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Weaver solid in first Triple-A start

Angels prospect strikes out eight over seven innings
April 8, 2006
Jered Weaver struck out eight over seven strong innings in his Triple-A debut on Saturday as the Salt Lake Bees defeated the Tucson Sidewinders, 7-3, at Tucson Electric Park.

The 12th overall pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Weaver (1-0) was dominant in his first Pacific Coast League start. He allowed one run on two hits and did not walk a batter.

The only hits off the lanky right-hander were a first-inning triple by Alberto Callaspo that was lost in the sun by center fielder Tommy Murphy and a solo home run by Scott Hairston in the fourth.

Weaver, the younger brother of Angels right-hander Jeff Weaver, threw 63 of 83 pitches for strikes. A year ago in his first professional season, he went 7-4 with a 3.91 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 76 innings between Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Arkansas.

Brian Specht and Erick Aybar helped Salt Lake to its third straight win over the Sidewinders. Specht went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Aybar was 2-for-5 with three RBIs, giving him a league-leading eight this season. Murphy contributed three hits and scored twice.

Tucson's Stephen Drew, the brother of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder J.D. Drew, hit his second homer of the season, a two-run shot in the ninth. Drew was selected three spots behind Weaver in the 2004 draft.

Sidewinders starter Edgar Gonzalez (0-1) lasted just three innings and surrendered all seven runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Chip Haunss is a contributor to MLB.com.