Highlights: A) Fresno hits back to back homers and Geno Espineli throws four perfect innings but they still lose; B) Crawford picks up an RBI double in the Defenders loss; C) Kieschnick homers again and Craig Clark looks excellent in his ninth win; D) Mitch Lively might be regaining his 2008 form with another scoreless appearance; E) the younger Bucardo brother continues to outshine big brother by throwing six innings with seven strikeouts and no walks while Chris Dominguez hits a big home run; F) another brother act for the Giants puts Andrew Romo in line for a win in Arizona and Rafael Rodriguez gets a big hit; G) nothing for the DSL Giants thanks to a rainout.

Forgive the slightly different formatting and anything that might not make sense. Steve S needs a pinch hitter, and it's 3am.

Fresno Grizzlies (Triple-A): Sacramento 7, Fresno 6, 13 innings

 

1B Jesus Guzman - 2-5, 2 R, 1 HR (10), 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO, .329

DH Joe Borchard - 3-5, 2 R, 1 2B (11), 1 HR (8), 1 RBI, 1 SO, .264

CF Ben Copeland - 3-6, 2 R, 1 HR (3), 1 RBI, 1 SO, .274

SP Kevin Pucetas - 5 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO, 1 HB, 3.57 ERA

RP Geno Espineli - 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 3.89 ERA

RP Steve Palazzolo - 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, L (2-2), 4.75 ERA

 

Game Notes: Fresno eventually fell to Sacramento in a very tight game. A see-saw battle through six innings left the game tied 6-6; literally, the teams went back and forth scoring. Sacramento scored in the first, third, and fifth inning while Fresno kept up by scoring in the even numbered innings. Fresno got three home runs, one from Jesus Guzman in the second inning and back-to-back homers from Joe Borchard and Ben Copeland. Both starters allowed six runs, Kevin Pucetas for Fresno and Shawn Chacon for Sacramento. As the tie went on and descended into nearly a second game, seven scoreless innings, the bullpens took center stage. Geno Espenli was the star of the game, throwing four perfect innings. Steve Palazzolo slipped up and allowed a run to score, taking the loss. Palazzolo walked Daric Barton and allowed a double to score Barton for the winning Sacramento run.

 

Team Notes:  Rohlinger's line was the worst for the hitters, 0-for-7 with two strikeouts. ... Felix Romero was also fantastic in relief, throwing three shutout innings with one hit allowed. ...  Espineli has allowed two earned runs over his last 10 innings pitched including Saturday's line.

 

Connecticut Defenders (Double-A): Trenton 6, Connecticut 5

 

2B Brock Bond - 2-5, 1 RBI, 1 SO, .342

CF Mike McBryde - 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B (8), 1 SO, .288

LF Bobby Felmy - 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B (14), 1 RBI, 1 CS (6), 1 HB, .258

1B Brett Pill - 1-4, 1 RBI, 2 SO, .303

SS Brandon Crawford - 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B (11), 1 RBI, 1 SO, .261

SP Tim Alderson - 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO, 2.97 ERA

RP Ben Snyder - 1.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, BS (2), 2.24 ERA

RP Geivy Garcia - 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO, L (0-2), 5.86 ERA

 

Game Notes: Tim Alderson labored in his start against Trenton, allowing four runs in the second inning and eventually earning a no-decision. The bullpen let Alderson and the Defenders down by allowing two runs late in the game, blowing the lead the Defenders built with a two-run fifth inning. Ben Snyder allowed the run in the seventh inning to tie the game and Geivy Garcia was charged with the loss and the final Thunder run after he was removed. Matt Yourkin threw a wild pitch and allowed a hit, giving Trenton the lead. Brandon Crawford doubled in a run in the second inning, part of a three-run rally. The Defenders went ahead in the fifth inning on three straight hits. Doubles from Mike McBryde and Bobby Felmy got the scoring going and Brett Pill singled Felmy home.

 

Team Notes: Alderson recorded nine flyouts in the game to five groundouts. Saturday was his highest run total for a game since he came to Connecticut, with four runs allowed ... Brock Bond is 7-for-10 with a double and four walks over his last three games. Bond's .342 batting average leads the team ... Brett Pill didn't get a double in this game but he had another hit. He trails only Bond and Eddy Martinez-Esteve in team batting aberage at .303.

 

San Jose Giants (A-Advanced): San Jose 6, Visalia 1

 

RF Roger Kieschnick - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR (18), 3 RBI, .299

C Buster Posey - 1-3, 1 2B (23), 2 RBI, .326

2B Nick Noonan - 1-4, 1 HR (4), 1 RBI, 1 SO, .242

LF Thomas Neal - 1-3, 2 R, 1 2B (25), 1 BB, 1 SO, .342

SP Craig Clark - 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1 HR, W (9-2), 2.98 ERA

RP David Mixon - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 3.46 ERA

 

Game Notes: Craig Clark threw another excellent start to earn his ninth win of the season. The left-hander allowed a home run for the only Visalia run of the game, a solo shot from Konrad Schmidt in the second inning. Roger Kieschnick hit an opposite-field three run homer in the third inning, adding to Buster Posey's sacrifice fly that produced a run. Thomas Neal and Posey hit doubles in the eighth inning, Neal scoring on Posey's hit. Nick Noonan homered in the ninth to give San Jose another run. David Mixon was solid with one scoreless inning of relief. He was shaken briefly, walking a batter and then allowing a hit to the next batter, but he induced a ground ball to finish the game.

