Thursday highlights from the Giants' farm: Tommy Joseph and Luke Anders homered as part of multi-hit efforts, leading San Jose to 15 runs. Also notable, Mike Kickham allowed just 1 ER in 6.0 IP, and Josh Mazzola homered and singled.
AAA: Fresno had a scheduled off-day(their only off-day of the second half)
AA: Richmond lost to Harrisburg 4-1
Richmond: CF Darren Ford: 2 for 4, 2B, SO, CS
Richmond: 2B Charlie Culberson: 2 for 4, 2B
Richmond: 3B Chris Dominguez: 2 for 4, 2 2B, SO
Harrisburg: C Derek Norris: 1 for 3, HR, BB, 2 SO
Richmond: SP Ryan Verdugo: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K--2 HR
Ford, Culberson, and Dominguez combined for all but one of the Flying Squirrels' seven hits, including all four of their XBHs. Culberson had his 27th double, and Dominguez has 18 doubles since his promotion to the upper minors. Norris, one of the Nationals' top prospects, had his 15th HR. He has just a .212 AVG, but over half his hits have gone for extra bases.
After missing his normal turn through the rotation following his last poor start (4 ER in 0.2 IP on July 30), Vergudo had a solid start with mixed results, striking out 8 of his 19 batters but also allowing a couple big flies.
A+: San Jose defeated Lancaster 15-4
(after scoring five runs in each of the first two innings)
San Jose: CF Gary Brown: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, HBP, SO
San Jose: SS Ehire Adrianza: 4 for 6, 2B
San Jose: 2B Nick Noonan: 3 for 6, 3B, 2B
San Jose: DH Tommy Joseph: 2 for 4, HR, BB
San Jose: 1B Luke Anders: 4 for 5, HR, 2B
San Jose: SP Kelvin Marte: 6.2 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K--1 WP
The Giants' offense had a lot of big performances. Joseph and Anders had their 13th and 11th HRs. Anders also had four hits, as did Adrianza, who raised his Cal League AVG to .281. Noonan was a third Giant with at least three hits, joining Anders with having two XBH. Brown reached base four times.
Marte allowed 10 H and 3 ER, raising his BAA to .275 and his ERA to 3.29. Not surprisingly, he has found it more difficult to pitch on the road with a 4.65 ERA in nine road starts versus a 2.39 ERA in a twelve home starts.
A-: Augusta defeated Lexington 5-2
(after leading 2-1 through eight innings)
Augusta: 3B Josh Mazzola: 2 for 4, HR
Augusta: 2B Adam Duvall: 2 for 4, 2 2B
Augusta: SP Mike Kickham: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--1 WP
Augusta: RP Jose Valdez: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Mazzola had his 11th HR. Playing his first game in three weeks, Duvall doubled twice. Duvall and Mazzola were two of four GreenJackets with two hits, at least one of which was an XBH.
Kickham had one of his best starts of the year, facing just three batters over the minimum. He also had a 8/3 GO/FO line. Valdez, making his first appearance as a GreenJacket this season after an ERA close to 7.00 in 35 appearances for San Jose, pitched a perfect 7th inning.
ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Spokane 7-4
Salem-Keizer: CF Jesus Galindo: 2 for 4, BB, SB, CS
Salem-Keizer: LF Shawn Payne: 3 for 4, 2B, BB, 2 SB
Salem-Keizer: SS Joe Panik: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, 2 SB
Salem-Keizer: SP Stephen Shackleford: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 WP
Hitting in the first three spots in the Volcanoes' lineup, Galindo, Payne, and Panik reached base ten times and combined for 5 SB. They all have AVGs above .280 and at least 11 SB each. For Payne, it was essentially his third straight multi-hit game. I believe Galindo is the lone player from last summer's DSL Gigantes team to skip through rookie ball to the Northwest League.
Shackleford made his third start. He has not exactly thrived in that role with 10 ER in 12.1 IP.
R: Giants defeated Mariners 9-1
Scottsdale: C Myles Schroder: 2 for 4, 3B, 2B, BB
Scottsdale: 3B Jose Cuevas: 3 for 5, 3B, 2B
Scottsdale: RF Leondardo Fuentes: 2 for 5, HR, 2 SO
Scottsdale: LF Elliott Blair: 3 for 4, HR, 2 3B
Scottsdale: SP Joan Gregorio: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 WP
Blair, Cuevas, and Schroder each had a big game, combining four seven XBH, including four triples. They each have 3 triples this year. Blair had his 1st pro HR. Fuentes had his 5th HR.
Gregorio matched his longest start of the season. The 19-year-old has pitched five full innings in five of his ten starts. He had an 8/2 GO/FO line; but with just 3 K over his last two starts, his K/IP has slipped below 0.80.
DSL: Giants lost to Cubs2 10-2 in game 1
(completing game suspended in 1st inning on August 3rd)
Dominican: C Luis Vasquez: 2 for 4, SO, PB
Dominican: SP Jose Reyes: 8.0 IP, 13 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
Vasquez's (20.4 y.o.) two singles raised his AVG to .246. Presuming the box score is correct, Reyes (20.7 y.o.) had a season-high 8.0 IP, while allowing season highs with 9 R, 7 ER and 13 H.
DSL: Giants lost to Cubs2 6-5 (7 innings) in game 2
Dominican: RF Hector Mercedes: 3 for 3, 2 2B
Dominican: SP Ebert Fernandez: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Mercedes (19.10 y.o.) hits safely in all three plate appearances, but he is hitting just .224/.306/.357 through 143 AB in his second DSL campaign. Fernandez (20.9 y.o.) made his first start after fourteen relief appearances. His ERA rose to 4.33.