minor lines, 5/31/09

Highlights: (a.b) Both Kevin Frandsen and Brell Pill have a HR among three hits; (c) Billy Sadler allows just 1 R in 6.0 IP; and (d) Ari Ronick allows just 1 R while recording a season-high 7 K.

AAA: Fresno defeated Portland 8-4

Fresno: SS Kevin Frandsen: 3 for 5, HR
Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 3 for 4, SO
Fresno: 2B Matt Downs: 3 for 4, 2 2B
Portland: 2B Matt Antonelli: 1 for 2, HR, 2 BB

Fresno: RHP Billy Sadler: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Fresno: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K

With three hits each, Frandsen, Guzman and Downs had nine of the Grizzlies' fifteen hits, boosting their respective AVGs to .303, .383, and .287.  Frandsen led off the 4th inning with his 4th HR of the year.  Downs had his 13th and 14th doubles of the season.  Antonelli, who began the year still considered one of the Padres' top ten prospects despite his very disappointing season a year ago, led off the 9th inning with his 1st HR of the year.  After missing all of April, he entered the day hitting .just .152/.222/.197 through his first 66 AB this year.

Sadler didn't improve his K/BB ratio, which remains below 2.00.  But he did have his third quality start in his last four starts, which has improved his ERA to 4.37.  He has a 5-1 W-L record aften ten starts this year.  Hinshaw threw 12 of 20 pitches for strikes in a scoreless 7th inning.  In his last five appearances, he has 5 K and 1 H but 8 BB in 5.1 IP.

AA: Connecticut lost to Portland 6-4

Connecticut: SS Brandon Crawford: 1 for 3, BB
Connecticut: 1B Brett Pill: 3 for 4, HR, SO

Connecticut: RHP Daryl Maday: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

With three hits, Pill had half of the Defenders' six hits.  With a .320 AVG in 100 AB in May, he raised his season AVG to .286 after hitting .240 in April.  In the 3rd inning, he connected for a three-run HR, his 3rd HR.  Crawford was the other Defender to reach base twice.

Maday had his second straight poor start with 5+ ER.  After allowing 11 ER in his first eight starts, he has allowed 11 ER in his last two starts to nearly double his ERA to 3.99.  Both of his last two starts have come against the Sea Dogs.

A+: San Jose lost to Stockton 9-6
(allowing three runs in the 9th inning)

San Jose: SS Brian Bocock: 2 for 5, HR
San Jose: C Buster Posey: 1 for 4, HBP
San Jose: 1B Angel Villalona: 2 for 4, 2B, SO

San Jose: LHP Clayton Tanner: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K--1 HR
San Jose: RHP Dan Turpen: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Batting leadoff, Bocock had two hits, including his 1st HR of the year.  Villalona also had two hits, including his 9th double.  Bocock and Villalona combined for four of the Giants' six hits, raising their respective AVGs to .237 and .308.  Posey also reached base twice.

Tanner gave up a crucial grand slam in the 6th inning, but with only two of today's six runs being earned, he finished May with a 2.33 ERA in 27.0 IP.  His 7 K today was a season high, but his K/BB remains below 2.00.  Turpen had allowed just 2 ER previously this year in 28.2 IP but allowed 3 ER in the 9th inning to suffer his first loss of the year and to more than double his ERA from 0.63 to 1.47.  He also yielded 3 BB after having issued just 1 BB in his previous eight appearances.

A-: Augusta lost to Lexington 6-4

Augusta: 3B Charlie Culberson: 2 for 5, SO
Augusta: RF James Simmons: 1 for 3, BB, SO, SB
Augusta: SS Ehire Adrianza: 2 for 3, BB

Augusta: LHP Ari Ronick: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K--1 HR
Augusta: RHP Eric Stolp: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 IBB
Augusta: RHP Justin Fitzgerald: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER
Augusta: RHP Trey Webb: 0.1 IP, 1 H

Adrianza reached base three times, improving his season line to .270/.361/.341.  He has not had an XBH in his last ten games.  Culberson also had two hits, raising his AVG to .237.  Simmons also reached base twice as he continues to have a very good series in Lexington (6 for 12).  His SB/CS line this year is now 10/1.

Ronick's stat line may appear somewhat similar to Kyle Nicholson's stat line the night before, except that Ronick did not pitch as deep into the game.  The two starts had a rather different feel to each other.  Whereas Nicholson worked a quick pace with practically no three-ball counts, Ronick worked a bit more deliberate pace and worked deeper in the count to opposing batters.  In five May starts, Ronick had very good peripheral stats with 23 H, 6 BB, and 27 K in 26.1 IP.  From the pitches when I checked the scoreboard, the scoreboard indicated that his fastball sat at 86-87 mph (which may be 2-3 mph slow), while Stolp was closer to 89-90 mph and Fitzgerald around 88 mph.  Fitzgerald had allowed just 2 ER previously this month but was credited with 4 ER today, although two of the runs scored after Webb had entered the game and gave up a double down the right field line.  A couple of the hits off Fitzgerald were not hit hard, with a soft liner to lead off the inning, and then the final hit was a grounder that bounced off the outside of the third base bag and down to the bullpen.  Fitzgerald's season ERA rose 4.18.