A combined lines to catch up here.  The highlights from the system: (a) Not a highlight, but the game of Monday was the AZL Championship.  In a rematch of 2007, the Mariners again defeated the Giants for the title, this time 4-3; (b) On Monday, Josh Phelps in Connecticut hit two home runs in one game, but the Defenders lost; (c,d,e) Evan Crawford's three hit game with a triple wasn't the highlight, excitement wise, in S-K's Monday win.  That would be the back-to-back home runs in the tenth by Cavan and Mantle; (f) Madison Bumgarner pitched a tight game in Connecticut, but what's happened to his strikeout rate?; (g) Darren Ford has his second perfect day at the plate in three games (unless you were hoping for a walk). (h) Ari Ronick had a complete (7 Inning) game shutout in a GreenJackets DH sweep.  Anyone paying attention to how he's pitched the last month?

Monday - 8/31/09

 

Fresno Grizzlies (Triple-A): Las Vegas 9, Fresno 8

 

DH Joe Borchard - 2-5, 2 R, 1 HR (14), 1 RBI, 1 SO, .253

1B Jesus Guzman - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR (16), 3 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO, .321

SS Kevin Frandsen - 2-5, 2 R, 1 2B (17), .298

3B Jake Wald - 3-4, 1 R, 1 3B (3), 1 RBI, 1 BB, .244

C Buster Posey - 3-5, 1 R, 2 RBI, .321

 

SP Steve Palazzolo - 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1 WP, 1 HBP, 5.03 ERA

RP Joe Martinez - 3.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 4.35 ERA, L (0-2)

RP Steve Edlefsen - 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR, 2.00 ERA

RP Osiris Matos - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.38 ERA

 

Game Notes: The Grizzlies lost a wild won.  Fresno went up 2-0 with an RBI groundout by Guzman, and a Matt Downs sacrifice fly in the second.  But Las Vegas tied it up in the second, and was off to the races.  They took the lead to 9-3 with a four-run sixth inning, highlighted by a two-run home run.  In the seventh, a Posey 2-RBI single, Guzman's two-run home run and Borchard's solo home run made it a one run game, but they were unable to push it any further.

 

Connecticut Defenders (Double-A): Harrisburg 8, Connecticut 4

 

1B Josh Phelps - 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR (2), 3 RBI, 1 SO, 2 E (2), .176

SS Brandon Crawford - 3-4, 1 SB (11), .255

3B Brad Boyer - 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B (21), .297

RF Eddy Martinez-Esteve - 1-3, 1 R, 1 3B (3), 1 RBI, 1 BB, .301

 

SP Daryl Maday - 4.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO, 2 WP, 3.92 ERA, L (6-5)

RP Mitch Lively - 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0.93 ERA

RP Shane Kaufman - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3.86 ERA

 

Game Notes: Harrisburg broke this game open early.  A two-run triple in the first inning gave the Senators an early lead, and in the third, two RBI singles made it 5-1.  They extended that lead to 7-1 before Connecticut retaliated, as Phelps hit his first home run, a two-run shot, in the 6th to make it 7-3.  However, by the time Phelps hit his second one in the 8th, Harrisburg had pushed the lead out further, and the game was out of reach.

 

San Jose Giants (A-Advanced): No Game Scheduled

 

Augusta GreenJackets (A): No Game Scheduled

 

Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Short Season-A): Salem-Keizer 9, Everett 7 (10 Innings)

 

CF Evan Crawford - 3-6, 2 R, 1 3B (2), 1 SO, 1 E (2), .327

3B Drew Biery - 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B (14), 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO, .337

1B Luke Anders - 2-5, 1 2B (10), 4 RBI, .279

SS Ryan Cavan - 1-1, 1 R, 1 HR (6), 1 RBI, .263

RF Ryan Mantle - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR (2), 1 RBI, 2 SO, 1 HBP, .218

 

SP Taylor Rogers - 3.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR, 8.16 ERA

RP Mario Rodriguez - 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 4.62 ERA

RP Javier Hernandez - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR, 6.06 ERA

RP Jason Stoffel - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 0.00 ERA, W (1-0)

 

Game Notes: Salem-Keizer had a big late rally to get this win.  After a one-out single and an RBI double by Biery gave teh Volcanoes an early lead, but the team gave up seven runs through the seventh inning to fall behind 7-1.  In the 8th, the Volcanoes got a run, but in the ninth the team really broke it open.  The team picked up a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly to make it 7-3, but with two outs.  After that, a pair of singles and a walk scored another run and loaded the bases for Anders.  Anders doubled home all the runners to tie the game.  In the tenth, however, Cavan and Mantle hit back-to-back home runs to give the Volcanoes the big late inning win.

