There are no words for what baseball can do for you sometimes:

Tyler Skaggs’ mom, Debbie, threw a perfect strike tonight during the pregame ceremony honoring her son. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6w4YUE72zo — Cut4 (@Cut4) July 13, 2019

The Angels threw a no-hitter for Tyler Skaggs. pic.twitter.com/Bngi3ZT40p — Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 13, 2019

HIGHLIGHTS: Gio Brusa had three hits; Alexander Canario had three hits with a double; Logan Webb threw 5 IP with 6 Ks in first action since April.

Sacramento lost to Fresno Grizzlies (Nationals), 11-6

The Fresno Grizzlies pounded starter Yoanys Quiala, putting up 10 runs in the first 5 innings of play, and Sacramento couldn’t quite slug their way back into things. Quiala surrendered 11 hits including 3 HRs before getting knocked out with just one out in the 4th inning.

Home runs from Henry Ramos and Levi Michael helped respectable-up the score a bit in the late innings, and for one brief moment it looked like the Cats might get themselves back into the game. Back to back bases loaded walks made it 10-5 in the 7th inning with just one out. But Zach Green and Chris Shaw produced back to back strikeouts to end the last best threat the team would have.

Fresno’s victory put inched them back to a 0.5 game behind Sacramento with a chance to overtake the Cats with a victory today. Push ‘em back, Cats!

Richmond lost at Harrisburg Senators (Nationals), 6-3

The consistent snap that Garrett Williams had been feeling for his curve ball lately went missing again last night, as it was tending to just roll around the zone rather than snap into it. And the lack of that killer putaway weapon caused him to fill up the bases with free passes. Williams issued a career high 6 walks and also gave up 7 hits, retiring just half of the 26 batters he faced on the night.

Amazingly, all of that traffic lead to just 3 runs as Williams wormed out of trouble consistently and Ryan Halstead picked up a clutch K in relief to finish off the 5th inning.

HUGE strikeout from @ryhalstead to strand a pair in the fifth.



Off to the sixth, trailing 3-2 pic.twitter.com/t6NlXenojW — Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 13, 2019

But after tying up the game on a throwing error, the Squirrels bullpen let them down in the late innings. Raffi Vizcaino gave up a double and a triple to the first two batters of the 7th inning, giving up the lead for good.

Double that lead!



Gio Brusa brings home Peter Maris with an RBI single to make it 2-0 pic.twitter.com/tL6aqynter — Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 12, 2019

Gio Brusa led the Squirrels attack with three hits — all singles — and stole a base. Bryce Johnson opened the game with a walk to extend his Games On Base streak to 13 — a streak that stretches back to his second game in a Richmond uniform.

Jalen Miller has seen his average waiver between .215 and .220 for most of the last month — he’s hit just .203 since May 1. But despite his struggles at the plate he’s kept the other parts of his game strong for the summer, playing an excellent defensive 2b and running wild on the base paths. Miller stole his 20th bag of the year last night, with just 7 CS on the other side of the ledger. His career high SB coming into the season was 11.

San Jose lost at Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers), 4-0

losing their series, 1-2

The Dodgers winter trade with Cincinnati, moving the expiring contracts of Yasiel Puig and Alex Wood, is looking extremely heist-like half a year later, with LA having picked up two excellent prospects to add to their giant pile of excellent prospects. And last night, San Jose got an up close view of the best of the pair, RHP Josiah Gray, who is having a huge breakout season for the Quakes.

Gray shoved it at the Giants bats, taking a no-hitter into the 7th, while striking out 7 with his electric arsenal. Logan Baldwin’s leadoff single in the 7th would be the only hit — and one of just two baserunners — Gray allowed before leaving after 7.

On the Giants side of the mound, Jose Marte continued what’s become a disappointing 2019, as the big right-hander hasn’t found a way to consistently turn his high 90s stuff into Zeros on the scoreboard. Marte features a 5.71 ERA for the year, and though the walks are elevated (nearly 4.5 per 9) the bigger issue is just too much hard contact. His BABIP is climbing up towards the .400 mark and bad luck hasn’t been the major culprit.

Development isn’t linear. Development isn’t linear. Development isn’t linear...

Augusta lost at Asheville Tourists (Rockies), 3-1

What’s Ismael Munguia thinking about....? pic.twitter.com/XOYSafYfn1 — Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) July 12, 2019

He’s thinking “Man, that fence looks awful close!” And he’s right! The cozy dimensions in Asheville have long made McCormick Field the Coors Field of the Sally. But even a trip to bountiful couldn’t help the struggling Greenjackets offense. Augusta’s run scoring machine aspires to “competent” in the best of times, and losing Diego Rincones from the middle of the lineup hasn’t helped things any.

Rincones left the game on July 10 after being HBP in the first inning and he has yet to return. Diego hasn’t been put on the Injured List as of yet, though, which seems like a good sign for his imminent return.

Two guys who have been placed on the IL, however, are starting pitchers Blake Rivera and Gregory Santos, which probably helps explain Keith Weisenberg’s start last night. Rivera hasn’t pitched since July 1st, and was placed on the IL on Wednesday. Santos was put on the IL after his start on Thursday night. The moves may just be balancing workload, though Santos has already missed two months of the season already with some shoulder soreness.

The back to back losses have knocked Augusta out of 1st place, as promotions and injuries pile up they’re going to be hard put to stay competitive in the second half.

