The Bats split four games while the All-Star break ate up the rest of the week. Big changes afoot at the IL’s worst team, with OF Xavier Paul and SS Didi Gregorius added to the roster and RHR Scott Carroll and OF Joey Gathright let go. (Louisville has also cut loose OFs Danny Dorn and Daryl Jones and added INF Henry Rodriguez this month.) OF Denis Phipps and 1B Neftali Soto, both major disappointments this year, are now healthy (along with INF Chris Valaika)- while OF Felix Perez and UTs Willie Harris and Kris Negron are now injured. Perez and Harris I don’t believe are serious; Negron will apparently be out for some time. Everyone else was generally one up and one down, with the exception of the AZL squad (freefall).

AAA Louisville Bats

Record this week: 2-2.

Overall: 33-59. Last. Once again, the worst record in the IL by far (four wins).


7/5: The streak of seven straight losses is broken, thanks to a new addition: 3B Henry Rodriguez, surprisingly promoted from Double-A to Triple-A following his reinstatement from the DL. Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with a crucial two-run eighth-inning homer in a 7-5 win over Indianapolis (PIT). C Corky Miller added three hits and two RBI (.245) and JJ Hoover pitched 2.1 hitless innings for the victory (2-0, 1.10, 1 BB, 2 K). Donnie Joseph gave up a run but got save #4 (1.46).

7/6: The Bats return to losing, taking an 8-0 shellacking from the Mud Hens (DET, 36-52). Tim Gustafson started (L 3-3, 6.03, 5.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 7 K). 1B Neftali Soto had two of the four Louisville hits (.237).

7/7: Pedro Villareal returned to form, turning in a strong six innings (3.96, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K) but he was outdueled by the #1 prospect in the Tiger system, Jacob Turner. Turner allowed the Bats all of two baserunners through six, a Paul Janish single (he was then immediately caught stealing) and Joey Gathright’s squib hit in the first (directly followed by Rodriguez’ 3-6-3 double-play grounder). Nick Christiani took over for the seventh, surviving a bases-loaded jam. Joseph gave up a run in the eighth but Louisville wasn’t that close to scoring- only Bill Rhinehart’s single in the eighth to show for the last three innings. Toledo wins the 2-0 shutout- a dominant performance by the 21-year-old Turner.

7/8: The Bats finally get a win over Toledo, 3-2. The Mud Hens are the second-worst team in the IL (37-53), by the way. Sean Gallagher tiptoed through six shutout innings (5.06, 5 H, 4 BB, 2 K) but it still took two Bats runs in the bottom of the eighth to cinch it. JJ Hoover (W 3-0, 1.53, 1.1 IP, 1 ER) and Jordan Smith (save #11, 1 IP, 1 K) gave one of those runs back in the top of the ninth, but successfully managed to close the door. 3B Mike Costanzo (.250) and LF Cody Puckett (.233) were each 2-for-3 with a run scored.

7/9: All-Star break.

7/10: Off in commemoration of the big-league All-Star Game.

7/11: Triple-A All-Star Game. The Bats’ sole representative, C Dioner Navarro, did not play for reasons that I have not been able to uncover. Oh, well. The IL was shut out by the PCL, 3-0.

