minor lines, 5/18/13

Saturday highlights from the Giants' farm: Mike Kickham allowed just an unearned run in 6.0 IP, and Johnny Monell homered while reaching base three times.

AAA: Fresno defeated New Orleans 6-3

Fresno: 1B Brett Pill: 2 for 3, 2B, BB
Fresno: 2B-LF Cole Gillespie: 1 for 4, HR
Fresno: C Johnny Monell: 2 for 3, HR, BB, SB, E

Fresno: SP Mike Kickham: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
Fresno: RP Heath Hembree: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K--1 WP, 1 BK

Monell reached base three times and connected for his 5th HR. Also homering was Gillespie, who made a rare infield start. Also reaching base three times was Pill, playing his first game since being optioned back to the minors.

Kickham had perhaps his second best start of the year, matching his first start in May with 0 ER and a season-high 8 K. After an ERA close to 8.00 in five April starts, he has an ERA below 2.00 in four May starts. Hembree allowed 2 ER in the 9th inning in a non-save situation. His ERA rose to 2.70.

AA: Richmond lost to Altoona 5-3

Richmond: 3B Mark Minicozzi: 2 for 4, 2B, GiDP

Richmond: SP Chris Gloor: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K--2 HR
Richmond: RP Daryl Maday: 1.0 IP, 2 K
Altoona: SP Jeff Karstens: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K--1 HB

Minicozzi's 13th double was the lone XBH for the Flying Squirrels. Although too old to be a prospect, Minicozzi has perhaps been the Flying Squirrels' best hitter with a .305/.396/.427 line. He is second team in OPS (minimum 40 AB).

Gloor allowed a 2-run HR in the 1st inning and a solo HR in the 5th inning but otherwise kept the Curve off the scoreboard. He had allowed just 2 HR over his previous six starts. Maday had 2 K in a perfect 9th inning for his 8th save. The Pirates' Karstens allowed only a couple unearned runs in his first rehab appearance with the Curve (after a previous start in the Florida State League).

A+: San Jose lost to Rancho Cucamonga 8-3
(falling behind 5-0 after three innings)

San Jose: C Jeff Arnold: 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB

San Jose: SP Clayton Blackburn: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K--1 HB, 1 WP

Arnold's 3rd double was one of eight hits for the Giants, and he drew two of their three walks. He raised his OBP above .375.

At least from a statistical perspective, Blackburn continues to scuffle through May (or more accurately since his start on the final day of April). After allowing just 4 R over his first starts, he has allowed 19 R over his last four starts. His ERA has risen to 4.39.

A-: Augusta lost to Savannah 3-1

Augusta: 2B Trevor Brown: 2 for 4, CS
Augusta: C Eric Sim: 2 for 4, 2B, 2 SO

Augusta: SP Matthew Lujan: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Augusta: RP Derek Law: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K--1 IBB, 1 HB, 1 WP

Brown and Sim each had two of the GreenJackets' eight hits, although both still have AVGs below .250. Sim's 4th double was the GreenJackets' lone XBH.

Making his season debut, Lujan allowed hits to nearly half (7 of 16) his batters but kept the damage to a single run. Law provided long relief, striking out nearly half (6 of 14) his batters. Law's component stats are now 24 H, 10 BB and 40 K in 28.0 IP over fourteen appearances.