 

Team Notes: Clark has seven wins in his last ten decisions and two wins in a row. He has pitched seven innings in four of those last ten starts. ... Mixon hasn't allowed a run since June 2. His ERA went from 6.64 after that game to 3.46 after Saturday. ... Noonan's home run was his first since May 29.

 

Augusta GreenJackets (A): Asheville 5, Augusta 2

 

SS Ehire Adrianza - 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 SO, .286

C Johnny Monell - 1-4, 1 2B (17), 1 RBI, 1 E (5), .266

RF Juan Carlos Perez - 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B (18), 2 SO, .255

SP Mike Loree - 5.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 2 HR, L (5-6), 4.08 ERA

RP Mitch Lively - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 6.55 ERA

 

Game Notes: Asheville held off Augusta's comeback efforts by matching the GreenJackets run for run once they started scoring. The Tourists were in control with a 2-0 lead by the end of the second inning. Starter Mike Loree allowed all five runs in the game, including two homers. Asheville's Thomas Field homered in the second inning for two runs and David Christensen added his 14th home run of the year, a solo shot in the fourth inning. Ehire Adrianza brought home a run in the top half of the fourth inning on a base hit and advanced to third on an error. He was left there when Johnny Monell popped out to end the inning. Juan Carlos Perez doubled in the sixth inning and scored when Monell hit his 17th double of the season. Asheville added two more runs in the sixth inning. Shane Kaufman was almost perfect in 1 1/3 relief innings, walking one batter. Mitch Lively threw a flawless ninth inning, ending the game with a swinging strikeout.

 

Team Notes: Lively has thrown two straight scoreless appearances, something he hasn't done since joining the GreenJackets on June 8. ... Wendell Fairley is hitting .188 since June 29 with 12 strikeouts. ... Perez has eight walks in ten games this month.

 

Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Short-Season A): Salem-Keizer 7, Yakima 5

 

SS Ryan Cavan - 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B (4), 2 BB, .290

3B Drew Biery - 3-5, 2 R, 1 2B (4), 1 RBI, 1 E (7), .380

CF Francisco Peguero - 3-5, 1 2B (2), .397

1B Chris Dominguez - 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR (1), 3 RBI, .500

C Drew Henson - 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR (1), 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO, .280

SP Jorge Bucardo - 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO, 1 HB, 1.95 ERA

RP David Quinowski - 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1 WP, 1 HB, 2.13 ERA

RP Taylor Rogers - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, W (1-1), 18.00 ERA

RP Drew Bowlin - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, SV (3), 1.93 ERA

 

Game Notes: Salem-Keizer had to take it to extra innings to win against Yakima. The Volcanoes tied the game in the sixth inning by scratching out a run. Drew Biery hit a leadoff double and scored on a sacrifice fly. Jorge Bucardo was excellent in the no-decision, settling down after a bumpy second inning where he allowed three hits and two runs. Bucardo walked none and hit a batter over six innings. The teams matched runs again in the eighth inning, each scoring twice in their halves of the frame. Chris Dominguez made his Salem-Keizer debut with a bang, hitting a two-run homer to put the team ahead in the 10th inning. Dominguez also had an RBI earlier in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly Drew Bowlin shut the Bears down with a perfect inning, striking out the first two batters of the frame.  

 

Team Notes: Bowlin recorded saves on back to back nights. He also walked none and struck out four in those two appearances. ... Dominguez hit .324 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 34 at-bats with the Arizona Giants. He started at first base Saturday night for the Volcanoes, a possible future destination for him. ... Salem-Keizer holds the best record in the league at 17-5. They are one of three teams above .500 in the Northwest League.

 

Arizona Giants (Rookie): Giants 12, Cubs 6

 

PH/2B Nick Liles - 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B (1), 1 RBI, 1 SO, 1 SB (2), .321

1B Evan McArthur - 2-4, 1 R, 2 2B (2), 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO, .188

LF Rafael Rodriguez - 3-4, 3 R, 1 2B (1), 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 E (4), .294

SS Ydwin Villegas - 3-5, 2 R, 1 3B (1), 2 RBI, .277

SP A.J. Proszek - 1.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 16.20 ERA

RP Andrew Romo - 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, W (1-0), 2.84 ERA

RP Craig Westcott - 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, 1 WP, 1.50 ERA

RP Audy Santana - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 1 WP, 4.50 ERA

 

Game Notes: The Giants opened up a quick 6-0 lead over the Cubs but then saw their starter get knocked out after just 1 2/3 innings. A.J. Proszek gave up four runs in the second inning and was pulled, thought not before giving up seven hits. Andrew Romo, younger brother of San Francisco reliever Sergio, saved the day with a shutdown performance out of the bullpen. He was the only Giants pitcher to escape unscathed, as Craig Wrestscott and Audy Santana each allowed a run. Good thing the offense kept it up throughout the game. After the big five-run second inning, where Rafael Rodriguez collected the first extra base hit of his career, the Giants scored seven more runs over the next seven innings. Five Cubs errors helped the Giants' cause.

 

Team Notes: Romo was successful in his second appearance with the rookie Giants. His first appearance was June 25, a four inning start where he allowed two runs on three hits and walked three. ...  Rodriguez has 10 hits in 34 at-bats so far in his brief career. Don't miss the six walks he's drawn in nine games played since the season began. ... Julio Izturis had a hit in one at-bat to maintain his team leading .400 batting average.

 

DSL Giants (Dominican Summer League): Postponed, rain

 

The contest between the Giants and Royals was postponed due to rain. Bad weather wiped out four other DSL games. The DSL takes Sundays off, then it’s back to action against the Blue Jays on the road Monday.