Highlights from the Giants' farm: Eugenio Velez reached base five times, Johnny Monell homered and singled, and Chris Dominguez reached base in all four of his plate appearances.
AAA: Fresno defeated Iowa 10-7
(after being tied 4-4 through six innings)
Fresno: 2B Eugenio Velez: 3 for 4, 2 BB, CS E
Fresno: LF Jesus Guzman: 3 for 5, 2B, SO
Fresno: SP Waldis Joaquin: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB
Fresno: RP Dontrelle Willis: 1.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--1 HB, 1 WP
Fresno: RP Dan Runzler: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB
With three hits each, Velez and Guzman accounted for nearly half of the Grizzlies' fourteen hits. Both hitters have AVGs around .310.
Making his second PCL start, Joaquin lasted just two innings, but threw 56 pitches (36 strikes) in those two innings. Willis allowed a run in his first appearances with a Giants' full-season affiliate, although that was arguably negated by his two-RBI triple. Runzler allowed his first runs in five rehab appearances.
AA: Richmond defeated Bowie 4-0
Richmond: 1B Brandon Belt: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SO
Richmond: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 2 for 4, BB
Richmond: SP Felix Romero: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Richmond: RP Andy Sisco: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 6 K--1 WP
Richmond: RP Ronnie Ray: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Both Belt and and Gillaspie had two hits and a walk, raising their respective OBPs to .402 and .343.
Romero pitched five scoreless innings in his first start in nearly three weeks. He has a sub-3.00 ERA in eleven starts. Sisco and Ray struck out eight of the thirteen batters they faced in relief.
A+: San Jose defeated Stockton 7-1
San Jose: RF Francisco Peguero: 3 for 4, 2B
San Jose: C Johnny Monell: 2 for 4, HR, SO
San Jose: SS Ehire Adrianza: 1 for 4, HR
San Jose: LF James Simmons: 2 for 2, 2B, BB, CS
San Jose: SP Jorge Bucardo: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HR
San Jose: RP Jason Stoffel: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Monell had his 17th HR, and Adrianza his 2nd HR. Three hits raised Peguero's AVG to .317. Simmons reached base in all three of plate appearances.
Is Bucardo proving to be a bit too hittable in the Cal League? With 23 H (vs 9 K) in 15.2 IP over his last three starts, his BAA in five Cal League starts has risen to .286. Stoffel pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
A-: Augusta lost to Lexington 8-2
(after trailing 3-0 through seven innings)
Augusta: 3B Chris Dominguez: 3 for 3, 2B, BB, E
Lexington: SS Jio Mier: 2 for 3, 2 BB, SO, CS
Augusta: SP Chris Heston: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K--1 WP
Augusta: RP Craig Clark: 2.0+ IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Augusta: RP Jose Casilla: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Lexington: SP Tanner Boshue: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
With three singles while reaching base in all four plate appearances, Dominguez improved his season line to .267/.317/.436 through 505 AB, but he also committed his 30th error. Mier, whom Baseball America rated as the Astros #2 prospect prior to the season, reached base four times, but overall the 19-year-old has hit a disappointing .233/.316/.312 through 442 AB in his first full-season.
Heston allowed no more than 1 ER for the seventh time in his last eight starts, but a season-high 4 BB and two unearned runs led to the loss. Clark's struggles continue as after a couple scoreless innings, he and Casilla combined to allowed 5 ER in the 8th inning. The 26-year-old Clark now has an ERA above 5.00 in ten Sally League appearances. Boshue, one of the Astros' top ten prospect shut down the GreenJackets in this start after allowing 6 ER when he faced them in early July.
ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Yakima 5-3
Salem-Keizer: 2B Raynor Campbell: 2 for 4, SO, E
Salem-Keizer: RF Jose Medina: 0 for 1, 3 BB
Salem-Keizer: SP Shawn Sanford: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--1 HR
Salem-Keizer: RP Aaron King: 1.1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
Campbell had two of the Volcanoes' four hits (all singles), raising his AVG to .264. Medina drew three walks. With 28 BB among 188 AB, he has an OBP of .357 despite an AVG of just .245. His AVG has steadily fallen throughout the NWL season. After hitting over .300 in June, his AVG so far in August has been below the Mendoza line.
Sanford made his first start after eighteen relief appearances with the Volcanoes this year. Last year's thirteenth rounder had posted good stats as a reliever with 23 H, 12 BB, and 31 K in 27.0 IP with a 2.33 ERA. He still is just 21 years old with his 22nd birthday approaching later this week. King worked a scoreless inning. Despite all the walks, at least he remains hard to hit with just 2 H in 11.1 IP over his last ten appearances.
R: Giants lost to Cubs 7-5
Scottsdale: C Joe Staley: 1 for 4, HR, SO
Scottsdale: SP Gaspar Santiago: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Scottsdale: RP Matt Graham: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Staley had his first HR this month and 4th HR overall this year.
The 20-year-old Santiago allowed a few runs in his second start after nine relief appearances. Today's runs were his first runs allowed in over a month. Also allowing 3 ER was Graham, whose ERA rose above 7.00.
DSL: The Gigantes concluded their season on Saturday
(After winning their division by two games, their first playoff game will be next Friday August 27.)