Post-season victories for both Connecticut and San Jose included these individual highlights on the Giants' farm: (a) Ari Ronick had 5.1 scoreless IP; (b) Paul Oseguera allowed just 1 R in 6.0 IP; (c) Brock Bond reached base four times; (d) Mike McBryde had three hits; and (e) Johnny Monell homered while collecting two hits in the same inning.
AAA: Fresno ended its season on Labor Day
AA: Connecticut defeated New Britain 2-0
(winning the best-of-five semifinal series in four games)
Connecticut: 2B Brock Bond: 2 for 3, 2 BB
Connecticut: CF Mike McBryde: 3 for 4, SH, SO, SB
Connecticut: 1B Brett Pill: 2 for 4, BB, SO
Connecticut: SS Brandon Crawford: 0 for 5, GiDP
Connecticut: C Jackson Williams: 1 for 2, BB
Connecticut: LF Bobby Felmy: 2 for 4, 2 SO, CS
Connecticut: LHP Ari Ronick: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Connecticut: LHP Alex Hinshaw: 0.2 IP, 1 K
Connecticut: LHP Joe Paterson: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Hitting in the top three spots in the Defenders' lineup, Bond, McBryde, and Pill combined for eight of the Defenders' twelve hits (all singles) and all four of their walks. Along with Felmy, all four hitters had an AVG above .350 in the four-game series. By contrast, the oh-fer dropped Crawford's post-season AVG to .167. Williams was a fifth Defender in the lineup to reach base twice.
Ronick, who had a 2.65 ERA in the Sally League this year, pitched 5.1 shutout innings in his upper minors debut, facing just two batters over the minimum through the first five innings. Hinshaw stranded both of his inherited runners in the 6th inning. Paterson finished the game facing the minimum nine batters in the final three innings for the three-inning save to complete the shutout.
A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 8-3
(rallying for eight runs in the 8th inning to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series)
San Jose: LF Francisco Peguero: 1 for 3, 2 BB, E
San Jose: DH Thomas Neal: 0 for 5, 4 SO
San Jose: SS Brian Bocock: 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB, CS
San Jose: C Johnny Monell: 2 for 3, HR, SO
San Jose: LHP Paul Oseguero: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K--1 IBB
San Jose: RHP Ryan Shaver: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
San Jose: LHP David Quinowski: 1.0 IP, 2 K
San Jose: RHP Dan Turpen: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Bakersfield: LHP Tim Murphy: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Although Monell didn't enter the game until the 5th inning, when he struck out as a pinch hitter, Monell had the Giants' only multi-hit line. He led off the 8th inning with a solo HR before singling later in the inning. Peguero and Bocock each reached base three times. Neal had another oh-fer, this time with the sombrero.
Oseguera had an effective start, allowing just 1 R in 6.0 IP. Shaver pitched a scoreless 7th inning but did not retire any of the three batters he faced in the 8th inning, which allowed a couple insurance runs in the top half of the inning, although those runs proved in the bottom half of the inning to not be nearly enough insurance. Quinowski and Turpen combined for 3 K in 2.0 perfect IP. This was Quinowski's first game with a full-season affiliate in over two years after he missed all of last season and had all of his appearances previously this year come in short-season ball. The Rangers' Murphy, who had an ERA close to 7.00 this year, had perhaps his best start of the year. In a mid-July start in San Jose, he had allowed 9 ER in 3.0 IP, but yesterday in San Jose shut out the Giants through seven innings.
A-: Augusta ended its season on Labor Day
ssA: Salem-Keizer won the NWL championship series on September 10
R: Giants lost AZL championship game on August 31
DSL: The Gigantes finished their DSL championship series sweep on August 31