Wednesday highlights from the Giants' farm: Chris Heston combined with two relievers for a shutout; leadoff hitters Gary Brown and Carlos Willoughby both reached based four times as they combined for six hits and six steals; and Luke Anders and Adam Duvall homered as part of multi-hit performances.
AAA: Fresno lost to Tucson 6-4
Fresno: SS Ryan Rohlinger: 0 for 2, 3 BB
Fresno: C Jackson Williams: 2 for 4, 2 2B, SO, E
Tucson: 1B Anthony Rizzo: 3 for 4, HR, BB, E
Fresno: SP Doug Mathis: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K--1 HR
Tucson: SP Simon Castro: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K--1 WP
Tucson: RP Scott Munter: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Playing in his sixth game, Williams had his first two XBHs of the year. Rohlinger reached base three times, as he now has more walks than hits (9 BB vs 8 H in 46 AB, .174 AVG). Rizzo, one of the prospects the Padres acquired from the Red Sox for Adrian Gonzalez this winter, continues with his hot start. He had three hits, including his 4th HR. He entered the night hitting .412/.455/.706 through his first 51 AB and further improved those rate stats.
Mathis had less than a quality start, throwing 104 pitches (59 strikes) in five innings. His ERA is now 4.80. Castro, the Padres top prospect who was not part of the Adrian Gonzalez trade, also had less than a quality start, but he pitched well enough to claim his first win of the season. He has scuffled a bit to start the year as his ERA stands at 8.40. The ex-Giant Munter was an error away from a perfect 7th inning.
AA: Richmond lost to Trenton 6-3
(scoring all three runs in the 9th inning to avoid the shutout)
Richmond: LF Justin Christian: 3 for 4
Richmond: 2B Charlie Culberson: 3 for 4
Trenton: C Austin Romine: 3 for 4, 2 HR, BB
Richmond: SP Eric Surkamp: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 6 K--1 HR
From the top two spots in the Flying Squirrels' lineup, Christian, who spent most of last season playing for Trenton, and Culberson both had three hits . Culberson raised his team-leading AVG to .283, while Christian is the only other hitter on the team with an AVG over .240. Romine, arguably one of the top 100 prospects in baseball who appears to be the Yankees' catcher of the future, hada big game with his first two HRs of the year. He has hit .320/.420/.500 through his first 42 AB.
The box score suggests that Surkamp uncharacteristically struggled with his control as he had 5 BB, which seems like perhaps a career high for him.
A+: San Jose defeated Inland Empire 10-0
San Jose: CF Gary Brown: 3 for 4, 2B, HBP, 2 SB, CS
San Jose: 2B Ryan Cavan: 1 for 3, HR, SF, SO, E
San Jose: 3B Chris Dominguez: 3 for 4, SO, SB
San Jose: 1B Luke Anders: 2 for 3, HR, BB, SO, E
San Jose: SP Chris Heston: 6.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
San Jose: RP Jose Casilla: 1.2 IP
With three hits each, Brown and Dominguez had half of the Giants' dozen hits. Brown now has a 12/5 SB/CS line. Cavan led off the 4th inning with his 3rd HR. Anders also had his 3rd HR with a grand slam in the 8th inning.
It's usually not a good sign when a pitcher has 4 BB and just 1 K, but in this case Heston had 6.1 shutout IP, lowering his ERA to 2.20. Casilla had 1.2 perfect IP, including stranding both runners inherited from Heston.
A-: Augusta defeated Delmarva 11-10 (10 innings)
(scoring exactly one run in each of the last five innings)
Augusta: 2B Carlos Willoughby: 3 for 5, BB, SO, 4 SB
Augusta: CF-LF Raynor Campbell: 3 for 6, 2 2B, 2 SO
Augusta: 3B Adam Duvall: 2 for 6, HR, 2 E
Augusta: SP Seth Rosin: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K--1 E
Augusta: RP Jacon Dunnington: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HB
Augusta: RP Andrew Bowlin: 1.0 IP, 2 K
While every GreenJacket in the lineup had at least one hit, they were paced by the first two hitters in the lineup as Willoughby and Campbell each had three hits, raising their respective AVGs to .310 and .250. Willoughby also better than doubled his SB total to 7. Duvall had his 3rd HR but also committed his 4th and 5th errors.
Not helped by a defense that committed four errors and allowed a passed ball, both Rosin and Dunnington allowed four unearned runs. Overall the results were mixed for Rosin, who struck out nearly a quarter of his 25 batters, but opposing hitters had a .400 OBP against him. Bowlin had 2 K in a perfect 9th inning.