The daily highlight: (a) John Bowker homered while reaching base four times for the second straight day. Now to other highlights from the Giants' farm: (b) Pucetas did not allow an earned run in 7.0 IP; (c) Brett Pill had a triple, double and single; (d) Henry Sosa did not allow a run in his start; (e) Thomas Neal has three XBHs; and (f) Andrew Biery reached base in all five plate appearances.
AAA: Fresno defeated Salt Lake 4-1
Fresno: LF John Bowker: 2 for 4, HR, 2 BB, CS
Fresno: DH Joe Borchard: 2 for 4, 3B
Salt Lake: 1B Brandon Wood: 1 for 2, 2B, BB
Fresno: RHP Kevin Pucetas: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Fresno: RHP Ronnie Ray: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Another big game for Bowker. For the second night in a row, he homered while reaching base in all four plate appearances. He finished June hitting .392/.479/.843 in 102 AB this month. Borchard, the other other Grizzly to reach base twice, had two hits to raise his AVG back above .250. For the Angels' affiliate, Wood's double and walk accounted for two of their five baserunners.
Pucetas had another fine start, improving his ERA to 3.17. Tonight he had a 12/6 GO/FO line, but his GO/AO ratio for the season is not much above 1.00. He's enjoyed a lot of success considering how many fly ball outs he gets (as opposed to strikeouts or groundball outs). Ray had his third straight game with multiple strikeouts.
AA: Connecticut lost to Harrisburg 4-3
Connecticut: 2B Brock Bond: 2 for 4, 2B
Connecticut: 1B Brett Pill: 3 for 4, 3B, 2B
Connecticut: RHP Henry Sosa: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--1 HB
Connecticut: RHP Dan Griffin: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB--1 HR, 1 HB
With multi-hit lines in seven of his last eight games, Pill finished June on a tear. Tonight's line included his 1st triple and 25th double, raising his SLG to .498. A year ago in the more hitter-friendly Cal League, his SLG was just .395. Bond was the other Defender to reach base twice. Both Bond and Pill hit close to .370 in June.
Sosa pitched at least five full innings once again, something he accomplished in all ten of his starts in May and June, although he has yet to pitch into the 7th inning this year. In May and June, he combined for 46 H, 20 BB, and 31 K in 55.1 IP with a 2.11 ERA. After a 5/8 GO/FO line tonight, his GO/AO ratio for the year is just 0.59. Like Pucetas, he has a very good ERA despite getting a high proportion of his outs as fly balls. Griffin retired just one of the five batters he faced before being ejected in the 6th inning. His peripheral stats are generally pretty good, but his ERA is 5.80.
A+: San Jose defeated Modesto 13-1
San Jose: SS Brian Bocock: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SO
San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 3 for 5, 3B, 2 2B, SO
San Jose: 1B Angel Villalona: 3 for 5
San Jose: CF Darren Ford: 3 for 4, 3B
San Jose: RHP Joe Martinez: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Neal had a huge game with his 3rd triple and 21st and 22nd doubles, raising his SLG to .612. Villalona and Ford also had three hits each, improving their AVGs to .275 and .217. Bocock was a fourth Giant to reach base three times.
Pitching on four days rest, Martinez made his third and longest rehab appearance. In his three rehab starts, he has 7 H, 2 BB, 5 R and 8 K in 10.0 IP.
A-: Augusta defeated Lexington 7-2
Augusta: CF Dom Duggan: 2 for 4, 2B, HBP, SB
Augusta: LF Wendell Fairley: 2 for 3, BB, SO
Augusta: RHP Eric Stolp: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Augusta: RHP Edwin Quirarte: 1.0 IP
Lexington: RHP Ross Seaton: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K--1 HB, 2 WP
Duggan and Fairley both reached base three times, although both still have AVGs appreciably below .250.
Stolp made his first start in twelve days, the result of being the last starter in the GreenJackets' rotation scheduled around the all-star break. Quirarte pitched a perfect 9th inning. On the first day of June, the Astros' Season pitched a complete-game, three-hit shutout against the GreenJackets. This time he did not fare quite as well.
ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Vancouver 8-4
Salem-Keizer: 3B Andrew Biery: 3 for 3, BB, HBP
Salem-Keizer: DH Ryan Mantle: 0 for 5, SO
Salem-Keizer: RHP Orlando Yntema: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R,1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Salem-Keizer: RHP Jose Casilla: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Biery (22nd rounder) reached base in all five of his plate appearances. After going hitless in his first three pro games, he now has a six-game hitting streak to raise his AVG to .367 through 30 AB. After tonight's oh-fer, Mantle, a late round draftee a year ago, is now just 1 for 17 to start this season.
Yntema made his second straight start allowing just 1 ER. The 20-year-old Casilla, who was limited to just eight appearances (five starts) last year has yet to allow a baserunner in his five appearances this year.
R: Giants at Angels suspended after three innings due to a power problem
Scottsdale: CF Evan Crawford: 2 for 2, SB
Scottsdale: RHP Bryan Salsbury: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K--1 WP
Batting leadoff in his second pro game, Crawford (9th rounder) had two of the rookie Giants' three base hits. He also had his 1st pro steal.
In his first pro start after two relief appearances, Salsbury (14th rounder) faced just one batter over the minimum.
DSL: Giants lost to Blue Jays 5-4 (10 innings)
Dominican: C Rey Duran: 2 for 5, SO
Dominican: LHP Ebert Fernandez: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K--1 WP
Duran (19.11 y.o.) had the Gigantes' only multi-hit line, leaving his AVG just a few points shy of .300. Fernandez (18.8 y.o.) has a 4.39 ERA after four starts.