minor lines, 4/20/13

Saturday highlights from the Giants' farm: Chris Marlow had 6.0 scoreless IP, Craig Westcott allowed just 1 R in 6.2 IP, and Johnny Monell reached base in all five plate appearances.

AAA: Fresno lost to Tucson 5-4

Fresno: RF Roger Kieschnick: 1 for 4, HR, BB
Fresno: C Johnny Monell: 2 for 2, 2B, 3 BB (1 IBB), 2 E

Fresno: SP Chris Heston: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Fresno: RP Dan Runzler: 1.0 IP, 1 K--2 WP

Monell reached base in all five plate appearances, including once via his 5th double; but he also commited his 4th and 5th errors of the year. Kieschnick had his 3rd HR. Through his first 59 AB, he has an OPS over 1.000.

Heston allowed hits to one third of his batters. So far, opponents are batting .371 against him as has yielded 33 H in 21.0 IP. This was also his first start (in four starts) with more than 1 BB. Runzler retired all three batters faced but did allow one of two inherited runners to score as he had a couple wild pitches. Through eight appearances he has very impressive peripheral stats with 3 H, 1 BB and 9 K in 7.2 IP.

AA: Richmond lost to Reading 3-2 (7 innings) in game 1

Richmond: SS-2B Joe Panik: 1 for 3, 2B

Richmond: SP Ryan Bradley: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

While no one reached base twice for the Flying Squirrels, Panik did have 3rd double.

Bradley allowed nearly half (10 of 21) his batters to reach base. After three starts, his BAA is nearly .500, and his ERA is nearly 9.00.

AA: Richmond defeated Reading 4-1

Richmond: 2B Joe Panik: 3 for 4
Richmond: LF Javier Herrera: 2 for 3, 2 2B, BB

Richmond: SP Craig Westcott: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Panik's three singles were half of the Flying Squirrels' six hits. Herrera had his 3rd and 4th doubles while also reaching base three times. The 27-year-old has hit .304/.409/.536 through his first seventeen games.

Westcott allowed just one run and came within one batter of pitching a complete game. He has allowed no more than one run in three of his four starts. While going through the lineup three times, he threw 94 pitches (56 strikes).

A+: San Jose defeated Inland Empire 4-2

San Jose: C Jeff Arnold: 1 for 2, HR, 2 BB
San Jose: SS Kelby Tomlinson: 3 for 4, SO

San Jose: SP Chris Marlowe: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Arnold hit his 2nd HR and had two of the Giants' three walks. With 8 H and 7 BB, he has a .356 OBP despite just a .216 AVG. Tomlinson singled three times to raise his AVG to .250.

Marlowe faced just two batters over the minimum in 6.0 scoreless IP. This was his first start this year completing the 5th inning, let alone the 6th inning.

A-: Augusta lost to Kannapolis 3-2
(tying the game with two runs in the 8th inning but allowing the go-ahead run in the 9th inning)

Augusta: 3B Travious Relaford: 1 for 3, BB, SO, 2 CS
Augusta: 1B Benjamin Turner: 1 for 3, BB, E

Augusta: SP Kendry Flores: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Both Relaford and Turner singled and walked, although Relaford was twice caught trying to steal second base.

Flores' third start had a season-high 6.2 IP and perhaps not coincidentally new season lows with 0 BB and 3 K. Perhaps the fewer walks and strikeouts indicate a lower pitch count that enabled him to pitch deeper into the game. Through three starts, his peripheral stats are 13 H, 2 BB and 13 K in 17.2 IP.