Highlights from the Giants' farm: (a) Ramon Ortiz allowed just an unearned run in 7.0 IP; (b,c,d) Daryl Maday, Ben Snyder, and Waldis Joaquin combined for a thirteen-inning shutout; (e) Andrew Biery had 3 HRs; (f) Vladimir Frias reached base five times; and (g, h) Ehire Adrianza and Eugenio Velez each had three hits, including a double.  Honorable mention for a top prospect: (i) Buster Posey had a double, single, and a walk.

AAA: Fresno defeated Reno 9-2

Fresno: 2B Eugenio Velez: 3 for 5, 2B, GiDP, E
Fresno: C Buster Posey: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, E
Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 3 for 5, E
Fresno: LF Joe Borchard: 2 for 5, HR
Fresno: 3B Ryan Rohlinger: 1 for 4, HR, BB, SO
Reno: C Chris Snyder: 0 for 4, 2 SO

Fresno: RHP Ramon Ortiz: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Fresno: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 K
Reno: LHP Travis Blackley: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--2 HR

Velez and Guzman each had three of the Grizzlies' fifteen hits.  Posey also reached base three times   It was his second multi-hit game in eight PCL games.  Borchard had his 10th HR and Rohlinger his 9th HR.  The Diamondbacks' Snyder had an oh-fer in his fifth rehab game.

Three Grizzlies pitchers allowed only a couple unearned runs as the their defense committed four errors.  Ortiz has been pitching very well as a starter.  He had his third striaght start of 7.0 IP.  His stats in eight starts are 44 H, 10 BB, and 37 K in 45.0 IP with a 2.80 ERA.  Hinshaw threw 13 of 17 pitches for strikes.  Blackley had an abbreviated start against his former team.

AA: Connecticut defeated New Britain 1-0 (13 innings)

Connecticut: 2B Brock Bond: 2 for 5, BB, SO
Connecticut: SS Brandon Crawford: 2 for 6, 2 2B

Connecticut: RHP Daryl Maday: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Connecticut: LHP Ben Snyder: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K--1 BB
Connecticut: RHP Waldis Joaquin: 2.0 IP, 1 H

Crawford's 14th and 15th doubles, which were the Defenders' only XBHs, got his AVG back up to .236.  Bond reached base three times.

Three Defenders pitchers--Maday, Snyder, and Joaquin--combined for the thirteen-inning shutout.  Alough he had just 1 K, it was otherwise Maday's most effective start in some time.  His K/IP ratio is barely above 0.50, but his GO/AO ratio remains above 2.00.  In eighteen starts, he has a 3.66 ERA.  With six scoreless innings, Snyder and Joaquin improved their respective ERAs to 1.98 and 2.88.

A+: San Jose lost to Stockton 4-1

San Jose: SS Brian Bocock: 1 for 3, BB
San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 0 for 4, 2 SO
San Jose: RF Tyler Graham: 2 for 3, SB
Stockton: CF Grant Desme: 2 for 4, 2 HR, SO

San Jose: LHP Clayton Tanner: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K--4 HR
San Jose: RHP Mike Musgrave: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Stockton: LHP Carlos Hernandez: 7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

Aside from the 4 HRs, Tanner actually had a very good start, facing the minimum eighteen batters in six innings with 8 K.  Of course, the 4 HRs are more than just an aside.  He has now allowed 15 HRs this year in 93.0 IP.  He has improved his K/BB ratio over the course of the season, with a 6.00 K/BB ratio in his last eight starts.

Graham and Bocock each reached base twice, with the rest of the Giants' offense limited to two singles.  Even the red-hot Neal had an oh-fer with a couple strikeouts.  The Athletics' Desme hit two of the Ports' four solo HRs.  The 23-year-old selected in the second round two years ago and who basically missed all of last season, now has 11 HRs in 30 Cal League games and 22 HRs for the year.  For the year, he is hitting .272/.342/.547 through 371 AB.  Musgrave struck out three of the six batters he faced.  Hernandez, who began the year in the upper minors as a 22-year-old, had one of his better starts of the year, but his ERA remains above 4.50.

A-: Augusta defeated Kannapolis 11-4

Augusta: 2B Vladimir Frias: 4 for 5, HBP
Augusta: C Johnny Monell: 3 for 5
Augusta: SS Ehire Adrianza: 3 for 4, 2B, SO

Augusta: RHP Mike Loree: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Augusta: LHP Ryan Verdugo: 2.0 IP, 2 BB, 4 K
Augusta: RHP Edwin Quirarte: 1.0 IP

While playing the three most demanding positions defensively, Adrianza, Frias and Monell combined for ten of the GreenJackets' eighteen hits, raising their respective AVGs to .270, .250, and .283.

Loree got his W-L record above .500 at 7-6.  Verdugo struck out four of the eight batters he faced.  Quirarte pitched a perfect 9th inning.

ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Yakina 9-8

Salem-Keizer: CF Caleb Curry: 2 for 4, 3B, 2B, SH
Salem-Keizer: DH Andrew Biery: 3 for 3, 3 HR, BB
Salem-Keizer: C Eliezer Zambrano: 1 for 1, HR

Salem-Keizer: RHP Javier Hernandez: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 WP, 1 BK
Salem-Keizer: RHP Andrew Bowlin: 0.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB--1 HR
Salem-Keizer: RHP Jose Casilla: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K

Biery (22nd rounder) had perhaps the best game of any Giants minor league hitter this year, with his solo HRs leading off the 2nd, 6th and 8th innings.  Although he had had just 1 HR previously this year, he had been swinging a red-hot bat, with his pro line now reading .402/.458/.589 through 107 AB.  Curry added two more XBH with his 1st triple and 3rd double, but his AVG remains below .230.  Zambrano, who entered the game defensively in the 8th inning, homered in his only AB--his 1st HR in 22 NWL games last year and 21 NWL games this year.

Hernandez has a 6.00 ERA in five NWL starts.  After Bowlin allowed the first four batters to reach in the 9th inning, Casilla struck out two of the next four batters for his 6th save.  Casilla has a 1.32 ERA.

R: Giants lost to Angels 3-2 (14 innings)

Scottsdale: DH Jesse Shriner: 2 for 6, 2 2B, 2 SO
Tempe: RF Randal Grichuk: 0 for 6, HBP, 4 SO

Scottsdale: RHP Cameron Lamb: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
Scottsdale: RHP Audy Santana: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Scottsdale: RHP Rafael Cova: 1.0 IP, 3 K

Shriner had his 7th and 8th doubles.  Grichuk, one of the Angels' first round draft picks this year, had the oh-fer with the sombrero.  The 17-year-old is hitting .298/.328/.439 through his first 114 AB.

Lamb has been the rookie Giants' best starter this year, but yesterday issued four walks and was limited to two innings.  Santana, a 22-year-old who was in the Cubs' organization a year ago, faced the minimum nine batters in the 3rd, 4th and 5th innings.  Cova struck out all three batters he faced as he continues his rehab.

DSL: Giants lost to Blue Jays 3-2

Dominican: Rey Duran: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Dominican: RHP Kendry Flores: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K--1 WP

Duran (19.11 y.o.) had two hits, including his fifth double, to raise his AVG to .263 through 160 AB.  A year ago he had a .179 AVG in 67 AB.  Flores' (17.8 y.o.) ninth pro start was his best yet, including a career-high 9 K and 6.0 IP.  His stats are now 29 H, 16 BB, and 38 K in 42.0 IP with a 2.36 ERA.