Highlights from the Giants' farm: (a,b) Fresno's two middle infielders--Emmanuel Burriss and Jake Wald--each homered while combining for seven hits; (c) Steve Hammond allowed just 1 ER in 7.0 IP; and (d) Juan Perez homered in the SAL all-star game. Also noteworthy, Tim Alderson took his turn in the rotation, although he had less than a quality start.
AAA: Fresno defeated Salt Lake 8-1
(breaking the game open with five run in 7th inning)
Fresno: 2B Emmanuel Burriss: 3 for 5, HR, CS
Fresno: LF John Bowker: 3 for 5, 2B
Fresno: PH-SS: Jake Wald: 4 for 4, HR
Fresno: C Steve Holm: 2 for 4, 2 2B
Fresno: LHP Steve Hammond: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--1 WP
Fresno: RHP Osiris Matos: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Fresno: RHP Keichii Yabu: 1.0 IP, 1 H
Salt Lake: RHP Shane Loux: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K--1 HR
Wald entered the game in the 2nd inning as a pinch hitter for Jesus Guzman and proceeded to have four hits in his four plate appearances, including a solo HR to lead off the 7th inning. Burriss also homered, leading off the game with a solo HR. He and Bowker each added three more hits, while Holm had his 5th and 6th doubles.
Hammond matched his longest start of the year, and perhaps this was his best start of the year with just 1 ER--an impressive way for him to bounce back from the 12 ER in his previous start. In relief, Matos had a perfect 8th inning, and Yabu made his first appearance in over two weeks as he also faced the minimum three batters in his inning of work. Loux, who began the year in the Angels' rotation, retired just six of the thirteen batters he faced.
AA: Connecticut lost to Portland 8-5
(allowing four runs in top of 9th inning)
Connecticut: 2B Brock Bond: 3 for 5, E
Connecticut: PH-LF Bobby Felmy: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Connecticut: RF Eddy Martinez-Esteve: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Portland: CF Josh Reddick: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, SF, SO
Portland: 1B Lars Anderson: 2 for 4, BB
Connecticut: RHP Tim Alderson: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K--1 HR, 1 HB, 1 WP
Connecticut: LHP Ben Snyder: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 K--1 WP
Connecticut: RHP Danny Otero: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 K--1 HB
Connecticut: LHP Joe Paterson: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER
Bond continues to be the Defenders' leading hitter, today having three of the Defenders' dozen hits and raising his AVG to .327. Playing the two corner outfield spots, Felmy, who entered the game in the 2nd inning as a pinch hitter, and EME each had two hits in four plate appearances, including their 11th and 17th doubles. Reddick began the season with a few big games against Connecticut. He revisited that success today, including a HR to lead off the game. He had his 7th HR and 10th double, both against Alderson. Anderson, who entered the year considered the Red Sox' top prospect, reached base three times, but his OPS remains below .775.
Alderson made his eight start for the Defenders, and the 3 ER and 3 BB both matched his high marks during that time. His ERA rose to a still impressive 2.22. Snyder allowed three hits in this relief appearance, but his BAA remains just .191. Otero and Paterson have been very good this year, but tonight as they allowed four runs in the 9th inning. Both relievers still have ERAs of 1.75 or better.
A+: San Jose had the second day of its two-day all-star break
(The Cal League defeated the Carolina League 2-1 in 10 innings.)
California: RF Thomas Neal: 0 for 1, BB
California: RF Roger Kieschnick: 0 for 2, 2 SO
California: C Buster Posey: 1 for 2, SO
California: LF Jonathan Gaston: 1 for 4, HR, 3 SO
Carolina: RF Michael Burgess: 1 for 3, BB, SO
Carolina: RHP Ryne Miller: 2.0 IP, 5 J
Neal and Posey, batting second and fifth in the Cal League's starting lineup, each reached base in one of two plate appearances. Neal drew the Cal League's only walk. Kieschnick, the Giants' third representative in the game, replaced Neal in RF, but he struck out in both his plate appearances. The Astros' Gaston began the game with a hat trick but proved the hero with his game-ending HR to lead off the bottom of the 10th inning. The Nationals' Burgess was one of just two players in the game to reach base twice.
The Red Sox' Miller was the game's outstanding pitcher as he struck out five of the six batters he faced in the 4th and 5th innings. Posey was his first strikeout victim.
A-: Augusta had the second day of its three-day all-star break
(The South lost to the North 8-7, with each team scoring a run in the 9th inning.)
South: SS Tim Beckham: 3 for 5, 3B, 2 SO
South: PH-2B Juan Perez: 1 for 2, HR, SO
North: C Travis D'Arnaud: 1 for 1
North: SS Chase D'Arnaud: 1 for 1, HBP
South: BHP Pat Venditte: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 K
Beckham, whom the Rays selected first overall a year ago, had three hits. The Giants' Perez provided a pinch-hit, two-run, one-out HR in the 6th inning before striking out in his final plate appearance. The D'Arnaud brothers, the Phillies' Travis and the Pirates' Chase, each singled in their only at bats.
The Yankees' Venditte put up some crazy good stats in the first half, including 39 K and 1 BB in 29.2 IP, but he allowed an unearned run in the bottom of the 9th inning to take the loss.
ssA: Salem-Keier defeated Boise 6-1
Salem-Keizer: 1B Luke Anders: 2 for 2, HR, 2B, SF, SB
Salem-Keizer: C Eliezer Zambrano: 2 for 3, SB, 2 E
Salem-Keizer: RHP Wilbur Bucardo: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K--1 HB
Salem-Keizer: LHP David Quinowski: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Anders, the Giants' 32nd round selection earlier this month, had a big game, including his 1st pro HR and his 2nd double. He also stole home. Zambrano, who had a sub-.450 OPS as a backup catcher for the Volcanoes last year, also had two hits.
The older of the two Bucardo brothers, who struggled with a 4.57 ERA in the NWL a year ago, had a successful season debut with 1 ER in 5.0 IP. Quinowski made his second relief appearance after missing nearly two full years.
R: Giants lost to Cubs 7-3
Scottsdale: LF Jonathan White: 1 for 3, HR, BB, HBP
Scottsdale: DH Jesse Shriner: 3 for 4, HR, 2B
Scottsdale: RHP Cameron Lamb: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Scottsdale: LHP Ryan Verdugo: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Shriner, whom the Giants signed as an undrafted free agent a year ago, but had just 16 AB a year ago, had three hits, including his first pro HR. White, the Giants' 40th round pick earlier this month, also had his first pro HR while reaching base three times.
Lamb, the 20-year-old Australian who missed all of last year with an injury, started the rookie Giants' second of the year. Verdugo has now relieved in both games, and he has 6 K in 3.0 IP.
DSL: Giants defeated Orioles/Brewers 15-1
Dominican: C Gabriel Cornier: 0 for 0, 3 BB, HBP
Dominican: RHP Armando Paniagua: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K--1 WP
Somewhat unbelievably, the Gigantes managed fifteen runs on just five hits. Cornier (17.0 y.o.) had his third straight game with three walks, boosting his OBP to .397 despite just s a .204 AVG. Making his fourth start of the season, Paniagua (19.5 y.o.) struck out half of the twenty batters he faced. He now has 21 K and 4 BB in 16.1 IP this year.