Highlights from the Giants' farm: (a) Matt Downs has 3 XBHs; (b,c) Darren Ford and Juan Perez each had three hits; and in short-season ball (d,e) Wilbur Bucardo and Cameron Lamb both had fairly dominant starts, combining for 11.0 IP scoreless IP. Also noteworthy is Madison Bumgarner having a somewhat abbreviated start with 4.0 IP.
AAA: Fresno defeated Sacramento 8-4 Fresno: LF John Bowker: 1 for 1, 2B Fresno: LHP Steve Hammond: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K--2 HR Downs had 3 XBHs--his 1st triple, and his 20th and 21st doubles. Guzman also reached base three times. Bowker left the game for a pinch runner after doubling in the 1st inning. The Athletics' Everidge is having a breakout year, including an OPS over .900 in 27 PCL games. Hammond allowed 4 ER in this start after allowed 3 ER or less in his past three starts. His ERA is now 5.65 after sixteen starts. AA: Connecticut defeated New Britain 3-1 (7 innings) in game 1 Connecticut: 2B Brock Bond: 0 for 4 Connecticut: LHP Madison Bumgarner: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HR After reaching base with either a hit or walk in his last 50+ games, Bond finally had that streak snapped. Boyer had two of the Defenders' five hits, but his AVG remains below .250. Bumgarner had a relatively abbreviated start. He was not quite as effective today as normal with a 1.50 WHIP. He'll pitch again Sunday in the Futures Game. Paterson pitched two scoreless innings for his 10th save. He was one of four Defenders named to participate in the Eastern League all-star game next week. AA: Connecticut lost to New Britain 7-3 (7 innings) in game 2 Connecticut: DH Tyler LaTorre: 2 for 3, 2B Connecticut: RHP Mike Musgrave: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K--1 HB With his 5th double and a single, LaTorre was the only Defender to reach base twice. Hughes, whom BA ranked as the Twins' #17 prospect at the start of the year, had four hits, including three doubles. I believe this was Musgrave's first start since he had Tommy John surgery about three years ago. It did not go well with 3 ER as the Rock Cats batted around in the 1st inning. Snyder, a former starter who made one spot start earlier this year, provided long relief, allowing just 1 ER in 4.0 IP. A+: San Jose defeated High Desert 6-2 San Jose: CF Darren Ford: 3 for 4, SB, CS San Jose: RHP Oliver Odle: 5.1 IP, 10 H, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Ford had three of the Giants' seven hits, but his AVG remains well below .250. His SB/CS line remains unimpressive as well at 12/7. Returning to the lineup after missing a couple games, Neal had his 14th HR. Odle scattered 10 H over 5.1 IP allowing just a couple runs, both unearned. His ERA remains above 5.00. Runzler pitched a perfect 8th inning. A-: Augusta defeated Asheville 9-3 Augusta: SS Ehire Adrianza: 2 for 4, SO, E Augusta: LHP Eric Surkamp: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K--1 HB The slumping Perez reversed that trend with a three-hit night, getting his AVG back up to .257. Adrianza was one of three other GreenJackets with two hits, but he also committed his 19th error. Surkamp had his seventh straight start allowing 2 ER or less. He has also racked up the strikeout total in his nine starts over the last two months, with 62 K in 50.2 IP. For the season, his K/BB ratio is nearly 5.00. It seems that Fitzgerald pitches well enough most of the time but is prone to a a big blowup in between. Tonight he failed to retire any of the five batters he faced in the 7th inning. ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Tri-City 4-0 Salem-Keizer: DJ C.J. Ziegler: 1 for 2, HR, 2 BB Salem-Keizer: RHP Wilbur Bucardo: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--2 HB Ziegler and Martinez (40th rounder) each had their 2nd HRs. The older Bucardo had perhaps the best start of his pro career, or at least his best NWL start. His ERA after four starts is just 0.79. Tonight his GO/FO line was 14/5. Quinowski finished the shutout. His ERA is also below 1.00. Quinowski has almost as many strikeouts (11 K in 10.2 IP) as Bucardo has in twice the innings (12 K in 22.2 IP). R: Giants defeated Athletics 5-2 Scottsdale: RF Sundrendy Windster: 1 for 4, HR, SO Scottsdale: RHP Cameron Lamb: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Lopez, a late round draftee two years who hit just .195 a year ago in the AZL, had three hits, raising his AVG this year to .320 through 25 AB. Windster, who had 10 HRs last summer in the DSL, had his 1st HR (and 1st XBH) in the U.S. Lamb had his second straight start with 8 K. Through four starts, he has been quite effective with peripherals stats of 15 H, 6 BB, and 25 K in 19.0 IP. DSL: Giants defeated Yankees1 5-2 Dominican: 2B Carlos Willoughby: 2 for 4, 2B, 2 SO, SB, E Willoughby had another solid game, including the Gigantes' only XBH today. Flores (17.7 y.o.) had a career-high 6 K in his sixth pro start. His K/IP ratio is now 0.75.
Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 2 for 3, BB
Fresno: 2B Matt Downs: 3 for 4, 3B, 2 2B
Sacramento: DH Tommy Everidge: 2 for 4, HR, 2B
Connecticut: 3B Brad Boyer: 2 for 3
Connecticut: LHP Joe Paterson: 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K
New Britain: 3B Luke Hughes: 4 for 4, 3 2B
Connecticut: LHP Ben Snyder: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K
San Jose: LF Thomas Neal: 1 for 3, HR, HBP, 2 SO
San Jose: LHP Dan Runzler: 1.0 IP
Augusta: 2B Juan Perez: 3 for 4, SO
Augusta: RHP Justin Fitzgerald: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB
Salem-Keizer: 2B Juan Martinez: 2 for 3, HR, 3B
Salem-Keizer: LHP David Quinowski: 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 3 K
Scottsdale: 2B Jose Lopez: 3 for 4
Dominican: RHP Kendry Flores: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K--1 WP