Brett Pill News

Ill Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval was out of Wednesday's lineup, as manager Bruce Bochy wanted to give the flu-stricken third baseman extra time to recover.

All it took was one swing of the bat to turn Mike Kickham, Shane Loux and Chris Heston from Fresno Grizzlies starters to objects of major league speculation.

A day after their first long-term injury of the season, the Giants made a couple of moves to get through the days ahead.

The clock is ticking for Juan Nicasio. Despite a 3-1 record, the Rockies right-hander hasn't performed up to snuff through the first six weeks of the season, unable to pitch longer than six innings in any of his eight outings so far while his ERA has ballooned to 5.13. All the struggles have Nicasio's spot in the Colorado starting rotation hanging ... (more)

FRESNO, Calif. - Cole Gillespie drilled a three run home run as Fresno handed the New Orleans Zephyrs a 6-3 defeat in front of 11,357 fans at Chukchansi Field.

Returning to a 13-man pitching staff, the Giants announced on Saturday that right-hander Jean Machi has been recalled from Triple-A Fresno.

Brett Pill advances to third base for the Giants on a flyball to center field during the second inning of Friday night's game as Rockies rookie Nolan Arenado awaits the relay throw to third.

Brett Pill was called up; Francisco Peguero was sent down. As an exchange of useful parts, the Giants probably came out ahead.

Another closeout: Fresno closer Heath Hembree notched his second save in as many nights, throwing a perfect ninth as the Grizzlies held on for a 4-3 win against the host Memphis Redbirds on Monday.

June 6, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Brett Pill singles during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park.

The extra-base knock scored Brett Pill, who reached base by drawing a walk from Sounds reliever Travis Webb .

Two-out troubles: Fresno reliever Brett Bochy loaded the bases in the seventh inning but only needed one more out to get out of the jam and keep the score tied.

Finding his groove: After starting the year on the disabled list, Fresno right-hander Shane Loux won his third straight start, allowing a run on three hits and three walks over six innings to lead the Grizzlies past host Nashville 5-3 on Tuesday in the Pacific Coast League.

Fresno, Calif. Fresno's Brett Pill drove in a career-high five runs as the Grizzlies defeated the Colorado Springs Sky Sox 7-5 Monday and avoided a four-game sweep.

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox scored five runs in the fourth off right-hander Boof Bonser and rode that momentum to an 8-3 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies on Saturday night at Chukchansi Park before 10,975. RH Jeff Manship blanked Fresno over five innings despite entering the game with an 8.27 ERA.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said the decision to option Hector Sanchez to Triple-A today was made largely to get Sanchez more game action than he saw during the first month of the season with the Giants.

Powering up: Jackson Williams hit two home runs -- solo shots in the third and eighth innings -- and tripled and scored a run in the sixth to lead the Fresno Grizzlies over the Sacramento River Cats 11-5 Thursday in a Pacific Coast League game at Chukchansi Park.

Comeback kings: Carter Jurica drove a ball off the base of the wall with one out in the 11th, bringing home Kensuke Tanaka with the winning run in the Fresno Grizzlies' 8-7 victory Monday night at Chukchansi Park.

Gillespie had two doubles and a home run Saturday night to lift the Fresno Grizzlies to a 9-6 win at Aces Ballpark.

On a roll: Fresno overcame deficits twice and rode a big night from Kensuke Tanaka to a 9-8 Pacific Coast League victory Friday over the host Reno Aces.