minor lines, 7/20/09

Highlights from the Giants' farm include several pitching performances: (a) Clayton Tanner had 6.0 scoreless IP; (b) Ramon Ortiz allowed just 1 ER in 9.0 IP; and (c) Kyle Nicholson allowed only an unearned run in his nine-inning complete game.  Among highlight-worthy hitting performances, (d,e) Buster Posey and Eugenio Velez each had three hits four the Grizzlies, combining for four XBH; (f) Thomas Neal had another HR while reaching base three times; and (g) Roger Kieschnick had three hits including a double.

AAA: Fresno lost to Salt Lake 6-2

Fresno: DH Eugenio Velez: 3 for 5, 3 2B, CS
Fresno: C Buster Posey: 3 for 5, 2B, SO
Fresno: 2B Matt Downs: 1 for 4, HR, SO
Fresno: SS Jake Wald: 2 for 3, HR, BB, E
Salt Lake: RF Terry Evans: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, E

Fresno: RHP Ramon Ortiz: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

Velez's three hits were his 8th, 9th, and 10th doubles, raising his AVG to .297.  Posey also had three hits, his first multi-hit game in the upper minors after he had two hits in his first three games.  Wald also reached base three times, including his 5th HR.  Downs had his 8th HR.  The Angels' Evans had his 19th HR and 24th double.

Making his seventh start and pitching for the first time in nearly two weeks, Ortiz had perhaps his best start of the year, including a season-high 7 K.  He improved his ERA to 3.15.

AA: Connecticut lost to Binghamton 11-5

Connecticut: CF Mike McBryde: 1 for 4, HR, HBP
Connecticut: RF Eddy Martinez-Esteve: 1 for 3, BB
Connecticut: LF Bobby Felmy: 1 for 3, BB

Connecticut: RHP Garrett Broshuis: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 HR, 2 HB

All three Defender outfielders reached base twice.  In the 5th inning, McBryde connected for a three-run HR, his 4th HR.

Broshuis allowed seven unearned runs in the 2nd inning (with two errors in the inning) and then an earned run in both the 3rd and 4th innings.

A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 7-1

San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 2 for 4, HR, BB, 2 SO, 2 SB
San Jose: RF Roger Kieschnick: 3 for 5, 2B, 2 SO
San Jose: 2B Nick Noonan: 2 for 3, BB, SO

San Jose: LHP Clayton Tanner: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--1 HB
San Jose: RHP Dan Turpen: 1.0 IP, 1 K

Neal had his 16 HR while reaching base three times.  He also had 2 SB, his first two steals of the year.  Kieschnick had three hits, including his 17th double, getting his AVG back above .300.  Noonan also reached base three times, with the two singles lifting his AVG to nearly .250.

Tanner had his first start without an earned run since before Memorial Day.  His third straight quality start lowered his ERA to 3.10.  Turpen had a strikeout and two groundouts in a perfect 9th inning.

A-: Augusta defeated Greensboro 5-1

Augusta: CF Francisco Peguero: 3 for 4, SB
Augusta: 3B Charlie Culberson: 1 for 2, HBP, SB

Augusta: RHP Kyle Nicholson: 9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 WP

Peguero's three singles were half of the GreenJackets' six hits, raising his AVG to .333.  Culberson also reached base twice.  He also had his 9th SB.

Nicholson had his fourth complete game in seventeen starts.  Since the start of May he has a 2.14 ERA and a 4.00 K/BB ratio.

ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Boise 4-3

Salem-Keizer: 2B Juan Perez: 2 for 4, 2 SO
Salem-Keizer: RF Ryan Mantle: 3 for 4, 2B, SO, E

Salem-Keizer: RHP Javier Hernandez: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Salem-Keizer: RHP Kyle Vazquez: 1.1 IP, 2 K

Perez and Mantle combined for five of the Volcanoes' nine hits, raising their respective AVGs to .321 and .186.

Hernandez returned to the rotation for his fourth start after two relief appearances.  This was probably his best start of the year with a season-high 4 K and 9/2 GO/FO ratio.  He got his ERA below 5.00 as well.  Vazquez (15th rounder) struck out two of the four batters he faced.

R: Giants lost to Rangers 2-1

Scottsdale: SS Jake Dunning: 1 for 4, 3B, SO

Scottsdale: RHP Aaron Davidson: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Playing in just his second pro game, Dunning (33rd rounder) had a triple, while the rest of the rookie Giants' offense was limited two a couple singles and a walk.

Making his fifth start among six appearances, Davidson pitched three scoreless innings with an 8/0 GO/FO line.

DSL: Giants defeated Cubs2 14-9

Dominican: LF-RF Robedluis Fuentes: 3 for 4, 2 BB, PO
Dominican: C Gabriel Cornier: 3 for 4, BB
Dominican: RHP Kendry Flores: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Fuentes (19.10 y.o.) and Cornier (17.1 y.o.) both had three hits, raising thier respective AVGs to .329 and .208.  Flores (17.8 y.o.) made his eight start.  After having allowed 16 H in his first seven starts, he allowed a season-high 8 H in this start.  His BAA is still below .200.  His ERA rose to 2.75.