minor lines, 8/6/09

On a night when the Giants' for of the Giants top five affiliates combined for just three XBHs, the highlights on the Giants farm come mostly from the pitchers: (a,b) Steve Hammond and Daryl Maday, the two starters in the upper minors, each allowed just 1 ER ; and (c) Craig Clark allowed 3 ER in 8.0 IP.  On the hitting side, (d,e) Ryan Lormand and James Simmons each had 2 XBH.

AAA: Fresno defeated New Orleans 2-1

Fresno: CF Clay Timpner: 2 for 4
Fresno: RF Nate Schierholtz: 0 for 2, BB, SB

Fresno: LHP Steve Hammond: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Fresno: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 1.0 IP, 1 K
New Orleans: RHP Hayden Penn: 8.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

With two of the Grizzlies' five hits, all of which were singles, Timpner was the only Grizzly to reach base twice.  His AVG remains just .243, though.  Schierholtz did draw a walk in his rehab appearance.

Hammond had one of his better starts of the year, but his ERA remains above 5.50.  Hinshaw threw 11 of 16 pitches for strikes in a scoreless 8th inning.  Penn, who began the year in the majors with the Marlins, suffered the tough-luck loss in his best start of the year, allowing only a couple unearned runs in a complete-game performance.  Since his demotion to the minors, he now has a 5.36 ERA in eight starts.

AA: Connecticut lost to Akron 2-1
(allowing a run in the bottom of the 9th inning)

Connecticut: CF Mike McBryde: 2 for 4
Connecticut: SS Brandon Crawford: 2 for 4, CS
Akron: C Carlos Santana: 1 for 2, 2B, BB, HBP

Connecticut: RHP Daryl Maday: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K--1 HB, 1 WP
Connecticut: LHP Joe Paterson: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

McBryde and Crawford each singled twice, while the rest of the Defenders' offense was limited to two singles.  They improved their respective AVGs to .277 and .252.  Santana, the Indians' top prospect, was the only Aero to reach base twice.

Maday had his third straight start with 7.0 IP, during which time he has 14 H, 3 BB, 3 ER, and 6 K (in 21.0 IP).  After twenty starts this year, he has a 3.44 ERA, as well as a fair number of no decisions given his 5-3 W-L record.  Paterson has allowed just 15 R (12 ER) this year but has been credited as the losing pitcher five times (4-5 W-L record).

A+: San Jose defeated Visalia 8-3

San Jose: 2B Nick Noonan: 2 for 4, 2 SO
San Jose: DH Conor Gillaspie: 2 for 4, SO
San Jose: SS Ryan Lormand: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, SO

San Jose: LHP Craig Clark: 8.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K--2 HR, 1 HB

Lormand had the big game with two XBH, including his 1st HR of the year.  For the season, the reserve infielder is now hitting .276/.333/.378 through 156 AB.  Noonan and Gillaspie also had multi-hit lines.  Gillaspie has been pretty consistent throughout the season, with AVGs of .263 in April, .272 in May, .291 in June, and .284 in July.  Since hitting .236 in May and .232 in June, Noonan has struggled to get his season AVG back above .250.  He's now at .249.

Clark had another fine start with 8.0 IP, although it was not quite the 0 ER he posted in his previous two starts.  It seems that he has been susceptible to the long ball this year with 17 HRs in 125.2 IP.  In his thirteen starts at home, he has yielded 11 HRs, which directly account for half of the 22 R (19 ER, 2.09 ERA) he has allowed.

A-: Augusta lost to Charleston 4-3

Augusta: CF Francisco Peguero: 2 for 4, SO
Augusta: RF James Simmons: 2 for 4, 2 2B

Augusta: RHP Andrew Reichard: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K--1 HR
Augusta: RHP Eric Stolp: 2.2 IP, 1 H

Peguero had his fifth straight multi-hit game.  Since rejoining the GreenJackets, he has hit .414/.429/.586 in 87 AB.  Simmons had two XBH, his 10th and 11th doubles, lifting his SLG above .350.  His current .681 OPS is an improvement over the .602 OPS he had in this league a year ago.

Reichard made just his third start of the year, in part because injuries have limited the 13th rounder from two years ago to just a dozen appearances this year.  Stolp faced just eight batters to record eight outs.  He had a 6/2 GO/FO line.

ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Spokane 3-1

Salem-Keizer: CF Evan Crawford: 1 for 3, BB, SB
Salem-Keizer: SS Ryan Cavan: 1 for 2, HBP, SO

Salem-Keizer: RHP Craig Westcott: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K--1 HB

Crawford and Cavan were the only two Volcanoes to reach base twice.

Westcott made his second start, and this time was able to finish the 3rd inning.  He has allowed 1 ER in each of his two NWL appearances (both starts).

R: Giants had their regular off-day
(every fifth day)

DSL: Giants defeated Royals 4-1

Dominican: RF Jose De La Cruz: 2 for 4, 3B, 2B
Dominican: RHP Kendry Flores: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

De La Cruz (18.3 y.o.) had his 2nd triple and 8th double in his fourth multi-hit line in his last five games.  He has a .383 SLG through 133 AB.  Another fine start for Flores (17.8 y.o.) improved his W-L record to 6-1 with a 2.33 ERA through eleven starts.  This was his longest start of the season with 7.0 IP and only the second time he has pitched past the 5th inning.