 

AZL Giants (Rookie): AZL Championship - Mariners 3, Giants 2

 

LF Leonardo Ochoa - 3-4, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 SO

SS Ydwin Villegas - 2-4, 1 SO

2B Nick Liles - 1-3, 1 R, 1 SO, 1 CS (1)

 

SP Ben Wilshire - 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR, 1 WP, 1 HBP

RP Audy Santana - 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO

RP Kaohi Downing - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO

RP Brennan Flick - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO, 1 Balk

RP Christopher Heston - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO

 

Game Notes: A rematch of the 2007 AZL Championship ended with the same result: a Mariners win for the championship.  The Mariners took the lead early with a sacrifice fly in the second and a home run in the third to make it 2-0.  After a run in the 6th made it 3-0, the Giants got a run in the bottom half with a hit batter, an error and a Jesse Shriner RBI single.  In the seventh, a walk and an Ochoa triple made it 3-2, but a flyout to left with one out turned into a double play at third to end the rally just short of tying the game.

 

Tuesday, 9/1/09

 

Fresno Grizzlies (Triple-A): Las Vegas 7, Fresno 3

 

CF Clay Timpner - 2-3, 1 R, 1 HR (7), 1 RBI, 1 BB, .244

RF Ben Copeland - 2-5, .278

LF Joe Borchard - 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, .254

 

SP Matt Kinney - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, 1 HR, 1 WP, 5.25 ERA, L (8-13)

RP Felix Romero - 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.17 ERA, 1 WP, 1 Balk

RP Ronnie Ray - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1 HR, 5.97 ERA

 

Game Notes: The Grizzlies took a 2-0 lead in the third inning as Timpner hit a one-run home run, and then Borchard later drew a bases-loaded walk.  However, Las Vegas scored one run in the fourth and then with a triple and a pair of doubles in the sixth, broke open for four runs and taking a big lead.  The '51's would not relinquish that lead, though the Grizzlies got one more in the eighth with Kevin Frandsen scoring on a Matt Downs groundout.

 

Team Notes: Timpner had his first multi-hit game since August 25th.  He has hit five of his seven home runs since the All-Star Break...Copeland has been hitting .366 over his last ten games...Kinney had his first start giving up more than two earned runs in four games, since his start on August 11th.

 

Connecticut Defenders (Double-A): New Hampshire 5, Connecticut 2

 

CF Mike McBryde - 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B (21), .303

1B Brett Pill - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR (16), 2 RBI, .291

SS Brandon Crawford - 1-3, 1 SO, .255

 

SP Madison Bumgarner - 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1 HR, 1 HBP, 1.95 ERA

RP Dan Griffin - 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 5.68 ERA, L (8-7)

RP Jesse English - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 4.20 ERA

 

Game Notes: A late burst broke open this pitcher's duel.  Bumgarner had allowed a first inning home run to give the Fisher Cats the lead, but McBryde doubled to lead off the fourth, and scored after being advanced on a pair of groundouts to tie the game.  In the sixth, New Hampshire had their own leadoff double and a pair of outs to score their second run, but Pill's home run in the seventh tied the game.  Bumgarner was lifted to start the eighth, however, and had a terrible inning, giving up a two-run double and an RBI single to let New Hampshire take the win.

 

Team Notes: McBryde got his first start since the doubleheader on the 29th.  On the season, he's slugging .427 in Double-A...Pill's home run was just his fourth since the start of August.  Since the All-Star break, Pill's hit .268 with just seven doubles and seven home runs...Crawford has come on late in the season, batting .310 over the last ten games...Bumgarner gave up more than one earned run in a start for the first time in four starts (since August 7th).  However, over those four starts he's struck out just ten batters in 25 innings, with six walks...Griffin threw four innings just two days ago to pick up a win.

 

San Jose Giants (A-Advanced): San Jose 7, Inland Empire 5

 

CF Darren Ford - 5-5, 2 R, 1 3B (7), 1 RBI, 1 SB (32), 1 CS (12), .300

1B C.J. Ziegler - 2-3, 1 BB, .235

LF Tyler Graham - 1-4, 2 R, 1 HR (9), 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO, .273

2B Nick Noonan - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR (7), 3 RBI, 1 BB, .256

 

SP Craig Clark - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.96 ERA

RP Clayton Tanner - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO, 1 WP, 3.05 ERA, W (12-6)

RP Dan Turpen - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.27 ERA, H (10)

RP WIlmin Rodriguez - 0.0 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 2.65 ERA

RP Trey Webb - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 3.00 ERA, S (2)

 

Game Notes: San Jose survived a wild ninth inning, and did it inside the park.  After a Ford triple in the 7th with the game tied 1-1, Graham broke the tie with an inside-the-park home run to make it 3-1.  In the ninth, Ford hit an RBI single, and after a Graham walk, Noonan hit his own inside-the-park home run to score three more runs to make it 7-1.  However, in the 9th inning, two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with nobody out.  A single scored two runs, and after another walk loaded the bases back up, a sacrifice fly and an RBI groundout gave up four runs.  However, those two productive outs put the Giants within an out of the win, and catcher Trent Kline picked off the runner on first to get a win.

