Highlights from the Giants' farm: (a) Scott Barnes had 0 ER and a season-high 10 K in 7.0 IP; (b) John Bowker homered again, while also doubling; (c) Eric Surkamp allowed 1 ER in 7.0 IP; and (d,e) two hitters heading in opposite directions recently, the slumping Jesus Guzman and the surging Roger Kieschnick, both reached base four times.

AAA: Fresno defeated Salt Lake 5-3

Fresno: 2B Emmanuel Burriss: 1 for 3, 3B, 2 BB, SB
Fresno: LF John Bowker: 2 for 4, HR, SF
Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 3 for 4, HBP, SO
Salt Lake: SS Brandon Wood: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, 2 SO

Fresno: RHP Ramon Ortiz: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Fresno: RHP Ronnie Ray: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Salt Lake: RHP Rudy Seanez: 1.0 IP, 1 K

Guzman, who had slumped with a .147 AVG in June, reached base four times.  Bowker had his 14th HR, including 10 HRs this month.  Burriss reached base three times.  Still stuck in the minors, despite entering the night with a .298/.364/.581 line through 215 AB, Wood reached base three more times after having reached base just twice in the previous three games versus Fresno.

Making his fourth start of the season, Ortiz threw 74 pitches (46 strikes) in four innings.  Ray stranded three inherited runners in the 7th inning and then pitched a scoreless 8th inning, getting his ERA back below 4.00.  Still not ready to retire, Seanez pitched a scoreless 8th inning.

AA: Connecticut at New Britain postponed by rain
(A makeup date was not announced.)

A+: San Jose defeated Stockton 6-2
(after the game was tied 2-2 through six innings)

San Jose: C Buster Posey: 0 for 1, BB, HBP
San Jose: RF Roger Kieschnick: 3 for 3, BB
San Jose: CF Darren: Ford: 1 for 2, BB, HBP, SB

San Jose: LHP Scott Barnes: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K--1 HB
Stockton: RHP Craig Italiano: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K--2 HB, 1 WP

Kieschnick, the Cal League's player of the week last week extended his hitting streak to eleven games as he reached base in all four plate appearances.  Ford reaching base three times and continues to have an OBP over .333 despite an AVG below .210.  This doesn't sound good, but the game recap says that Posey left the game in the 5th inning immediately after being hit by a pitch and that he "left the game due to an injured head."

After a season-high 8 K in his first start in June, Barnes bettered that in his his third start in June with a new season high of 9 K, and tonight in his fourth start of the month he established another season high with 10 K.  Moreover, this was his first start without a walk since at least April.  He improved his ERA to 3.44.  The Athletics' Italiano may still have an ERA above 6.00, but he has allowed just 1 ER over his last two starts, both of which have come against San Jose.

A-: Augusta defeated Rome 9-1

Augusta: CF Dom Duggan: 2 for 4, HR, SO
Augusta: 1B-RF Josh Mazzola: 1 for 2, HR, HBP, SF
Augusta: DH Andy D'Alessio: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, SO

Augusta: LHP Eric Surkamp: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Augusta: LHP Ryan Verdugo: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K

Three GreenJackets homered--Mazzola for his 8th HR, D'Alessio for his 3rd HR, and Duggan for his 2nd HR.

Surkamp had perhaps his second best start of the season, pitching seven full innings for the third time this year.  After allowing 11 ER in his first two starts in May, Surkamp has allowed just 11 ER in his seven starts since.  He continues to have a very good K/BB ratio, now just shy of 5.50.  After two appearances earlier this week in the AZL, Verdugo, the Giants' ninth round pick a year ago, made his full-season debut.  He allowed two of four batters to reach base but pitched a scoreless 8th inning.

ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Boise 11-1

Salem-Keizer: SS John Eshleman: 2 for 4, 2B, SO, SB
Salem-Keizer: RF Ryan Lollis: 3 for 5, HR, 3B

Salem-Keizer: RHP Jorge Bucardo: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K--1 HR
Salem-Keizer: RHP Jeremy Toole: 2.0 IP, 3 K

Lollis, the Giants' 37th round pick earlier this month, had three of the Volcanoes' thirteen hits, including his 1st HR and 1st triple.  Eshleman, the Giants' 11th round, had his second straight multi-hit game to maintain his .500 AVG through three pro games.

The 19-year-old Bucardo had a fine start, facing just three batters over the minimum and allowing just three fly ball outs.  Making his pro debut, Toole, the Giants' 9th round pick, struck out half the batters he faced in two perfect innings.

R: Giants lost to Brewers 8-1

Scottsdale: 2B Julio Izturis: 2 for 4, HR, BB, GiDP
Scottsdale: 1B Carlos Quintana: 0 for 4, 3 SO
Scottsdale: RF Rafael Rodriguez: 0 for 3, BB, SO, E
Scottsdale: SS Josh Lopez: 1 for 4, 2 SO, 4 E

Scottsdale: Edward Concepcion: 3.0+ IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K--1 WP

Izturis had the rookie Giants' only multi-hit line.  He led off the game with his 1st HR.  He had 1 HR a year ago in 155 AB in the DSL.  Rodriguez, the Giants big sign from Latin America a year ago, is now just 1 for 12 through his first three pro games.  Santana, the only player to appear in all of the team's first four games, suffered the oh-fer with the hat trick in his fifth game.  Lopez, a late round pick two years ago, committed four errors.

In his second game in the U.S., Concepcion had three scoreless innings before failing to retire any of the three batters he faced in the 4th inning.

DSL: Giants defeated Mets 2-1

Dominican: 1B Rey Duran: 1 for 3, HR, HBP
Dominican: RHP Lorenzo Mendoza: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Dominican: LHP Franklin Noel: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 5 K

Duran (19.11 y.o.) led off the 4th inning with his 6th HR, keeping his OPS above 1.000 through 62 AB.  A year ago he had 2 HRs and a .328 SLG in 67 AB.  Mendoza (17.10 y.o.) made the first first start and second appearance of his pro career.  Noel (20.6 y.o.) provided four more innings of dominant relief.  His stats for the year in five appearances are now 7 H, 2 BB, 0 R, and 19 K in 15.2 IP.