SF Giants Minor Lines 5/15/19: Heyward/Brusa take Mize deep

Today we celebrate PITCHERS WHO RAKE!!!

As well, of course, as Pitchers who Pitch. Sit down, Shaun, make yourself comfortable. Stay a spell!

HIGHLIGHTS: Jalen Miller had three hits; Jacob Heyward and Gio Brusa reached base three times with HR;

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Sacramento had an off day.

With the RiverCats starting a series tonight just down Highway 99 in Fresno, I’m guessing a few RiverCats took advantage of the free day to — like the Squirrels (who had a day game) — watch their teammate make his major league debut.

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Richmond lost at Erie SeaWolves (Tigers), 6-5
losing their series 1-2

Squirrels’ hitters set the game on Premium Challenge Mode and they should come out feeling pretty good about how they stood up to it. Richmond took on the only guy picked in front of Joey Bart last night in RHP Casey Mize. All Mize had done so far this year was allow 3 earned run in 45 innings across two levels, and throw a no-hitter in his AA debut. Coming into the game he had 15 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 9 hits allowed in 19 AA innings.

Mize was tough on the Squirrels through the first 5, striking out 6 and keeping Richmond off the board. Jacob Heyward drew just the 4th walk Mize had allowed all year and Jalen Miller and Chris Shaw were each able to touch Mize up for singles, but those small triumphs were all the glory they could claim — until the 6th.

And then Richmond jumped on the tiring ace. Jalen Miller ground a double into the LF corner, making the 2b 2 for 3 on the day against Mize. And then Jacob Heyward did something no batter had done yet this year.

After Jonah Arenado (who was somewhat amusingly playing SS for the day) drew another walk, Gio Brusa made it twice as nice.

Interestingly, Mize has given up just 4 HRs in his pro career but twice now he’s given up two in an inning.

Miller, Heyward, and Brusa would all reach base three times in the game leading the offense. Unfortunately, the arms couldn’t quite equal the performance of the bats — or perhaps they equalled them too well. In the bottom of that same inning, reliever Sandro Cabrera gave up two HRs of his own to tie the game back up.

For the second straight day, Erie walked it off on the Squirrels thanks to another ugly outing from Melvin Adon. Adon walked the leadoff batter in the 9th and then allowed a double to the Tigers #3 prospect Isaac Paredes. Manager Willie Harris ordered an IBB to set up a potential inning-ending double play but Adon foiled the strategy by wild pitching in the game-losing run. That’s the second time Adon has WP in a run this week. He’s really searching for that release point on the fastball right now. Please bring back that AFL form, Melvin!

But just because the pitching had some glitches doesn’t mean the run production team wasn’t in outstanding form. Check out the highlight reel catches on display from Will Maddox and Johneshwy Fargas.

Just some extraordinary efforts. When I say that Fargas doesn’t have to hit a WHOLE lot to find a way to make himself useful — this is what I’m talking about. He can run, he can steal, he has a canon of an arm, he’s just got a fun game.

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San Jose’s game was rained out

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Augusta lost to Columbia Fireflies (Mets), 3-1

The Greenjackets have been surviving with just enough offense to keep them afloat. But the lineup is clearly challenged with about half of the hitters floating along on the wrong side of the Mendoza Line — and some nights there just isn’t any to be found.

Diego Rincones’ double leading off the 5th inning was the first hit of the night for Augusta and led to their lone run when Nico Giarratano (playing 2b with Orlando Garcia back in town) knocked him in.

But there was nothing else doing for the O, as they managed just one more single (also from Nico) the rest of the night.

Blake Rivera found himself in a heap of trouble right out of the gate as he surrendered three grounders that found holes in the top of the 1st. He limited the damage to just one run though and ended the night with a solid line, though once again he struggled with his control, throwing barely half of his pitches (48-80) for strikes.

The Greenjackets got great relief on the night from Preston White, JJ Santa Cruz, and Jesus Tona who combined to strike out 11 batters in 5 innings of work. Tona nearly worked a perfect 9th, allowing just a walk among three strikeouts. Tona now has 27 Ks to 10 BBs in his 18 IP, allowing just 3 runs (all in one outing).

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Today’s Scheduled Starters:
Sacramento (Dereck Rodriguez) @ Fresno (Mario Sanchez)
Richmond (Conner Menez) vs. Akron (Eli Morgan)
San Jose (Aaron Phillips) vs. Inland Empire (Andrew Wantz) Gm 1
San Jose (John Gavin) vs. Inland Empire (TBD) Gm 2
Augusta (Jake Wong) vs. Columbia (Thomas Szapucki)

Augusta goes up against the Mets #10 prospect in Szapucki — indeed the Columbia lineup includes three of the top 7 prospects in the Mets system. And Dereck Rodriguez starts the process of trying to put things back together and return himself to the big leagues.

Just gonna end by leaving this here: