minor lines, 6/11/10

Friday highlights from the Giants' farm: Charlie Culberson homered while reaching base three times, both Tyler Graham and Skyler Stromsmoe had three hits, and Craig Westcott had 6.2 shutout IP.  Also notable although in mop-up duty, reliever Ronnie Ray homered and had 2.1 near-perfect IP.

AAA: Fresno defeated Tacoma 8-2

Fresno: RF Tyler Graham: 3 for 4, 2B, SH
Fresno: CF Ben Copeland: 2 for 3, 3B, SH

Fresno: SP Matt Yourkin: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--1 HB
Fresno: RP Brandon Medders: 2.0 IP, 4 K
Fresno: RP Osiris Matos: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB

Graham's three hits, including his 10th double, paced the Grizzlies' eleven hit attack and raised his AVG to .421.  Copeland added a couple hits, including his 1st triple, to raise his AVG above .250.

Yourkin made his seventh start since joining the Grizzlies' rotation.  Despite a low of 1 K in that stretch, he allowed less than two earned runs for just the second time.  Medders had 4 K in 2.0 perfect IP.  Matos retired just one of the five batters he faced as his ERA rose to an even 5.00.

AA: Richmond lost to Reading 11-5

Richmond: CF Darren Ford: 1 for 5, HR
Richmond: RF Skyler Stromsmoe: 3 for 5, 3B, SO, SB
Richmond: LF Thomas Neal: 2 for 4, 2B
Richmond: P Ronnie Ray: 1 for 1, HR

Richmond: SP Mike MacDonald: 3.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 0 K--1 HB, 1 PO
Richmond: RP Ronnie Ray: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 4 K

Stromsmoe, a utility bench player who had not exceeded 113 AB in his previous three seasons in the Giants organization, has become the Flying Squirrels' hottest hitter and an everyday player for the time being.  With his third straight multi-hit game, he has played in six straight games since spending a month on the sidelines.  He is now hitting .333/.388/.489 through 45 AB this year.  Neal had the Squirrels' other multi-hit line, including his 15th double.  His AVG is now above .270.  Ford homered for the second straight day and for the third time in his last five games.  Ray, one of two relief pitchers with a hit, had what is presumably his first career home run.

MacDonald allowed a season-high 7 ER in his third shortest start of the year.  Appearing as a reliever after starting in his last four appearances, Ray struck out four of the eight batters he faced while allowing just one baserunner.

A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 4-0

San Jose: SS Ehire Adrianza: 1 for 3, 3B, BB
San Jose: 2B Charlie Culberson: 2 for 3, HR, BB
Bakersfield: CF Engel Beltre: 2 for 3, CS

San Jose: SP Craig Westcott: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K--1 E
Bakersfield: SP Wilmer Font: 5.0+ IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 4 K--1 HR

Culberson scored the game's only run through the first five innings when he led off the 2nd inning with his 8th HR.  He had the Giants' only multi-line, raising his AVG to .295.  Adrianza, one of three other Giants to reach base twice, had his 2nd triple.  Playing his third game since returning from a five-game suspension, the Rangers' Beltre extended his hitting streak to eight games.

Facing the Blaze for the fifth time in his last ten starts, Westcott followed up his longest start of the year with his second longest start of the year.  He also had his first start without allowing a run since April, when he made four starts with no runs allowed.  His ERA is 1.23 through eleven starts.  Making his second straight start against the Giants, Font once again allowed 4 R in 5.0 IP.  Last time all the runs were unearned, but this time they were all earned.

A-: Augusta lost to Hickory 2-1
(with the game's only runs scored in the 5th inning)

Augusta: 3B Chris Dominguez: 0 for 4, 3 SO
Augusta: 1B Luke Anders: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Augusta: C Tommy Joseph: 1 for 2, BB, 2 E, PB

Augusta: SP Chris Heston: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Augusta: RP Andrew Reichard: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 4 K

Anders had two of the GreenJackets' four hits.  Joseph drew their only walk while reaching base twice.  Defensively, he commited his 4th and 5th errors and allowed his 5th passed ball.  Dominguez had the oh-fer with the hat trick, raising his SO/AB ratio to 23%.

Heston, who entered the game with an ERA over 6.00, did not allow an earned run but still suffered the loss, dropping his W-L record to 2-6.  Reichard, making his second relief appearance with Augusta after seven relief appearances with San Jose, faced just one batter over the minimum in 4.0 IP.

DSL: Giants lost to Met 5-1 (7 innings)

Dominican: LF Hector Mercedes: 1 for 2, BB
Dominican: SP Miguel Ferrer: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 K--2 HB

Mercedes (18.8 y.o.) had one of the Gigantes' two hits and one of their two walks.  Ferrer (19.10 y.o.) has an ERA above 7.00 through his first two appearances this year, remarkably different from his 1.21 ERA a year ago.