Highlights from the Giants' farm, generally a good night for quite a few hitters but not the pitchers: (a,b,c) Brad Boyer, Francisco Peguero, and Andy D'Alessio each had four hits; (d,e) Jesus Guzman and John Bowker also reached base four times each; (f) Nick Noonan had a couple XBH; (g,h,i) Chris Dominguez and catchers Johnny Monell and Hector Sanchez all homered in multi-hit performances; and (j) Mike Loree had one of his best starts of the season.
AAA: Fresno lost to Nashville 7-6
Fresno: 1B Jesus Guzman: 2 for 3, 2 BB
Fresno: LF John Bowker: 1 for 2, 2 BB, HBP
Fresno: RHP Kevin Pucetas: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 5 K--1 WP
Fresno: RHP Osiris Matos: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Fresno: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--1 HB
Batting fourth and fifth in the Grizzlies' lineup, Guzman and Bowker both reached base four times. Bowker further increased is league-leading OBP to .448, which is now more than double his .222 OBP in the majors this year.
Is Pucetas, one of the league leaders in innings pitched, tiring down the stretch? After a 3.73 ERA in eighteen starts prior to the all-star break, he has an ERA of 4.95 in six starts since. On the positive side, he issued no walks tonight after having issued at least two walks in his seven previous starts. This helped to get his K/BB back over 2.00. A scoreless inning for Matos maintained his sub-3.00 ERA. Hinshaw had been pitching more efficiently over the last couple weeks, but he threw just 14 of 30 pitches for strikes in this outing.
AA: Connecticut defeated Erie 6-5 (10 innings)
Connecticut: 2B Brock Bond: 2 for 5, 2B
Connecticut: 3B Brad Boyer: 4 for 5, 3B
Erie: 1B Ryan Strieby: 3 for 5, 3 2B
Connecticut: RHP Garrett Broshuis: 5.0 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
The red-hot Boyer had another big game, with four hits, including his 7th triple of the year, raising his AVG to .293. Bond has cooled off in August, tonight having just his second multi-hit line in his last ten games. After hitting .424 in 99 AB in July, his AVG is just .245 through 49 AB in August. I believe that BP's Kevin Goldstein considers Strieby one of the more underappreciated prospects in the game. BA rated him #12 in the Tigers' organization at the start of the year. After turning 24 years old this past Sunday while apparently on the DL, Strieby had three doubles tonight, improving his season line to .301/.417/.552 in 279 AB.
Broshuis has been hit hard over his last six starts, allowing 45 H, 10 BB, and 19 ER in 23.1 IP.
A+: San Jose defeated Stockton 5-3
San Jose: 2B Nick Noonan: 2 for 4, 2 2B, SO
San Jose: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 1 for 3, BB
San Jose: RHP Oliver Odle: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--1 HR
San Jose: RHP Rafael Cova: 1.0 IP, 2 K--1 WP
Noonan's 19th and 20th doubles were two of the Giants' seven hits. Not only is Noonan's AVG .020 higher since the all-star break in comparison to before the break, but his IsoP is also .038 higher. Gillaspie was one of two other Giants to reach base twice.
Odle once again fell short of a quality start, although this start was still good enough to knock a few points off his ERA, which remains above 5.25. Cova struck out two of the four batters he faced in the 9th inning for his 2nd save.
A-: Augusta defeated Hagerstown 6-3
Augusta: CF Francisco Peguero: 4 for 5
Augusta: DH Andy D'Alessio: 4 for 4
Augusta: C Johnny Monell: 2 for 3, HR
Augusta: SS Ehire Adrianza: 1 for 3, 2B, BB
Augusta: RHP Mike Loree: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K--1 WP
Augusta: LHP Ryan Verdugo: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--2 WP
Augusta: RHP Edwin Quirarte: 1.0 IP, 1 H
With four hits each, Peguero and D'Alessio accounted for over half of the GreenJackets' fourteen hits. They raised their respective AVGs to .369 and .304. Monell had his 4th HR. Adrianza had his 14th double and drew the GreenJackets' only walk on the evening.
Loree had a season-high 8 K in his eighteenth start. Before tonight, he had allowed more than twice as many hits as strikeouts, but now his K/H ratio is back above 0.50. Verdugo, who was dominant through his first twelve appearances of the season and then allowed 3 BB in his thirteenth appearance a couple days ago, finally allowed his first run of the year tonight in his fourteenth appearance. Quirarte worked a scoreless inning.
ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Spokane 4-1
Salem-Keizer: 1B Luke Anders: 3 for 4, 3B, CS
Salem-Keizer: 3B Chris Dominguez: 2 for 4, HR
Salem-Keizer: LHP Chris Gloor: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 2 K--1 WP
Salem-Keizer: RHP Kyle Vazquez: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB< 5 K
Anders (32nd rounder) had three hits, including his first pro triple, to raise his AVG to .285. Dominguez (3rd rounder) finally had his first big fly of the month. After 7 HRs in 18 games in July, this was his first HR in 13 games in August.
Gloor (17th rounder), who entered the evening with a BB/IP below 0.33, issued five walks in his fourth start (and thirteenth appearance). His ERA crept up to 1.78. Vazquez (15th rounder) provided excellent long relief. He stranded both inherited runners and pitched 4.1 scoreless innings, which brought his ERA below 3.50.
R: Giants defeated Brewers 5-3
Scottsdale: 2B Nick Liles: 3 for 5
Scottsdale: C Hector Sanchez: 3 for 5, HR, SO
Scottsdale: RHP Jason Jarvis: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Scottsdale: RHP Shawn Sanford: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Liles (7th rounder) and Sanchez each had three hits, including Sanchez's first HR in the U.S., as they raised their respective AVGs to .319 and .307.
Jarvis, a late round pick a year ago who began the year with eight relief appearances, pitched much more effectively in his second start (1 ER in 5.0 IP) than in his first first (6 ER in 4.0 IP). He has had 6 K and 1 BB in both starts, though. Sanford (13th rounder) had 2 K in a perfect 9th inning for his 4th save.
DSL: Giants at Braves was postponed by rain
(Eight of sixteen DSL games were postponed by rain today.)