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SF Giants Minor Lines 4/15

Dylan Davis took a good approach from the batting cage to the game, and it paid off in a power display.

By Roger

HIGHLIGHT: Dylan Davis doubled and HR.

Sacramento lost to Salt Lake Bees (Angels), 4-3 in 10 inn

Name

AB

R

H

RBI

2B

3B

HR

BB

SO

BA

CF

Gorkys Hernandez

5

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

2

.161

3b

Conor Gillaspie

4

1

1

1

0

0

1

0

1

.303

1b

Grant Green

4

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

.300

RF

Jarrett Parker

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

.133

Name

IP

H

R

ER

BB

K

HR

HB

WP

ERA

Pitches

Strikes

Matt Lujan

5.2

4

3

3

1

4

2

0

1

3.00

90

57

Duke Welker

1.1

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0.00

19

12

Jake Dunning

2.0

0

0

0

2

1

0

0

0

3.60

36

18

Braulio Lara L, 0-1

1.0

2

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

1.80

12

8

I believe this was the first extra inning game of the year. Quite a difference from last season when San Jose led all of baseball in extra innings games and Sacramento was right behind. Baseball's a rough sport. You play 10 innings of ball and end up losing it on this:

Stockton native Matt Lujan got the start for the home opener and acquitted himself well, allowing just three, solo-run innings in his near 6 innings of work. The LHP has steadily made his way up the ranks of the system over the last four years, rarely getting much notice or attention, with mostly mediocre peripherals. But he's just the right circumstances away from a Great Sadowski type of career at this point.

The Giants second pitcher was brand new, Duke Welker who they just signed and assigned to sacramento. Welker spent several years in the Pirates system, even appearing in 2 games for Pittsburgh at the end of the 2014 season. But he spent all of 2015 in Indy ball.

Jarrett Parker's early season woes continue. Parker has always had a lot of swing and miss in his game, but he's been taking it to a new level early in 2016, as he's K'd in 50% of his AB on the year and now has 15 Ks in 32 PA. His rough start quite likely cost him a call up to the majors yesterday as Mac Williamson got the call instead (congrats Mac!).

Ok, now I'll stop burying the lede, because I'm pretty sure my colleague Brute Sentiment really wants to discuss these new "Sactown" unis the RiverCats broke out for their home opener. Hm... orange, stenciled "Golden State" California image. Just a hint of clown font. And a big whopping "Sactown" across the chest, complimented by hats that say, simply, "Sac." I'll leave it to the crowd to comment.

Ok, what the heck. We're pretty short of video highlights today, so let's watch Conor Gillaspie go deep (beware: audio difficulties!).

* * *

Richmond beat the Altoona Curve (Pirates), 3-2

Name

AB

R

H

RBI

2B

3B

HR

BB

SO

BA

Other

RF

Hunter Cole

3

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

.133

Sac

3b

Ryder Jones

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

.278

PH

Christian Arroyo

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

.375

Sac Fly

P

Mike Kickham

1

1

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

1.000

Name

IP

H

R

ER

BB

K

HR

HB

WP

ERA

Pitches

Strikes

Chase Johnson

4.0

3

2

2

1

5

0

0

1

5.63

74

48

Mike Kickham

2.2

4

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0.00

47

31

Tyler Rogers

1.1

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

0.00

17

11

Jake Smith, W 1-0

1.0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0.00

11

8

Eliezer Zambrano, who has been a member of every single Richmond Flying Squirrels team ever, got a moment in the sun (or I guess, lights) last night with the walk-off grounder squeezed through the drawn in infield. Zambrano had entered the game in the top of the 9th inning after Matt Winn was PR for in the bottom of the 8th. The move worked out every which way, as Tyler Horan, PR for Winn, had scored the tying run of the game.

Offense was in very short supply for the Squirrels, who managed just 6 hits and 2 walks on the night (though with 2 HBP thrown in for good measure, both on Myles Schroder. Ouch!). Indeed, one of their biggest hits of the night came from relief pitcher Mike Kickham, who tripled (their only XBH of the night) and scored the team's first run of the night. At the time it was only the team's second hit.  In fact, the 9th spot in the order was crucial to the club's success as Christian Arroyo had PH for Tyler Rogers in the 8th and hit a game-tying Sac Fly.

Chase Johnson looked like he had crisper stuff than his first start. He had 5 Ks to just 1 walk, though his run prevention line was pretty similar to his prior outing, with 2 runs allowed in 4 innings. He stretched out to 75 pitches in this outing.

Tyler Rogers, whose twin brother was called up to the majors this week, had a fantastic outing, striking out 3 of the 4 batters he faced.  In fact, Rogers and Jake Smith, together struck out 5 of the final 7 Altoona batters in the game. Rogers had a rough introduction to AA last year, getting sent back down after just a few bad weeks, but he's doing much better in his second go round. Rogers has now pitched 5.1 innings, allowing 0 ER (2 unearned) with 6 Ks. He entered this game with runners at 2nd and 3rd and 1 out and got out of the last jam Richmond would face.