Transactions: 7/7: OF Xavier Paul, 27, was signed by the Reds after exercising an out clause in his contract on the 3rd and assigned to Louisville. Paul has had an excellent year in Triple-A in 2012, batting .318/.379/.517 for Syracuse (WAS) with eight homers, 44 RBI, and six stolen bases. Originally a Dodgers draft pick (4th-round, 2003, Louisiana HS), Paul first made the big leagues in 2009 with Los Angeles. After hitting .231/.277/.314 in 44 games in 2010 and 3-for-11 in the first seven games of 2011, the 5’9”/200# lefty was picked up off waivers by Pittsburgh. Xavier appeared in 121 games with the Pirates last year off their bench, batting .254/.293/.349 with sixteen steals. While he hasn’t had success at the major-league level, Paul is a career .293/.361/.453 hitter in the minors overall and .320/.380/.505 in 262 Triple-A games (most of that at PCL hitters’ haven Albuquerque). It’s always nice when you can add your league’s current batting leader to your team for “free”. Earlier this year, the Tigers released Brad Eldred so he could sign and play in Asia- and the slugger continues to lead the International League in both homers (24) and RBIs (65) despite not having played after July 17th. 7/10: RHR Scott Carroll released. Carroll, 27, was 2-3 with a 5.90 ERA in 25 relief appearances this year for the Bats; he’d started up through the system until this year, including 2011 with Louisville (7-8, 5.39, 25 GS). Carroll, also a quarterback while at Missouri State, was the Reds’ third-round pick in 2007. 7/11: OF Joey Gathright also moved on- he hit .299/.346/.347 in 40 games with the Bats, but it seemed as though he wasn’t seriously considered for a callup. Also, he stole just four bases in six attempts, indicating that his once-80-grade speed is not with him any longer. SS Didi Gregorius up from Pensacola, while UT Kris Negron was placed on the 7-day DL with what is apparently a fairly serious leg injury. Finally, OF Bill Rhinehart was demoted to Pensacola.

Around the minors: The Reds released RHR Michael Wuertz; he never threw a competitive pitch for Cincinnati, although he did spend some time in Arizona attempting to recover from his various injuries. San Francisco has re-signed LHP Clayton Tanner, cut loose by the Reds earlier. Cincinnati had signed Tanner late last year after the Giants let him go. Philadelphia called up LHR Jeremy Horst. San Diego called up C Yasmani Grandal again, of course- he hit homers in his first two big-league at-bats. They also sent RHR Brad Boxberger back to AAA, and (as we saw in the Reds’ visit to Petco) called up RHS Kip Wells. Seattle released 3B Eric Campbell.

AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos

This week: 3-3.

Overall: 12-8 second half, tied for first with Montgomery (TB). 46-43 overall.


7/5: Birmingham (CWS) took a 3-2 lead into the ninth, then popped Wirfin Obispo (2.18, 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER) for a fistful of insurance runs in the ninth to win it, 6-2. JC Sulbaran pitched well if it weren’t for the three homers (L 6-6, 4.22, 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 3 HR, 89 pitches/54 strikes). DH Yordanys Perez was 2-for-4 with homer #4 (.235).

7/6: The Wahoos take the series two to one with a 5-3 victory. The Barons made five errors, enabling Pensacola to survive being outhit nine to five as well as Birmingham’s Jared Mitchell and his two homers. Starter Tim Crabbe, as has been the rule lately, fought his control (4.76, 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K) and left early after 92 pitches. But Brian Pearl (8.22, 2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K), Curtis Partch (W 4-3, 4.20, 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K) and Justin Freeman (save #7) shut the Barons out the rest of the way. The good guys got two in the seventh to break a 3-3 tie.

7/7: Tony Cingrani to the hill for the Wahoos against Mobile (ARI, 7-9), the same club that handed the lefty his sole Southern League loss in a rain-interrupted game a few weeks back. Cingrani struggled a bit early on with location, walking three and not striking out anyone in the first three innings, but he still kept the BayBears off the scoreboard with help from C Mark Fleury (who threw out both runners trying to steal on him). LF Bryson Smith, a literal hit (12-for-31) since arriving at Double-A a week ago, singled in SS Didi Gregorius (who’d tripled) for the first run of the game in the fourth. 1B Beau Mills then hammered his fifth homer in fifteen games to make it 3-0 Wahoos. Pensacola made it a rout with four more runs in the sixth, with Mills doubling in two more and finishing with four RBI on the day. Cingrani struck out only three on the day, but six shutout innings extended his streak to twenty and two-thirds spanning three starts (http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp...vkey=news_milb). Blue Wahoos win, 8-2, and Cingrani is now 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA in the Southern League (9-2, 1.28 with 28 BB and 121 K in 98.2 IP overall). That 1.28 mark leads all full-season minor-leaguers. Anyway, Drew Hayes worked two more scoreless innings (3.18, 2 H, 1 K), although Chris Manno was hit for a pair of late runs (3.82, 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K).

