Today's highlights: (a) Madison Bumgarner makes his upper minors debut, allowing just one run in six innings; (b) Jesus Guzman has five hits; and (c) Brandon Crawford has a couple XBHs, plus a single.
AAA: Fresno defeated Reno 14-3
(after leading 10-1 after three innings)
Fresno: SS Kevin Frandsen: 3 for 5, 2B, SF
Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 5 for 6, 2B, CS
Fresno: LF Tyler Graham: 3 for 5, SO, SB
Fresno: C Eli Whiteside: 1 for 5, HR, 3 SO
Fresno: C Stephen Drew: 2 for 4, E
Fresno: RHP Matt Kinney: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K--1 HR, 1 WP
Reno: LHP Travis Blackley: 4.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 K-- 1 PO
Guzman had five of the Grizzlies' twenty-one hits, raising his team-leading AVG to an impressive .347. He's had multiple hits in four straight games and at least one hit in all ten games in May. Frandsen and Graham added three hits of their own. Whiteside must love the stadium in Reno, as he now has 4 HRs in three games there. The D'backs Drew had two hits in his second rehab game.
Kinney had his third "quality start" among seven starts, getting his ERA back below 7.00. Blackley provided long relief against his former team. After beginning the year with an ERA over 8.00 in five starts, he has now made two appearances out of the bullpen.
AA: Connecticut defeated New Britain 5-1
Connecticut: SS Brandon Crawford: 3 for 5, 3B, 2B, 2 GiDP
New Britain: 3B Danny Valencia: 3 for 4, 2B
Connecticut: LHP Madison Bumgarner: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K--1 PO
Connecticut: RHP Waldis Joaquin: 2.0 IP, 2 H
With the Defenders' only multi-hit line, Crawford had his first two XBHs in the upper minors. Valencia, whom BA rated as the Twins #5 prospect, had three hits, raising his AVG to .298.
Bumgarner made his upper minors debut. He was hardly dominant allowing 4 XBH and having just 2 K, but he allowed just a single run. He managed to erase three baserunners with a pick off, a ground ball double play, and a lineout double play. He had a 6/8 GO/FO line. Joaquin had two scoreless innings. This was just his second appearance in which he has allowed more hits than walks. Through ten appearances his peripheral stats are 11 H, 12 BB, and 13 K in 16.1 IP.
A+: San Jose had a scheduled off-day
(Their next scheduled off-day is May 26.)
Giants on Cal League leaderboards:
--Hitters:
AVG: Crawford 7th, Neal 9th
OBP: Neal 5th, Crawford 7th
SLG: Crawford 10th, Neal 11th
OPS: Neal 8th, Crawford 9th
HR: Crawford 8th
3B: Kieschnick 4th, Noonan 4th
2B: Neal 7th
H: Crawford 8th, Villalona 9th
TB: Crawford 9th, Neal 10th, Posey 12th
BB: Ford 5th, Gillaspie 10th
SO: Ford 2nd, Crawford 8th
AB: Posey 7th
RBI: Posey 7th
R: (none)
SB: (none)
CS: Ford 8th, Crawford 8th
--Pitchers:
ERA: (none)
WHIP: (none)
IP: (none)
K: (none)
BB: (none)
H: (none)
HR: Odle 1st, Lively 6th
HB: Whitaker 7th
R: (none)
ER: Odle 10th
G: (none)
W: Bumgarner 6th, Barnes 6th
L: Odle 7th
Sv: Quirarte 6th
Hld: WiRodriguez 5th, Lively 5th
A-: Augusta defeated Greenville 9-5
(after leading 8-1 after seven innings)
Augusta: CF Ben Woodbury: 3 for 5, 2B, GiDP
Augusta: DH C.J. Ziegler: 2 for 5, 2 2B, SO
Augusta: RHP Kyle Nicholson: 7.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K--1 HR, 1 WP
Woodbury had three of the GreenJackets' twelve hits, raising his AVG to .358. He hit .296 in 27 AB in April but has a red-hot .423 AVG through 26 AB in May.
Nicholson allowed just one run through seven innings before three more runs were charged to his record in the 8th inning. He had a season-high 8 K in his third straight start of 7.0+ IP. His K/BB ratio is just shy of 4.00.