minor lines, 7/16/10

Friday highlights from the Giants' farm: Luke Anders had four hits, Jeremy Toole allowed just 1 ER in 6.0 IP, and Edwin Escobar allowed just a couple unearned runs in 6.0 IP.

AAA: Fresno defeated Las Vegas 5-2

Fresno: RF Eugenio Velez: 2 for 4, 2B, SO, E
Fresno: SS Ryan Rohlinger: 2 for 4
Fresno: DH Joe Borchard: 2 for 4, 3B, SO
Las Vegas: 1B Brett Wallace: 2 for 4, HR, BB, SO

Fresno: SP Eric Hacker: 5.1 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K--1 HR, 2 HB, 1 WP
Fresno: RP Joe Paterson: 0.2 IP, 1 K
Fresno: RP Henry Sosa: 2.0 IP
Fresno: RP Geno Espineli: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Las Vegas: RP Merkin Valdez: 2.0 IP, 2 H

Velez, Rohlinger and Borchard each had two of the Grizzlies' eight hits.  Velez and Rohlinger both have AVGs within a point of .320, while Borchard's AVG stands at .290.  Wallace, who is the Blue Jays' top hitting prospect, led off the 5th inning with his 15th HR.  He reached base three times as he improved his rate stats to .298/.363/.503 through 332 AB and seems ready for the majors.

Hacker allowed 10+ H for the third time in his last four starts but this time allowed just a couple runs.  Three Grizzlies relievers--Paterson, Sosa, and Espineli-- combined to throw 3.2 perfect IP in relief.  In fact, the ex-Giant Valdez was the only reliever for either team to allow a baserunner.

AA: Richmond lost to Bowie 5-4 (10 innings)

Richmond: LF Thomas Neal: 2 for 5, 2B, SO
Bowie: RF Tyler Henson: 3 for 5, HR, 2 SO
Bowie: SS Greg Miclat: 2 for 4, CS

Richmond: SP David Mixon: 7.0+ IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 10 K--1 HR
Bowie: SP Chorye Spoone: 6.0 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Five different Flying Squirrels had two hits each, but Neal was the only Squirrel with an XBH.  After having a SLG close to .600 in June, his SLG in July so far through 46 AB is under .400 again (as it was in both April and May).  Henson, the Orioles' fifth round selection out of an Oklahoma high school four years ago appears to be having something of a breakout season, raising his OPS over 100 points this year to its current .832 mark.  Miclat, the Orioles' fifth rounder two years ago who had struck out in over 35% of his at bats since being promoted to the upper minors, was the only hitter for either team not to strike out.

Mixon's 10 K were perhaps a career high and at least certainly the most strikeout for him in a start since Memorial Day.  He did allow more than 2 ER for just the second time in his last eight starts.  Spoone, one of the Orioles' top thirty prospects who had allowed just just 3 H in his last start at Richmond, this time allowed 10 H.

A+: San Jose lost to High Desert 8-1

San Jose: RF Juan Perez: 2 for 5, 2B

San Jose: SP Eric Stolp: 1.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--1 HB, 1 WP
San Jose: RP Ben Wilshire: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K

Perez, one of three Giants with two hits each, had his 25th double.  With a 39% XBH/H ratio he has a .478 SLG.

Stolp had his least effective start of the year.  His ERA rose above 5.00.  Wilshire, the third of four Giants pitchers, was the only one not allow an earned run.

A-: Augusta defeated Charleston 9-1

Augusta: 1B Luke Anders: 4 for 5, 2B
Augusta: SS Ydwin Villegas: 2 for 3, BB
Charleston: CF Slade Heatcott: 2 for 4, 2B, SO

Augusta: SP Jeremy Toole: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Anders had four of the GreenJackets' dozen hits, raising his AVG to .299.  He now has more hits than strikeouts too (103 H vs 100 SO).  Villegas reached base three times, but the 19-year-old still has an OBP of just .231 through 116 AB.  Heathcott, whom the Giants' drafted 29th overall last year, had the RiverDogs only multi-hit line.  He is hitting .264/.340/.344 through his first 125 AB this year.

Toole had his longest start in over a month.  His ERA remains just above 4.00 in thirteen starts this year.

ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Boise 3-2 (11 innings)

Salem-Keizer: 1B Daniel Brock: 1 for 2, HR, 2 BB
Salem-Keizer: LF Ryan Scoma: 2 for 4, HR, SO

Salem-Keizer: SP Edwin Escobar: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K--1 HB, 1 BK
Salem-Keizer: RP Addison Proszek: 2.0 IP, 1 K

Brock and Scoma went deep back-to-back to lead off the 5th inning for their 2nd and 1st HRs, respectively.

The 18-year-old Escobar's sixth start was his first one without an earned run, getting his ERA below 4.00.  He also raised his K/BB ratio to an even 2.00.  Proszek, the Giants' 38th rounder a year ago, had 2.0 perfect IP in his NWL debut after four appearances this year and thirteen appearances last year in the AZL.

R: Scottsdale had its regular off day (every fifth day)
(The rookie Giants currently have a 3.5 game lead in their four-team division.)

DSL: Giants defeated Orioles2 10-2

Dominican: RF Leonardo Fuentes: 1 for 4, HR, BB, 2 SO
Dominican: DH Victor Feliz: 3 for 5, 3B, 2B
Dominican: SP Ariel Hernandez: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K--2 HB

Feliz (19.7 y.o.) had three hits, including his 2nd triple and 4th double, raising his SLG to an even .300.  Fuentes (17.7 y.o) had his 3rd pro HR.  Despite an AVG below .230, he has walked enough to keep his OBP close to .330.  Hernandez (18.4 y.o.) had his second straight start with 5.0 scoreless IP, this time getting his first win of the year.  His ERA is 1.37 through 19.2 IP.