minor lines, 6/12/10

Saturday highlights from the Giants' farm included a hitter with each full season affiliate having a home run as part of multi-hit night--Brett Pill, Michael Ambort, Charlie Culberson, and Ryan Cavan.  The highlights also included three hitters reaching base five times as both the aforementioned Pill and Wendell Fairley had five hits and Brandon Belt had four walks to go along with his hit.  On the pitching side, the highlight was Jorge Bucardo not allowing an earned run in 8.2 IP.

AAA: Fresno lost to Tacoma 11-10
(allowing two runs in the bottom of the 9th inning)

Fresno: 1B Brett Pill: 5 for 5, HR
Fresno: 3B Jesus Guzman: 3 for 4
Fresno: C Nestor Rojas: 3 for 4, CS
Tacoma: C Adam Moore: 4 for 4, 2B

Fresno: SP Matt Kinney: 4.2 IP, 12 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--2 HR
Fresno: RP Waldis Joaquin: 1.0+ IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--1 HB

With five of the Grizzlies' sixteen hits, Pill raised his AVG to .296. In the 3rd inning, his hit was his 8th HR. Guzman and Rojas also had three hits each, raising their respective AVGs to .298 and .350. In his third rehab game, the Mariners' Moore had four hits.

A season-high 8 ER raised Kinney's ERA to nearly 10.00 through five starts. After a perfect 8th inning, Joaquin did not retire any of the three batters he faced in the 9th inning.

AA: Richmond lost to Reading 5-4
(allowing a run in the bottom fo the 9th inning)

Richmond: LF Thomas Neal: 2 for 4
Richmond: 1B Michael Ambort: 2 for 4, HR, 2B

Richmond: SP Felix Romero: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Richmond: RP Dan Turpen: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB--1 IBB

Ambort had his 2nd HR and 4th double; but with just 6 XBH through 100 AB, his SLG is just .320. Neal had the Flying Squirrels' other multi-hit line.

After seven relief appearances with Fresno and eleven relief appearances with Richmond, Romero made his first start of the year. Turpen now has a 3.90 ERA after allowing a run in the 9th inning.

A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 12-9
(scoring six runs int he 1st inning and four runs in the 6th inning)

San Jose: 1B Brandon Belt: 1 for 2, 2B, 4 BB, SB
San Jose: DH Charlie Culberson: 2 for 4, HR, 3B, SF
San Jose: LF Wendell Fairley: 5 for 5
Bakersfield: RF Michael Bianucci: 4 for 5, 2 HR, 2B

San Jose: SP Justin Fitzgerald: 4.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 3 K--2 HR

Culberson had the big game with his 9th HR and 1st triple contributing towards 6 RBIs.  Fairley's five singles raised his AVG to .284, and Belt also reached base five times.  Bianucci, who is not considered among the Rangers' top 30 prospects, nonetheless had a very big night.  The cleanup hitter finished the evening with an OPS close to .750.

Fitzgerald had allowed just 2 HRs in his previous ten starts this year but allowed 3 HRs in this start with the wind officially blowing out to LF at 15 mph.  He had allowed more than 2 R in only one other start this year, so this gave his ERA a hefty boost to 3.00.  While retiring just half of the batters he faced, he did get a single fly ball out (9/0 GO/FO).

A-: Augusta defeated Hickory 3-1

Augusta: 2B Ryan Cavan: 2 for 4, HR
Augsuta: C Tommy Joseph: 1 for 3, 2B, BB

Augusta: SP Jorge Bucardo: 8.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

Cavan had two hits, including his 2nd HR.  Drawing the GreenJackets' only walk, Joseph was one of two other GreenJackets to reach base twice.

Bucardo had his longest start of the year, allowing just an unearned run in the 7th inning.  He came up one out short of his second complete game of the year, departing with one runner on base.  In eight starts since the beginning of May, he has an ERA just above 1.25.

DSL: Giants defeated Phillies 9-2

Dominican: RF Leonardo Fuentes: 3 for 3, 2B, BB
Dominican: SP Joan Gregorio: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

With three hits, including his 6th double, Fuentes (17.6 y.o.) improved his line to .289/.378/.526 through his first 38 AB as a pro.  Gregorio's (18.5 y.o.) third start was the best of his young pro career, lowering his ERA to 1.65.