Highlights from the Giants' farm: (a) Ramon Ortiz had 11 K and just 1 ER in 6.0 IP; (b) Clayton Tanner allowed 1 ER in 6.0 IP; and (c, d) both East Coast shortstops, Brandon Crawford and Ehire Adrianza reached base three times, including a double for Crawford.
AAA: Fresno defeated Colorado Springs 5-3
Fresno: CF Clay Timpner: 1 for 3, HR, HBP
Fresno: 3B Rich Aurilia: 1 for 3, HR, BB
Fresno: SS Ryan Rohlinger: 2 for 4, CS
Fresno: 2B Matt Downs: 1 for 4, HR, 2 SO
Colorado Springs: RF-1B Dan Ortmeier: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Fresno: RHP Ramon Ortiz: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K
Fresno: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
While Rohlinger was the only Grizzly with two hits, the Grizzlies did get three big flies, one each from Timpner, Aurilia, and Downs. Aurilia was playing in his first rehab game. Ortmeier, the ex-Giant now in the Rockies' organization, had the Sky Sox' only multi-hit line. He is hitting .313/.382/.433 through 319 AB with much better numbers at home (.939 OPS) than on the road (.714 OPS).
Ortiz struck out half the twenty-two batters he faced tonight. Is he now the Grizzlies' top starter and perhaps in line for a return to the majors? In nine starts, his stats are 48 H, 10 BB, and 48 K in 51.0 IP with a 2.65 ERA. A couple runs raised Hinshaw's ERA to 4.32. He threw 20 of 33 pitches for strikes.
AA: Connecticut defeated Bowier 3-2
Connecticut: RF Eddy Martinez-Esteve: 1 for 3, HR, BB
Connecticut: SS Brandon Crawford: 2 for 4, 2B, BB
Connecticut: LHP Jesse English: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Connecticut: RHP Waldis Joaquin: 2.0 IP, 3 K
Bowie: RHP Brandon Erbe: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K--1 HR
EME had his 6th HR. Crawford reached base three times.
English has allowed more than 2 ER only twice in his last ten starts, but his K/BB ratio over his last seven starts has not been that good. Since mid-June, his peripheral stats are 36 H, 22 BB, and 29 K in 40.2 IP. Joaquin had 3 K in 2.0 perfect IP. Erbe, a top ten prospect for the Orioles, has pitched very well since being promoted to the upper minors. Tonight was the longest of his eight starts for Bowie, during which he has a 2.50 ERA.
A+: San Jose lost to Stockton 4-3
San Jose: CF Darren Ford: 2 for 5, SO, SB
San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 2 for 3, BB
San Jose: 1B C.J. Ziegler: 1 for 2, SO
San Jose: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 1 for 4, E
San Jose: LHP Clayton Tanner: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 HR
San Jose: RHP Rafael Cova: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
San Jose: LHP Dan Runzler: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Neal reached base three times, lining the ball hard into the outfield for a couple singles. Ford also had two of the Giants' seven hits. Ziegler got just a single on a pop-up down the right field line, and he was replaced defensively in the middle of the inning, perhaps for not getting a double on that play. For the second time in three nights, Gillaspie made a fielding error on a completely routine ground ball. He now has 25 errors.
Tanner began the game with five scoreless innings, despite loading the bases with no outs in the 4th inning. He allowed a couple runs in the 6th inning, including a lead-off HR as he seems to be somewhat suspectible to the long ball. Cova made his first appearance for a Giants' full-season affiliate after spending much of the year on the DL. Runzler pitched a perfect 8th inning.
A-: Augusta defeated Greenville 7-3
Augusta: 2B Juan Perez: 2 for 4, 2B
Augusta: 3B Charlie Culberson: 2 for 4, SO
Augusta: SS Ehire Adrianza: 2 for 3, BB
Augusta: DH Casey Kelly: 2 for 4
Augusta: RHP Andrew Reichard: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Augusta: RHP Eric Stolp: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER
Augusta: LHP Ryan Verdugo: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 4 K--1 WP
Greenvile: LHP Nick Hagadone: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
The GreenJackets' three (non-1B) infielders each had two hits, including Perez's 21st double. Adrianza reached base three times. Culberson committed his 34th error. Kelly, who is presumably the Red Sox' top pitching prospect but is playing the rest of the season has a position player had two singles after having just one hit in his first three Sally League games as a hitter.
Reichard got the start in his first appearance in nearly two months. He pitched just two innings. Stolp, who had been in the rotation recently, provided long relief. Verdugo struck out four of the nine batters he faced. Hagadone, whom BA rated as the Red Sox' #3 prospect to begin the year, had three no-hit innings in his tenth start. Coming back from Tommy John surgery and so far limited to no more than 3.0 IP in a start, Hagadone so far has 13 H, 14 BB, and 32 K in 25.0 IP.
ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Tri-City 9-5
Salem-Keizer: LF Dan Cook: 2 for 5, 3B
Salem-Keizer: 3B Andrew Biery: 2 for 5, 2B
Salem-Keizer: RHP Javier Hernandez: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K--1 HB, 1 WP
Among the Volcanoes' eleven hits were two XBHs, Cook's 3rd triple and Biery's 8th double.
Hernandez now has an ERA over 6.00 in his six starts, although a fair amount of run support, including tonight, has secured a 2-2 W-L record for him.
R: Giants lost to Angels 13-5
Scottsdale: C Hector Sanchez: 0 for 5
Scottsdale: DH Rafael Rodriguez: 1 for 3, BB, 2 SO
Scottsdale: LF Jonathan White: 3 for 3, BB
Tempe: LF Randal Grichuk: 2 for 4, HBP, SO
Tempe: CF Mike Trout: 3 for 5, SO
Scottsdale: RHP Edward Concepcion: 3.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--1 WP
Scottsdale: RHP Andrew Romo: 0.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER--1 HR, 1 HB, 1 WP
White reached base in all four plate appearances, while Sanchez was the only rookie Giant starter without a hit. Rodriguez, who reached base twice, had just his second hit in his last seven games, although he also has six walks in that time. Through his first twenty pro games, he is hitting .250/.386/.306 in 72 AB. Grichuk and Trout, the two outfielders whom the Angels drafted out of high school in the first round of this year's draft, each reached base three times. The both have AVGs close to .320.
Concepcion, tonight's starter, and Romo, the first of four relievers for the rookie Giants tonight, each allowed 5 ER, boosting their ERAs to close to 6.00.
DSL: Giants defeated Rays 10-4
Dominican: 2B Carlos Willoughby: 3 for 3, HR, 2 BB
Dominican: RHP Lorenzo Mendoza: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HB, 1 WP
Willoughby (20.8 y.o.) reached base in all five plate appearances, raising his OBP to .475. He also had his 1st HR of the season in 179 AB after having 0 HRs a years ago in 194 AB. Mendoza (17.11 y.o.) has allowed 1 ER or less in five of seven starts. He now has a 2.68 ERA with a .4-0 W-L record in his seven starts.