minor lines, 6/22/10

Tuesday highlights from the Giants farm: Juan Perez homered and doubled to be his all-star's team "Top Star," San Jose's three all-star pitchers--Craig Westcott, Justin Fitzgerald and Eric Surkamp--struck out 8 of 10 batters faced, Mike MacDonald allowed just 1 ER in 7.1 IP, and Brandon Crawford reached base four times.

AAA: Fresno lost to Portland 5-2

Fresno: 2B Matt Downs: 2 for 4, 2B, CS

Fresno: SP Kevin Pucetas: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K--1 HR, 1 BK
Fresno: RP Joe Paterson: 1.0 IP, 1 K

Downs had the Grizzlies' only multi-hit line, and his 5th double was their only XBH.

Pucetas continues to struggle pitching away from home.  He has a 7.23 ERA in eight road starts and a 3.00 ERA in four home starts.  A perfect 8th inning lowered Paterson's ERA to 2.42 over 21 PCL appearances.

AA: Richmond defeated Akron 6-2

Richmond: SS Brandon Crawford: 2 for 3, BB, HBP, E
Richmond: RF Roger Kieschnick: 3 for 4, 2B, SO

Richmond: SP Mike MacDonald: 7.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--1 HR
Richmond: RP Tony Pena Jr.: 1.1 IP, 1 K

Kieschnick's three hits, including his 6th double, raised his AVG to .249.  Crawford had the Flying Squirrel's only multi-hit line as he reached base four times, but he also committed his 7th error.

MacDonald had one of his best starts of the year, allowing his only run on a solo HR to lead off the 8th inning.  He now has a 2-6 W-L record, with his only two wins coming in his two starts in which he pitched seven scoreless innings.  After allowing 11 H and 5 BB in his last four appearances, Pena bounced back with 1.1 perfect IP for his 5th save.  He stranded three inherited runners.

A+: San Jose had the third day of their four-day all-star break
The California League defeated the Carolina League 4-3
(rallying for the-go ahead run in the top of the 9th inning)

California: CF Juan Perez: 2 for 4, SO, HR, 2B
California: 1B Brandon Belt: 0 for 4, SO
Carolina: 2B Oscar Tejada: 1 for 4, HR, 2 SO
Carolina: 1B Eric Hosmer: 0 for 4

California: SP Craig Westcott: 1.0 IP, 3 K
California: RP Justin Fitzgerald: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K--1 HR
Calfironia: RP Eric Surkamp: 1.0 IP, 3 K
Carolina: RP Julio Teheran: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K

The game featured a couple first baseman noted for their high batting averages this year, but the Giants' Belt and the Royals' Hosmer each went 0 for 4 and struck out three times combined.  The Giants' Perez was the game's only player with a multi-hit line as he homered and doubled.  He was named the Cal League's "Top Star" for the game.  The Red Sox' Tejada homered for the Carolina League.

The Giants three pitchers--Westcott, Fitzgerald, and Surkamp--combined to very impressively strike out eight of the ten batters they faced.  On the down side, one of the two batters they did not strike out homered.  The Braves' Teheran, who was probably the top prospect to appear in the game, had 2.0 scoreless IP.

A-: Augusta had the second day of its three-day all-star break
The South tied the North 5-5 in the SAL all-star game (10 innings)

South: CF Eliezer Mesa: 3 for 5, 2B, SO
South: 3B Chris Dominguez: 0 for 3
South: C Tommy Joseph: 0 for 1
North: C Kyle Skipworth: 1 for 3, HR, SO

Dominguez and Joseph, the Giants' two participants in the game, went 0 for 4.  The Rockies' Mesa was named the game's MVP for his three-hit effort.  The Marlins' Skipworth, who had a very disappointing season last year after being drafted sixth overall two years ago but has bounced back this year, had one of two home runs in the game.

ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Boise 6-2

Salem-Keizer: SS Carter Jurica: 1 for 2, 2 BB, SO, SB, E
Salem-Keizer: 1B Carlos Quintana: 2 for 3, BB, SO

Salem-Keizer: SP Matt Graham: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K--1 HR, 1 HB, 1 WP
Salem-Keizer: RP Kevin Couture: 2.0 IP,  1 H, 4 K
Salem-Keizer: RP Seth Rosin: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K

Jurica, the Giants' third round selection earlier this month, and Quintana both reached base three times for the Volcanoes.

Graham, the Giants' sixth rounder a year ago, allowed a run in each of the first four innings in his pro debut.  Couture and Rosin, the Giants' 32nd and 4th rounders earlier this month, made their pro debuts.  Couture struck out four of the seven batters he faced.

R: Giants defeated Athletics 4-3

Scottsdale: SS Ryan Rohlinger: 3 for 3, 3 HR
Scottsdale: RF Ryan Honeycutt: 2 for 4, 2B, E

Scottsdale: SP Lorenzo Mendoza: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Scottsdale: RP Stephen Shackleford: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--1 HB
Phoenix: SP Brett Tomko: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 10 K--3 HR

Making his first rehab appearance, Rohlinger appears too good for the AZL as he homered in all three plate appearances, albeit with all three shots coming against another rehabbing major leaguer.  Honeycutt doubled and singled in his pro debut.

Mendoza, who had a 2.51 ERA in the DSL last summer, allowed just a couple unearned runs in his United States debut.  Shackleford had an inauspicious pro debut with 3 ER in the 6th inning, handing himself the blown save and the loss.  Tomko, the ex-Giant who was limited to thirteen minor league appearances a year ago, made his first appearance of the 2010 season.  He struck out 10 of the 21 batters he faced but also allowed three big flies.

DSL: Giants defeated Orioles2 3-2 (7 innings)
(completed early on a day when many DSL games were postponed)

Dominican: 1B Cesar Soto: 2 for 3
Dominican: SP Keurin Feliz: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--2 HB

Soto (19.2 y.o.) had the Gigantes' only multi-hit line, but his AVG remains just .163 through eighteen games.  Feliz (19.10 y.o.) has had quality starts in three of his first four starts and now has a 1.96 ERA overall.