Wednesday highlights from the Giants' farm: Brandon Crawford and Carter Jurica both homered as part of multi-hit performances.
AAA: Fresno had a scheduled off-day(their second of four scheduled off-days prior to the mid-July all-star break)
AA: Richmond defeated Bowie 4-2
Richmond: DH Roger Kieschnick: 2 for 3
Richmond: 1B Sharlon Schoop: 2 for 3, SO
Richmond: SP Ryan Verdugo: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Richmond: RP Osiris Matos: 3.0 IP
Richmond: RP Jason Stoffel: 1.0 IP, 2 K--1 WP
Kieschnick and Schoop each had two of the Flying Squirrels' eight hits (all singles). Both have AVGs just above the Mendoza line.
After his two shortest starts of the year, Verdugo rebounded with this start in which he threw 52 of 84 pitches for strikes. After having just 2 BB over his first three starts, he has had 12 BB over his subsequent four starts. Matos and Stoffel pitched 4.0 near perfect IP, with the only batter reaching on Stoffel's wild pitch after striking out.
A+: San Jose lost to Modesto 12-9
(falling behind 11-2 after four innings)
San Jose: CF Gary Brown: 2 for 5, SO
San Jose: SS Brandon Crawford: 4 for 5, HR, 2 2B
San Jose: C Hector Sanchez: 3 for 5, SO, E
San Jose: 2B Carter Jurica: 2 for 4, HR
San Jose: SP Jake Dunning: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--2 HR, 1 HB, 1 WP
San Jose: RP Jose Valdez: 1.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--2 WP
The Giants' four hitters playing defensively up the middle combined for eleven hits, while the other five Giants in the lineup managed just one hit. After not having an XBH in his last six games, Crawford had 3 XBH, including his 1st HR. The four hits lifted his AVG to .364 through eight games. Jurica added his 2nd HR. Also contributing multi-hit lines were Sanchez and Brown, raising their respective AVGs to .295 and .375.
Dunning had his least effective start of the year, allowing a season-high 6 R while matching a season-low with 3.0 IP. He entered the game with a .311 BAA, and that only got higher. Valdez, the first Giant reliever out of the bullpen, also allowed 6 R. Both Dunning and Valdez have ERAs above 6.00.
A-: Augusta lost to Greenville 3-0
Augusta: C Jeff Arnold: 2 for 3, 2B
Augusta: SP Mike Kickham: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--1 HB, 1 WP
Augusta: RP Tom Vessella: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Arnold was one of three GreenJackets with two hits. Last year's 26th round pick has hit .234/.293/.364 through his first 107 AB this year.
Making his second pro start, Kickham allowed just four baserunners in five innings, but two of those four runners scored. In his small sample size so far, he has a 3.00 ERA despite a .156 BAA. Vessella struck out two of his three batters.