Friday highlights from the Giants' farm: Michael Kickham had 6.0 no-hit IP, and Chris Lofton homered twice.
AAA: Fresno defeated Reno 2-0
Fresno: 3B Conor Gillaspie: 2 for 4
Fresno: 1B Brett Pill: 1 for 4, HR
Fresno: SP Brian Burres: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 HB
Fresno: RP Heath Hemree: 1.0 IP, 2 BB, 1 K
Reno: RP Joe Paterson: 1.1 IP, 1 K
Pill's 9th PCL HR scored the game's only two runs with two outs in the 1st inning. Gillaspie's two singles were two of the Grizzlies' four hits.
Making his second start since coming off the DL, Burres combined with Hembree and three other relievers for the shutout. Burres threw 56 pitches (32 strikes). Paterson, the ex-Giants farmhand now with the Diamondbacks after they selected him in the Rule 5 draft a year and a half ago, had 1.1 perfect IP. He has spent most of this year in the minors and has an ERA over 4.00 in 44 PCL appearances.
AA: Richmond defeated Altoona 2-1
Richmond: C Johnny Monell: 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB
Richmond: RF-1B Mark Minicozzi: 1 for 3, HR, HBP, SO
Richmond: SP Michael Kickham: 6.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 7 K
Minicozzi had his 8th HR. Monell had his 22nd double, plus a walk. Since the all-star break, which was a couple weeks before he came the Flying Squirrels' regular catcher after Tommy Joseph was traded, Monell is hitting .333/.397/.508 in 101 AB.
For the second time in his last four starts, Kickham went at least 6.0 IP with neither a hit nor a run. He did issue 5+ BB, though, for the fifth time in 26 starts. His BB/IP crept back above 0.50. Striking out or walking just over half his batters (12 of 23), he threw 103 pitches (58 strikes).
A+: San Jose defeated Rancho Cucamonga 9-4
(rallying for seven runs over the final four innings)
San Jose: 2B Carter Jurica: 2 for 4, 2 2B, 2 BB
San Jose: LF Chris Lofton: 3 for 5, 2 HR, 2B, 2 SO
San Jose: C Dan Burkhart: 2 for 4, 3B, 2B, BB
San Jose: SP Brad Penny: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K--1 WP
San Jose: RP Justin Schumer: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
San Jose: RP Josh Osich: 1.0 IP, 2 K
San Jose: RP Drew Bowlin: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Lofton, who previously had 6 HRs in his pro career, had perhaps the best game of his pro career, at least from a statistical perspective, with 2 HR plus a double. He improved his season line to .242/.318/.332 through 322 AB. Jurica and Burkhart also added a couple XBH as the Giants had nine XBH among eleven hits.
Making his first rehab appearance with San Jose, Penny retired three of six batters. Schumer, the effective starter, retired barely half (12 of 22) of his batters. Osich and Bowlin each pitched a perfect inning.
A-: Augusta defeated Greensboro 4-0
Augusta: 2B Carlos Willoughby: 2 for 3, SB
Augusta: SP Danny Sandbrink: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Augusta: RP Chris Marlowe: 2.0 IP, 5 K
Greensboro: SP Andrew Heaney: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Willoughby was one of three GreenJackets with two hits. He raised his AVG to .218 and had his 9th SB.
Making his second Sally League start, Sandbrink combined with two relievers for the shutout. Marlowe, the second of those two relievers, struck out five of his six batters. As a reliever, Marlowe has 27 K in 20.0 IP but 15 BB. Heaney, whom the Marlins drafted ninth overall this year, made his fifth pro start, allowing three runs but striking out one third (7 of 21) of his batters.
ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Spokane 2-1 (13 innings)
Salem-Keizer: SP CF Kentrell Hill: 1 for 4, 2 BB, SO
Salem-Keizer: SP Lorenzo Mendoza: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K--1 IBB
Hill had one of the Volcanoes' five hits (all singles) and two of their six walks.
Mendoza had a solid start although he uncharacteristically issued 3 BB. He had issued just 4 BB in 40.1 IP previously this year.
R: Giants defeated Athletics 6-4
Scottsdale: CF Tyler Hollick: 1 for 3, BB, SB
Scottsdale: SP Zach Edgington: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Hollick was the lone rookie Giant to reach base twice. He also had his 18th SB.
Edgington has been fairly dominant in the AZL with peripheral stats of 17 H, 3 BB and 31 K in 27.1 IP. He has a 1.65 ERA.
DSL: Giants hosting Yankees1 was cancelled due to rain
(as all DSL games for both yesterday and today were cancelled and so the Gigantes have concluded their regular season)