Highlight from the Giants' farm: John Bowker homered and doubled twice--which on a night devoid of other highlights was an many XBH as the rest of the Giants farm system had combined. Also notable, Henry Sosa allowed just 2 ER in 7.0 IP.
AAA: Fresno defeated Portland 6-2
Fresno: LF : John Bowker: 3 for 5, HR, 2 2B, CS
Fresno: 2B-SS Manny Burriss: 2 for 3, 3B, SH, E
Fresno: SP Henry Sosa: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Fresno: RP Geno Espineli: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Portland: RP Aaron Poreda: 2.0 IP, 1 K
Bowker had a big game, leading off the 5th inning with his 7th HR, which was his third XBH of the game after having previously doubled twice. Burriss added a couple hits in his ninth PCL game.
Making his fourth start, Sosa pitched seven full innings with just 2 ER allowed after having pitched no more than five innings in his previous three starts. He threw 59 of 90 pitches for strikes, although he had just 2 K. Espineli had 2 K in a perfect 9th inning. Poredo, whom the White Sox drafted in the first round three years ago and included in the Jake Peavy trade last summer, had 2.0 perfect IP in his fifth PCL appearance. He had made nineteen appearances in double-A to start the year.
AA: Richmond lost to Akron 3-2
(with no runs scored over the final six innings)
Richmond: SS Brandon Crawford: 0 for 2, 3 BB, SO
Richmond: CF Clay Timpner: 2 for 4
Akron: 3B Lonnie Chisenhall: 2 for 4, E
Richmond: SP Daryl Maday: 7.2 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Akron: SP Nick Hagadone: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K--2 WP
Timpner had two of the Fly Squirrels' five hits (all singles), keeping his AVG above .300. Crawford drew three walks as the only other Squirrel to reach base at least twice. He raised his OBP to .351. He has 36 BB this year, surpassing his last year's total of 30 BB about a week ago. Chisenhall is probably the Indians top prospect currently in the minors. While every Aero in the lineup had a hit, he was one of just two with multiple hits. The Aeros' eleven hits were all singles.
Maday allowed a season-high 11 H to raise his BAA above .250. He also induced four GiDPs while posting a 15/3 GO/FO line. Facing 31 batters, he ended up one batter short of pitching his first complete game of the year. Hagadone, whom the Indians acquired from the Red Sox in last summer's Victor Martinez trade, continues to rack up a lot of strikeouts but also a lot of walks and consequently a lot of runs. For the season, he has 66 K and 45 BB in 56.2 IP.
A+: San Jose lost to Modesto 7-2
San Jose: 2B Charlie Culberson: 2 for 4, SO, CS, E
San Jose: 3B Drew Biery: 2 for 3, SO
Modesto: C Jordan Pacheco: 3 for 5, HR, SO
San Jose: SP Eric Stolp: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--1 HR
San Jose: RP Jason Stoffel: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Culberson and Biery each had two of the Giants' seven hits (with just one XBH), raising their respective AVGs to .317 and .276. Culberson also committed his 10th error. The Rockies' Pacheco, who started for the Cal League in Tuesday's all-star game, had three hits, including his 3rd HR.
Stolp appeared to have his sinker working given his 11/1 GO/FO line, but he also gave up his share of hits, leading to 4 ER in 5.0 IP. Stoffel had 2 K in a perfect 9th inning.
A-: Augusta lost to Kannapolis 4-2
Augusta: DH Nick Liles: 3 for 4, SO
Augusta: 3B Chris Dominguez: 1 for 3, BB, E
Augusta: SP Chris Heston: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 HB, 1 WP
With the GreenJackets' only multi-hit line among their nine hits (all singles), Liles singled three times to raise his AVG to .315. Dominguez was the only other GreenJacket to reach base twice, while he also committed his 17th error.
Heston, who had allowed 4 ER over his previous four starts combined, allowed 4 ER in this start. His ERA is 5.43 through fourteen starts.
ssA: Salem-Keier lost to Boise 10-7
Salem-Keizer: SS Julio Izturis: 2 for 4, HBP
Salem-Keizer: LF Ryan Scoma: 3 for 4, BB, SO
Salem-Keizer: SP Edward Concepcion: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 3 K--1 HR, 1 WP
Salem-Keizer: RP Mario Rodriguez: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Scoma reached base four times as he had three of the Volcanoes' fourteen hits (all singles). Izturis was one of two other Volcanoes to reach base at least three times.
Concepcion was even less effective in his second start (8 R in 1.2 IP) than in his first start (5 R in 3.0 IP). Rodriguez provided effective long relief retiring ten of eleven batters. He has yet to allow a run in 8.1 IP over three appearances.
R: Giants defeated Athletics 5-4
Scottsdale: 2B Carlos Willoughby: 2 for 4, 2 SB
Scottsdale: SP Armando Paniagua: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K--1 WP
Scottsdale: RP Ryan Bradley: 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 5 K
Willoughby had two more hits and two more steals. He now has 6 SB in three games. All six of the rookie Giants hits were singles.
The 20-year-old Paniagua had an impressive U.S. debut with 8 K in 4.0 IP. Last summer in the DSL he had 34 K in 31.1 IP, along with a 3.73 ERA. Bradley struck out five of the seven batters he faced in his pro debut.
DSL: Giants lost to Nationals 5-2 (8.5 innings)
Dominican: 2B Alberto Robles: 2 for 4, 2 SO
Dominican: SP Ariel Hernandez: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K--1 HB
Robles (19.9 y.o.) had two of the Gigantes' four hits (all singles), raising his AVG to an even .200. In two starts this year, Hernandez (18.3 y.o.) has 9 BB in 8.0 IP, but his ERA in four total appearances is just 2.79.