Sunday highlights from the Giants' farm: Kevin Pucetas and Kyle Vazquez, as well as Kyle Nicholson, each allowed just 1 ER in their starts. Also notable, Clay Timpner, Wendell Fairley, and Ryan Lormand each had three hits.
AAA: Fresno defeated Portland 7-6(despite allowing five runs in the 8th inning)
Fresno: C Buster Posey: 1 for 2, 2 BB
Fresno: 1B Brett Pill: 1 for 4, HR, SO
Fresno: CF Mike McBryde: 2 for 4, SO
Portland: LF Mike Baxter: 4 for 5, 2 2B, SO
Fresno: SP Kevin Pucetas: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K--1 HB
Fresno: RP Horacio Ramirez: 1.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 K
Portland: RP Luis Perdomo: 2.0 IP, 1 K
Posey reached base three times, while McBryde had the Grizzlies' only multi-hit line. Pill had his 1st HR of the year. Baxter, whom the Padres drafted in the fourth round in 2005, had a big game and has both his OBP and SLG above .500 through his first ten games this year.
Pucetas had a fine start, while throwing 55 of 88 pitches for strikes. The inverted 2/3 K/BB ratio may not be a positive sign but perhaps okay when combined with a 9/5 GO/FO line. Ramirez yielded five runs in the 8th inning. Perdomo had two perfect innings against his former organization.
AA: Richmond lost to Reading 5-2
Richmond: CF Clay Timpner: 3 for 5
Richmond: LF Thomas Neal: 1 for 3, 2B, HBP
Richmond: SP Mike MacDonald: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 HR
Richmond: RP Craig Whitaker: 2.0 IP, 2 K
Timpner had three of the Flying Squirrels' seven hits. Neal, who had his 4th double, was one of three other Squirrels' hitters to reach base twice.
MacDonald's results were statistically not as good in his second start as a Giant as they were in his first start. His ERA remains just 3.00, though. Whitaker threw two perfect innings.
A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 6-3
San Jose: SS Ryan Lormand: 3 for 4, BB
San Jose: CF Francisco Peguero: 2 for 5, 2B, SO, CS
San Jose: LF Wendell Fairley: 3 for 4, E
San Jose: SP Kyle Nicholson: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K--1 PO, 2 WP
With three hits each, Lormand and Fairley accounted for half of the Giants' dozen hits and improved their respective AVGs to .387 and .269. Peguero's 4th double was the Giants' only XBH.
Nicholson's second start was much more effective than his first start, but his ERA remains above 11.00.
A-: Augusta defeated Charleston 3-1
Augusta; RF Daniel Cook: 1 for 3, HBP
Augusta: 1B Tommy Joseph: 1 for 4, HR
Augusta: SP Kyle Vazquez: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Augusta: RP Jose Casilla: 1.2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K
Joseph's 2nd pro HR was a two-run, one-out, walk-off HR in the bottom of the 9th inning to break a 1-1 tie. Cook was the only GreenJacket to reach base twice.
While perhaps not as impressive as in his previous start, Vazquez had another outstanding start, allowing just five baserunners and his first run of the year. Making his fifth appearance, Casilla issued his first two walks of the season.