minor lines, 5/3/09

Today's highlights: (a) Tim Alderson has his longest start of the season; (b) Jesus Guzman's 5th HR in his last six games caps the Grizzlies going back-to-back-to-back in the 1st inning; (c) Bobby Felmy stays hot in Connecticut.

AAA: Fresno defeated Tacoma 11-6

Fresno: CF Clay Timpner: 0 for 6, SO, SB
Fresno: 2B Kevin Frandsen: 2 for 5, HR, 2B, 2 SO
Fresno: DH Adam Witter: 2 for 4, HR, BB, SO
Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 3 for 5, HR, 2B
Fresno: 3B Ryan Rohlinger: 3 for 5, HR, 2B
Fresno: RF Matt Downs: 3 for 5, HR, 2 2B
Tacoma: CF Michael Saunders: 3 for 3, HR, 2B, 2 BB
Tacoma: DH Jeff Clement: 0 for 4, BB, 4 SO

Fresno: RHP Billy Sadler: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 8 K--1 HB
Fresno: LHP Pat Misch: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--1 HR

In the 1st inning, Frandsen, Witter, and Guzman, went back-to-back-to-back with solo HRs.  Downs added a HR in the 3rd inning, and Rohlinger added a HR in the 4th inning.  For Guzman, it was his 5th HR in his last six games, raising his SLG to .575.  Timpner was the lone Grizzly without a hit, as his teammates combined for 17 hits.  The oh-fer dropped his AVG to .242.  Saunders, the Mariners' #2 prospect, in his third game of the season hit his 2nd HR and reached base all five times.  With today's sombrero, Clement finished the three-game series against Fresno with no hits and 9 SO in 12 AB.

Sadler had a season-high 8 K but also had a season-high 5 BB.  He now has 26 K and 16 BB in 21.0 IP.  Today he threw 55 of 99 pitches for strikes.  Misch had his least effective performance of the year.  He had allowed just 1 ER through his first eight appearances but allowed 3 ER in his ninth appearance.

AA: Connecticut lost to Portland: 3-1

Connecticut: LF Bobby Felmy: 2 for 4, SB
Connecticut: 3B Sharlon Schoop: 2 for 3, BB, E

Connecticut: RHP Jesse Foppert: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--1 HR

Felmy and Schoop each had two of the Defenders' seven hits, raising their respective AVGs to .312 and .267.  Felmy is hitting .421 over his last nine games, with multi-hit lines in six of those games.

Foppert had his longest start of the season, but his ERA remains above 5.00.  After having more walks than strikeouts in each of his previous two starts, he got his K/BB ratio back to at least an even 1.00 today with 3 K and 1 BB.

A+: San Jose defeated Modesto 9-2

San Jose: CF Darren Ford: 2 for 4, BB, 2 SO
San Jose: SS Brandon Crawford: 2 for 4, BB, SO
San Jose: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 2 for 4, 2B
Modesto: SS Hector Gomez: 2 for 4, 2B, SO

San Jose: RHP Tim Alderson: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
San Jose: LHP Clayton Tanner: 1.0 IP, 2 K

On a day on which every Giant in the lineup had a hit, Gillaspie was the lone Giant with two hits that included an extra base hit.  Unfortunately, he has more errors (8) than XBHs (7).  At the top of the lineup, Ford and Crawford both reached base three times, improving their respective OBPs to .410 and .452.  Crawford now leads the team in AVG at .367.  Top Rockies prospect Gomez had two hits for the second straight day.

Alderson had his longest start of the year.  He also matched a season-high with 6 K.  He got his BAA back below .300, but his ERA remains above 4.00.  Tanner, after making three starts to begin the season, but averaging less than four innings in those starts, made a relief appearance on six days' rest, pitching a perfect 9th inning with 2 K.

A-: Augusta lost to Lexington 15-6

Augusta: CF Dom Duggan: 3 for 5, 3B, 2 SO
Augusta: LF Wendell Fairley: 1 for 2, 2 BB, SH

Augusta: LHP Aaron King: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--3 HR
Lexington: RHP Ross Seaton: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Duggan had three of the GreenJackets' ten hits, improving his AVG to .279.  Fairley was one of two othe GreenJackets who reached base three times.  The 21-year-old is now hitting .222/.333/.278 through his first 54 AB in full-season ball.

After allowing just 4 ER in his first three starts combined, King allowed 6 ER today in his shortest start of the year (in terms of IP).  He has allowed 21 H, including 5 HR, in 16.0 IP for a .309 BAA.  The 19-year-old Seaton, whom BA ranked as the Astros #3 prospect, improved his W-L record to 4-1 and his ERA to 0.91.