minor lines, 4/18/13

Thursday highlights from the Giants' farm: both Brett Pill and Ricky Oropesa homered as part of multi-hit games, and both Justin Fitzgerald and Chris Stratton allowed just 1 R in 6.0+ IP. Also notable, reliever Austin Fleet had 6 K in 4.0 perfect IP.

AAA: Fresno tied with Tacoma 9-9 (entering bottom of 10th inning at "press time")

Fresno: 1B Brett Pill: 2 for 4, HR, BB, SO
Fresno: RF Roger Kieschnick: 3 for 5 , 3B, 2B, SO
Tacoma: SS Nick Franklin: 1 for 3, HR, BB, SH, 2 SB

Fresno: SP Boof Bonser: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 4 K--1 HB

Pill connected for his 3rd HR while reaching base three times. Kieschnick had his 1st triple and 5th single. The Mariners' Franklin homered for the second straight night.

Bonser issued free passes to more than one third (8 of 23) of his batters but still managed to pitch into the 5th inning while allowing just 2 ER. He threw just 48 of 101 pitches for strikes.

AA: Richmond defeated Reading 7-1
(after adding four insurance runs in the 8th inning)

Richmond: 1B Ricky Oropesa: 2 for 4, HR, 2B
Richmond: 3B Mark Minicozzi: 2 for 4, 2B, 2 SO, E

Richmond: SP Justin Fitzgerald: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K--1 HR
Reading: SP Seth Rosin: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K--1 HR

Oropesa's 1st HR of the year was a 2-run shot in the 6th inning to give his team the lead. He also had his 1st double after his first nine hits this year had all been singles. While his AVG is now above the Mendoza line after a slow start, his SLG remainsl below .300. Minicozzi also had a couple hits, including his 5th double.

Fitzgerald has allowed 1 R in each of his three starts but tonight set new season-highs with 6.0 IP and 9 K. Rosin, whom the Giants traded to the Phillies as part of the Hunter Pence trade, had his second straight quality start but took the loss. Through three starts his peripheral stats are 13 H, 3 BB and 15 K in 16.0 IP.

A+: San Jose defeated Inland Empire 5-1

San Jose: LF Shawn Payne: 2 for 5, 2B
San Jose: 1B Angel Villalona: 2 for 4, 2B

San Jose: SP Kyle Crick: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
San Jose: RP Austin Fleet: 4.0 IP, 6 K

Payne and Villalona each had two of the Giants' eight hits. Both players had their 2nd double and a single as they raised their respective AVGs to .309 and .155.

Crick pitched just two innings. Apparently he may have left the game due to a strained oblique. Did he strain it on the last pitch or play, which was a ground ball double play, or did he stay in to complete the inning after the strain? In any case, Fleet was dominant in relief, striking out half his batters in 4.0 perfect IP--all the more remarkable considering he could not have anticipated being in the game that early.

A-: Augusta defeated Kannapolis 5-1

Augusta: CF Jesus Galindo: 2 for 4, SO, SB, CS
Augusta: SS Matthew Duffy: 1 for 2, 2 BB, SB

Augusta: SP Chris Stratton: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K--1 PO
Augusta: RP Derek Law: 2.1 IP, 2 BB, 5 K

Duffy reached base three times and had his 5th SB. Galindo now has an 11/1 SB/CS line.

Stratton faced just three batters over the minimum in 6.0 scoreless IP. In the 7th inning, he issued a lead off walk, retired the next two batters, and then allowed an RBI single to his final batter. This was his second straight start with 2 BB and 7 K. Law struck out five of his nine batters as he got his 1st save.