7/8: Pensacola led the BayBears 2-0 after four innings, with Mark Serrano throwing shutout ball (2.95, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K). Then everything went to hell. Mobile scored five, three, five, three, and four runs in the last five innings, routing the Wahoos 20-3. Cal League All-Star Brian Pearl continues to struggle following his promotion (L 0-1, 12.96, 0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 ER). Backup 1B-OF Stephen Hunt pitched the ninth, giving up the last four Mobile runs. 3B David Vidal hit homer #3 in the ninth. That’s about all you’d want to know about this one.

7/9: The BWs bounce back nicely behind Daniel Corcino (W 6-4, 3.16, 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K), who left two batters into the seventh with a 6-0 lead. Pensacola hangs on, 6-3, with Justin Freeman (3.50, save #8, 3 K) mowing down the last seven Mobile hitters. Vidal smashed a three-run homer in the sixth, #4, raising his Double-A line to .246/.306/.389.

7/10: Off in commemoration of the big-league All-Star Game.

Billy Hamilton article clearinghouse:

Yahoo

Baseball America 1, Baseball America 2


7/11: It’s the beginning of one era (Billy Hamilton) and the end of another (Didi Gregorius) in Pensacola as the division-leading Wahoos headed to Chattanooga (LAD, 11-8) for a three-game set behind starter Tim Crabbe (3-5, 4.76), a right-hander who’s failed to get past four innings in both of his July starts. Billyball took a little while to get rolling, though, with Hamilton whiffing in each of his first two at-bats while the Lookouts cracked Crabbe’s shell in the fourth and fifth for a pair of runs each time (L 3-6, 4.90, 5 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K). Billy did get steal #105 after hitting into a force play in his third at-bat, then tripled in the lone Pensacola run in the eighth after Vidal got aboard with a base hit. Chattanooga takes it, 5-1.

Transactions: 7/11: SS Billy Hamilton up from Bakersfield; SS Didi Gregorius to Louisville. OF Bill Rhinehart down from Louisville.

Nice piece on SS Didi Gregorius and his friendship with Braves rookie Andrelton Simmons.

RHS Daniel Corcino made the BA Prospect Hot Sheet again. Rarely have $25,000 signings paid off for a club so handsomely. Cingrani was In the Team Photo.

High-A Bakersfield Blaze

This week: 2-4.

Overall: 8-12 second half. 49-41 overall. Playoff-bound.


7/5: Stockton (OAK) rallied out of nowhere with one in the seventh, one in the eighth, and four in the top of the ninth off Blaine Howell and Brooks Pinckard (L 1-4, 8.10) to wipe out a 3-0 deficit and steal one from debuting starter Tanner Robles (6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K), 6-5. SS Billy Hamilton went 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored, and steals #102 and #103. CF Theo Bowe drove in three with two hits and a walk (.374, CS #15 & #16). DH Don Lutz hit homer #14 (.279, 2-for-5).

7/6: The Ports got four in the top of the 15th off Dan Wolford (L 6-5, 6.12, 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 HR) and position player Kurtis Muller and won it, 7-4. Bakersfield has now lost five in a row. 2B Niko Vasquez hit homer #3 in the bottom of the inning, but that was all the Blaze could muster. Bowe racked up two more caught-stealings (18) but did have three hits. Hamilton reached base only twice in seven trips but did get bag #104. Starter Sharky Rogers managed five (2.79, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K). The bullpen then threw one-run ball over the next nine.

As Hamilton set off for the Futures Game (see bit about it above), it was announced that he was to be promoted to Double-A Pensacola. So if we don’t see Billy in the Cal League again, he finishes with a .323/.413/.439 line in 82 games. What’s especially encouraging is his walk-to-strikeout ratio- if you remember, Hamilton struggled pretty badly at the plate at Dayton in the first half of 2011 and only a big second half left him at .278/.340/.360 with 52 walks and 133 strikeouts in 135 games. Now, the Cal League inflates numbers- but 50 walks and 70 strikeouts in 82 games is a definite stride forward. We’ll see what happens when Billyball reaches the Southern League, a place where pitchers aren’t afraid to throw fastballs over the plate. Billy doesn’t need to be able to drive the ball to be successful- but he does need to be able to make a pitcher pay for throwing him said fastball down the middle.