 

Team Notes: Ford had another perfect day at the plate, two games after going 4-for-4 with a walk...Ziegler had his first multi-hit game since August 21st...Graham's home run and RBIs were his first since August 22nd...Noonan's home run, however, was just his second since the start of August.  However, he has four walks without a strikeout over his last ten games...Clark, after winning winning California League Pitcher of the Year, got an abbreviated outing ahead of the playoffs.  He was lifted after reaching his pitch count...Tanner made his second appearance in relief of the season...Turpen has a 0.77 ERA since the All-Star Break.

 

Augusta GreenJackets (A) - Game 1: Augusta 7, Savannah 0 (7 Innings)

 

SS Vladimir Frias - 2-3, 2 R, 1 3B (6), 1 SB (15), .256

1B Josh Mazzola - 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SO, .276

C Johnny Monell - 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, .281

RF James Simmons - 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B (14), .246

 

SP Ari Ronick - 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 2.49 ERA, W (7-5)

 

Game Notes: In game one of a key double-header, Augusta wiped out the Sand Gnats early.  In the first inning, a leadoff walk was followed by four singled to score three runs.  The GreenJackets got another run on a sacrifice fly in the third and three more in the fourth on a pair of singles, a Frias triple and a wild pitch to score him.

 

Game 2: Augusta 2, Savannah 1 (7 Innings)

 

CF Francisco Peguero - 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B (10), 2 SB (15), .352

RF James Simmons - 1-2, 1 R, 1 2B (10), 1 SO, .248

 

SP Andy Reichard - 5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1 WP, 2.52 ERA, W (4-4)

RP Chris Wilson - 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 4.04 ERA, S (8)

 

Game Notes: Game 2 was much tighter.  Augusta managed just three hits.  In the first, they got one to leadoff the game by Pegeuro, who stole second and third and scored on a wild pitch.  Another came on the fifth, as Simmons hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a leadoff bunt, and scored on a wild pitch.  Reichard, however, gave up a one-out walk and two consecutive singles to allow a run in the sixth before being lifted.  Wilson gave up a single upon coming in to load the bases, but held the line there.

 

Team Notes: Augusta is 2.5 games back of Asheville for the second half division title.  The team has six games left to make up the difference, with one more against Savannah and five against Rome...Frias has hit 12-for-37 over the last ten games...Simmons has three doubles in his last five games, and is slugging .361 on the season...Peguero has gone 6-for-16 over his last four games...Ronick got the complete game shutout on the abbreviated game, but hasn't allowed a run in his past three starts (20 innings), and in four of his last five...Reichard's start was his fourth straight of allowing one earned run or less...Wilson has had an ERA of 2.67 since the All-Star break, after having a 6.27 ERA before it.

 

Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Short Season-A): Salem-Keizer 6, Eugene 3

 

RF Jose Medina - 2-3, 1 R, 1 3B (1), 3 RBI, 1 SO, .187

LF Dan Cook - 2-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, .294

SS Ryan Cavan - 2-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 CS (2), 1 HBP, .271

2B Juan Martinez - 2-4, 1 R, .280

 

SP Kyle Vazquez - 4.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR, 3.76 ERA

RP David Quinowski - 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 1.63 ERA, W (2-1)

RP Drew Bowlin - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.60 ERA, S (6)

 

Game Notes: The Volcanoes had a 3-2 lead after four innings, and that held until the ninth.  After an error let the leadoff runner get on, Martinez singled and Media tripled to score two runs.  Cook singled home Medina and the Volcanoes were up 6-2.  The ninth was dicey, giving up a one-out triple and letting the run score, but the Volcanoes hung on.

 

Team Notes: Medina got just his fourth extra-base hit in his 29th game.  He nearly doubled his previous RBI total in this game, giving him 7 on the season...Cook had his third multi-hit game in the last four...Cavan has hit 8-for-17 in his last six games.  On the season, he's batting .351 with runners on and .214 with the bases loaded...Vazquez made his third start, bouncing back from giving up five earned runs in three innings his last time out...Quinowski has struck out 13 in his last 6 2/3 innings.

Year	Level	K/9
2008	A	10.42
2009	A+	8.51
2009	AA	6.18