Nick Margevicius deals as the TinCaps continue their tradition of wearing big-league uniforms on Sundays. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
In an eventful day for the system, Nick Margevicius continued to dominate for Fort Wayne while Chris Paddack appeared human for an inning, allowing a couple of runs for the first time this year.
Chihuahuas 3 – Tacoma Rainiers 2
Key Stats: SP Dillon Overton 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 K, BB; RP Trey Wingenter .2 IP, 2 K, 0 ER; RP Jose Castillo 2 IP, 2 K, 0 ER; 3B Luis Urias 2-4, 2B, R, RBI, K; DH Brett Nicholas 2-4, RBI, SB; RF Hunter Renfroe 0-4; 2B Carlos Asuaje 1-2, 2 BB, K; SS Javy Guerra 0-4, 2 K
Prospect Watch: In the top of the seventh, Luis Urias whacked an RBI double to give the Chihuahuas a 3-2 lead. Urias also collected a single in the game, giving him three straight multi-hit games and raising his average over the last ten games to a stellar .375. … After swatting a pair of home runs Wednesday, Hunter Renfroe went hitless in four at-bats, struggling to get anything going off a right-handed starter. He didn’t strike out on the night and, after three Ks in his first game back, has 6 in his last 30 plate appearances. … 22-year-old Jose Castillo struck out two over a pair of scoreless innings. The performance lowered his ERA to 1.69 in 5.1 innings since his a promotion. and marks his ninth appearance in the last ten games without allowing a run. Castillo has struck out 18 hitters in that same time frame. … Shortstop Javy Guerra continued his struggles at the plate as he put up another 0-for-4 line with two more strikeouts. He’s now hitting a paltry .172 on the year and an even more disastrous .051 in May.
Seth Simmons has continued his success even after Tommy John surgery. (Photo: Ray Holguin)
Missions 10 – Tulsa Drillers 1
Key Stats: RHP Seth Simmons 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 6 K, BB; RHP Erik Johnson 3IP, 1H, 0R, 4K, 0BB; SS Fernando Tatis Jr. 2-4, 2B, RBI, K, SF; LF Josh Naylor 1-5, K, R, 2B; 3B Ty France 2-3, 2B, 3 R, BB, HBP; 1B Austin Allen 2-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K; 2B River Stevens 1-5, HR, R, 3 RBI; CF Michael Gettys 2-3, 2 R, 2B, SB, BB, K
Prospect Watch: The Missions thumped Tulsa in a team effort as every starting position player collected a hit or walk. Fernando Tatis Jr. just keeps hitting after a miserable first month of the season. His two hits today pushes his slash line over the last ten games to a robust .366/.413/.683. Although he still hasn’t managed to post back to back games without a strikeout, his K rate for the month is down to 26 percent. … After a home run drought in May, Austin Allen connected for his ninth long ball of the season with a monster shot over the right-field wall. … Josh Naylor’s double gives a modest five-game hit streak and at least one hit in eight of the last nine games. Like Allen, Naylor has cooled a bit after a torrid start, but it’s hard to find any disappointment in .337 average or his .969 OPS. … Ty France, a San Diego State Alumnus, belted his eighth home run of the season, giving him three more than he hit all last season. He’s also been an on-base machine at a .390 clip thanks to a 23:18 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a ridiculous 19 hit-by-pitch count to which he added on Thursday.
Lancaster JetHawks 10 – Storm 7
Key Stats: SP Chris Paddack 5 IP, 7 K, 0 BB, 3 ER, 6 H; RP David Bednar 1.2 IP, 0 ER, K, BS; LF Buddy Reed 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB, RBI, K, 2 SB, 3B; 2B Ruddy Giron 2-5, R, 2 RBI, SB; CF Edward Olivares 0-3, R, BB; DH Luis Torrens 0-3, 2 RBI, 2 K; 1B Brad Zunica 2B, 2 K, R; 1B Matthew Batten 1-5, 2B, R, 3 K; C Marcus Greene Jr. 1-5, 2 RBI, 3 K
Prospect Watch: After cruising through three innings, Chris Paddack coughed up a trio of runs in the fourth inning, which marks only the second time he’s allowed any runs since the Padres acquired him in 2016. His fastball sat in the 91-93 mph range as he struck out seven and walked none. … Buddy Reed continues to flash his speed, swiping another two bags to bring his season total to 21 in 23 attempts. He also clobbered a triple to center field in the bottom of the third to drive in a run. He drew two walks. After managing only seven in his first 40 games of the year, he’s earned three in the last two games. Subscribers can read Kevin’s interview with the breakout prospect that just went live. … Ruddy Giron, who has flirted with the Mendoza line this season, had one of his best games of the year, joining Buddy Reed with an extra-base hit and his first stolen base of the season.
TinCaps 3 – West Michigan Whitecaps 0
Key Stats: LHP Nick Margevicius 7 IP, 7 K, BB, 0 ER, 5 H; RP Travis Radke 2 IP, 3 K, 2 BB, 0 ER; CF Jeisson Rosario 1-4, 2B, R, K; DH Esteury Ruiz 0-4, 3 K; RF Tirso Ornelas 3-4, 2 2B, 3B, R, RBI; C Luis Campusano 1-3, 2B, RBI, K; 3B Luis Almanzar 2-4, RBI, K, 2 2B
Key Stats: Nick Margevicius did what he has done all season – hammered the zone and effectively attacked hitters on his way to another dominant performance. The seven strikeouts push his strikeout-to-walk ratio to 59:8, which is even more impressive when you consider five of those eight walks occurred in one game. His 2.35 ERA is fifth in the Midwest League and he’s second on the circuit in strikeouts. … Tirso Ornelas also snapped a four-game hitless streak, collecting three extra-base hits to bring his season total to eleven. … After failing to notch a hit in his first ten plate appearances of full-season ball, Luis Almanzar has nine hits in his last 28 at-bats. He’s also exhibited decent plate discipline in the early going, walking nine times in eleven games. He’d had only one extra-base hits coming into the game, but added two doubles as all seven on the TinCaps’ hits in the game went for extra bases.