7/7: Trailing 9-1 entering the home ninth, the Blaze acquitted themselves thusly:

Bakersfield Bottom of the 9th
• Steve Selsky flies out to right fielder Justin Miller.
• Juan Duran walks.
• Niko Vasquez walks. Juan Duran to 2nd.
• Devin Lohman walks. Juan Duran to 3rd. Niko Vasquez to 2nd.
• Danny Vicioso singles on a fly ball to center fielder Donavan Tate. Juan Duran scores. Niko Vasquez to 3rd. Devin Lohman to 2nd.
• Theo Bowe singles on a ground ball to right fielder Justin Miller. Niko Vasquez scores. Devin Lohman to 3rd. Danny Vicioso to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Dan Lazzaroni replaces Yefri Carvajal.
• Kurtis Muller walks. Devin Lohman scores. Danny Vicioso to 3rd. Theo Bowe to 2nd.
• Travis Mattair grounds out to pitcher Dan Lazzaroni. Danny Vicioso scores. Theo Bowe to 3rd. Kurtis Muller to 2nd.
• Donald Lutz homers (15) on a fly ball to center field. Theo Bowe scores. Kurtis Muller scores.
• Pitcher Change: Kevin Quackenbush replaces Dan Lazzaroni.
• Steve Selsky strikes out swinging.

That’s a rout turned into a heartbreaking 9-8 loss. Josh Smith (L 7-5, 3.79, 4 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR) got out early; Jamie Walczak (5.52, 2 IP, 6 H, 6 ER) took the brunt of it. Lutz’s three-run homer in the ninth was #16, while Vicioso finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI (.371). Bowe was 3-for-5 with a run scored, RBI, and his fifth caught-stealing in three games (.383).

7/8: The Blaze made as many errors as they collected hits (five), but they still had a chance to grab this one in the eighth when they loaded the bases with one out… but Travis “Moose” Mattair struck out and Lutz flew out. Lake Elsinore held on, 3-2. Lutz did homer earlier in the game (#17) and Steve Selsky hit #3. Dan Renken pitched five decent innings (L 4-5, 4.55, 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K).

7/9: Finally Bakersfield snaps its losing streak at seven, upending the Storm 6-5. Pat Doyle got the win despite grooving a few (W 8-3, 5.14, 6 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 2 HR) and Blaine Howell, Dan Wolford, and Brooks Pinckard (save #2) each turned in a hitless inning of relief. Selsky homered again, a two-run blast (#4), while RF Kurtis Muller had two doubles and two RBI (.230). 1B Dominic D’Anna (.239) and 3B Niko Vasquez (.193) each had a single and double.

7/10: Off in commemoration of the big-league All-Star Game.

7/11: Off to Stockton to face the Ports again. This one turned out to be a rout for the Blaze, as they got five runs in the second while Tanner Robles made it eleven CL scoreless innings (W 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K). Bakersfield wins the easy 8-1 decision behind Mattair’s 3-for-5 (homer #12, .263) and two hits apiece from the bottom third of the order- C Chris Berset, Vasquez, and 2B James Ewing.

Transactions: 7/7: INF Devin Lohman activated from the DL. 7/11: SS Billy Hamilton up to Pensacola, as well-documented above.

Low-A Dayton Dragons

This week: 3-3.

Overall: 7-12 second half. 37-52 overall.


7/5: South Bend (ARI) returned the favor, 11-2, after Dayton’s 17-4 bombardment of the day before. 20-year-old righty Wes Mugarian (a fifth-round pick in 2010 out of a Florida high school), making his MWL debut, grooved a few too many (4.2 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HR). Lucas O’Rear did solid work in mopup (5.70, 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K), but the Dragons’ bats took the night off for the most part. The Silver Hawks added five runs in the ninth, three unearned. RF Yorman Rodriguez had three hits in four trips (.286, 2B).

7/6: Dayton came back to win the rubber match, 4-3, when 2B Ryan Wright hit a two-run homer in the eighth (#2, .310, 2-for-3, 2B). Rodriguez had popped a solo shot earlier on (#2, 2-for-4, 2 R, .300). Cole Green (1-0, 7.78) got the victory despite giving up a run in his inning. Mike Dennhardt set down six straight (2.73) and Carlos Contreras got save #9. Starter Stalin Gerson worked five decent frames (4.52, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K).

