Wednesday highlights from the Giants' farm: Bill Hall and Justin Christian both homered as part of four-hit games. Also notable, Skyler Stromsmoe homered and singled, and Shawn Sanford allowed just two unearned runs in 7.0 IP.
AAA: Fresno defeated Sacramento 14-6Fresno: CF Andres Torres: 2 for 5, 2B, BB, SO
Fresno: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, 2 SO
Fresno: 2B Bill Hall: 4 for 5, HR, 2B, E
Fresno: RF-LF Justin Christian: 4 for 5, HR, 2 2B, SO
Fresno: SP Geno Espineli: 5.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 2 K--1 HR, 1 PO
Hall and Christian both homered while having four hits each. Torres and Gillaspie reached base three times each too.
After a scoreless 1st inning, Espineli allowed at least one run in each of his next four innings. This was his second start of the year.
AA: Richmond lost to Altoona 6-2
(allowing five runs in the 7th inning)
Richmond: RF Francisco Peguero: 3 for 4, SB
Richmond: SS Skyler Stromsmoe: 2 for 4, HR, SO, E
Richmond: SP Justin Fitzgerald: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Peguero and Stromsmoe, who led off the 7th inning with his 2nd HR to provide on a one-run lead, combined for five of the Flying Squirrels' seven hits. Peguero has hit .341 in 22 games this month.
Fitzgerald allowed just 1 R through six innings but retired just one of his five batters in the 7th inning. His ERA rose above 3.50.
A+: San Jose lost to Stockton 5-4
San Jose: CF Gary Brown: 3 for 5, CS
San Jose: DH Pat Burrell: 2 for 4
Stockton: DH Michael Choice: 3 for 3, 2B, BB, HBP
San Jose: SP Andrew Reichard: 6.0 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 3 K--1 HB
San Jose: RP Addison Proszek: 2.0 IP, 2 K
Brown's three singles raised his AVG to .325. Playing his first rehab game, Burrell singled twice. Choice, who is perhaps the Athletics' top prospect, reached base in all five plate appearances. He entered the game hitting .281/.374/.542 through 424 AB, despite hitting just .178 so far this month.
Making his seventh start since returning to the rotation, Reichard had his least effective start, allowing 12 H and 5 ER. Making his full-season debut, Proszek had 2.0 perfect IP.
A-: Augusta defeated Kannapolis 3-2
(scoring two runs in the bottom of the 9th inning)
Augusta: 1B Josh Mazzola: 2 for 3, 2B, BB
Augusta: RF Ryan Lollis: 2 for 4
Augusta: SP Shawn Sanford: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Augusta: RP Austin Fleet: 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 6 K
Mazzola and Lollis each had two hits, including Mazzola's 22nd double. Their AVGs are now .261 and .310.
Allowing only a couple unearned runs, Sanford lowered his league-leading ERA to 2.61. He's more than a quarter run ahead of teammate Taylor Rogers. Sanford had a 10/2 GO/FO line. Fleet struck out six of his seven batters.
ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Boise 7-4
Salem-Keizer: C Joseph Staley: 2 for 4, HR, SO
Salem-Keizer: 1B Ben Thomas: 3 for 4, SO
Salem-Keizer: SP Lorenzo Mendoza: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Salem-Keizer: RP Brennan Flick: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Staley had his 8th HR. Thomas's three singles raised his NWL AVG to just shy of .300.
Mendoza's thirteenth start was his shortest start of the year. Flick faced just one batter over the minimum in 3.0 scoreless IP. He was the second Giants reliever to offer 3.0 IP in long relief.
R: Giants lost to Athletics 7-2
Scottsdale: LF Mike Mergenthaler: 3 for 5
Scottsdale: DH Eric Sim: 2 for 4, 2 2B, SO
Scottsdale: SP Clayton Blackburn: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K--2 HR
Scottsdale: RP Chris Marlowe: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Sim had his 10th and 11th doubles, improving his season line to .341/.429/.576 through 132 AB. Mergenthaler's three singles raised his AVG to .358.
After allowing just 1 ER over his first five pro starts, Blackburn allowed 3 ER in his sixth start. All three runs came on a pair of HRs with two outs in the 1st inning--the first HRs he has allowed. Marlowe, the Giants' fifth rounder this year, pitched a perfect 7th inning in his second pro appearance.