minor lines, 4/23/09

AAA: Fresno defeated Las Vegas 6-3

Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 3 for 5, 2B
Fresno: RH John Bowker: 1 for 2, 3 BB

Fresno: RHP Ryan Sadowski: 6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K--1 HB, 1 WP
Fresno: LHP Pat Misch: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB
Fresno: RHP Osiris Matos: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Las Vegas: LHP Brett Cecil: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K--1 HB

Guzman had three of the Grizzlies' thirteen hits, raising his AVG to just .218.  With three walks, Bowker reached base four times.  He had just 26 walks last year (in 419 AB) but already has 9 walks this year (in 46 AB).

Sadowski had an effective start, including a 10/5 GO/FO line.  Once again, Misch and Matos appeared back to back in relief in the same game.  Misch had perhaps his least effective performance of the season, allowing five of seven batters to reach base.  Matos picked up his first save.  Cecil, who entered the year as the Blue Jays' top pitching prospect, now has an ERA over 10.00 after three starts.  And he has had more walks than strikeouts in each start.  A year ago his season included a 2.55 ERA and a K/BB ratio of nearly 4.00 in 18 Eastern League starts.

AA: Connecticut defeated Portland 6-2
(with all the game's runs coming in the first four innings)

Connecticut: RF Eddy Martinez-Esteve: 2 for 3, BB
Connecticut: CF Mike Mooney: 1 for 4, HR, 2 SO, GiDP

Connecticut: RHP Henry Sosa: 3.0+ IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HR
Connecticut: LHP Ben Snyder: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Portland: RHP Justin Hedrick: 1.0 IP, 1 K

Reaching base three times, EME once gain led the Defenders' offense by reaching base more than any of his teammates.  Mooney had a couple strikeouts and a gound ball double play, but in his other at bat in the 3rd inning, he had a grand slam HR.

Sosa's third start of the season was his shortest and least effective.  After three starts, he has 10 H, 4 BB, and 11 K in 12.0 IP.  Snyder, who is the same age as Sosa, retired all but one of the thirteen batters he faced in relief.  He also stranded both runners he inherited from Sosa with no outs in the 4th inning.  Hedrick, whom the Giants released this spring despite his 1.37 ERA a year ago, pitched a scoreless 9th inning against his former team.  It was his first appearance this year without allowing an earned run, improving his ERA to 7.20 after four appearances.

A+: San Jose defeated High Dester 9-6

San Jose: SS Brandon Crawford: 2 for 4, HR, BB, 2 SO, E
San Jose; RF Roger Kieschnick: 2 for 5, 2 2B, SO
San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 3 for 4, HR, 2B, SO

San Jose: LHP Scott Barnes: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
San Jose: RHP Adam Cowart: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB

Neal's three hits paced the Giants' thirteen-hit attack and raised his AVG to .333.  He had his 2nd HR, while Crawford had his organization-leading 5th HR.  Kieschnick had two doubles.  Given his reputation as a power hitter, it's a bit surprising that his first doubles of the season came in his fourteenth game.

Barnes' line may not look to impressive, but it would seem to be a solid performance considering the conditions at hitter-friendly high desert.  At game time, the wind was blowing out at 21 mph to CF.  Cowart retired less than half the batters he faced in the final two innings of the game.

A-: Augusta defeated Charleston 8-7

Augusta: CF Dom Duggan: 3 for 4, HBP
Augusta: DH Mike Lober: 0 for 4, SF, 3 SO
Augusta: C Johnny Monell: 3 for 5, HR

Augusta: LHP Ari Ronick: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K--1 WP
Augusta: LHP Dan Runzler: 0.2 IP, 2 K

Duggan and Monell, a couple late-round draftees a couple years ago, led the GreenJackets' offense with three hits each.  Monell led off the 2nd inning with his 1st HR of the year.  Loberg returned to the lineup after missing more than a week, but he is still looking for his first hit after 17 AB, which now include 9 SO.

Ronick had four shutout inning but then couldn't get out of the 5th inning, although two of the five runs scored after he left the game.  Runzler struck out both batters he faced for his first save.  He now has 16 K in 7.2 IP.