Tuesday highlight from the Giants' farm: Clayton Blackburn pitched a no-hitter through 6.2 IP. Also notable, Adam Duvall homered and singled.
AAA: Fresno lost to Sacramento 4-2
Fresno: SS Nick Noonan: 2 for 4, SO
Fresno: 3B Juan Ciriaco: 1 for 2, 2 BB, SB
Sacramento: LF Yoenis Cespedes: 2 for 4
Fresno: SP Eric Hacker: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K--1 HB, 1 WP
Fresno: RP Dan Otero: 2.0+ IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER--1 HR
Sacramento: RP Sean Doolittle: 1.2 IP, 1 H,1 BB, 4 K
Noonan had two of the Grizzlies' six hits (all singles), raising his AVG to .312. Ciriaco reached base times. He has become an everyday player recently for the Grizzlies and for the season has a .348/.439/.500 line through 46 AB. The Athletics' rehabing Cespedes officially had just two hits, but he hit the ball much better than that. In the 5th inning, he was involved in a play I had never seen before at the professional level. He hit a would-be double into the left-field corner but was called out on appeal for missing first base. So officially on a ball hit into the left field corner he grounded out to the pitcher. For anyone who wants to get into the particulars of scoring, I wondered if there was no outfield assist because after the ball was returned to the infield, timeout was granted and the ball had to be made live before the appeal could be granted.
Hacker's fourth straight quality start kept his ERA just above 3.00. Otero had a couple scoreless innings before allowing a single and a walk-off, two-run HR in the 9th inning. His BAA is now .368 in 16.2 IP. Doolittle, whom the Athletics drafted in 2007's supplemental first round, made his PCL debut as a pitcher. Drafted as a hitter, he transitioned late last year to pitching and tonight struck out four of his seven batters with a fastball around 94 mph according to the stadium scoreboard.
AA: Richmond lost to Altoona 6-1
(in the only game in the Eastern League not postponed due to rain)
Richmond: CF Gary Brown: 0 for 3, BB, CS
Richmond: SS Ehire Adrianza: 1 for 3, 2B, BB
Richmond: SP Justin Fitzgerald: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K--2 WP
Adrianza had his third straight game reaching base at least twice, raising his OBP to .275. Top prospect Brown drew a walk. His SB/CS line this year is now 14/7.
Fitzgerald had one of his shortest starts of the year. After allowing just 12 ER through his first seven starts, he has allowed 18 ER over his last four starts.
A+: San Jose lost to Visalia 9-2
San Jose: SS Joe Panik: 2 for 5, 2B
San Jose: 3B Adam Duvall: 2 for 5, HR
San Jose: 2B Carter Jurica: 2 for 4, SO
San Jose: SP Justin Schumer: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K--2 HB
Duvall had his 10th HR. He and the Giants two middle infielders Panik and Jurica each had two hits. All three have AVGs between .250 and .275.
Schumer had not allowed more than 3 R in any of his last five starts, but this start snapped that string. After a 5.20 ERA in his five April starts, he had a 3.77 ERA in his five May starts.
A-: Augusta defeated Lexington 2-1 (11 innings)
Augusta: SS Kelby Tomlinson: 3 for 4, 2B, BB, SO, SB
Augusta: 2B Mark Minicozzi: 1 for 5, HR, 2 SO
Augusta: LF Elliott Blair: 1 for 4, HR, 2 SO
Augusta: SP Clayton Blackburn: 6.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K--1 HB
Lexington: SP Michael Foltynewicz: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--1 HR
Tomlinson had three of the GreenJackets' seven hits and one of their two walks but did not figure directly in the GreenJackets' two runs. Those two runs came from two solo HRs--Blair connecting for his 2nd HR in the 2nd inning and Minicozzi getting his 2nd HR in the 11th inning.
Blackburn had perhaps his best start of the year. His 6.2 IP and 9 K were just shy of season highs, but this was his first start not allowing a run, and the 2 H were a season low. He was actually close to perfect through 6.2 IP as his final three batters doubled, singled and were hit by a pitch. After a disaster start (7 ER in 1.2 IP) to open May, he had 33 K, 3 BB and 5 ER over his other four starts in May. Foltenywicz, whom the Astros drafted 19th overall two years ago, had a strong start. After an ERA just shy of 5.00 last year, he is repeating the Sally League where he has a 2.27 ERA through eleven starts.