minor lines, 8/4/09

Highlights from the Giants' farm: (a) Ramon Ortiz pitched a three-hit shutout; (b) Steve Holm homered twice; (c) Buster Posey homered while reaching base three times; (d,e) Brett Pill and Brandon Crawford each homered; and (f) Nestor Rojas reached base in all four plate appearances, including a HR.

AAA: Fresno defeated Tacoma 11-0

Fresno: DH Buster Posey: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, BB
Fresno: SS Ryan Rohlinger: 1 for 5, HR, 2 SO
Fresno: C Steve Holm: 2 for 5, 2 HR

Fresno: RHP Ramon Ortiz: 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 WP

Holm led off both the 3rd and 5th innings with solo HRs, his 3rd and 4th HRs in the PCL this year.  While reaching base three times, Posey connected in the 9th inning for his 1st PCL HR.  Rohlinger had his 14th HR.

Continuing to be the Grizzlies' most effective pitcher over the last several weeks, Ortiz further increased the ante today with a three-hit, complete-game shutout.  He threw 66 of 103 pitches for strikes and had a 13/10 GO/FO line while improving his season ERA to 2.48.

AA: Connecticut defeated Arkon 4-3

Connecticut: 2B Brock Bond: 0 for 5, 2 SO
Connecticut: 1B Brett Pill: 2 for 5, HR
Connecticut: SS Evan Crawford: 2 for 5, HR
Connecticut: LF Bobby Felmy: 3 for 4
Akron: C Carlos Santana: 1 for 3, 2 BB, SO

Connecticut: RHP Geivy Garcia: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K--1 HB, 1 BK
Akron: RHP Jake Westbrook: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K--1 HR, 1 WP

While Bond had the rare oh-fer, Felmy had three hits, raising his AVG to .256; and Pill and Crawford both went deep, Pill for his 13th HR and Crawford for his 4th HR.  Santana, whom the Indians acquired a year ago for Casey Blake and who has established himself among the top prospects in baseball, reached base three times.

Garcia made just his second start of the year among 28 appearances.  He danced through the raindrops so to speak, allowing just one run despite allowing nearly two baserunners per inning.  Nor did he benefit from any GiDPs as he had a 2/10 GO/FO line.  Westbrook made his third rehab start.  He allowed 2 ER after 7.0 scoreless IP in his previous two starts.

A+: San Jose defeated Visalia 5-3

San Jose: 3B Rich Aurilia: 1 for 3, HR, HBP
San Jose: 1B David Maroul: 2 for 4, HR
San Jose: 2B Nick Noonan: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
San Jose: C Nestor Rojas: 3 for 3, HR, BB

San Jose: LHP Clayton Tanner: 6.1 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 HR
San Jose: LHP Dan Runzler: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K

Rojas reached base in all four plate appearance, including his 2nd HR of the year.  Also homering for the Giants were Maroul with his 4th HR and Aurilia, who had 2 HRs in his five rehab games.  Along with Rojas and Maroul, Noonan also had a multi-hit line.

Tanner began the game with five scoreless innings but then allowed a run in both the 6th and 7th innings, with the latter run scoring after he had departed the game.  His ERA is now 3.16.  Runzler allowed just his second earned run in nineteen Cal League games.  For the season, he now has 16 H, 17 BB, 5 R, and 71 K in 47.2 IP.

A-: Augusta defeated Charleston 10-6
(scoring six runs in the 4th inning)

Augusta: CF Francisco Peguero: 2 for 5, 3B
Augusta: 1B Josh Mazzola: 2 for 4, 2B, BB
Augusta: C Johnny Monell: 2 for 4, BB

Augusta: LHP Eric Surkamp: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K--1 HB, 1 PO
Augusta: RHP Edwin Quirarte: 1.1 IP, 1 H
Charleston: RHP Andrew Brackman: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

While six GreenJackets hitters had two hits each, two of them--Mazzola and Monell--reached base three times; and two of them--Mazzola and Peguero-- had an XBH, which were Mazzola's 24th double and Peguero's 3rd triple.

With 7+ K in six of his last nine starts, Surkamp continues to be among the league leaders in strikeouts.  Despite all the strikeouts, he has been more hittable than you might otherwise expect with a .272 BAA.  His ERA now stands at 3.58.  Quirarte retired four of the five batters he faced, but allowing a double to the first batter he faced allowed both inherited runners to score.  After struggling with an ERA of 6.72 through nineteen starts, perhaps the Yankee's Brackman will fare better out of the bullpen.  THis was his second relief appearance, and he struck out six of eleven batters.

ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Spokane 6-5
(allowing two runs in top of 9th inning)

Salem-Keizer: CF Evan Crawford: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SB, CS
Salem-Keizer: 1B Chris Dominguez: 2 for 5, 2 SO

Salem-Keizer: LHP Chris Gloor: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Salem-Keizer: RHP Kyle Vazquez: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 K--1 WP

Crawford and Dominguez each had two of the Volcanoes' seven hits, improving their respective AVGs to .269 and .267.

Gloor faced just twelve batters in his second start (after nine relief appearances).  His ERA nearly doubled to 2.08.  Vazquez provided long relief, pitching nearly four innings.

R: Giants defeated Dodgers 2-1

Scottsdale: LF Rafael Rodriguez: 2 for 3

Scottsdale: RHP Edward Concepcion: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K--1 WP
Scottsdale: RHP Ben Wilshire: 2.0 IP, 3 K
Scottsdale: RHP Brian Irving: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Scottsdale; RHP Jason Stoffel: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K

Batting eighth in the lineup, Raf-Rod had two of the rookie Giants four hits (all singles).  The two hits raised his AVG to .265.

Concepcion had one of his best starts of the season, facing just three batters over the minimum in six innings and striking out nearly half of the eighteen batters he faced.  Wilshire and Irving continued the dominance with 3.0 perfect IP.  Stoffel, presumably the best pitching prospect on the team, failed to complete the shutout, allowing hits to three of the six batters he faced.

DSL: Giants lost to Mets 4-1

Dominican: 3B Gilberto Almonte: 3 for 3, CS, E
Dominican: LHP Diego De La Cruz: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K--1 HB

Almonte (21.0 y.o.) had three of the Gigantes' seven hits, but his AVG remains below the Mendoza line.  Making his fifth start after six relief appearances, De La Cruz (20.5 y.o.) matched his season high with 6 K, although it was his first start with less than 5.0 IP.  The 3 BB also matched his season high; but allowing just one hit, he dropped his BAA below .200.