minor lines, 5/16/14

AAA: Fresno defeated Albuquerque 4-3

Fresno: 3B Adam Duvall: 1 for 4, R, HR, RBI, SO
Fresno: CF Gary Brown: 2 for 4, 3B, 2 RBI, SO, CS
Fresno: LF Chris Dominguez: 2 for 3, R, 2B, RBI

Fresno: SP Chris Heston: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO, 1 HR

Adam Duvall's power streak continues, as he homered for the third straight game, giving him 15 on the year.  He couldn't keep up with minor league home run leader Joey Gallo, who came into the day tied with Duvall at 14 but hit three home runs to get to 17.  Duvall's slugging percentage is now up to .615 on the year.  Gary Brown had his second two-hit game in a row, and third in the last five, and also collected his fourth triple of the year.  However, he also got caught stealing for the fifth time this year, making him successful only six times out of 11.  Dominguez hit his fifth double of the season, in 34 games.  The noted slugger has just 10 XBH in 135 at bats, but with four home runs, that gives him a .415 slugging percentage.

Chris Heston had a solid start for the Grizzlies, matching his season highs of seven inning pitched and six strikeouts.  Heston has a 3.28 ERA on the season for Fresno, and has 37 strikeouts and 10 walks in 46.2 innings.

AA: Richmond defeated Altoona 2-1

Richmond: CF Tyler Graham: 3 for 5, R, SO, SB
Richmond: 1B Angel Villalona: 1 for 4, 2 RBI

Richmond: SP Kyle Crick: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO

Tyler Graham was the only Richmond batter with more than one hit, picking up three from the leadoff position.  His stolen base was his 16th, and he has only been caught stealing three times.  After 28 games, Graham has one less stolen base than strikeouts.  Angel Villalona is in a bit of a slump, batting just .156 over his last nine games (5 for 32), but he's picked up five timely RBI, including today's game-winning pair.

For those who have been waited for the top prospect Kyle Crick to show up this season, this was their game.  For the second straight start, Crick walked only one (the last start was only three innings, though), he had a season high in innings (6), strikeouts (6), and for the first time in an extended start, he allowed no runs.

A+: San Jose lost to Visalia, 5-1
(After starter Chris Stratton carried a perfect game into the fifth inning)

San Jose: DH Mark Minicozzi: 2 for 3, RBI, BB

San Jose: SP Chris Stratton: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

Mark Minicozzi began his rehab assignment in successful fashion, knocking in the only San Jose run of the game.  Minicozzi played in only three games at Fresno, racking up four hits (with a double and a home run) in nine at-bats before going down with an injury on a slide in early April  Minicozzi impressed in Spring Training, and won the Harry S. Jordan award.

Chris Stratton took a really rough loss.  He got through 4.1 perfect innings, but then a fly ball to right was lost in the sun by Elliot Blair, and it fell for a double.  Stratton ended up giving up two runs in that inning, and then gave up two more in the sixth after a pair of errors.  Regardless, it was one of Stratton's best starts of the year, and his first one since April 14th in which he did not give up a home run.

A-: Augusta defeated West Virginia 2-1
(With no runs scoring after the second inning)

Augusta: 1B Ryan Tuntland: 2 for 3, R, 2 2B, RBI

Augusta: SP Matthew Luljan: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER,2 BB, 8 SO

Ryan Tuntland's two doubles were the team's only extra base hits, and he was the only GreenJacket with more than one hit.  After batting a combined .272 with a .406 OBP last season in the two short-season leagues, Tuntland is batting just .187 with a .282 OBP this year in 23 games.

Matthew Luljan pitched his third excellent game in a row, the first of the three where he gave up an earned run.  In 19.1 innings, he's struck out 22 with 7 walks over those three starts.