Highlights from the Giants' farm: (a) Roger Kieschnick reahed base in all five plate appearances, including three doubles; (b,c) Mike McBryde and MIke Mooney combined for seven Defenders hits; and (d) Daryl Maday allowed 2 ER in 6.0 IP.
AAA: Fresno lost to Memphis 6-4
Fresno: C Buster Posey: 2 for 3, BB, SO
Fresno: LF Joe Borchard: 1 for 4, HR, SO
Fresno: RF Ben Copeland: 1 for 4, HR, 2 SO
Memphis: LF Allen Craig: 3 for 4, 2B
Fresno: RHP Kevin Pucetas: 7.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K--1 WP
Fresno: RHP Osiris Matos: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER
Memphis: LHP Jaime Garcia: 6.0 IP, 4 R, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 9 K--1 HB
With two of the Grizzlies' five hits, as well as one of their two walks, Posey was the only Grizzly to reach base twice. Borchard and Copeland both homered in the 1st inning, for Borchard his 13th HR and for Copeland his 5th HR. Craig, whom the Cardinals drafted out of UC Berkeley three years ago, continues to be on a tear. After three hits tonight, he is hitting .415 in 130 AB since the all-star break.
Pucetas had less than a quality start, but his ERA remains below 4.00. Matos's ERA is back above 3.00 after allowing a couple decisive runs in the 8th inning. Garcia made his first start for Memphis this year and just his sixth appearance of the season as he comes back from Tommy John surgery. He struck out 9 of the 24 Grizzlies he faced.
AA: Connecticut defeated New Hampshire 5-3
(rallying for two runs in the 9th inning)
Connecticut: CF Mike McBryde: 4 for 5, 2B
Connecticut: RF Mike Mooney: 3 for 4
New Hampshire: 2B Brad Emaus: 1 for 2, HR, BB, SF, E
Connecticut: RHP Daryl Maday: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K--1 HR, 1 WP, 1 BK
Connecticut: LHP Dan Runzler: 0.2 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
Connecticut: RHP Matt Yourkin: 1.0 IP, 3 K
McBryde and Mooney combined for seven of the Defenders' ten hits, improving their respective AVGs to .276 and .256. Emaus, whom BA ranked as the Blue Jays' #10 prospect, had another good game against the Defenders, this time connecting for his 10th HR. His AVG has steadily fallen over the course of the season, though, now done to .251.
Maday had a quality start, with the major damage coming with a two-run, no-out HR in the 6th inning. The 4 BB was unusually high for Maday given that he has averaged less than two walks per start. The 4 BB and 5 K were both the most he had had since his start on Independence Day. Runzler got the tough blown save for allowing a sac fly to the second batter he faced. Yourkin bounced back from his rough appearance the previous night to strike out all three batters for his 4th save.
A+: San Jose defeated Visalia 8-4
San Jose: CF Darren Ford: 1 for 4, HR, 3 SO
San Jose: LF Tyler Graham: 2 for 4, 2B, BB
San Jose: RF Roger Kieschnick: 3 for 3, 3 2B, 2 BB
San Jose: C Nestor Rojas: 2 for 4, BB, SO, GiDP
San Jose: 3B Skyler Stromsmoe: 1 for 4, HR, SO
San Jose: RHP Kyle Nicholson: 5.0+ IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Kieschnick reached base in all five plate appearances. It was his second time in his last three games with three doubles. He is now hitting .302/.350/.544 through 450 AB. Graham and Rojas also had multi-hit lines while reaching base three times. Ford had his 7th HR. He also had a hat trick, although his strikeout rate has been much lower in the second half of the season. Stromsmoe had his 2nd HR.
Nicholson allowed just 1 ER through 5.0 IP before allowing a leadoff walk, a single, and a two-RBI double in the 6th inning to the first three batters he faced.
A-: Augusta hosting Savannah was postponed by rain
(A makeup double-header is scheduled for tomorrow.)
ssA: Salem-Keizer had a scheduled off-day
(the third of their three scheduled off-days)
Volcanoes on NWL leaderboards in selected stats:
--Hitters:
AVG: Biery 1st
OBP: Biery 6th, Cavan 10th
SLG: Biery 3rd
HR: Dominguez 1st
SB: Dominguez 9th
--Pitchers:
ERA: JoBucardo 5th
WHIP: JoBucardo 3rd
K: JoBucardo 6th
IP: JoBucardo 1st
R: Giants lost to Mariners 9-3
Scottsdale: C Hector Sanchez: 2 for 3, 2B, BB, SO, PB
Scottsdale: CF Sundrendy Windster: 1 for 4, HR, 2 SO
Scottsdale: RHP Chris Heston: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K--1 PO
Scottsdale: RHP Brian Irving: 2.0 IP, 3 K
Scottsdale: RHP Devan Kline: 0.0 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB--1 HB, 1 IBB
Sanchez reached base three times. He entered the night hitting .296/.400/.418 through 98 AB. Windster had his 3rd HR.
Heston matched several career highs with 5.0 IP, 3 BB, and 7 K. Despite good peripheral stats, his ERA is nearly 4.50. Irving had 3 K in 2.0 perfect IP. Kline failed to retire any of the five batters he faced in the 8th inning.
DSL: Giants defeated Royals 6-0 (7 innings) in game 1
Dominican: SS Cesar Soto: 2 for 3, HBP, SO
Dominican: LHP Diego De La Cruz: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 HB
Soto (18.4 y.o.) reached base three times. His AVG remains below the Mendoza line, although he does have more walks than hits. Six shutout innings brought De La Cruz's (20.6 y.o.) ERA down below 0.50 in his seven starts. He has not allowed an earned run in his past five starts.
DSL: Giants defeated Royals 6-2 (7 innings) in game 2
Dominican: DH Rey Duran: 2 for 2, BB
Dominican: LHP Keurin Feliz: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HB
Duran (20.0 y.o.) reached base in all thre plate appearances, raising his OBP to .352. After a couple rough starts in June, Feliz (19.0 y.o.) has reeled off eight starts with just 9 ER allowed in that time (1.98 ERA).