Wednesday highlights from the Giants' farm: Eric Surkamp allowed just 1 ER in 7.2 IP, Taylor Rogers pitched a complete-game shutout, and both Max Ramirez and Edgar Gonzalez homered as part of multi-hit games.
AAA: Fresno lost to Omaha 7-6(after allowing six runs in the 3rd inning)
Fresno: 3B Edgar Gonzalez: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, BB
Fresno: LF Brandon Belt: 0 for 5, SO
Fresno: C Max Ramirez: 2 for 3, HR, SH, SO, E
Fresno: SP Andrew Kown: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 6 K--2 HR, 1 HB, 1 BK
Omaha: SP Mike Montgomery: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K--2 HR
Gonzalez and Ramirez had their 11th and 8th HRs, respectively. Belt's rare oh-fer line dropped his PCL AVG to .304.
Kown had his worst start in over a month, primairly due to one bad inning. The Royals' Montgomery, one of the top 50 prospects in baseball, pitched only slightly more effectively. The 22-year-old's stat line has been disappointing this year with a 5.31 ERA in 23 starts.
AA: Richmond defeated Harrisburg 3-1
(scoring two runs in the 9th inning after allowing the tying run in the 8th inning)
Richmond: RF Francisco Peguero: 2 for 4, SO, GiDP
Richmond: LF Roger Kieschnick: 1 for 4, HR, 2 SO
Harrisburg: RF Bryce Harper: 0 for 3, 2 SO
Richmond: SP Eric Surkamp: 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Richmond: RP Heath Hembree: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Harrisburg: SP Shairon Martis: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K
Kieschnick's 15th HR came with a runner on base and one out in the top of the 9th inning to provide the winning margin. Peguero had two of the Flying Squirrels' eight hits. The Nationals' Harper, arguably the top prospect in the minors, was ejected after being called out on strikes to end the 7th inning. He had just 4 SO in his previous nine games before striking out twice tonight.
After allowing 2+ ER in four of his previous five starts, Surkamp bounced back with another statistically impressive start. His K/BB ratio is just shy of 4.00. Hembree stranded both inherited runners in the 8th inning and pitched a scoreless 9th inning. Facing the Squirrels for the third time in his past six starts, Martis had one of his best starts of the year, improving his ERA to 3.05 through 19 starts.
A+: San Jose had a scheduled off-day
(their next to last off-day this season)
A-: Augusta defeated Lexington 5-0
Augusta: CF Chris Lofton: 2 for 4, 2 2B, SO
Augusta: RF Rafael Rodriguez: 2 for 4
Augusta: SP Taylor Rogers: 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K--1 WP
With his 15th and 16th doubles, Lofton had his third straight two-hit game. Rodriguez also had two hits. Both hitters have AVGs below .260, though.
Rogers had perhaps the best start of his pro career, pitching his first complete game as a pro. The shutout lowered his ERA to 3.03. He had a 13/6 GO/FO line.
ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Spokane 7-6
(allowing four runs but scoring six runs in the 6th inning)
Salem-Keizer: 2B Koahi Downing: 2 for 4, 2B, SB
Salem-Keizer: LF Chuckie Jones: 1 for 2, HR, BB, SO, E
Salem-Keizer: SP Brandon Allen: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K--1 HB, 1 WP
Jones had his 2nd HR. Downing had the Volcanoes' only multi-hit line, improving upon the .309/.356/.415 line with which he entered the game after 123 AB.
Allen followed up his best start of the year (6.0 scoreless IP) with this solid but somewhat abbreviated start. With no strikeouts, his K/IP ratio slipped below 0.45. He had a 5/5 GO/FO line.
R: Giants defeated Indians 7-2
Scottsdale: 3B Jose Cuevas: 4 for 5, 2B, 2 SB
Scottsdale: C Eric Sim: 1 for 3, HR, SF, SO
Scottsdale: SP Kyle Vazquez: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--1 HB
With four hits for the second time in three games, the 23-year-old Cuevas raised his AVG to .341. The 22-year-old Sim followed up his 2-HR game with another HR, his 5th HR.
The 23-year-old Vazquez, who had allowed 15 ER in 5.0 IP over his previous three starts, had his longest start of the year.
DSL: Giants lost to Rangers 8-6
Dominican: CF Randy Ortiz: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
Dominican: RP Renzo Freite: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 0 BB< 3 K--1 HB, 2 WP
Ortiz's (18.1 y.o.) two hits raised his AVG to .299 through 147 AB in his first pro season. For the second time in his last four appearances Freite (18.7 y.o.) made a relief appearance with 6.0+ IP without allowing an earned run against the Rangers.