Smith, whose terrific 2015 got him a seat on the 40 man roster this winter, started the year on the 7-day DL. He came off for the Squirrels home opener, and made his first appearance in this game. Smith was perfect, retiring three straight batters, throwing 8 of 11 pitches for Ks, and striking out the last two batters. Let's watch!

Well that looked a whole lot like 6 straight strikes with 4 swing thrus. Not too shabby, Jake!

* * *

San Jose lost at Inland Empire 66ers (Angels), 4-2

Name

AB

R

H

RBI

2B

3B

HR

BB

SO

BA

Other

SS

CJ Hinojosa

4

1

2

0

1

0

0

0

0

.364

1b

Chris Shaw

4

1

1

0

1

0

0

0

1

.292

RF

Steven Duggar

3

0

1

1

0

0

0

1

1

.348

E (1)

3b

Jonah Arenado

3

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

.263

CF

Ronnie Jebavy

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

.091

OF Ass’t

Name

IP

H

R

ER

BB

K

HR

HB

WP

ERA

Pitches

Strikes

Andrew Suarez, L, 0-1

4.0

6

4

3

2

5

0

0

0

5.00

80

56

Jeff Soptic

2.0

1

0

0

1

4

0

0

0

3.86

38

23

The Giants' offense was another quiet one in the system last night, as they collected five hits and just six total baserunners. CJ Hinojosa and Steven Duggar continued to be the most consistent hitters in the lineup and they were the only two SJ hitters to reach base twice in this game. Hinojosa and Chris Shaw had the team's only XBH, both doubles. Given this note from friend of Minor Lines, Conner Penfold, it's entirely possible that conditions weren't so great for hitting though.

Andrew Suarez grinded his way through 4 innings, with maybe a touch less than his normal control. His pitch count got up to 80 after just 4 innings, though some sloppy defense didn't help his cause any in the 4th (on the other hand there was also a TOOTBLAN for the 66ers in that inning). Still, the scouting reports continue to be strong on this left-handed arm that the org loves. Let's go to the field correspondent!

I wouldn't be too shocked to see Suarez up in Richmond the second half of the year.

Steven Duggar was Joe Ritzo's most recent guest on the pregame show. You can hear what Duggar has to say here (interestingly Duggar talks alot about the role of a top of the order hitter here, but in last night's game he was moved down to the 6th spot in the lineup, possibly to take advantage of him as a run producer):

* * *

Augusta beat Charleston RiverDogs (Yankees), 8-7

Name

AB

R

H

RBI

2B

3B

HR

BB

SO

BA

Other

CF

Seth Harrison

2

2

0

0

0

0

0

2

1

.200

2b

Tyler Brown

3

2

2

0

0

0

0

1

0

.292

SB (2)

DH

Dillon Dobson

3

0

1

2

0

0

0

1

1

.290

RF

Dylan Davis

4

1

2

3

1

0

1

0

1

.265

1b

Skyler Ewing

4

1

1

0

1

0

0

0

1

.250

Name

IP

H

R

ER

BB

K

HR

HB

WP

ERA

Pitches

Strikes

Logan Webb

4.0

4

1

0

3

2

0

0

1

3.38

58

33

Ryan Koziol, W 1-1

2.2

6

3

3

0

3

0

1

0

6.14

47

32

Connor Kaden

1.1

4

3

3

0

3

0

0

0

4.91

35

23

Ryan Halstead, S 1

1.0

1

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0.00

18

12

Dylan Davis was the offensive star for the Greenjackets, as he attempts to hit his way up a level. According to David Lee, Davis was working with his coaches before the game on staying up the middle and not pulling off the ball in an attempt to generate more power. And for this game, the approach certainly worked.

With both Lucius Fox and Jalen Miller sitting this one out (sigh!), Tyler Brown got a start at 2b and he definitely made the most of it, reaching base 3 times and stealing his 2nd base of the year. With Kelvin Beltre and Manuel Geraldo both struggling early on (the pair went 1 for 8 in this game with 5 Ks), Brown definitely has a chance to improve his playing time by continuing to hit.

Another change to inject some more offense into the lineup came at 1b, where Skyler Ewing was brought off the DL and made his season debut.

Sadly, however, the Gustavo wait continues:

On the mound Logan Webb improved in his second start of the year, though he's still struggling to turn his arm strength into an effective pitcher. You can read scouting notes from David Lee on Webb and Dylan Davis here:

And, of course, it seems to be a regular feature of Greenjackets game whether or not the bullpen can hold a big lead, and last night's game was no different. Entering the 9th inning with an 8-4 lead, Augusta clung for it's life to an 8-7 victory leaving the tying and go ahead runs on 2nd and 3rd to end it. Tonight's arsonists were Ryan Koziol and the normally reliable Conner Kaden.

* * *

Sam Coonrod and Joan Gregorio highlight the systems' starters for tonight's games, with Grant Watson taking the mound in Augusta. Sacramento, interestingly, has a TBD for tonight's start.  This should be Ricky Romero's turn, although it's also possible they might want to get Clayton Blackburn a few innings following his scratch the other night. We'll see what it portends tomorrow.

Anyway, it should be a great night at the old ballyard!


Minor Lines will be dark tomorrow, but that doesn't mean you won't be getting some good prospect stuff. Keep an eye out..

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