SF Giants Minor Lines 5/7/17: Augusta hits 5 HRs

Confession time: I am terrified of snakes, if you want to know the honest truth. No matter what anyone says, I know event he so-called “harmless ones” are out to get me. So the events at yesterday’s Rivercats/Aces (a Diamondbacks affiliate!) game were particularly unsettling:

I’m not sure whether it’s the personal horror of snakes bringing snakes or the ugliness of the weekend series in Cincinnati, but I must admit as I sit down to work on the Minor Lines today I seem to have reached a Rubicon of sorts, as I looked at the box scores the thought involuntarily went through my head: will any of these guys be on “the next good Giants team?” Anybody? Everybody? Somebody? Now THAT’S unsettling. It’s a “serious case of the Mondays” edition of Minor Lines.

HIGHLIGHTS: Miguel Gomez reached base 4x; Daniel Carbonell hit 2 HRs; Augusta exploded for 5 HRs, including Frandy de la Rosa’s third HR in three days.

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Sacramento lost to Reno Aces (Diamondbacks), 6-5

Starter Joan Gregorio battled his way through 6 innings yesterday. Particularly in the 3rd inning, when he walked the bases loaded, he battled some control issues in the game, and ran up a fairly elevated pitch count. But by the time his day was done, he’d only been touched up for a solo HR from Hank Conger.

Gregorio’s counterpart for the Aces, Conner Grey, also only allowed scoring to come on one swing of the bat, but in his case, the result was a little more damaging.

For most of the game, it looked like that swing would be the defining moment, but the RiverCats bullpen imploded in the top of the 8th, with Kraig Sitton failing to retire any of the four batters he faced, and Tyler Rogers entering a bases loaded situation and allowing all of his inheritance to come round to score. And that would be the game. Sacramento got one run back courtesy of Ryder Jones, but that was all.

Speaking of Ryder, he got in another game in LF yesterday, and friend of the program groug wants to toy with your emotions in that regard:

Mac Williamson has had troubles finding his groove since coming back to active duty with the RiverCats. He’s currently hitting .208/.240/.271 with Sacramento, with a walk rate of barely 2% (it was over 10% in the majors last year and 11.5% in his last full year in Sacramento) and an anemic .063 Iso as he fights to find his batting rhythm following a lengthy DL stint. But he’s not taking his hitting woes out to the field with him. Here’s Mac showing off the howitzer, to help keep starter Joan Gregorio’s line clean and tidy.

Sacramento’s bullpen has been having a few troubles lately, as they weather losses from promotion and injury (one of the beat writers seemed to imply the other day that Chase Johnson could be headed for the knife), so it’s not surprising that the org made a move to help shore things up.

Black, who’s been on the Prospect rankings for both the Mets and the Pirates, is a flame thrower who’s had his problems with the strike zone in his career. Squirrels announcer Jay Burnham, though, was fondly reminiscing about a AA performance from Black years ago when he struck out the side on 9 pitches.

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Richmond lost to Bowie BaySox (Orioles), 8-4
losing their five gave series, 2-3

Starter Matt Gage had his roughest outing of the year, allowing a season high 12 baserunners in just 5.2 IP and giving up a season high 5 runs out of it all. Bowie veteran DH Garabez Rosa has worn the Squirrels out this series, getting 9 hits in just the last three games, and his two-run HR was the big hit off Gage.

Though the offense would stage a bit of a comeback, scoring four times in the final four innings, the Squirrels pen couldn’t hold Bowie either. Carlos Alvarado gave up just his 2nd run of the year (though he also K’d two more batters), and Rodolfo Martinez gave up 2 runs in his long-awaited 2017 debut. Rodolfo didn’t K or BB a batter in his appearance, though he did hit one (ouch).

Miguel Gomez keeps metronoming right along: hit from this side, hit from that side, hit hit hit. Gomez had his fifth two-hit game in his last 8 games, including this booming double:

Gomez also padded the ol’ OBP with something he does much more infrequently: a two-walk game. That’s just the third time he’s had multiple walks in a game since coming stateside for the 2015 season.

