Saturday highlights from the Giants' farm: Brett Pill homered twice; and Andrew Kown, Craig Westcott, and Taylor Rogers each allowed just 1 R in their starts.
AAA: Fresno lost to Colorado Springs 8-7 (10 innings)(after leading 5-1 through six innings)
Fresno: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 2 for 5, 2 2B
Fresno: LF Thomas Neal: 2 for 4, SB
Fresno: 2B-1B Brett Pill: 3 for 3, 2 HR, BB
Colorado Springs: 1B Mike Jacobs: 3 for 4, 2B, BB
Fresno: SP Andrew Kown: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Fresno: RP Ronnie Ray: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER
Colorado Springs: SP Aaron Cook: 7.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 0 K--2 HR
Pill had his 7th and 8th HRs, while Gillaspie added his 12th and 13th doubles. They raised their respective AVGs to .308 and .280. Neal also had a multi-hit day. Jacobs, the 30-year-old journeyman who is now in the Rockies organization, reached base four times.
Kown made his third straight quality start. With quality starts in five of his six May starts in May, he had a 2.00 in 36.0 IP this month. Ray retired just one of his five batters. The Rockies' Cook made his third rehab start, throwing 99 pitches (69 strikes) while almost pitching eight full innings.
AA: Richmond defeat Akron 3-2 (10 innings)
Richmond: 2B Nick Noonan: 2 for 5, 2B, SO
Richmond: CF Juan Perez: 2 for 5, SO, SB
Richmond: SP Ryan Verdugo: 5.0+ IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Richmond: RP Osiris Matos: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 4 K
Richmond: RP Danny Otero: 2.0 IP, 2 K
Noonan and Perez were the game's only two players with multi-hit lines, raising their respective AVGs to .243 and .250.
At least in terms of earned runs, Verdugo had his best start of the month as this was his first start of the month allowing just 1 ER or less. He had allowed 1 ER or less in his final three April starts. He got his ERA back below 3.00. He was helped out by his bullpen, which stranded both of his bequeathed runners. Matos and Otero combined for 6 K in 5.0 IP while allowing just one baserunner.
A+: San Jose defeated Bakersfield 8-2
(after scoring four runs in the 2nd inning and adding three insurance runs in the 9th inning)
San Jose: CF Gary Brown: 3 for 5, 2B
San Jose: DH Jarrett Parker: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, 2 SB
San Jose: C Tommy Joseph: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SO
San Jose: SP Craig Westcott: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 WP
With three more hits, including his 14th double, Brown raised his AVG to .369. Parker and Joseph also had multi-hit games, including their 11th and 7th doubles, respectively. Parker also had his 7th and 8th SBs. After hitting .270 in April, Joseph has hit just .168 in May, dropping his season AVG to .216.
Following up on his no-hit performance six days earlier, Westcott had his second straight start with 0 ER in 7.0 IP. His ERA is now 2.72. He had a 13/4 GO/FO line.
A-: Augusta defeated Savannah 3-2
Augusta: CF Chris Lofton: 2 for 3, CS
Augusta: SP Taylor Rogers: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Lofton had two of the GreenJackets' five hits. After hitting just .179 in 56 AB in April, last year's ninth round pick has a six-game hitting streak which has raised his AVG in May to .303 through 66 AB and his season AVG to .246.
Rogers had his third straight quality start. With 2 ER or less in his past eight starts, he has a sub-2.50 ERA.
DSL: Giants defeated Cubs2 2-0
Dominican: CF Randy Ortiz: 2 for 3, SO, SB
Dominican: SP Adalberto Mejia: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Batting ninth, Ortiz (17.11 y.o.) was one of two Gigantes with a multi-hit line in the season opener. Mejia (17.11 y.o.) faced just two batters over the minimum in 5.0 shutout IP in his pro debut.