Not a great day for picking highlights, but I'll cite these: (a) Adam Witter homered for the third straight game; (b) Antoan Richardson reached base in all four plate appearances; and (c) Daryl Maday allowed just 1 ER in 6.0 IP. Among top 30 prospects, the best line was Buster Posey reaching base three times.
AAA: Fresno lost to Las Vegas 8-6 (11 innings)
(after Fresno's six-run 8th inning matched Las Vegas's six-run 2nd inning)
Fresno: DH Adam Witter: 1 for 4, HR, HBP
Las Vegas: 1B Randy Ruiz: 2 for 5, 2 2B, BB
Fresno: LHP Steve Hammond: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Fresno: RHP Ramon Ortiz: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 K
Las Vegas: LHP Fabio Castro: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Las Vegas: RHP Jeremy Accardo: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Witter's 3rd HR in three days provided the Grizzlies' only XBH. He has 4 HRs so far this year after having 20 HRs a year ago. Ruiz, the former Giants' farmhand who entered the game with an OPS above .900, had another solid game against the Grizzlies.
Hammond had a short start after allowing 6 ER in the 2nd inning, boosting his ERA to 5.79. Providing true long relief, Ortiz faced just one batter over the minimum in four innings, lowering his ERA to 3.31. The Blue Jays' Castro, who earlier this season had a dominant start against the Giants' double-A affiliate, had tonight a dominant start against the Giants' triple-A affiliate. In six starts this year, he has a WHIP below 1.00 with peripheral stats of 22 H, 8 BB, and 32 K in 34 IP. Accardo, the ex-Giant, made his ninth appearance of the season.
AA: Connecticut defeated Reading 5-1
(after rallying for five runs in the 8th inning)
Connecticut: 2B Brock Bond: 2 for 5, 3B, 2B, 2 SO
Connecticut: RF Antoan Richardson: 1 for 1, 2B, 2 BB, HBP, 2 SB
Connecticut: RHP Daryl Maday: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Reading: RHP Mike Stutes: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K--1 HB
Richardson reached base in all four trips to the plate, raising his OBP to .400 in limited playing time (27 AB). After 33 SB last year, he has just 3 SB so far this year after two steals today. Bonds' 2nd triple and 1st double raised his AVG to .238 through 63 AB.
Maday had perhaps his best start of the year, with a season-high 6.0 IP and a season-high 5 K. He lowered his WHIP below 1.00 and improved his ERA to 2.17 through six starts. Stutes, whom the Phillies drafted in the 11th round out of Oregon State a year ago, has made an impressive pro debut, posting a 1.42 ERA in 13 pro starts last summer, leading BA to rank him as the Phillies #17 prospect entering this year. So far this year he has an ERA below 3.00 as he has made the jump to the upper minors in his first full season.
A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 6-5
San Jose: C Buster Posey: C Buster Posey: 2 for 3, BB, PB
San Jose: RF Roger Kieschnick: 2 for 4
San Jose: 1B Angel Villalona: 0 for 4, SO
San Jose: LHP Scott Barnes; 3.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Posey reached base three times but also allowed his 5th passed ball. With two hits each in four plate appearances, he and Kieschnick raised their respective AVGs to .327 and .313. Villalona was the lone Giant not to reach base, snapping his seven-game hitting streak. With just one multi-hit game over his last ten games, his AVG has fallen to .305.
Barnes had his shortest start of the season, allowing a season-high 7 H and managing a season-low 2 K. His ERA rose nearly a full run to 4.84 as his H/IP ratio rose above 1.00.
A-: Augusta lost Lexington 4-3
Augusta: Wendell Fairley: 0 for 5, 3 SO
Augusta: RF Josh Mazzola: 2 for 4, BB, SO
Augusta: C Matt Klimas: 3 for 4
Augusta: LHP Ari Ronick: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Augusta: RHP Chris Wilson: 1.2 IP, 2 K
With three of the GreenJackets' nine hits, Klimas raised his AVG to .350 through 40 AB. Mazzola also reached base three times. With seven hits over his last four games, he has raised his AVG above .300. Fairley suffered the oh-fer with the hat trick. His SO/AB ratio is now above 33%.
Ronick allowed just two hits, a leadoff double in the 2nd inning and a leadoff single in the 4th inning, but both of those runners scored, which was enough to drop his W-L record 1-2. Wilson, who began the season as the GreenJackets' closer, had just his second appearance among his nine appearances without allowing a baserunner. His K/BB ratio is very good at nearly 5.00, but his BAA has been .333. His ERA remains over 7.00.