Highlights from the Giants farm: Francisco Peguero and Evan Crawford each homered as part of three-hit performances. Also notable, Darren Ford reached base four times.
AAA: Fresno lost to Reno 10-5
(falling behind 8-0 after four innings)
Fresno: SS Manny Burriss: 3 for 5, SO
Reno: 1B Brandon Allen: 2 for 4, HR, BB, SO
Fresno: SP Kevin Pucetas: 4.0 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 3 K--2 HR, 1 HB
Fresno: RP Tony Pena Jr.: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Burriss' second straight three-hit game and fourth three-hit game in his last seven games raised his AVG to .307. Allen, whom the Diamondbacks acquired from the White Sox a year ago, had his 15th HR. Ranked among the D'backs' top five prospects at the start of the year, he is hitting .257/.403/.514 through 249 AB in his first full-season in triple-A.
Pucetas had one of his least effective starts of the season. This was the third time in his last nine starts with 7+ ER. His ERA is now over 6.00. Is Pena overmatched in the PCL? In ten appearances since his promotion, he has given up 0 ER just three times, a single earned run three times, and multiple earned runs in the other four appearances. His WHIP is nearly 3.00.
AA: Richmond lost to Bowie 4-3
Richmond: CF Darren Ford: 2 for 3, 2 BB
Richmond: 1B Brandon Belt: 2 for 4, 2B
Richmond: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Richmond: SP Mike MacDonald: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K--1 HB
Richmond: RP Rafael Cova: 1.0 IP, 3 K
Bowie: SP Steve Johnson: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Ford reached base four times. July has been his best month of the season with a .358 OBP so far, but his OBP for the season remains just .314. Both corner infielders--Belt and Gillaspie--also had multi-hit lines, which included the Flying Squirrels' only two XBHs, Belt's 5th double and Gillaspie's 14th double.
MacDonald returned to the rotation after four relief appearances, but his start did not go well with 4 ER on 8 H. Cova struck out all three of his batters. He now has 44 K but 26 BB in 37.2 IP. Johnson, the Rule 5 pick this year whom the Giants returned to the Orioles, made his second quality start of the month against the Squirrels, but his season ERA remains well above 5.00.
A+: San Jose lost to High Desert 8-3
(falling behind 5-1 after two innings)
San Jose: CF Francisco Peguero: 3 for 4, HR, 2 CS
San Jose: DH Johnny Monell: 0 for 4, 3 SO
High Desert: RF Johermyn Chavez: 3 for 5, HR, SO
San Jose: SP Oliver Odle: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 3 K--3 HR
San Jose: RP Edwin Quirarte: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Peguero remains red hot with the bat. While the Giants had just seven hits overall, he had a three-hit game for the fifth time in his last six games. He also had his third HR of that time span, which has nearly doubled his season total to 7 HRs. Monell had also been swinging a hot bat in July, but today he had the oh-fer with the hat trick. His SO/AB is close to 25%. Chavez, whom the Mariners acquired from the Blue Jays as part of the Brandon Morrow and Brandon League swap, had his 24th HR. The 21-year-old is hitting .303/.376/.565 though 379 AB.
Odle had his fourth straight start with at least 5 ER, raising his season ERA above 5.00. Quirarte worked a perfect 9th inning, but his ERA is still over 6.00 over his last ten appearances.
A-: Augusta lost to Hickory 6-4
(after trailing 6-3 through four innings)
Augusta: 3B Chris Dominguez: 3 for 5, 2B, 2 SO
Augusta: CF Evan Crawford: 3 for 4, HR, 2B
Augusta: SP Chris Heston: 3.2 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 HR
Augusta: RP Hector Correa: 2.1 IP, 1 BB, 5 K
Dominguez and Crawford each had three-hit performances, raising their respective AVGs to .270 and .265. Crawford's XBHs were his 4th HR and 11th double.
Heston had his shortest start since before Memorial Day. His 9 H and 6 ER both were both the most he has allowed in his last ten starts. Correa struck out five of his eight batters, raising his K/IP to 1.50. In nine appearances since the SAL's all-star break, he has 7 H, 2 BB, and 20 K in 11.2 IP.
ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Everett 7-5
Salem-Keizer: SS Julio Izturis: 2 for 4, SH, SB
Salem-Keizer: 2B Adam Duvall: 1 for 2, 2B, 2 HBP
Salem-Keizer: SP Edward Concepcion: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 K--1 WP, 1 E
Izturis had one of the Volcanoes' two multi-hit lines and also his 5th SB. Duvall, the Volcanoes' other middle infielder, reached base three times.
Concepcion's eighth start was his second shortest of the season. With 4 BB issued in four of his eight starts, his BB/IP is over 0.67.
R: GIants lost to Angels 8-3
Scottsdale: DH Mike Murray: 3 for 5
Scottsdale: SP Austin Fleet: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Tempe: SP Cam Bedrosian: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 WP
After three singles today, Murray now has a .400 AVG through his first eight pro games.
Fleet has been a bit of feast or famine since his pro debut. In his last six starts, he has four starts with 0 ER but 5 R in each of the other two starts. Bedrosian, one of the Angels' first rounders this year and who is the son of the Giants' closer in 1990, made his third pro appearance (second start).
DSL: The Gigantes had their regular Sunday off-day
(The currently have a 1.5 game lead in their eight-team division with four weeks left in their season.)