minor lines, 5/8/09

Last night's highlights: (a) Eddy Martinez-Esteve has 2 XBHs for Connecticut; (b) Roger Kieschnick has 2 XBHs for San Jose; and (c) Thomas Neal extends his hitting streak to 10 games while reaching base three times.  The biggest line of all, though, and by a large margin came from Brian Dopirak, who had 5 XBHs against Connecticut.

AAA: Fresno defeated Reno 9-5
(after scoring six runs in 5th inning)

Fresno: CF Clay Timpner: 2 for 4, BB
Fresno: 3B Ryan Rohlinger: 3 for 5, 2B, SO
Fresno: LF Tyler Graham: 0 for 4, SH, SO, GiDP
Fresno: C Eli Whiteside: 3 for 4, HR, 2B
Fresno: P Billy Sadler: 1 for 2, BB

Fresno: RHP Billy Sadler: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
Fresno: RHP Ramon Ortiz: 0.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB
Fresno: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K
Reno: LHP Jon Coutlangus: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 K

Rohlinger had three of the Grizzlies' fourteen hits.  He now leads the team in AVG with a .311 mark.  Batting leadoff, Timpner also reached base three times.  The Grizzlies' had six XBH, but Whiteside had their only HR, his second of the year.  Even Sadler had a good night at the plate, twice reaching base.  In his PCL debut, Graham was the only Grizzly starter without a hit.

Sadler had his longest start of the year, throwing 102 pitches (57 strikes).  Although it was less than a quality start, he improved his W-L record to 3-0.  Ortiz failed to retired any of the four batters he faced when he relieved Sadler in the 6th inning, but his ERA remains below 4.00.  Hinshaw threw 9 of 16 pitches for strikes in a scoreless 8th inning.  Coutlangus, the former Giants farmhand now in the D'backs' organization, struck out three of the five batters he faced in the 9th inning.

AA: Connecticut lost to New Hampshire 18-6
(after leading 5-3 in the middle of the 5th inning)

Connecticut: 2B Brock Bond: 1 for 2, 3 BB
Connecticut: RF Eddy Martinez-Esteve: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, SO
New Hampshire: 2B Brad Emaus: 3 for 4, HR, 2B, BB, SO
New Hampshire: 1B Brian Dopirak: 5 for 6, 2 HR, 3B, 2 2B, SO

Connecticut: LHP Jesse English: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--2 HR, 1 WP
Connecticut: RHP Dan Griffin: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 HR, 1 HB
Connecticut: RHP Mike Musgrave: 0.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--1 BK
Connecticut: RHP Geivy Garcia: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K--1 WP

EME hasn't shown too much power this year, but he did last night with his 2nd HR and 8th double, raising his SLG to .456.  Batting leadoff, Bond reached base four times, raising his OBP to .351 after 66 AB.

English made his fourth start start among seven appearances.  He's been much more hittable this season.  After a .240 BAA a year go, his BAA this season now stands at .333.  As a starter his peripherals have been poor with 20 H, 6 BB, 3 HR, and 4 K in 11.0 IP.  Griffin, Musgrave, and Garcia got pounded in relief, raising their respective ERAs to 6.06, 3.65, and 7.36.  The 25-year-old Dopirak, the Cubs' former top prospect who is now in the Blue Jays' organization, had a huge night with 5 XBH and 8 RBIs.  At least he didn't hit for the cycle!  He improved his season line to .333/.390/.631 through 111 AB.  Emaus, whom BA ranked as the Blue Jays' #10 prospect, also had another big game against the Defenders, connecting for his 3rd HR and 9th double.  His season line is now .315/.384/.495 through 111 AB as well.

A+: San Jose lost to Modesto 9-5

San Jose: 2B Nick Noonan: 0 for 5, SO
San Jose: DH Buster Posey: 0 for 4, HBP, 2 SO
San Jose: RF Roger Kieschnick: 2 for 4, 2 2B, BB, 2 SO
San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 2 for 3, BB

San Jose: RHP Oliver Odle: 2.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Kieschnick had a big game, including just his 3rd and 4th doubles of the season.  Reaching base three times with two XBH, he improved his season line to .315/.364/.491 through 108 AB.  Neal also reached base three times, extending his hit streak to ten games, keeping his team-leading AVG above .360, and improving his OBP to .455.  By contrast, Noonan and Posey were hitless, dropping their respective AVGs to .274 and .303.

Odle has been hammered by the Nuts for 6 ER in both of his May starts, leaving his ERA just shy of 8.00.

A-: Augusta defeated Bowling Green 7-5
(after rallying for three runs in the bottom of the 8th inning)

Augusta: LF Ben Woodbury: 3 for 5, 3B, SB
Bowling Green: C Jake Jeffries: 2 for 5, HR, 2B, SO

Augusta: LHP Erik Surkamp: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--1 HR
Augsuta: RHP Chris Wilson: 2.0 IP, 3 K

Woodbury, making his third straight start after getting just 27 AB in April, had a three-hit line to raise his AVG to .341.  Jeffries, whom the Rays drafted out of UC Davis in the third round last year, had one of his best games of the season with his 2nd HR and 4th double, but his OPS remains just .726.

With 9 H and 5 ER in 5.0 IP in his fifth start of the season, Surkamp saw his BAA rise above .300 and his ERA rise to 5.33.  Wilson, whose ERA remains above 6.00, had his best appearance of the season with 3 K in 2.0 perfect IP.