Sunday highlights from the Giants' farm: Matt Yourkin and Chris Heston each allowed just 1 ER in their starts.
AAA: Fresno lost to Tacome 6-4 (11 innings)
Fresno: RF Eugenio Velez: 2 for 5, 2B, CS
Fresno: C Steve Holm: 2 for 3, 2B, SH, CS
Tacoma: C Eliezer Alfonzo: 2 for 4, HR, SO
Fresno: SP Matt Yourkin: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K--1 HR
Fresno: RP Tony Pena Jr.: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 K--1 HR
Velez and Holm each had two of the Grizzlies' nine hits, including their 7th and 12th doubles, respectively. The ex-Giant Alfonzo who is now in the Mariners organization had his 4th HR.
Yourkin seems to have emerged as the Giants' best starter. Today he allowed just three batters over the minimum, including the solo HR to lead off the 4th inning. Pena seems to be struggling to throw quality strikes. (Today he threw 14 of 19 pitches for strikes.) In five appearances, PCL hitters have a .448 AVG against him.
AA: Richmond lost to Altoona 5-3
Richmond: 1B Brandon Belt: 1 for 4, HR, 3 SO
Richmond: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 3 for 4
Richmond: SP Clayton Tanner: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K--1 WP
Richmond: RP Mike MacDonald: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB--1 WP
Belt had his 4th HR in nine Eastern League games. He also had a hat trick today, leading me to wonder whether perhaps he has sold out for power since his promotion. All else equal, one would not expect this spike in power in moving from the Cal League to the Eastern League. However, his SO/AB ratio since his promotion remains below 20% given that he had struck out just three times in his previous eight games, so it does not appear based on that stat that he is selling out for power. A couple days ago, Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus indicated that he now considers Belt among the top 100 prospects (although not among the top 50). Gillaspie had the Flying Squirrels' only multi-hit line. Hitting close to .500 over his last eight games, he has raised his season AVG to .270.
Tanner had his shortest start in nearly two full months. Still, he ERA remains comfortably below 3.50. MacDonald, the Squirrels' opening day starter, made his third relief appearance, in which he did not retire any of his three batters.
A+: San Jose lost to Lake Elsinore 9-3
San Jose: SS Ehire Adrianza: 2 for 4, BB, SO, SB, E
San Jose: 2B Charlie Culberson: 1 for 4, HR
Lake Elsinore: LF Jaff Decker: 3 for 3, 2 BB
San Jose: SP Kyle Nicholson: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K--1 HR, 2 WP, 1 E
San Jose: RP Jason Stoffel: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
With the Giants' only multi-hit line, plus a walk, Adrianza raised his OBP to .330. He also committed his 12th error. Culberson had his 11th HR. Decker, who entered season ranked among the Padres' top five prospects, reached base in all five plate appearances.
Nicholson had an ineffective start. While usually the issue is the number of hits allowed (.307 BAA), today he also issued three walks, which was as many as he had issued over his past eight starts combined. Stoffel allowed a couple earned runs. Like Nicholson, he now has an ERA above 6.00.
A-: Augusta lost to Kannapolis 4-0
Augusta: DH Chris Dominguez: 0 for 4, 3 SO
Augusta: 1B Luke Anders: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Augusta: SP Chris Heston: 8.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K--1 E
Anders had two of the GreenJackets' five hits, including his 21st double. Dominguez had the oh-fer with the hat trick, raising his SO/AB above 24% as he has struck out in each of his last ten games.
The victim of no run support, Heston saw his W-L record drop to 3-10 with just one run allowed in 8.0 IP. In his eight starts since Memorial Day, he has peripheral stats of 49 H, 8 BB, and 43 K in 49.2 IP. Even with a 2.54 ERA in that time span, he has 1-5 W-L record with two no decisions.
ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Tri-City 10-0
Salem-Keizer: C Andrew Burg: 2 for 4, SO, E
Salem-Keizer: SP Edwin Escobar: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 8 K--1 HR
Salem-Keizer: RP Aaron King: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--1 HB
Burg had two of the Volcanoes' six hits (all singles), but his AVG remains below the Mendoza line.
Escobar matched a season-high (in four starts) with 8 K, but he also allowed a season high 5 R. Making his first appearance in a week, King retired just one of his five batters.
R: The Giants had their regular off-day (every fifth day)
DSL: The Gigantes had their usual Sunday off-day
DSL: Giants lost to Nationals 3-1
(Saturday's box score now available)
Dominican: C Gabriel Cornier: 2 for 3, BB
Dominican: SP Jose Reyes: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--1 WP
Cornier (18.1 y.o.) had two of the Gigantes' four hits (all singles), raising his AVG to .343. Although neither Reyes (19.6 y.o.) nor his two relievers allowed an earned run, Reyes took his second straight loss in his third pro start.