Chris Shaw was out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games. Not sure if there’s a day to day owie going on there or just scheduled rest.

Richmond’s biggest news today is that they’re getting a real major league talent to supplement their lineup tonight!

Look at that cute kid with his short hair!

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San Jose beat Stockton Ports (A’s), 5-0
splitting their four game series, 2-2

Forgotten one-time million$$ Cuban bonus baby Dan Carbonell provided the alpha and the omega to this game: leading off the top of the 1st with a solo HR that was the only run scored in the game until the top of the 9th. Carbonell’s second HR of the day was a three-run blast that gave the Giants’ pitchers some breathing room as they coasted to the shutout victory. It was San Jose’s first shutout of the year.

Somewhat like Joan Gregorio, Mark Reyes labored through five innings, scuffling a bit with his control. But despite 4 walks and 91 pitches in 5 innings, he left the game on the strong end of a 1-0 lead. From there, he got some hard throwing relief. Caleb Simpson and Ryan Halstead struck out 8 Ports over the final four innings. Halstead has stepped forward to be the real star of the Giants’ bullpen thus far on the year.

Ryan Howard’s 14 game hitting streak came to an end, but the double-drafted SS from UMissouri is hitting .331/.358/.449 on the year thus far.

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Augusta won at Greenville Drive (Red Sox), 7-6

Augusta hitters were enjoying the friendly confines of Greenville’s Faux Fenway on Sunday as they blasted a season high 5 HRs Sunday to pound their way to a 7-6 victory. The parade was led by Frandy de la Rosa, who homered for the third consecutive game. And this one wasn’t a “Monster Shot” it was a MONSTER SHOT.

Ryan Kirby and Ashford Fulmer both hit their first of the year. For Fulmer, it was just the 2nd HR as a pro. Manuel Geraldo would add his 3rd later on. The .155-hitting Geraldo has just 16 hits on the year, but 6 XBH. And the final big fly (and ultimate winning run) came courtesy of Kelvin Beltre, who took the team HR lead with his 4th.

All but one of the homers were solo shots, but they provided nearly all of the scoring for Greenjackets.

Sandro Fabian picked up two hits, including a double, to extend a modest 8-game hitting streak. Over his last 18 games Fabian is hitting .313/.314/.531. The 14/1 K/BB ratio is a little messy but the ability to hunt pitches and do damage on them is probably the more important element just now for the 19-year old.

The offense backed a strong starting effort from Steven Woods, Jr. who struck out 8 in 5 innings of work. Woods allowed just 3 hits and one run on (appropriately for this game) a solo HR. He did walk 3 and allowed one of his strikeout victims to reach on a WP, but when he has the fastball spotted and can hunt for strikeouts with that killer curve, he’s dangerous. Here he is, striking out the Drive’s power hitting Bobby Dalbec, one of three Ks in the 1st inning.

The bullpen made things interesting, as Alex Bostic had yet another rough outing and Jose Morel and Jeff Burke weren’t exactly slamming the door any either, but all the offense and Woods’ strong 5 were enough for the victory. Hey they’re only a half game away from crawling out of last place! That’s better than most of the org right now.

The Greenjackets finish up their four game wrap around series tonight.

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Tonight’s Scheduled Starters:
Sacramento: Mike Roth vs. Keyvius Sampson
Richmond: Jordan Johnson vs. Alex McRae
San Jose: Scheduled off day
Augusta: Dom Mazza vs. Darwinzon Hernandez

And speaking of starters, it looks like Mac Marshall won’t be making any starts in 2017 as the pitching inventory takes another dip. Pro ball has not been kind to Mac Marshall thus far, it seems reasonable to say.

Well, I’ve been grumpy today, as no doubt many of you are as well. But let’s take advantage of Brandon Crawford’s return to Richmond to end on a happy #TBT note. One of my faves: