Hitting highlights: (a) Ben Copeland homered while reaching base three times; (b) Thomas Neal also homered while reaching base three times; (c) Josh Mazzola was a third Giant to homer while reaching base three time; and (d) Conor Gillaspie had three hits plus a walk.
Pitching highlights: (e) Scott Barnes allowed just 2 ER in 7.0 IP, his longest start of the year; (f) Brooks McNiven allowed just 1 ER in 7.0 IP, also his longest start of the year; and (g) Ramon Ortiz had 5.0 scoreless IP in his start.
AAA: Fresno defeated Portland 5-0
(scoring a run in each of the first four innings)
Fresno: CF Ben Copeland: 2 for 4, HR, BB
Fresno: LF John Bowker: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, 2 SO, CS
Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 1 for 4, HR
Portland: SS Everth Cabrera: 2 for 4, 2 SO, SB
Fresno: RHP Ramon Ortiz: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Fresno: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K
Portland: LHP Joe Thatcher: 1.0 IP
Copeland and Bowker both had an XBH, a single, and a walk while reaching base three times. Copeland's XBH was his 2nd HR. In the 1st inning, Guzman had his 9th HR. Cabrera, who is a Rule 5 pick of the Padres now on a rehab assignment, had two singles in his first PCL game.
Making his second start among twenty appearances, Ortiz threw 80 pitches (53 strikes). Five shutout innings lowered his ERA to 2.63. Hinshaw threw 12 of 19 pitches for strikes in a scoreless 8th inning. In the other half of the 8th inning, Thatcher had a perfect inning, in his first game back in the PCL after spending the past month in the majors.
AA: Connecticut defeated Bowie 2-1
Connecticut: C Jackson Williams: 1 for 2, 2B, SH
Bowie: 1B Brandon Snyder: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Connecticut: RHP Brooks McNiven: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Connecticut: LHP Joe Paterson: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Connecticut: RHP Danny Otero: 1.0 IP, 1 K
While no one reached base twice for the Defenders, Jackson did provide their only XBH with his 10th double of the season. He has shown a fair amount of secondary average with his line of .232/.326/.336 through 125 ABa, though that still offers an OPS well below .700. Snyder, whom the Orioles drafted 13th overall in 2005, has enjoyed a breakout season with an OPS over 1.000, hitting .355/.418/.612 through 183 AB. He has had two hits in all three games against Connecticut.
Making his eighth start among eleven appearances, McNiven enjoyed his longest start of the year, facing just three batters over the minimum despite allowing eight baserunners. He had a 13/5 GO/FO line. His ERA remains above 4.50, though. Paterson and Otero both pitched a perfect inning, helping both of them to maintain their sub-1.00 ERAs. Otero also earned his 13th save.
A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 12-2
San Jose: DH Tyler Graham: 2 for 4, HR
San Jose: SS Brian Bocock: 0 for 5, 3 SO
San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 2 for 4, HR, BB
San Jose: C Buster Posey: 0 for 1, BB, SO
San Jose: RF Roger Kieschnick: 1 for 5, HR
San Jose: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 3 for 4, 2B, BB, SO
San Jose: 2B Nick Noonan: 3 for 5, 2B, 2 SO
San Jose: LHP Scott Barnes: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K--1 HR, 2 HB
San Jose: LHP Dan Runzler: 1.0 IP, 1 BB
Neal and Graham each had two hits, including Neal's 10th HR and Graham's 4th HR. Kieschnick added his 9th HR. Gillaspie and Noonan each had three of the Giants' sixteen hits, raising their respective AVGs to .279 and .242. Only two Giants starters did not have hits, one of whom was Posey, who left the game in the middle of the 4th inning, after being out on a force play at second base in the top half of the inning. The other was Bocock, who suffered the oh-fer with the hat trick. Since being demoted to the Cal League, his SO/AB is now above 25.0%, and his OBP is below .270.
Barnes had his longest start of the season, lowering his ERA just below 4.00. His 7 K was just one shy of his season high. Runzler made his Cal League debut pitching a scoreless 8th inning.
A-: Augusta defeated Charleston 5-4
Augusta: RF Josh Mazzola: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, BB, 2 SO, E
Augusta: C Matt Klimas: 2 for 4
Augusta: LHP Eric Surkamp: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Augusta: RHP Edwin Quirarte: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Mazzola had a big night. His 4th HR and 13th double were the GreenJackets' two XBHs. He also reached base a third time with a walk as he improved his season line to .275/.338/.429 thorugh 189 AB. Klimas was the other GreenJacket with a multi-hit line, improving his AVG to .293.
Surkamp got seven of his twelve outs by strikeout. His K/BB ratio is just shy of 6.00. He has both a H/IP and a K/IP ratio above 1.00, which seems fairly atypical for a minor league pitcher. At least he does have more strikeouts than hits (70 K and 60 H in 55.0 IP). The game included a 99-minute delay, and that may have been what limited Surkamp to four innings in thsi start. Quirarte has earned a save in both of SAL appearances.
DSL: Giants defeated Cubs2 15-4
Dominican: 2B Cesar Osuna: 4 for 5, BB, E
Dominican: Ariel Hernandez: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Osuna (19.4 y.o.) had four hits, as well as a walk, to boost his AVG to .262 through ten games. He has yet to have an XBH this season after having 21 XBH a year ago. After a relief appearance three days earlier in his pro debut, Hernandez (17.3 y.o.) made his first pro start, pitching five scoreless innings.