minor lines, 7/3/10

Highlights from the Giants' farm: 2010 draftees Carter Jurica and Adam Duvall both homered and combined for five hits.  Also notable, Kevin Pucetas and Jeremy Toole combined for 15 K and 0 ER over 9.2 IP in their starts.

AAA: Fresno defeated Sacramento 5-1

Fresno: LF Eugenio Velez: 2 for 4, SH, CS
Fresno: DH John Bowker: 1 for 3, 2 BB, 2 IBB, SO
Fresno: 1B Brett Pill: 2 for 5, 2 2B
Fresno: CF Tyler Graham: 2 for 4
Sacramento: LF Matt Watson: 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB, E
Sacramento: 1B Chris Carter: 1 for 3, 2 BB

Fresno: SP Kevin Pucetas: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K--1 HB

Pill had his 19th and 20th doubles, which were the Grizzlies' only two XBHs.  Graham and Velez also added two hits each.  Graham just keeps on hitting, keeping his AVG above .350.  Velez was thrown out on a pitch out.  Bowker reach based three times, albeit twice by intentional walk.  Watson and Carter, the Athletics' top prospect, both reached base three times for the RiverCats.  Watson narrowly missed his third straight game with a home run, as his double bounced off the top of the fence and was initially called a home run by the third base umpire but changed to a double after the umpires conferenced.

It's not often you see a starting pitcher who has yielded just two hits and no runs pulled midway through an inning, but Pucetas pulled after 4.2 scoreless IP and 95 pitches (53 strikes).  The 7 K set a new season high.

AA: Richmond lost to Altoona 6-0
(falling behind early after allowing four runs in the 2nd inning)

Richmond: SS Brandon Crawford: 0 for 4, 3 SO, E

Richmond: SP Michael Main: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 WP
Richmond: RP Mike MacDonald: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

No one reached base twice for the Flying Squirrels, whose offense was limited to four singles and a walk.  Crawford had the oh-fer with the hat trick.  Over his last ten games, he has 17 SO in 43 AB, raising his SO/AB ratio above 25%.  He also committed his 10th error.

Main, whom the Giants just acquired for Bengie Molina, made both his Giants debut and his upper minors debut.  He faced just nine batters and didn't get out of the 2nd inning, but all four runs allowed were unearned and two of those scored after he had left the game.  MacDonald, the Flying Squirrels' opening day starter, made his first relief appearance after fifteen starts.  He allowed a fair number of hits just just a couple runs charged to his own record.

A+: San Jose lost to Lancaster 4-0

San Jose: SS Ehire Adrianza: 2 for 4, 2B, E
San Jose: C Johnny Monell: 1 for 3, 2B, BB, SO
San Jose: 3B Jose Flores: 2 for 4, 2B

San Jose: SP Justin Fitzgerald: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 E

Adrianza, Monell and Flores all doubled for the Giants, witht their 16th, 11th, and 9th doubles, respectively.  Adrianza also committed his 11th error.

Fitzgerald suffered just his second loss of the season.  His K/BB ratio crept back below 2.00.

A-: Augusta defeated Charleston 7-6 (10 innings)

Augusta: LF Nick Liles: 2 for 3, 2B, HBP, SF, SH, SB
Augusta: 3B Chris Dominguez: 3 for 6, 2B
Augusta: C Hector Sanchez: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, IBB

Augusta: SP Jeremy Toole: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K--1 WP
Augusta: RP Jose Casilla: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K

Dominguez had three hits, including his 18th double, raising his AVG to .277.  Liles and Sanchez also reached base three times each.  How often does a player have HBP, SF, and SH all in the same game?  I think this is the first time this season for a Giants farmhand.

Toole matched a season-high 8 K in his eleventh start of the year.  Over his previous four starts, he had managed just 8 K combined.  His K/IP remains a bit below 0.75.  With 2.0 scoreless IP, Casilla lowered his ERA to 1.10.

ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Everett 6-5

Salem-Keizer: SS Carter Jurica: 2 for 5, HR, SH, SO, E
Salem-Keizer: DH Adam Duvall: 3 for 5, HR

Salem-Keizer: SP Taylor Rogers: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K--2 HR, 1 HB
Salem-Keizer: RP Shane Kaufman: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Salem-Keizer: RP Jake Dunning: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K

Jurica and Duvall, the Giants' third and eleventh round picks last month, both had their first pro HRs.  Jurica has also committed 5 errors through 13 games.

Rogers, the Volcanoes' opening day starter, allowed just two hits in his fourth start, but both hits were big flies.  He has now allowed 4 HRs in his four starts.  Kaufman, a late round selection two years ago, and Dunning, a late round selection last year, provided effective long relief.  Dunning now has 17 K in 10.0 IP over his five appearances.

R: Giants lost to Dodgers 8-2

Scottsdale: SS John Eshleman: 2 for 4, SO, SB, E

Scottsdale: SP Kendry Flores: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 8 K--1 HR
Scottsdale: RP David Newton: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Scottsdale: RP Kelvim Marte: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB

Eshleman, the Giants' eleventh round pick last year, was limited to nine games in the Sally League this spring due to injury.  Today in his sixth AZL game, he had two of the rookie Giants' five hits (all singles).

Flores' third start was a mixed bag as 8 K more than doubled his season total but he also continued to average 5 ER per start.  Marte made his first appearance in a year, while Newton made his first appearance in three years--great to see their names back in a box score.

DSL: Giants defeated Marlins 4-3

Dominican: 3B Alberto Robles: 3 for 4, SO, SB
Dominican: SP Juan Nova: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K--1 WP

Robles (19.9 y.o.) had three hits to raise his AVG to .233.  Nova (18.9 y.o.) allowed just 1 ER in his 6th start, but his overall performance may not be not as good as his 3.86 ERA might indicate given his WHIP is well above 1.50.