Salem-Keizer beat Eugene Emeralds (Cubs), 11-8

Ben Madison closes the door and secures another win! Don’t miss the game tomorrow - Steve Garvey will be in the house! ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/u1gazrtz1v — S-K Volcanoes ⚾ (@SKVolcanoes) July 13, 2019

Hey a Win! The short-season folks know how to do this! After falling behind 6-1 by the 2nd inning, the Volcanoes offense shifted into gear with two big innings to pull away with the 11-8 win. Sean Roby’s bases clearing double gave Salem-Keizer the lead for good in a 5-run 5th inning rally.

Alexander Canario picked up three more hits, including his 4th double with the Volcanoes. Over his last three games he’s 6 for 14 with three doubles and a homer — though he also has 7 Ks in that stretch (Holy BABIP Batman!).

The offense piled it on Eugene, knocking out 12 hits and 10 walks. Though they eschewed the long ball for the night, nearly half the hits went for extra bases with the 2-6 hitters in the order each having one XBH.

Twenty year old RHP Luis Moreno was one of the best arms in the AZL camp in 2018, but he’s been battered mercilessly so far by NWL hitters in 2019. Moreno has surrendered 31 earned runs already in just 24 IP, and his K rate has plummeted. Moreno was a K per inning pitcher in the AZL but he has just 15 strikeouts so far against NWL competition.

At 19-9, the Volcanoes own the NWL’s best record — indeed they’re one of just three teams in the league with a winning record. Were they in the Northern Division they would have already clinched a first half title. Unfortunately the 2nd best record in the league belongs to the damn Hillsboro Hops who are right on the Volcanoes tail, just 1 game back. WIth just over a week to go in the 1st half, SK can’t let up on the petal.

AZL Giants Orange beat AZL Brewers Blue, 2-1

AZL Giants Black beat AZL Athletics Gold, 9-7

Here’s a red letter day worth celebrating — Logan Webb is back! Though his suspension still has another 15 or 16 games to run at higher levels, the less strictured rules that govern the complex league allow him to start working his way back into form on a rehab assignment.

#SFGiants top pitching prospect Logan Webb was back on the mound in a game tonight for the first time since his 80-game suspension.



His line in the Arizona Rookie League: 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 6 K, 0 BB. The AZL doesn’t count against his suspension — Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) July 13, 2019

Webb was able to work up to 5 innings in his first official game action since April. Webb did pitch during XST games and has been working regular bullpens so he should be able to build up arm strength fairly quickly. I would anticipate he’ll return to Richmond when the suspension expires and finish there the final month of the season, before heading to the Arizona Fall League to pick up some more innings.

Webb’s start helped Team Orange to an ultra-rare Pitcher’s Duel victory. After Webb’s five innings, the Orangemen got another excellent effort from Wilkelma Castillo. Castillo retired 9 of the 10 batters he faced — an error from Luis Toribio allowed the 10th to reach base against him — while striking out 4. Castillo’s 24 Ks are 8th in the AZL, as he’s put himself forward as one of the most interesting arms in camp this summer.

Team Black had the humming offense yesterday, as they piled up 20 hits to beat the Athletics Gold team 9-7. The deluge of hits was so contagious Carter Aldrete was the only member of the lineup with less than 2 hits in the lineup. Dilan Rosario continued to show off impressive pop, picking up a double and a triple. The defensive-minded Rosario has 9 extra base hits out of just 13 hits on the year, including 4 HRs. The 29 strikeouts in 58 ABs are of course a bit of an issue.

Jean Peña, who was one of the AZL team’s better hitters last year, picked up two hits including a triple. Peña hasn’t had much success in games he’s subbed into lately, but interestingly enough over his last four starts he’s 7 for 16 with two triples.

Jairo Pomares’ two hits gives him 5 over the last three games. He’s hit in 15 of his 16 games as a pro including 9 multi-hit efforts.

And Nick Vincent reappears from his long absence, caused by a strain of the pectoral muscle. Vincent has been on the IL since way back on May 29. Vincent is currently on the 60 day IL and won’t be eligible to return for a little more than two weeks.

DSL Giants lost to DSL Pirates2, 6-2

More bad pitching and more Luis Matos hitting. Same as it ever was.

A five-run inning in the 2nd sunk the Giants into an immediate hole from which they never emerged. The team managed just five hits, two of which came from the never silent bat of Matos, who picked up his 16th multi-hit game of the year (in 31 games). The 17 year old is hitting .341/.395/.583 and has shown excellent contact skills for a youngster getting his first pro action with just a 12% K rate.

Matos will represent the Giants in tomorrow’s DSL All Star game.

Today’s Scheduled Starters:

Sacramento (Conner Menez) vs. Fresno (Ben Braymer)

Richmond (Brandon Beachy) @ Harrisburg (TBD)

San Jose (Sean Hjelle) @ Lancaster (Ryan Rolison)

Augusta (Seth Corry) @ Asheville (Alfredo Garcia)

Salem-Keizer (Jesus Ozoria) vs. Eugene (TBD)

AZL Giants Black (Jasier Herrera) vs. AZL Athletics Green (TBD)

AZL Giants Orange (Conner Nurse) @ AZL Rangers (TBD)

DSL Giants: ALL STAR BREAK

Marquee matchup down at the Hangar tonight as the 45th pick of last year’s draft (Hjelle) goes up against the 22nd (Rolison). Of course, nothing says “pitcher’s duel” like the howling winds of Lancaster. Seth Corry also gets one of the many hitter-friendly environs in the Rockies system (Colorado is definitely giving their pitching prospects tough love as every affiliate they have is in their league’s highest scoring location — by a lot in some cases).

And down in the desert, young Conner Nurse looks to keep his excellent 2019 rolling and move Giants Orange one notch closer to nailing down the 1st half title (unlike Salem-Keizer, their path looks to be pretty smooth sailing).

Oh yes, and there’s a whole mess of pitchers on the move around the system.