Saturday highlights from the Giants' farm: neither Michael Kickham nor Shawn Sanford allowed a run in their starts of at least six innings, and Johnny Monell hit 2 HRs.
AAA: Fresno lost to Omaha 10-1
Fresno: CF Justin Christian: 3 for 4
Fresno: SP Brian Burres: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K--1 HR, 1 PO
Fresno: RP Craig Whitaker: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Omaha: SP Everett Teaford: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Christian had three of the Grizzlies' eight hits, raising his AVG to .374. After hitting over .400 in April, his AVG in May is also above .300 through ten games.
Burres allowed 5+ ER for the third time in four starts. His ERA is close to 6.00. Whitaker retired just one of his six batters as his ERA ballooned to nearly 15.00 after four appearances. The Royals' Teaford, who began the year in the majors, scattered six hits over 6.0 scoreless IP. His ERA is barely over 1.00 in three PCL starts.
AA: Richmond defeated Bowie 2-0
Richmond: CF Gary Brown: 0 for 4
Richmond: 1B Johnny Monell: 2 for 3, 2 HR
Bowie: 2B Jonathan Schoop: 2 for 3, BB, SO
Richmond: SP Michael Kickham: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Monell had solo HRs in the 6th and 8th innings to account for the game's only runs. He was the lone Flying Squirrel to reach base twice and had both of their XBHs. Top prospect Brown had an oh-fer. The Orioles' Schoop, who is perhaps among the top 100 prospects in the minors and whose older brother came up with the Giants, reached base three times. The 20-year-old has hit just .243/.305/.357 through his first 115 AB this year, though.
Kickham had his longest start of the year, completing six inning for just the second time in seven starts and pitching into the seventh inning for the first time. With six hits scattered over 6.1 scoreless IP, he brought his ERA below 3.00. He also did not walk a batter after walking at least two in each of his previous six starts. His BB/IP ratio is now below 0.67.
A+: San Jose defeated Visalia 1-0
(scoring the game's lone run in the bottom of the 8th inning)
San Jose: CF Ryan Lollis: 2 for 4
San Jose: SS Joe Panik: 1 for 3, BB, SO
San Jose: C Andrew Susac: 1 for 3, BB, SO, GiDP
San Jose: SP Shawn Sanford: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 HB
San Jose: RP Edward Concepcion: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K
San Jose: RP Seth Rosin: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Lollis had two of the Giants' six hits (all singles), raising his AVG to .323. Panik and Susac each drew one of the Giants' three walks as they also reached base twice.
For the third time in eight starts, Sanford pitched six scoreless frames. He has followed up each of his previous two such starts by allowing a season-high 6 ER in his next start, so we will see how he does next time out. His season ERA is 4.40. Concepcion struck out three of his four batters, raising his K/IP to nearly 1.33. Rosin pitched a perfect 9th inning for his 7th save.
A-: Augusta lost to Greenville 2-1
Augusta: C Jeff Arnold: 1 for 2, 2 BB
Augusta: SP Kyle Crick: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--1 HB
Augusta: RP Adalberto Mejia: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Augusta: RP Paul Davis: 1.1 IP, 1 K
Greenville: SP Henry Owens: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
Arnold reached base three times for the GreenJackets. After tearing up the Cal League in a very small sample size, he is off to a slower start since joining the GreenJackets.
Crick followed up his best, as well as longest, start of the year, with his second longest start. He also had a season-low 1 BB, getting his BB/IP ratio below 0.75. He did allow a season-high 4 H, but his BAA remains just .159. Crick also had a 7/1 GO/FO line in this start. Mejia and Davis combined to face just one batter over the minimum in 4.0 scoreless IP in relief. Owens, whom the Red Sox drafted 36th overall a year ago (thirteen spots before Crick), had perhaps his best start, setting a season season high with 6.0 IP and matching a season high with 8 K. Like Crick, Owens has had some control issues as he has issued at least 3 BB in each of his six starts.