minor lines, 5/1/10

Saturday highlights from the Giants' farm: Brandon Crawford and Clay Timpner each had three hits.

AAA: Fresno lost to Sacramento 4-1

Fresno: 2B Brock Bond: 0 for 2, 2 BB, SO
Fresno: 1B Buster Posey: 0 for 3, BB, SO
Sacramento: LF Michael Taylor: 2 for 4, HR, 2B

Fresno: SP Kevin Pucetas: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Fresno: RP Osiris Matos: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 K--1 HR, 1 WP
Sacramento: RP Henry Rodriguez: 1.2 IP, 2 K

Walking twice, Bond was the only Grizzly to reach base twice.  Posey drew the Grizzlies' only other walk as he had his second straight game without a hit.  Taylor, who is one of the Athletics' top two prospects, had his 2nd HR and 6th double, improving his season line to .258/.327/.483 through 89 AB.

Pucetas had a quality start but took the loss.  This was his first start with just one walk, which helped get his K/BB ratio above 1.00 for the first time this year.  Matos yielded his first runs of the year on Taylor's two-run HR.  The Athletics' flamethrowing Rodriguez had 1.2 perfect IP to maintain his spotless 0.00 ERA.

AA: Richmond defeated Bowie 6-4

Richmond: SS Brandon Crawford: 3 for 4, SF, E
Richmond: DH Clay Timpner: 3 for 4, 2B

Richmond: SP Clayton Tanner: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--2 WP

With three hits each, Crawford and Timpner raised their respective AVGs to .239 and .439.

In his fifth start, Tanner allowed just 1 ER in 5.0 IP to lower his ERA to 2.16 and even his W-L record at 2-2.  He's had generally good results despite a low strikeout rate.  This was only his second start with more than two strikeouts.  He had a 6/5 GO/FO line in this start.

A+: San Jose lost to Modesto 4-3

San Jose: 1B Brandon Belt: 0 for 4, 3 SO
San Jose: 3B Ryan Lormand: 1 for 4, HR, SO, E
Modesto: C Jordan Pacheco: 3 for 4

San Jose: SP Kyle Nicholson: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K--1 HR
San Jose: RP David Quinowski: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 3 K

No one reached base twice for the Giants.  After having shown little power previously this year, Lormand had his 1st HR, matching his total from last year.  Belt's long hitting streak came to an abrupt end, with an oh-fer that featured a hat trick.  He had struck one only once in his previous nine games.  Pacheco, whom Baseball America ranked among the Rockies' top twenty prospects after his MVP performance in the Sally League last year, had three more hits, further extending his hitting streak.  He is hitting .395/.462/.513 through his first 76 AB this year.

Nicholson's fourth start was his longest of the year and his second straight quality start.  Quinowski struck out three of the five batters he faced, giving him 10 K in 7.2 IP over seven appearances.

A-: Augusta lost to Hagerstwon 5-4

Augusta: CF Evan Crawford: 2 for 4, SO
Augusta: 2B Ryan Cavan: 2 for 4, SO, E

Augusta: SP Chris Heston: 5.0+ IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K--1 HR
Augusta: RP Jose Casilla: 3.0 IP, 1 H

Crawford and Cavan each had two of the GreenJackets' seven hits, raising their respective AVGs to .212 and .301.  Cavan also committed his 4th error.

Although he allowed just two runs through the first five innings, Heston ended up with his third straight start allowing five runs when he did not retire any of the four batters he faced in the 6th inning.  His ERA rose to 5.25.  Casilla provided effective long relief, stranding his only inherited runner and facing the minimum nine batters in 3.0 IP, his longest appearance of the year.