AAA: Fresno lost to Sacramento 6-3

Fresno: RF Nate Schierholtz: 3 for 3, HR, BB, IBB, SB
Fresno: LF Justin Leone: 2 for 4, SB
Fresno: DH Brian Horwitz: 1 for 3, 2B, HBP
Sacramento: DH Jeremy Brown: 1 for 2, 2 BB
Sacramento: 3B Lou Merloni: 2 for 4, 2B, 2 SO

Fresno: LHP Jonathan Sanchez: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 0 HR
Fresno: RHP Dan Giese: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Fresno: LHP Erick Threets: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Fresno: RHP Carlos Hines: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Sacramento: RHP Brad Knox: 7.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

Schierholtz had a big game, reaching base in all four plate appearances.  His 15th HR of the season was perhaps the furthest HR to right-center field I have seen in Raley Field, easily clearing the bullpen.  Leone and Horwitz also reached base multiple times.  I would note that the organization seems to think Horwitz is the weaker player defensively.  Horwitz entered the night with a .712 OPS for the months of July and August.  Tonight was just his 8th XBH since the start of July.  The A's Brown reached base three times.  The 36-year-old Merloni was the only RiverCat with multiple hits, and he had their only XBH, which was a decisive 2-RBI double in the 8th inning to break a 3-3 tie.

Sanchez made it through six full innings in his second start with Fresno.  He threw 62 of 101 pitches for strikes.  He got his share of strikeouts, but his control was spotty.  His velocity seemed to vary too, often around 88 mph early and then around 91 mph in later innings.  Giese uncharacteristically had some trouble finding the strike zone with just 15 of 27 pitches for strikes.  Threets threw 9 of 16 pitches for strikes, although he seemed to be working around the first batter he faced with one out and a runner on third base.  His 3-2 pitch was a breaking pitch in the dirt.  Both Giese and Threets had a hitter reach on an error.  Giese's fastball was around 87 mph while Threets was around 94 mph.  Hines made his first appearance of the five-game series, which seems a bit odd considering the Grizzlies currently have only six relievers in their bullpen.  The 25-year-old Knox had another effective start against the Grizzlies.  In his previous start against Fresno (on July 4th), he allowed only an unearned run in a complete game victory.

AA: Connecticut defeated New Britain 6-4

Connecticut: RF Carlos Sosa: 2 for 5, HR, SO
Connecticut: DH John Bowker: 1 for 5, HR
Connecticut: SS Jake Wald: 1 for 2, BB, HBP

Connecticut: RHP Brooks McNiven: 6.0+ IP, 10 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR--1 HB
Connecticut: RHP Kelvin Pichardo: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR--1 WP
Connecticut: RHP Brian Anderson: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
New Britain: RHP Anthony Swarzak: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR--1 HB

Sosa's 8th HR was a three-run, go-ahead shot in the 7th inning, and Bowker's 20th HR was a solo shot to provide an insurance run in the 9th inning.  For the second straight game, Wald reached base three times, raising his OBP to .317.

McNiven's ERA rose to 3.29.  As a starter (14 starts), his K/IP ratio is below 0.33, and his GO/AO ratio is barely above 1.50.  Pichardo retired all six batters he faced, but his ERA remains a bit above 4.00.  Anderson collected his 27th save.  The Twins' Swarzak with his second straight start without allowing an earned run lowered his ERA below 3.00.

A+: San Jose defeated Rancho Cucamonga 2-0 (10 innings)

San Jose: C Pablo Sandoval: 1 for 2, 2 BB, IBB
San Jose: 1B Travis Ishikawa: 1 for 1, HR

San Jose: RHP Joseph Martinez: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 0 HR
San Jose: RHP Ronnie Ray: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
San Jose: RHP Sergio Romo: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR

Sandoval's walk rate continues to be on the rise in August, with 10 of his 15 walks this year coming this month.  On the other hand, he has yet to hit a HR this month.  Ishikawa entered the game as a defensive replacement to start the 9th inning, and he hit a walk-off, two-run HR for the game's only runs.  It was his 12th HR with San Jose and his 15th HR of the year.