7/7: Great Lakes (LAD, 6-9) rolled into 5/3 Field for the second part of this homestand. Dayton unloaded on Loons starter Raydel Sanchez in the first, with SS Juan Perez (#5), Rodriguez (#3), and Wright (#3) all homering. Jacob Johnson allowed GL single runs on three separate occasions, but departed with a 4-3 lead and a quality start (W 1-1, 3.64, 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 2 HR). Rodriguez added a triple in his second at-bat, but Dayton didn’t otherwise threaten again. El’Hajj Muhammad worked the seventh and eighth (3.09, 1 H, 2 K) and Ryan Kemp got save #4. Kyle Waldrop hit homer #7 for an insurance run; final score was Dayton 5, Great Lakes 3.

7/8: Dragons make it two in a row over the Loons and three overall, 6-3. Wright hit homer #4, Perez had two doubles and two runs scored (.258), and CF Jefry Sierra added two hits and two RBI (.228, steal #7). James Allen worked five and struck out six for the W (6-3, 3.58, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB). Mike Dennhardt scattered four singles over three innings (2.48, 1 K). Rodriguez raised his average to .318 with a double, walk, run scored, and RBI in four trips.

7/9: The Loons survived four errors to salvage one of three, 8-3. Carlos Gonzalez started (L 0-3, 5.40, 3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 ER). Dan Jensen threw three hitless innings (5.71), but Lucas O’Rear (5.74, 3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) allowed several insurance runs.

7/10: Off in commemoration of the big-league All-Star Game.

7/11: The Dragons headed to Peoria (CHC, 6-12). Radhames Quezada (L 5-7, 3.50, 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR) and Wes Mugarian (5.87, 3 IP, 2 H, 4 K) combined to pitch seven innings of six-hit one-run ball, but the Dragons collected just five singles and lost 1-0. Two of those hits came from just-promoted 3B Spencer Dickinson, who has seemingly morphed from a corner outfielder in the Pioneer League to a corner infielder in the Midwest League.

Transactions: 7/5: OF Spencer Dickinson promoted from Billings to replace INF Junior Arias, placed on the 7-day DL after straining his groin in the 17-4 rout on the 4th.

Congrats to OF Yorman Rodriguez, the Midwest League Hitter of the Week for July 2-8. Yorman was 13-for-28 (.464) with four doubles, a triple, a homer, seven RBI, and six runs.

Rookie-Pioneer

This week: 3-3.

Overall: 13-10, now tied for first with Great Falls (CHW).


7/5: Billings evens this three-game set at the expense of the Brewers of Helena, 7-2. DH Robert Maddox hit homer #6 (tying him for the Pioneer League lead) and LF Jesse Winker drove in three. Ismael Guillon looked excellent for four innings (4.02, 2 H, 1 BB, 6 K). Carlos Ramos got the win (1-0, 2.2 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K).

7/6: The Mustangs have a pair of five-run innings (the fourth and eighth), outpointing the Brewers 12-7 to win the series. 2B Robert Ramirez led the offense with three hits and five RBI (.231, 3B, R) and 3B Seth Mejias-Brean added two hits, three runs, two walks, and a RBI (.333). SS Gabriel Rosa, who’s struggled the whole season so far, had two doubles and two RBI (.170). Starter Sal Romano worked four (3.60, 4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K). Dan Langfield (2-0) got the win with two relief innings. Erik Miller gave up two runs but got the save.

7/7: Billings headed off to Great Falls (CHW) to face the Voyagers. They fell in game one, 4-2, picking up just three hits. Drew Cisco (5.06, 2.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) started, but Jose Amezcua took the loss in relief (L 0-3, 4.72, 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K). LF Daniel Pigott drove in both Mustangs runs.

7/8: Winker (.381, 2-for-4) knocked in LF Beau Amaral in the first inning, but that was all the offense the Mustangs could get. They fall again, 3-1. Joel Bender started (L 0-1, 6.89, 4.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K).

