minor lines, 5/7/09

Today's top lines: (a) Brian Horwitz was the only Giants' farmhand with three or more hits, lifting his AVG above .300; and (b) Mike Loree has a fine start with 1 ER in 7.1 IP.  While Connecticut was rained out, each of the Giants' other three full-season affiliates faced a notable pitching prospect.  The Rangers' Blake Beavan shut down the San Jose offense with a complete game four-hitter. 

AAA: Fresno defeated Las Vegas 6-5
(after trailing 5-1 at the 7th inning stretch)

Fresno: 2B Kevin Frandsen: 2 for 5, 2B, GiDP, CS
Fresno: DH Adam Witter: 1 for 3, 2 BB, SO
Fresno: LF Brian Horwitz: 3 for 4, 2B, SO
Las Vegas: DH Brett Harper: 2 for 4, HR, 2B

Fresno: RHP Kevin Pucetas: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K--2 HR, 1 HB
Fresno: RHP Steve Palazzolo: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Las Vegas: LHP Brad Mills: 6.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Horwitz had three of the Grizzlies' fourteen hits, raising his AVG above .300.  Witter also reached base three times.  Frandsen provided the Grizzlies' other XBH, as Frandsen and Horwitz each had their 2nd double of the season.  Facing his old team, Harper had his 6th HR and 6th double.

Pucetas allowed a season-high 5 ER, raising his ERA to 4.50.  Palazzolo retired five of the six batters he faced, improving his ERA to 2.25.  Mills, whom BA ranked the Blue Jays' #7 prospect, had his longest start of the season, including a season-high 6 K.  A year ago, he spent most of the season in low-A ball, but then had an ERA close to 1.25 in a dozen starts split between high-A and double-A.

AA: Connecticut hosting Reading was postponed by rain
(The game was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader for September 5th.)

A+: San Jose lost to Bakersfield 12-3

San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 2 for 4, SO

San Jose: LHP Craig Clark: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--2 HR, 1 HB
Bakersfield: RHP Blake Beavan: 9.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--1 HB

Neal had two of the Giants' four hits, raising his AVG to .352.  He now has a nine-game hitting streak, although he has had just one hit in each of his last six games.  He did not have an XBH tonight, but before tonight he had had a double in six of his last seven games.

Six days after his best start of the season (7.0 scoreless IP), Clark had his worst start of the season, retiring just half of the 18 batters he faced.  His ERA ballooned to 4.88.  By contrast, Beavan, the 17th overall pick in 2007 who entered the year ranked by BA as the Rangers #12 prospect, had his best start of the year after he had had his worst start of the year in his previous game.  Beavan improved his ERA to 5.73 ERA as he picked up his first win of the season.  For those who may not yet have seen the news, the Giants have promoted Madison Bumgarner, Tim Alderson, and Brandon Crawford to double-A Connecticut.

A-: Augusta defeated Bowling Green 2-1

Augusta: 2B Juan Perez: 1 for 4, HR, SO
Augusta: 1B C.J. Ziegler: 1 for 2, BB, SO
Augusta: 3B Charlie Culberson: 0 for 1, 2 BB, SO

Augusta: RHP Mike Loree: 7.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Augusta: LHP Dan Runzler: 1.2 IP, 1 K
Bowling Green: LHP Matt Moore: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K--1 HR

Perez led off the 4th inning with his 2nd HR.  Ziegler and Culberson reached base twice, but both have OBPs that remain well below .300.

Loree and his longest and best start of the year, bringing his ERA back below 4.00.  Runzler remains dominant in relief with 4 H and 22 K in 13.0 IP after 1.2 perfect IP tonight.  The 19-year-old Moore, whom BA rated the Rays' #6 prospect had a season-high 9 K.  Like Runzler, he's allowed his share of walks this year, but he's been quite unhittable otherwise.  Moore's peripheral stats this year are now 13 H, 20 BB, and 38 K in 25.1 IP.  A year ago he had 30 H, 19 BB, and 77 K in 54.1 IP in the advanced rookie Appalachian League.