MU in the Minors: Moving on

There was plenty of ink and and buckets of bytes spilled last weekend about revisiting the 2007 Regional in Columbia and the bad blood between Mizzou and Louisville. This story about a game in the San Francisco Giants farm system demonstrates just how much that old series is just old history. Baseball always moves on.

♦ Sandoval Homers Twice, Grizzlies Deal Vegas Loss (KMPH)

Fresno, Calif. - In his third game with the Fresno Grizzlies during his current rehab stint, Pablo Sandoval made sure to let people know he is ready. With a solo home run in each the fourth and sixth innings, Sandoval provided the in-game fireworks for the Grizzlies in their 5-4 win over the Las Vegas 51s on Friday evening at Chukchansi Park.

Even with the benefit of Sandoval's power, the Grizzlies were trailing entering the bottom of the eighth, though. Fresno staged a rally nonetheless. Todd Linden and Nick Noonan led off the eighth frame with back-to-back singles, while a Charlie Culberson groundout advanced Linden and Noonan to third and second base, respectively.

Chris Dominguez tied the game with another groundout, scoring Linden and making it 4-4. Brock Bond followed Dominguez with a single to center field, allowing Noonan to score from second and giving the Grizzlies the eventual game-winning run.

♦ Tag team gives TinCaps relief (Fort Wayne Journal Gazette)

Matt Stites and Daniel Cropper were starting pitchers in college. And both have made the smooth transition to the bullpen since landing in the San Diego farm system.
. . .
“When you come in, all you have to think about is throwing strikes,” Stites said. “The hitters will usually get themselves out. If they succeed three out of 10 times, they are doing good. So 7 out of 10, that’s my time.”