minor lines, 4/11/13

Thursday highlights from the Giants' farm: Andrew Susac homered twice, and Joan Gregorio had 8 K in 6.0 shutout IP.

AAA: Fresno lost to Las Vegas 14-3
(falling behind 12-0 after three innings)

Fresno: CF Gary Brown: 0 for 4, 3 SO, E
Fresno: 3B Juan Perez: 2 for 4, 2B
Las Vegas: RF Andrew Brown: 4 for 5, 2 2B, SO

Fresno: SP Andrew Kown: 1.1 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--2 HR

Perez doubled and singled to lead the Grizzlies' offense. Brown's cold start to the season continued with tonight's oh-fer and hat trick. Through eight games he had just 5 H and 8 SO in 31 AB.

Kown's second start in the Giants organization was pretty much a disaster with twice as many runs as outs. In less than two innings, he threw 53 pitches (31 strikes). Brown, who got 112 AB with the Mets last year, had four hits, including a pair of doubles, to raise his AVG to .400.

AA: Richmond lost to Trenton 6-5 (11 innings)

Richmond: C Andrew Susac: 2 for 5, 2 HR, 2 SO
Trenton: CF Slade Heathcott: 3 for 5, 3B, 2B, BB, SB

Richmond: SP Taylor Rogers: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 BK

While every Flying Squirrel in the lineup had at least one hit, Susac had what seems like the first multi-HR game of his pro career. He hit a solo HR in the 4th inning and a two-run HR in the 8th inning. He had 9 HRs previously in his pro career, all last year. The Yankees' Heathcott, who is probably among the top 100 prospects in the minors, had his best game of the year. He tripled, doubled, singled and drew a walk to raise his OPS to nearly .700.

After starting the year on the DL, Rogers made his upper minors debut. A year ago he had a 4.13 ERA over 152.2 IP in the San Jose rotation.

A+: San Jose defeated Visalia 6-3
(scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning)

San Jose: CF Chris Lofton: 3 for 3, SH
San Jose: 2B Ydwin Villegas: 3 for 4, 2 2B

San Jose: SP Edwin Escobar: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
San Jose: RP Jorge Bucardo: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 4 K
San Jose: RP Hunter Strickland: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K

With three hits each, Lofton and Villegas combined for half of the Giants' dozen hits. They raised their respective AVGs to .231 and .375. Villegas's three hits included a pair of doubles. A year ago he had just 3 XBH the entire season, although he also had just 55 AB last year after 205 AB the year before.

Escobar had another solid start, leaving the game after 65 pitches (45 strikes). His peripheral stats are very good after two starts with 7 H, 1 BB and 11 K in 10.0 IP. Bucardo and Strickland, the first and last of three San Jose relievers, combined to strike out seven of their ten batters.

A-: Augusta defeated Charleston 3-0

Augusta: 3B Mitchell Delfino: 2 for 3, 2 BB, SO, CS
Augusta: PR-LF Tyler Hollick: 0 for 4, 4 SO

Augusta: SP Joan Gregorio: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K

Delfino reached base four times. He has two hits in three of his last four games to raise his AVG to .310. Not to single Hollick out, but I don't think I have ever before seen a line of a player entering the game as a pinch runner and finishing the game with four strikeouts. He entered in the 1st inning after cleanup hitters Rafael Rodriguez was hit by a pitch.

At least from a statistical perspective, Gregorio had an outstanding start. He has excellent peripheral stats after two starts with 6 H, 1 BB and 13 K in 11.0 IP. It may also be noteworthy that the game included a 37-minute delay, and it is not clear from the box score when that occurred. The Charleston starter did pitch just two innings, but he also struggled with his control with 4 BB and 2 HB.