SF Giants prospects rundown 5/13: NO-HITTER! NO-HITTER!

SF Giants Prospects Rundown 5/13: Double-A

Richmond Flying Squirrels 2 at Harrisburg Senators 0
Performance of the Game: Matt Frisbee (6-perfect innings, 6 K)

NO-HITTER!!! NO-HITTER!!! That’s right; the Richmond Flying Squirrels completed their first nine-inning no-hitter in franchise history (they were founded in 2010). Former Giants farmhands Jack Snodgrass and Daryl Maday combined for a seven-inning no-no back in 2013.

Matt Frisbee (22nd-ranked prospect)continued his early-season dominance with a perfect six-inning outing for the Flying Squirrels. With tight pitch counts on the Giants’ young arms, manager Jose Alguacil removed Frisbee from the game and left history in his bullpen’s hands. Were the Flying Squirrels not a minor-league team though, it’s worth wondering how far Frisbee could have gone. Over his first two starts, Frisbee has completed 11 innings without allowing a walk, hit batsman, or run. He’s struck out 11 and surrendered just two hits. Yet, perhaps most impressive of all, it’s taken him just 111 pitches between both outings to do it. He threw 42 of his 56 pitches on Thursday for strikes. After winning the California League Pitcher of the Year award at High-A in 2019, Frisbee has had an impeccable minor-league career. Most, myself included, probably expected Sean Hjelle (13th-ranked prospect) to be the first starter from Richmond to reach Sacramento, but Frisbee is undeniably pitching like he needs another challenge.

Still, the bullpen’s effort should not be ignored. Joey Marciano continued his dominant return to the minor leagues. While he allowed a walk, which ended the team’s bid for a perfect game, he struck out two without allowing another baserunner. Through 4.2 innings on the season, Marciano has struck out 7. When Marciano reached his pitch count with two outs in the eighth, the pressure turned to Matt Seelinger, who struck out Alex Dunlap to finish the inning. Then, all the pressure turned to Patrick Ruotolo, who has served as the team’s closer all season. While Ruotolo hit one batter, he surrendered no hits en route to his third save of the year and the minor-league history books.

By the way, catcher Bryan Torres deserves a special hat tip for his work behind the plate. The 23-year-old catcher is a new member of the Giants organization in 2020, having spent his entire pro career in the Brewers organization, and had never played above Rookie-Ball. In just his second career game in full-season ball, he put the signals down for a  no-hitter.

The offense was surely thankful that the pitching staff could carry the load. Playing in Harrisburg’s spacious park, the offense was shut down well by starting pitcher Sterling Sharp and the Senators bullpen. The Flying Squirrels worked six walks but managed just three hits in the game. Vince Fernandez blasted a solo home run for the team’s lone extra-base hit. Frisbee, actually, scored Richmond’s only other run on an error by Sharp on a pickoff attempt after working a walk.