minor lines, 5/6/09

Today's highlights: (a) Angel Villalona has 3 XBH while reaching base in all 5 PA; (b) Nick Noonan also has four hits; (c) three starters--Brooks McNiven, Clayton Tanner, and Kelvin Marte--do not allow an earned run, kinda making up for the 8 ER allowed by Matt Kinney in his start.

AAA: Fresno lost to Las Vegas 9-5
(falling behind 7-0 after three innings)

Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 2 for 4
Fresno: RF Matt Downs: 2 for 3, HR, 2B, SF
Fresno: C Eli Whiteside: 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB
Las Vegas: 1B Randy Ruiz: 2 for 5, HR, 2 SO
Las Vegas: DH Brett Harper: 3 for 5, HR, SO
Las Vegas: C J.P. Arencibia: 1 for 5, HR, 2 SO

Fresno: RHP Matt Kinney: 4.0 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 7 K--3 HR, 1 WP
Fresno: LHP Pat Misch: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K--1 E
Fresno: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 1.0 IP, 1 H
Las Vegas: LHP Brian Burres: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K--1 HR

Downs had a big night with his two XBH, his 4th HR and 5th double, improving upon the .420 SLG with which he entered the night.  Guzman was the other Grizzly with two hits, raising his AVG to a team-leading .310.  Whiteside reached base three times.  Two ex-Giants farmhands went deep for the Blue Jays' affiliate--Ruiz for his 7th HR and Harper for his 5th HR.  Also going deep for Las Vegas was Arencibia, whom BA rated the Blue Jays' #2 prospect.  He has been off to a slow start in his second full pro season as he entered the night hitting just .212/.247/.365 through 85 AB.  A good power hitter, his XBH/H ratio is above 50%, but most of those XBH have been doubles as he had his 2nd HR, both of which have come in May.

Kinney allowed 8 ER in 4.0 IP, ballooning his ERA to 7.20.  With the winds in Fresno blowing out to RF at 17 mph, the fly ball pitcher struggled.  By contrast, Misch came into the game and succeeded with just 1 ER in 4.0 IP as he had a 8/1 GO/FO line.  Also by contrast, Burres, the former Giants' farmhand who picked up his first win of the year, allowed just 1 ER in 7.0 IP while getting ten flyball outs.  Tonight Hinshaw threw 7 of 11 pitches for strikes as he faced the minimum three batters in the 9th inning.

AA: Connecticut lost to Reading 2-1

Connecticut: 2B Sharlon Schoop: 1 for 4, 2B
Connecticut: RF Eddy Martinez-Esteve: 1 for 3, BB, 2 SO

Connecticut: RHP Brooks McNiven: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K--1 E
Connecticut: LHP Ben Snyder: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 K
Connecticut: RHP Waldis Joaquin: 1.0 IP
Reading: LHP Antonio Bastardo: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

Drawing the Defenders' only walk, EME was the only Defender to reach base twice.  His .354 OBP is good but not too impressive for a corner outfielder.  Schoop's 3rd double was the Defenders' only XBH.  He was the only Defender in the starting lineup not to strike out.

McNiven had his longest start of the year.  He also had a season-high 5 K, all the more remarkable since he doubled his season strikeout total to 10 K.  Snyder made his seventh relief appearance, and in only one of those appearances has he allowed any earned runs.  Joaquin worked a perfect 9th inning, but his ERA remains above 5.00.  Making his third start among seven relief appearance, Bastardo, whom BA ranked as the Phillies' #11 prospect, had his longest start of the year with a season-high 7 K.  To go along with his 2.08 ERA, he has very good peripherals with 16 H, 4 BB, and 22 K in 21.2 IP.

A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 10-4

San Jose: 2B Nick Noonan: 4 for 6, 3B, SO
San Jose: RF Roger Kieschnick: 2 for 4, 3B, BB
San Jose 1B Angel Villalona: 4 for 4, HR, 2 2B, HBP

San Jose: LHP Clayton Tanner: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
San Jose: RHP Mitch Lively: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 K--1 HR
Bakersfield: RHP Michael Main: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HB

With four hits each, Villalona and Noonan accounted for half of the Giants' sixteen hits, raising their respective AVGs to .333 and .296.  Villalona came close to hitting for the cycle with his 4th HR and his 4th and 5th doubles.  Noonan's triple was his third.  Kieschnick, one of two other Giants with a multi-hit line, as he reached base three times.

After one relief brief appearance, Tanner made his first start in ten days, which was arguably his best start of the year.  It wasn't his longest start, but it was his first start without allowing an earned run, improving his ERA to 4.26.  Lively had the unusual line as he allowed three late runs to the Blaze.  He struck out six of the eleven batters he faced, but allowed hits to the other five.  Considering he entered the game with 7 K and 6 BB in 9.2 IP, one probably would not have expected him to have 6 K and 0 BB in 2.0 IP.  Main, whom BA rated as the Rangers #8 prospect, has found the Cal League to be a tough environment.  Having allowed 3+ ER in his five of his six starts, he has an ERA above 8.00.

A-: Augusta lost to Bowling Green 9-3

Augusta: 3B Charlie Culberson: 0 for 3, HBP, 2 E
Augusta: DH C.J. Ziegler: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Augusta: SS Ehire Adrianza: 1 for 4, 2B, 2 E
Bowling Green: DH Tim Beckham: 3 for 5, SO

Augusta: LHP Kelvin Marte: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Ziegler was the only GreenJacket to reach base.  He had his first multi-hit game in ten days.  His season line remains a very disappointing .235/.262/.296 through 98 AB.  Adrianza had the GreenJackets' other XBH.  Unfortunately, he and Culberson continue to provide very shaky defense on the left side of the infield.  After combining for four errors tonight, Adrianza's total rose to 9 E, and Culberson's total to 16 E.  The Ray's Beckham, the top overall selection in last year's draft, had the oh-fer, dropping his AVG to .290.

The 21-year-old Marte had his third straight start without allowing an earned run.  He also had his first start of the year (among five starts) without allowing a walk.  The 3 K brought his K/BB ratio above 1.00 and his K/IP ratio above 0.50.  He did much better than his bullpen, as three relievers combined to allow nine runs (5 ER).