minor lines, 6/22/13

Saturday highlights from the Giants' farm: both Pablo Sandoval and Andrew Susac homered while reaching base three times, Joe Panik reached base in all five plate appearances, and Mitch Lively allowed just an unearned run in 6.1 IP. Also notable, Tyler Hollick had five hits.

AAA: Fresno defeated Tacoma 2-1
(rallying to score both runs in the 8th inning)

Fresno: SS Ydwin Villegas: 1 for 2, BB
Tacoma: SS Brad Miller: 2 for 3, BB, SB

Fresno: SP Mitch Lively: 6.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Fresno: RP George Kontos: 1.2 IP, 2 K
Tacoma: SP James Paxton: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K--2 WP

Villegas, the backup infielder playing in just his 20th game this year, was the lone Grizzly to reach base twice. He drew a one-out walk in the 8th inning to begin the Grizzlies' 8th inning rally. Miller, one of the Mariners' top ten prospects, had both of the Rainiers' hits. He has an OPS close to .900 this year.

Lively delivered his most effective start this year, facing just three batters over the minimum in 6.1 IP. Aside from an error, Kontos had 1.2 perfect IP, earning his 4th pro save. Paxton, one of the Mariners' top five prospects, struck out half his batters in 6.0 scoreless IP.

AA: Richmond defeated Reading 6-5

Richmond: SS Joe Panik: 3 for 3, 2 2B, 2 BB, CS
Richmond: C Andrew Susac: 2 for 4, HR, 2B, BB, SO
Reading: RF Anthony Hewitt: 3 for 4, 2 HR

Richmond: SP Jack Snodgrass: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 6 K--2 HR, 1 HB
Richmond: RP Drew Bowlin: 2.0 IP, 1 K

Panik reached base in all five plate appearances, including twice via his 13th and 14th doubles. After just two hits in his previous nine games, his OPS had slipped below .700 but got back to .700 today. Susac hit his 9th HR and 16th double, plus he drew a walk--seemingly responding to my observation earlier today about his secondary average being down this month. Hewitt, the Phillies' first round draft choice five years ago, entered the season basically considered a non-prospect given his sub-.700 OPS through his pro career, but tonight he homered twice and has an OPS this year close to .750.

Snodgrass allowed just 2 ER through 6.0 IP before allowing Hewitt's three-run HR in the 7th inning. Two straight starts with 5 ER have raised his ERA to 2.82. Bowlin had 2.0 perfect IP, lowering his ERA to 0.71 after eight appearances with the Flying Squirrels.

A+: San Jose defeated Stockton 4-2
(scoring the go-ahead run in the 8th inning and an insurance run in the 9th inning)

San Jose: DH Brock Bond: 3 for 5
San Jose: 3B Pablo Sandoval: 3 for 3, HR
San Jose: C Jeff Arnold: 2 for 4, 2B, SO

San Jose: SP Adalberto Mejia: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K--1 HR
San Jose: RP Bryce Bandilla: 1.0 IP, 2 K

Panda stepped his performance up another level, once again homering but this time hitting safely in all three plate appearances. Bond also had three hits, raising his AVG above .240. Incidentally, Bond is almost a full year older than Panda. Arnold added his 12th double and a single. He has hit well in the Cal League with a .429 AVG in twelve games last year and an OPS now above .850 this year.

Making his first start in a month and a half, Mejia struck out over a third (7 of 18) his batters. Bandilla had 2 K in a perfect 9th inning.

A-: Augusta defeated Kannapolis 6-5
(after scoring five runs in the 2nd inning)

Augusta: 2B Trevor Brown: 2 for 3, BB
Augusta: C Ben Turner: 2 for 4, 2B

Augusta: SP Martin Agosta: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K--2 HB, 1 WP
Augusta: RP Matthew Lujan: 4.0+ IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Brown and Turner each had two hits, raising their AVGs to .251 and .259.

Was Agosta possibly limited to one inning for having a high pitch count in the 1st inning? He issued four free passes and retired just two of his seven batters. One report mentions that Agosta's velocity was down noticably tonight and that he was apparently suffering a "dead arm." Lujan provided long relief, although he matched his season high with 8 H. With 29 H in 22.2 IP, his BAA is .319.

ssA: Salem-Keizer lost to Vancouver 8-6
(allowing three runs in both the 7th and 8th innings)

Salem-Keizer: RF Tyler Hollick: 5 for 5
Salem-Keizer: C Eugene Escalante: 1 for 2, 2 BB, PB, 2 E

Salem-Keizer: SP Joseph Kurrasch: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Salem-Keizer: RP Raymundo Montero: 1.1 IP, 1 K

Hollick singled in all five trips to the plate, raising his AVG to .450. Escalante reached base three times but did not perform so well defensively (at least statistically).

Kurrasch had a fine second start with 6 K and 0 ER. Montero finished the game with 1.1 perfect IP after each of the previous two relievers allowed 3 R.

R: Giants defeated Angels 4-2

Scottsdale: SS Kelby Tomlinson: 1 for 3, BB, SO
Scottsdale: CF Julio Pena: 1 for 3, HBP

Scottsdale: SP Keury Mella: 4.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K--1 WP

Tomlinson and Pena each had one of the rookie Giants' four hits (all singles) while reaching base twice.

Pitching his first game in the U.S., Mella allowed half (10 of 20) his batters to reach base. A year ago, he had a 2.47 ERA in fourteen starts in his first pro season.

DSL: Gigantes defeated Padres 5-3

Dominican: CF Gustavo Cabrera: 1 for 3, 2 BB, SO
Dominican: SP Olbis Parra: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K--1 WP

Cabrera (17.4 y.o.) was one of several Gigantes to reach base three times. Parra (18.8 y.o.) bounced back from his previous start (4 ER in 0.2 IP) with his best start yet through four pro starts/appearances.