7/9: Ouch. Four errors and three runs for the Mustangs, as the Voyagers whomp ‘em 15-3 and sweep the series, taking over first place by a game. Robert Stephenson was okay for a few (2.18, 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) but Great Falls scored twelve runs in the fifth off relievers Nick Routt (L 1-1, 6.48) and Nolan Becker. C Wagner Gomez was 3-for-4 with two doubles (.283, R, RBI).

7/10: Off in commemoration of the big-league All-Star Game.

7/11: Orem (LAA, 10-12) to Dehler Park with the 12-10 Mustangs trying to regain first place. Gomez continued his very hot hitting, driving in half of Billings’ six runs and smashing a two-run homer (#1) for key insurance-run purposes in the eighth (2-for-4, .300). SS Sammy Diaz and CF Jon Matthews each had a pair of hits and RF Jeff Gelalich was 1-for-1 with two walks, a HBP, and three runs scored. Lefty Ismael Guillon may have turned a corner- he built on his 4-2-0-0-1-6 line from last start with five more shutout innings to earn his first win (1-1, 3.05, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K). Alejandro Chacin, the AZL Reds’ dominant closer from 2011, retired six straight (5.79, 3 K) and Sean Lucas got the last two for save #3.

Transactions: 7/5: OF Jeff Gelalich (supplemental 1st, UCLA) activated.

Rookie-Arizona

This week: 0-5.

Overall: 3-13, last place.


7/5: The Reds got just two hits in a 4-2 loss to the Royals. Starter Wandy Peralta looked decent (L 1-1, 4.50, 4 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K). Richard McCaffrey pitched three one-hit innings in relief and 27th-round pick Joey Housey made his pro debut with a scoreless eighth. C Josh Kennelly, the 18-year old Australian catcher just signed recently, drove in one of the Reds’ runs.

7/6: The Athletics brutally hammered a pitcher more than twice many of their ages, rehabbing 39-year-old Brett Tomko, for eight runs in the first two innings. The Reds mounted a comeback, but fell short 12-9. Tomko gave up nine hits in thirteen batters faced. Chris Valaika, Tomko’s Louisville teammate, also played in this game for rehab purposes and did manage a solo homer and a walk in three trips. LF Wilfrel Estevez had two hits and three RBI (.237) and CF Jonathan Reynoso two and two (.321, steals #7 and #8). 3B Tanner Rahier went 0-for-5 to fall to .216.

7/7: Off.

7/8: The Dodgers build a 6-0 lead, then manage to stop a Reds rally juuuust in time. Four Redlings runs in the ninth left them too short, 11-9. C Daniel Paula had four hits and four RBI, including two doubles. 1B Avain Rachal was 3-for-4 with three runs scored (.409) while LF Wilfrel Estevez was 2-for-3 with two walks and three runs (.268). Fourth-rounder Jon Moscot walked four in 1.1 innings, losing despite not allowing a hit or earned run. South African teenager Robert Louis-Walker worked two innings in relief, allowing two hits and one run while striking out three.

7/9: The Giants make Amir Garrett’s first pro decision a losing one (1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K), scoring three early en route to a 6-1 win. 21-year-old Dominican righty Jose Williams worked four hitless innings of relief.

7/10: Off in commemoration of the big-league All-Star Game.

7/11: In the basement with a 3-12 record, the Redlings try to climb off the mat against the Giants, the very squad that defeated them two days before. It… almost happened. The Giants piled up a 6-1 lead after four off Wandy Peralta (L 1-2, 6.23, 3.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) and then held on for dear life. The Redlings got three in the sixth and and one in the eighth, but couldn’t muster one more and lost 6-5. Five Giants errors helped the Reds along as well. LF Brayan Arias was 2-for-4 with two RBI (.229) and RF Argenis Aldazoro 2-for-4 with a double and RBI (.216). 3B Tanner Rahier was 0-for-4 to fall to .200; he’s now two for his last twenty-six after a fast start.

Transactions: 7/9: LHR Chris Joyce (Bakersfield) activated for rehab. RHP Nick Travieso, this year’s first-round pick, activated. 7/11: RHP Lorgi Pineda sent back to the DSL Reds. RHP Jose Valdelamar added from the DSL Reds.