Wednesday highlights from the Giants' farm: Johnny Monell homered twice, Brandon Crawford homered and doubled twice, Justin Fitzgerald had 7.0 scoreless IP, and David Mixon allowed just 1 ER in 6.0 IP.
AAA: Fresno lost to Oklahoma City 5-1Fresno: LF Brandon Belt: 0 for 4, 2 SO
Fresno: 1B Brad Eldred: 2 for 4
Fresno: RF Thomas Neal: 1 for 3, HR
Fresno: SP Shane Loux: 7.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--2 HR, 1 HB
Fresno: RP Santiago Casilla: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K--1 HB
Oklahoma City: SP Jordan Lyles: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Playing his first game after a month on DL, Neal homered. Eldred was the lone Grizzly to reach base twice. Belt had the rare oh-fer. Both he and Neal threw out a runner at the plate.
Loux pitched a full seven innings for the third time in four starts, but his W-L record dropped to 2-6. Making his sixth rehab appearance, Casilla pitched on back-to-back days for the first time and allowed a run for the first time. He threw 20 pitches (12 strikes). Lyles, the Astros' top prospect who is already in triple-A as a 20-year-old, had an effective start despite a season-low 1 K. He has a 3.20 ERA through ten starts.
AA: Richmond defeated Erie 6-3
Richmond: 2B Charlie Culberson: 3 for 4, SO, SB
Richmond: CF Juan Perez: 1 for 4, HR, SO, E
Richmond: C Johnny Monell: 2 for 3, 2 HR, BB, CS
Richmond: SP Justin Fitzgerald: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K--2 HB
Richmond: SP Jason Stoffel: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Monell had his 5th and 6th HRs of the year, while Perez had his 1st HR. Last year they had 19 HRs and 13 HRs, respectively. Culberson added three hits to raise his AVG above .300.
Fitzgerald had his best start of the year as he pitched a season-high 7.0 IP. Making his ninth start, he did not allow a run for the first time since his first start of the year. It was also his first start without issuing a walk, although he did hit a couple batters. His BB/IP is now just below 0.50. Stoffel had his 8th save.
A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 5-1
(scoring all five runs over the final three innings)
San Jose: DH Brandon Crawford: 3 for 5, HR, 2 2B, SO
San Jose: 3B Chris Dominguez: 3 for 4, 2B
San Jose: SS Carter Jurica: 2 for 3, BB, SO
San Jose: SP David Mixon: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
San Jose: RP Mitch Lively: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Crawford had a big game with 3 XBH. His 3rd HR was a solo shot to lead off the 7th inning that scored the Giants' first run. Reaching base three times each, Crawford, Dominguez and Jurica accounted for all but two of the Giants' baserunners.
Mixon had another very good start, although his excellence at this level is hard to interpret in light of the 3.50 ERA he had last year with Richmond while making 25 starts over 27 appearances. Lively had 2 K in a perfect 8th inning.
A-: Augusta lost to Savannah 6-5 (14 innings)
(after scoring three runs in the 8th inning to tie)
Augusta: DH Drew Biery: 2 for 6, HR, SO
Augusta: SP Gaspar Santiago: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--1 HB
Augusta: RP Brett Bochy: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Augusta: RP Jacob Dunnington: 2.0 IP, 3 K
The 25-year-old Biery had his 4th HR of the season, including his 3rd HR in his last four games.
Santiago made his first start after 18 relief appearances. As a reliever, his peripheral stats this year were 15 H, 16 BB, and 24 K in 21.2 IP. Bochy and Dunnington, two of seven GreenJackets relievers to appear in the game, combined for 4 K in 3.0 perfect IP.