minor lines, 5/22/10

Saturday highlights from the Giants' farm: Charlie Culberson had his 5th HR, and Evan Crawford reach base five times in a 15-inning game.

AAA: Fresno lost to Nashville 2-1

Fresno: C Buster Posey: 1 for 4, SO
Fresno: 3B Brad Boyer: 0 for 1, 2 BB, SH, SO
Nashville: LF Trent Oeltjen: 1 for 3, 2B, BB, 2 SB

Fresno: SP Matt Kinney: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K--1 IBB
Fresno: RP Henry Sosa: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K
Fresno: RP Alex Hinshaw: 2.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Nashville: SP Kameron Loe: 6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB< 4 K--1 HB

Boyer was the only Grizzly to reach base twice for the Grizzlies, whose offense was limited to three hits, six walks, a hit batter, and three stolen bases.  Posey had an unremarkable line.  Oeltjen, who got 70 AB with the Diamondbacks last year but is now in the Brewers' organization, was the only Sound to reach base twice.  He stole both 2nd and 3rd base in the 9th inning to score the winning run.

Kinney threw 5.0 scoreless IP, allowing just one hit despite not exactly controlling the strike zone with just 39 of 72 pitches for strikes.  He at least got his ERA below 9.00.  Sosa and Hinshaw both allowed a run in relief.  Former Ranger Loe has a 2.70 ERA through nine starts this year.

AA: Richmond lost to Reading 4-3

Richmond: CF Darren Ford: 1 for 3, BB
Richmond: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 2 for 4, SO
Richmond: 2B Nick Noonan: 1 for 3, BB
Reading: 1B Matthew Rizzotti: 2 for 3, HR, 2B

Richmond: SP Ronnie Ray: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K--2 HR

Gillaspie had the Flying Squirrels' only multi-hit line, getting his AVG back above .230.  Ford and Noonan also reached base twice.  Rizzotti, a sixth round pick by the Phillies two years ago, had his second straight two-hit game against Richmond, this time with the two hits being his 1st HR and 4th double in eight games since being promoted to the upper minors.

Ray made his second start among a dozen appearances.  In his two starts, he has combined to allow 6 ER in 8.1 IP.

A+: San Jose defeated Modesto 3-2

San Jose: 1B Brandon Belt: 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB
San Jose: 2B Charlie Culberson: 1 for 3, HR, BB, SO

San Jose: SP Eric Surkamp: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
San Jose: RP David Quinowski: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K
San Jose: RP Jason Stoffel: 1.0 IP, 2 K

While no one had two hits for the Giants, Belt did reach base three times, and Culberson had his 5th HR, a pivotal two-run, two-out shot in the 8th inning.

Following up his complete-game shutout five days earlier, Surkamp had yet another effective start.  Six of his last seven starts have been quality starts.  His 2.16 ERA is fourth best in the Cal League.  Quinowski and Stoffel combined to strike out more than half of the eleven batters they faced.

A-: Augusta defeated Greenville 8-6 (15 innings)

Augusta: CF Evan Crawford: 2 for 5, 3B, 3 BB, SO, SB
Augusta: 3B Chris Dominguez: 3 for 8, 3B, BB, GiDP, E
Augusta: 1B Luke Anders: 0 for 8, 4 SO
Augusta: DH Hector Sanchez: 3 for 7, 2 2B, GiDP

Augusta: SP Bryan Salsbury: 7.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Augusta: RP Brian Irving: 1.0 IP, 3 K

Batting leadoff, Crawford reached base five times, boosting his OBP to .345.  Dominguez and Sanchez each had three hits, including Dominguez's 1st triple and Sanchez's 7th and 8th doubles.  Dominguez also committed his 10th error.  Anders had the remarkable oh-fer in 8 AB with the sombrero.  Even with a .285 AVG, he has more strikeouts than hits (45 H and 51 SO in 158 AB), and the strikeout rate has gotten higher in May (SO/AB above 33%).

Salsbury had 6.0 scoreless IP before allowing a solo run in the 7th inning and ultimately three more runs in the 8th inning, two of which scored after he left the game as Greenville's five runs in the inning sent the game into extra frames.  Irving struck out all three batters he faced for his 1st save.