Thursday highlight from the Giants' farm: Michael Kickham allowed just 1 ER in 7.0 IP. Also notable, Ryan Cavan homered and singled.
AAA: Fresno defeated Salt Lake 8-5
Fresno: 2B Charlie Culberson: 2 for 3, 3B, BB
Fresno: LF Chir Dominguez: 3 for 4, 2 2B, SO, SB
Fresno: SP Eric Hacker: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Among five Grizzlies who had multiple hits, Culberson and Dominguez both reached base three times. Both have AVGs close to .250.
Despite giving up 5 ER, Hacker improved his W-L record to 10-2. He has gotten a decision in all but one of his starts. Coincidentally, his no decision came in the one PCL game I have attended this year.
AA: Richmond defeated New Hampshire 3-2 (13 innings)
(after the game was tied 1-1 from the end of the 3rd inning until the 13th inning)
Richmond: 3B Daniel Mayora: 3 for 6
Richmond: RF Juan Perez: 2 for 5, 2 2B, SH
Richmond: 2B Ryan Cavan: 2 for 5, HR, SF, SO
Richmond: SP Michael Kickham: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Cavan led off the 3rd inning with his 5th HR, scoring the Flying Squirrels' only run through the first twelve innings. His sac fly in the 13th inning drove in their next run. Perez had his 9th and 10th doubles, with the latter double coming in the game's final inning. Mayora's three hits raised his AVG back close to .300.
Kickham had his third straight very strong start. In his three June starts, his stats are 11 H, 5 BB, 2 R and 19 K in 20.0 IP. Today's start brought his ERA below 3.00.
A+: San Jose defeated Modesto 6-5
San Jose: CF Ryan Lollis: 2 for 4, 2B, SO
San Jose: DH Adam Duvall: 1 for 4, HR
San Jose: SP Danny Sandbrink: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K--1 WP
San Jose: RP Drew Bowlin: 1.0 IP, 1 K
San Jose: RP Jose Valdez: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Duvall had his 12th HR. Lollis was one of three Giants with two hits each. With his fourth straight multi-hit game, he raised his team-leading AVG to .307 (minimum 65 AB).
Sandbrink allowed 2 ER in his his third start after allowing 3 ER in each of his first two starts. Bowlin pitched a perfect 8th inning. Valdez pitched a scoreless 9th inning for his 2nd save in spite of having his first two batters reach base via fielding errors.
A-: Augusta defeated Greenville 4-3 (7 innings) in game 1
(scoring all four runs in the bottom of the 7th inning)
Augusta: DH Shawn Payne: 1 for 2, 2B, BB, SB
Augusta: 3B Garrett Buechele: 2 for 3
Augusta: SP Kevin Couture: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Augusta: RP Jacob Dunnington: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Buechele had two of the GreenJackets' six hits, raising his AVG above .300. Payne's 3-RBI double, which was the GreenJackets' lone XBH, ended the game in walk-off fashion.
Couture's sixth start was his longest start this year and so also his first quality start. Dunnington pitched a perfect 7th inning.
A-: Augusta defeated Greenville 6-1 (7 innings) in game 2
(after leading 6-1 through two innings)
Augusta: LF Shawn Payne: 2 for 3, SB, E
Augusta: 2B Jose Cuevas: 2 for 3, 2B
Augusta: SP Adalberto Mejia: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K--1 HB
Augusta: RP Derek Law: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 4 K
In the second game, both Payne and Cuevas had two hits, raising their respective AVGs to .293 and .225.
After making his last fourteen appearances out of the bullpen, Mejia got the opportunity to the start the second game of the double-header. He struck out 7 of his 18 batters--considerable improvement from April when he had just 3 K but 19 H in 8.2 IP. Law struck out 4 of his 7 batters. In four June appearances, he has 15 K and 0 BB in 9.1 IP.
DSL: Giants lost to Cubs2 9-4
Dominican: 3B Royel Astacio: 2 for 3, BB, SO
Dominican: SP Keury Mella: 4.0+ IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 K--1 HR, 1 HB
Astacio (18.8 y.o.) reached base three times, keeping his OBP above .500. Mella (18.10 y.o.) began the game with three scoreless frames but then allowed 5 ER in the next two innings.