Tuesday highlights from the Giants' farm: Brett Pill homered and had three other hits; Edgar Gonzalez, Adam Duvall, and Josh Mazzola also homered as part of multi-hit performances.
AAA: Fresno defeated Tacoma 10-2
Fresno: LF Emmanuel Burriss: 3 for 6, 2 2B, SB
Fresno: CF Tyler Graham: 3 for 5, SB
Fresno: 1B Brett Pill: 4 for 4, HR, 2B, SF
Fresno: 2B-RF Edgar Gonzalez: 2 for 4, HR, BB
Fresno: SP Ryan Vogelsong: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K--1 E
Fresno: RP David Mixon: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Pill had a big night with four hits, including his 2nd HR and 4th double. He is hitting better than .500 and slugging nearly 1.000 through his first 25 AB. Gonzalez also homered. Hitting in the first two spots in the lineup, Burriss and Graham both had three hits as they combined to score five runs with Pill batting behind them. This is the first time I recall Burriss playing the outfield as a pro.
Vogelsong has a strong start with 8 K, although he was not particularly efficient with his pitch count requiring 103 pitches (65 strikes) in less than six innings. Mixon retired 10 of his 12 batters for the save.
AA: Richmond defeated Bowie 7-2
Richmond: C Johnny Monell: 1 for 3, BB
Richmond: RF Mike McBryde: 2 for 4, SO
Richmond: Tommy Vessella: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--1 HR, 1 HB
Batting in the second half of the Flying Squirrels' lineup, McBryde and Monell were the only two Squirrels to reach base twice.
Vessella, who pitched in independent baseball the past two seasons, had an effective debut as a Giant. He was notably efficient with his pitch count, requiring just 74 pitches (45 strikes) over six innings as he faced just three batters over the minimum.
A+: San Jose lost to Lancaster 8-5
(allowing five runs in the bottom of the 8th inning)
San Jose: CF Gary Brown: 2 for 3, 2 BB, SO, SB, CS
San Jose: C Tommy Joseph: 1 for 4, HR, 2 SO
San Jose: 1B Luke Anders: 1 for 3, HR, BB
Lancaster: RF Jay Austin: 3 for 4, 2B, CS
San Jose: SP Michael Main: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--1 WP, 1 E
San Jose: RP Jose Casilla: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB--1 HR
Brown, perhaps the Giants' best hitting prospect in the minors, reached base four times. His SB/CS line is now 7/2. Joseph and Anders both had their 2nd HRs. Joseph's big fly was a grand slam in the 6th inning. Austin, the Astros' second round pick three years ago, had three hits to raise his early season AVG to .364.
Main had a reasonably strong 2011 season debut, allowing just 1 ER, but he did allow hits to nearly one third (6 of 19) of his batters faced. Casilla had another very rough relief appearance, this time retiring just two of seven batters.
A-: Augusta defeated Rome 5-3
Augusta: 3B Adam Duvall: 2 for 5, HR, 2 SO
Augusta: DH Josh Mazzola: 3 for 4, HR, BB (IBB), SO, E
Augusta: SP Justin Schumer: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Augusta: RP Jacob Dunnington: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Augusta: RP Drew Bowlin: 1.0 IP, 3 K
Duvall and Mazzola, who had the GreenJackets' only multi-hit lines, went deep back-to-back in the 5th inning with their 2nd and 3rd HRs, respectively.
Schumer had a strong start, not allowing an earned run. He didn't strike anyone out but was a groundball machine with a 16/2 GO/FO line. By contrast, the two relievers Dunnington and Bowlin struck out 7 of their 10 batters.