Saturday highlights from the Giants' farm: Brett Pill homered twice, and Kyle Crick had 6.0 shutout IP.
AAA: Fresno defeated Tucson 4-3
(after scoring three runs in 1st inning)
Fresno: 1B Conor Gillsaspie: 2 for 4, 2B
Fresno: LF Brett Pill: 2 for 3, 2 HR, BB
Tucson: 2B Jedd Gyorko: 2 for 4, 2 2B
Fresno: SP Jason Stevenson: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Fresno: RP Heath Hembree: 1.0 IP, 1 H
Pill had his first two PCL HRs of the year. Gillaspie also had a couple hits, as both he and Pill have AVGs above .320 in their PCL playing time. Gyorko, who seems on the verge of making his MLB debut for the Padres, doubled twice. He has hit .318/.354/.552 in 154 AB since being promoted to the PCL.
Stevenson had his second straight start yielding just 1 ER, lowering his ERA to 4.55 after six PCL starts. Hembree worked a scoreless 9th inning.
AA: Richmond lost to New Britain 6-1
Richmond: CF Gary Brown: 2 for 4, 2B, SO, CS
Richmond: SS Juan Ciriaco: 0 for 1, 2 BB, CS, E
New Britain: CF Aaron Hicks: 1 for 3, HR, BB, SB
Richmond: SP Andy Reichard: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--2 HR
New Britain: RP Luis Perdomo: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Brown had two of the Flying Squirrels' four hits. Hitting .276 in June, he has raised his season AVG to .254. Ciriaco drew both of the Squirrels' walks. Hicks, the Twins' first rounder four years ago, had his 7th HR--one off his previous career high. Still, his sub-.750 OPS in his fourth full pro season seems disappointing.
Reichard's abbreviated start pushed his ERA above 5.00. Perdomo, whom the Giants selected in the Rule 5 draft four years ago, is still bouncing around the minors. Yesterday he had the rare five-inning relief appearance.
A+: San Jose lost to Visalia 5-3
San Jose: RF Ryan Lollis: 1 for 3, HR, BB, SO
San Jose: C Andrew Susac: 1 for 3, BB, SO, E
San Jose: DH Luke Anders: 1 for 1, BB
San Jose: SP Justin Schumer: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
San Jose: RP Seth Rosin: 3.1 IP, 6 K
San Jose: RP Drew Bowlin: 2.0 IP, 3 K
Lollis led off the 5th inning with his 3rd HR. Susac was one of two other Giants to reach base twice. He had his 9th double but also his 9th error. Anders reached base in both of his plate appearances.
This to me is the scariest kind of line for a starting pitcher--being removed in the 1st inning after allowing just 1 R and having faced six batters. He struck out the final batter he faced, but the official game story provides no real clue why he was removed from the game. Rosin and Bowlin, two of the Giants relievers to appear, were dominant in 5.1 perfect IP, striking out over half (9 of 16) of their batters.
A-: Augusta defeated Savannah 3-1
Augusta: LF Shawn Payne: 1 for 3, 3B, BB, SO
Augusta: 1B Ben Thomas: 2 for 4, 2B
Augusta: SP Kyle Crick: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
Augusta: RP Steven Neff: 1.0 IP, 1 K
With his second straight-multi-hit game, Thomas had two of the GreenJackets' three hits and raised his AVG to .263. Payne had his 2nd triple while also reaching base twice.
Crick combined with three relievers for the three-hit shutout. Over his last three starts, he has been hard to hit with 5 H, 0 ER and 22 K in 18.0 IP, although he has also had 8 BB. Neff pitched a perfect 7th inning.
ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Yakima 5-3
Salem-Keizer: CF Kentrell Hill: 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SO
Salem-Keizer: SP Kendry Flores: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Salem-Keizer: RP Franklin Noel: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Hill, whom the Giants drafted in the 10th round out of JC ball a year ago, reached base three times from the leadoff spot.
Flores had made two strong starts to begin the NWL season, allowing just 2 ER over 11.0 IP. Noel had 2 K in a perfect 7th inning in his second relief appearance.
R: Scottsdale had an off-day
DSL: Giants defeated Nationals 7-3
Dominican: LF Carlos Valdez: 3 for 4, 3B
Dominican: SP Alejando Flores: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K--1 WP
Valdez (18.0 y.o.) had three hits, boosting his AVG to .262. After allowing 3 ER in his first start, Flores (18.8 y.o.) has not allowed an earned run in his subsequent three starts, giving him a 1.21 ERA in 22.1 IP.