Thursday highlights from the Giants' farm: Travis Blackley and Jack Snodgrass combined for 13.0 shutout IP, and both Charlie Culberson and Elliot Blair homered as part of multi-hit performances.
AAA: Fresno defeated Colorado Springs 3-0
Fresno: CF Justin Christian: 2 for 4, 2 SO, CS
Fresno: 2B Charlie Culberson: 2 for 3, HR, CS
Fresno: SP Travis Blackley: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Fresno: RP Heath Hembree: 1.0 IP
Colorado Springs: SP Alex White: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 Er, 0 BB, 6 K
Culberson led off the 7th inning with his 2nd HR. WIth two hits each, he and Christian combined for half of the Grizzlies' eight hits.
Blackley had his second straight start with 7.0 scoreless IP. With just 1 ER allowed this season, he has a 0.39 ERA. Hembree pitched a perfect 9th inning for his 3rd save. White, whom the Rockies acquired from the Indians as part of the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, had his longest start of the year, albeit in a losing effort.
AA: Richmond defeated Reading 2-1
Richmond: RF-LF Wendell Fairley: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, CS
Richmond: CF Gary Brown: 1 for 4, 2B, BB, 2 SO
Richmond: 2B Ryan Cavan: 1 for 2, HR
Richmond: SP Mike Kickham: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--2 WP, 1 PO
Cavan had his 2nd HR to score the go-ahead run in the 9th inning. Fairley had two of the Flying Squirrels' five hits, although his AVG remains just .130. Moved down to the second spot in the lineup, Brown reached base twice, including once via his 2nd double.
The box score suggests that Kickham had his second best start of the year. Through four starts, his peripheral stats are 16 H, 11 BB and 15 K in 17.2 IP.
A+: San Jose defeated High Desert 3-0 (7 innings) in game 1
San Jose: 2B Carter Jurica: 2 for 3, CS
San Jose: RF Devin Harris: 1 for 2, SO
San Jose: SP Jack Snodgrass: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--1 E
San Jose: RP Josh Osich: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Harris had his 2nd HR. Jurica had two of the Giants' five hits, raising his AVG to .345.
Snodgrass had his third straight start with 6.0 IP. With just 1 ER allowed over those three starts, he has lowered his ERA to 1.61. Osich pitched a perfect 7th inning for his 1st pro save.
A+: San Jose lost to High Desert 6-0 (7 innings) in game 2
San Jose: 2B Carter Jurica: 1 for 3, 2B
San Jose: SP Shawn Sanford: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K--1 HR
Jurica's 3rd double was one of just two hits for the Giants.
Allowing 4 ER in his fifth start, Sanford saw his ERA rise to an even 5.00.
A-: Augusta defeated Kannapolis 7-2
Augusta: CF Elliot Blair: 3 for 3, HR, 2B, HBP
Augusta: C Joseph Staley: 1 for 2, HR, SF, SO
Augusta: SP Clayton Blackburn: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K--1 HB, 1 E
Augusta: RP Derek Law: 3.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K
Augusta: RP Adalberto Mejia: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Augusta: RP Steven Neff: 1.0 IP, 3 K
Blair, who led the GreenJackets' ten-hit attack with three hits of his own, and Staley both had their 1st HRs.
Making his fourth start, Blackburn had a season-high 7 K. Law, Mejia and Neff allowed just one batter over the minimum in 5.0 scoreless IP in relief.