Thursday highlights from the Giants' farm: Justin Fitzgerald allowed just 1 ER in 7.0 IP, and Mac Williamson homered while reaching base four times.
AAA: Fresno had an off-day
(their only scheduled off-day between the all-star break and the end of their season on Labor Day)
AA: Richmond defeated Harrisburg 2-1 (13 innings)
Richmond: CF Gary Brown: 2 for 5, 2B, BB, SO, SB
Richmond: LF-1B-2B Mark Minicozzi: 0 for 3, 3 BB, 3 SO
Richmond: SP Justin Fitzgerald: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K--1 WP
Richmond: RP Tom Vessella: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Brown had his 30th double, a single, a walk, and his 31st SB. His season line is now .286/.348/.404. Minicozzi also reached base three times.
Fitzgerald has pitched well since the start of July. In his last eight starts, he has allowed 1 ER or less six times, improving his ERA to 3.60. On the downside, he does have 9 BB over his last two starts. Vessella, the second of five relievers for the Flying Squirrels, pitched a perfect 9th inning.
A+: San Jose defeated Stockton 7-3
San Jose: SS Joe Panik: 2 for 4, HBP
San Jose: 1B Ricky Oropesa: 1 for 4, HR, BB, SO
San Jose: SP Taylor Rogers: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
San Jose: RP Cody Hall: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Panik reached base three times and extended his hitting streak to fifteen games. He is hitting .341/.411/.478 in 182 AB since the all-star break. With his 13th HR, Oropesa plated three insurance runs in the 9th inning.
Rogers had his best start in nearly a month. Hall pitched a perfect 8th inning in his Cal League debut. He was promoted after having 36 H, 12 BB and 54 K in 39.1 IP with a 1.60 ERA in the Sally League.
A-: Augusta lost to Delmarva 6-5
Augusta: LF Shawn Payne: 2 for 4, 3B, BB, 2 SB
Augusta: SP Bryce Bandilla: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 2 K--1 BK
The speedy Payne had his 6th triple and his 44th and 45th SB. He continues to be the GreenJackets' leading hitter with a .315 AVG, which ranks in the SAL's top ten.
Bandilla walked nearly a quarter (5 of 21) of his batters, pushing his BB/IP above 0.50. Nonetheless, he allowed just 1 ER, lowering his ERA to 3.05.
ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Spokane 7-6
Salem-Keizer: RF Mac Williamson: 3 for 4, HR, BB
Salem-Keizer: SP Lorenzo Mendoza: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K--1 HB
Salem-Keizer: RP Gaspar Santiago: 1.1 IP, 1 K
Williamson led off the 2nd inning with his 3rd NWL HR. He later added a couple singles as the only Volcano hitter with multiple hits. He has an OPS over 1.100 in his last ten games.
With 8 K, Mendoza doubled his previous season high. He has an excellent 6.00 K/BB ratio but has been too hittable with a BAA above .350. Santiago had 1.1 perfect IP. He is just one of four pitchers on the team with an ERA below 3.25.
R: Giants defeated Royals 11-1
Scottsdale: 1B Jonathan Jones: 2 for 5, 3B, 2B, 2 SO
Scottsdale: 3B Shayne Houck: 2 for 3, HR, 2B, 2 BB
Scottsdale: SP Matthew Lujan: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Jones and Houck each had a couple XBH for the rookie Giants, including Houck's 2nd HR.
Lujan had his longest and perhaps best start of the year. The 5.0 scoreless IP brought his ERA below 2.00.
DSL: Giants defeated Yankees1 3-2 (8 innings) in game 1
Dominican: SS Rando Moreno: 3 for 4
Dominican: SP Keury Mella: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K--1 WP
Moreno (20.2 y.o.) had three hits, raising his AVG just above .250. Making his twelfth start, Mella (19.0 y.o.) allowed a season-high 7 H, although his BAA remains below .225.
DSL: Giants lost to Yankees1 4-3 (7 innings) in game 2
Dominican: 3B Emmanuel Hernandez: 3 for 3, 2B
Dominican: SP Luis Pino: 3.0+ IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K--1 WP
Hernandez (18.9 y.o.) had three hits, raising his AVG to .311 through 45 AB. Pino (17.9 y.o.) has had 6 K in each of his three starts.