minor lines, 4/25/09

AAA: Fresno defeated Reno 9-2

Fresno: RF John Bowker: 3 for 5
Fresno: 3B Ryan Rohlinger: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Fresno: C Eli Whiteside: 2 for 3, BB, SO
Reno: C Luke Carlin: 2 for 4, HR

Fresno: RHP Kevin Pucetas: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 HR
Fresno: RHP Osiris Matos: 1.0 IP, 1 H
Fresno: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 1.0 IP, 2 K

Bowker had three of the Grizzlies' fourteen hits, raising his AVG to .316.  Five other Grizzlies had two hits each.  Among them, Whiteside joined Bowker in reaching base three times, while Rohlinger had his 4th double.  Rohlinger is hitting .263/.338/.386 through his first 57 AB.  Carlin, who had 94 AB with the Padres last year but is now in the D'backs' organization, connected for his 1st HR of the season.

Pucetas had six scoreless inning before allowing a two-run, no-out HR in the 7th inning.  He improved his ERA to 3.57 and raised his K/BB ratio to an even 2.00.  Hinshaw threw eight of twelves pitches for strikes in a perfect 9th inning.  Matos has allowed just 1 ER in eight appearances this year.

AA: Connecticut feated Portland 7-4
(after allowing four runs in the 1st inning)

Connecticut: LF Bobby Felmy: 2 for 5, HR, 2B, SO
Connecticut: DH Andy D'Alessio: 1 for 4, HR, BB, SO

Connecticut: RHP Brooks McNiven: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 K--1 IBB
Connecticut: RHP Matt Yourkin: 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K
Connecticut: LHP Joe Paterson: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 4 K
Portland: RHP Junichi Tazawa: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K--2 HR
Portland: RHP Justin Hedrick: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER

Felmy and D'Alessio both connected for their 1st HRs of the year.  Felmy also had the Defenders' only multi-hit line of the day, raising his AVG to an unimpressive .235.

McNiven had a short and ineffective start with more runs than innings pitched, but his ERA still remains a very good 2.16.  All four runs came in the first inning, but he came through with two scoreless innings after that.  Yourkin and Paterson both struck out four of the seven batters they each faced.  Yourkin now has 11 K in 7.2 IP, while Paterson, who received his first save of the year, has 8 K in 7.2 IP.  Tazawa's fourth start of the year was his least effective.  The Red Sox prospect, who is generally considered one of the top 100 prospects in baseball, allowed 6 ER after having allowed just 4 ER in his previous three starts combined.  Hedrick allowed an 8th inning insurance run against his former team.

A+: San Jose defeated High Desert 5-3

San Jose: CF Shane Jordan: 1 for 3, 2 BB, SO
San Jose SS Brandon Crawford: 3 for 4, BB, SO, CS
San Jose: C Buster Posey: 2 for 5, 2B
San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 1 for 4, HR, SO

San Jose: RHP Oliver Odle: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K--1 HR, 1 WP
San Jose: RHP Edwin Quirarte: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB
High Desert: RHP Juan Ramirez: 4.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K--1 HR

Crawford's three hits paced the Giants' eleven-hit attack and raised his AVG back to .381.  Jordan also reached base three times, his best game of the year after having reached base just twice in his previous six games.  Posey had two hits, including his 6th double, raising his AVG to .365.  Neal connected for his 3rd HR.

On another windy night in High Desert (25 mph, L to R), Odle pretty much shut down the Mavericks' offense with this third and best start of the year.  His peripheral stats are now 15 H, 3 BB, 4 HR, and 17 K in 16.2 IP.  Quirarte allowed his first hit, his first walk, and his first run, albeit unearned; but he still earned his third save of the year, as he stranded both baserunners he inherited in the 8th inning.  Ramirez, whom BA ranked as the Mariners' #5 prospect to begin the year, had his least effective start.  The Giants gathered nine hits off him after he had allowed just nine hits in his previous three starts combined.

A-: Augusta lost to Rome 4-3

Augusta: CF Dom Duggan: 2 for 4, BB
Augusta: DH C.J. Ziegler: 2 for 4, 2 SO
Augusta: 3B Charlie Culberson: 1 for 4, 3 SO, E

Augusta: RHP Mike Loree: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K--1 HR
Augusta: RHP Shane Kaufman: 2.0 IP, 3 K

Duggan and Ziegler each had two GreenJackets' ten hits, raising their respective AVGs to .370 and .259.  Culberson's struggles continue in his second year in the Sally League.  He made his 11th error in 16 games.  With the hat trick, he has 17 SO in 34 AB over his last nine games.  The single last night did extend his hitting streak to four games, although his AVG remains below .200.

Loree suffered the loss, dropping his W-L record to 1-2, as he allowed 3 ER for the second straight start.  Kaufman made his seventh appearance, tying a season high with 3 K in two perfect innings.  He's had two disastrous appearances statistically, so his ERA remains high at 8.00 on account of those.