Martinez had his first starting without an earned run in some time (at least not in his previous nine starts).  August has been Ray's best month of the season, as he has a 3.12 ERA in 26.0 IP.  Romo continues to compile the ridiculous stats.  He has made ten appearances in August with 34 H, 3 BB and 31 K in 18.0 IP.  He has allowed just one unearned run during that time.

A-: Augusta lost to Asheville 7-4

Augusta: RF Robert Felmy: 1 for 3, 2B, BB
Augusta: 1B Brett Pill: 2 for 4, 2 2B, GiDP

Augusta: LHP Steven Calicutt: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 0 HR--1 WP
Augusta: RHP Daniel Griffin: 1.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR--1 WP
Augusta: RHP Adam Paul: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
Asheville: RHP Casey Weathers: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Pill raised his organization-leading doubles total to 45.  Felmy's total of 28 doubles is pretty good but pales in comparison to Pill's figure.

Calicutt improved his ERA to 4.03 as he made his 15th start among 32 appearances.  Griffin had one of least effective appearances of his career.  His ERA ballooned to 4.32.  Paul made his first appearance in nearly a month.  Weathers, the Rockies' 1st round pick this year, two has two pro saves, both of them against the Giants organization.

ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Everett 15-1

Salem-Keizer: 2B Brock Bond: 3 for 5, SH, SB
Salem-Keizer: DH Garrett Baker: 4 for 4
Salem-Keizer: RF Sean Van Elderen: 3 for 5, 2B
Salem-Keizer: SS Sharlon Schoop: 2 for 3, 2 2B, BB, HBP

Salem-Keizer: RHP Waldis Joaquin: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 0 HR
Salem-Keizer: RHP Daryl Maday: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR

Four singles raised Baker's AVG to .305, while three singles raised Bond's AVG to .339.  Van Elderen also had three hits to raise his AVG back to .293.  For his second straight start, Schoop had a pair of doubles.  His line with the Volcanoes is now .280/.339/.460 in 161 AB.

Joaquin had probably his best appearance of the year, setting a season high in both IP and K.  Maday, Joaquin's tandem partner, pitched just two innings but improved his ERA to 2.32.

R: Giants defeated Royals 2-1

Scottsdale: 3B Angel Villalona: 1 for 4 2B, 2 SO
Scottsdale: 1B Andy D'alessio: 0 for 4, 3 SO
Scottsdale: 2B Ramon Corona: 2 for 4, 2 2B, 2 SO
Scottsdale: C Johnny Monell: 1 for 2, 2 BB, SB

Scottsdale: LHP Roberto Martinez: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 0 HR

Villalona had his 12th double in his 50th game of the season.  Meanwhile, Corona has 7 doubles in just 17 games.  With the hat trick, D'alessio's SO/AB ratio rose above 24.0%.  Monell reached base three times and was the only Giant without a strikout (and one of three without multiple strikeouts).

The 21-year-old Martinez has pitched very well over his last three starts, with 6 H, 7 BB, 1 ER and 19 K in 17.0 IP.  He has improved his ERA to 3.22.

DSL: Giants lost to Yankees1 4-1
(in game 1 of the playoff series)

Giants: 2B Julio Izturis: 0 for 3, 2 SO, 2 E
Giants: CF Francisco Peguero: 1 for 3
Giants: C Jesus Navarro: 1 for 3
Giants: RHP Jorge Bucardo: 6.0+ IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR--1 E

Peguero and Navarro, both 19-years-old, had the only two hits for the Giants.  The nearly 18-year-old Izturis had a rough day.  The 17-year-old Bucardo pitched fairly well but suffered the loss.  His 9/7 GO/FO line is fairly consistent with his 1.10 GO/AO ratio for the season (and that ratio is much lower than his older brother's ratio).