' most consistent hitter throughout the season.  Klink reached base three times to finish his second season with Connecticut with an OBP over .300.  He had a .324 OBP a year ago.

Martinez retired eleven of twelve batters in his final start, lowering his ERA to 2.49.  He left the game shortly after a batter grounded out to him leading off the 4th inning.  Cowart allowed a couple unearned runs in the 5th inning, while Oseguera allowed an earned run in the 6th inning, and 6 K was a new high since being promoted to the Cal League.

A+: San Jose defeated Lancaster 6-4

San Jose: DH Tyler Graham: 2 for 5, HR, SB
San Jose: 1B Brett Pill: 3 for 4, 2B
Lancaster: SS Yamaico Navarro: 2 for 4, HBP

San Jose: RHP Daryl Maday: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 K--1 HR, 2 HB
San Jose: RHP Steven Edlefsen: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 K

Graham had his 2nd HR and his team-leading 47th SB.  Pill's three hits, including his 32nd double, raising his AVG to .266.  The Red Sox' 20-year-old Navarro hit .348/.393/.508 in 181 AB after being promoted to the Cal League in July.

Maday pitched very effectively in his four Cal League starts, with peripherals stats of 20 H, 5 BB and 27 K in 22.0 IP.  On the season's final day, Edlefsen pushed his K/BB above 2.00.

A-: Augusta defeated Asheville 3-1
(whom they will face again in the first round of the playoffs)

Augusta: LF Dom Duggan; 2 for 3, BB, SO
Augusta: 2B Nick Noonan: 1 for 4, HR, 2 SO
Augusta: C Dayton Buller: 3 for 3, BB

Augusta: RHP Buster Lussier: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Augusta: LHP Wilmin Rodriguez: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Asheville: LHP Christian Friedrich: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K--1 HR

In the 1st inning, Noonan connected for his 9th HR.  Buller reached base in all four trips to the plate.  Duggan, the other GreenJacket with multiple hits, reached base three times.  It was his fifth multi-hit line in his last seven games.

I believe this was the first start of Lussier's pro career.  He had 4.57 ERA over seventeen appearances this year.  Rodriguez provided long relief.  He had a 2.45 ERA in eighteen appearances after being demoted to the SAL.  Friedrich, the Rockies' first round pick this year, made his third SAL start after eight NWL starts to begin his pro career.

ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Vancouver 6-3
(their third straight loss, reducing their division lead to one game with two games remaining)

Salem-Keizer: C Buster Posey: 0 for 3, 2 BB
Salem-Keizer: RF Francisco Peguero: 2 for 5, SO
Salem-Keizer: LF Brock Bond: 2 for 3, BB, GiDP

Salem-Keizer: RHP Brian Irving: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Salem-Keizer: RHP Jose Casilla: 1.1 IP, 1 H--1 HB

Peguero and Bond each had two of the Volcanoes' seven hits.  Peguero reclaimed the team lead in AVG at .307.  Posey drew a couple walks in his NWL debut.

After eighteen relief appearance, Irving made the first start of his pro career.  His ERA rose to 7.14.  Casilla, a 19-year-old who made just five starts (six appearances) with the AZL Giants, was one of four Volcanoes relievers to appear.

R: Giants' season concluded with a league championship the day before.

DSL: Giants had an off-day in between series