Chihuahuas 2 – Fresno Grizzlies 0
Key Stats: 2B Luis Urias 1-for-4, HR (5), 2K; 1B Allen Craig 1-for-3, 3B (1), RBI; RHP Chris Huffman 4IP, 4H, 0R, 2K, 4BB; RHP Eric Yardley 2.1IP, 1H, 0R, 0K, 1BB
Prospect Watch: Chris Huffman and four relievers combined for the Chihuahuas’ third shutout of the year as El Paso moved back over .500 with a 2-0 victory on the road. The staff was hardly dominant – walking six against only two strikeouts – but relied on three double plays and some timely defense to keep the Grizzlies off the board. Reliever Eric Yardley came on with the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth and got former Padre Tim Federowicz on a soft liner to third and then induced a double-play grounder to escape the frame. The 27-year-old sidewinder opened the year El Paso, was hit hard in a pair of outings, and demoted to San Antonio. After giving up three more runs in his first Double-A game, he allowd just one more in 15 more innings to earn his return to the PCL. Sunday’s game was the first time he pitched more than two innings all year. … Luis Urias smacked a homer in his first plate appearance, then flew out and struck out twice through the rest of the game. He has five extra-base hits in his last eight games, matching his total from the first 18 games of the month.
Springfield Cardinals 7 – Missions 3
Key Stats: SS Fernando Tatis Jr. 1-for-5, 3B, K; RF Tyler Kohlwey 3-for-4, 3B, HR (1); RHP Colin Rea 4.2IP, 6H, 5R (4ER), 2K, 3BB, WP; RHP Lake Bachar 3.1IP, 2H, 2R, 2K, 1BB
Padres pitcher Colin Rea works for the Missions as he rehabs from Tommy John Surgery (Photo: Rey Holguin)
Prospect Watch: Colin Rea had an ugly third inning, but otherwise looked solid in his second rehab appearance with the Missions. The 27-year-old righty stretched out to 75 pitches total, but needed almost half of them in a third inning that included two walks, three singles and an error. While none of the hits were especially well hit, two came after he’d fallen behind in the count. Now 22 months post-Tommy John Surgery, Rea has given up eight earned runs in eight frames over his first two outings. He’ll likely use the full 30-days allowed for his rehab assignment after having a few slow-downs as he worked back to game action since last summer. … Taylor Kohlwey came up a double shy of the cycle in his ninth game with the Missions. The 23-year-old from Wisconsin is slugging .477 in limited action between San Antonio and Lake Elsinore this year, more than 130 points above his career total coming into the year.
Storm 5 – San Jose Giants
Key Stats: Buddy Reed 1-for-4, HR (9), 3K; SS Ruddy Giron 2-for-4, 2B; LHP Adrian Morejon 5IP, 8H, 3ER, 4K, 1BB; RHP Elliot Ashbeck 2IP, 0H, 0R, 5K
Prospect Watch: After missing his last start with a stiff neck Adrian Morejon threw 94 pitches with no signs of ill effect on Sunday. The 19-year-old lefty gave up eight hits over five innings – four for extra bases – and had traffic on the bases every frame, but limited the damage with seven ground-ball outs including a well-timed double-play ball and four more strikeouts. He’s struck out 40 in 39.1 innings on the year, with a fastball that’s sat consistently in the mid-90s. He continues to work to find consistency with his change-up. … Elliot Ashbeck continues to shine in his multi-inning relief role. The Padres’ 16th-round pick in 2015 had Tommy John surgery early in 2016, but has a sub-two ERA in 50 innings since returning to the mound last summer and owns a 61:13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in that time. The 24-year-old Wisconsin native has held Cal League opponents to a .160 average this year. … Buddy Reed homered in his third straight game Sunday and is now slugging .603 with a league-best 26 extra-base hits.
TinCaps 4 – Lansing Lugnuts 3
Key Stats: LHP Osvaldo Hernandez 3IP, 2H, 2R (1ER), 1K, 3BB, Balk, HBP; RHP Evan Miller 3IP, 1H, 0R, 1K, 0BB; C Luis Campusano 2-for-4, RBI; 3B Luis Almanzar 1-for-4, 2B, 2K; 1B Jalen Washington 1-for-2, 2B, 2BB
Prospect Watch: A day after losing a five-run lead with two outs in the ninth, the TinCaps were gifted their own late-inning win Sunday as an error and balk by Lansing pushed across the tying and winning runs in the ninth. … Lefty Osvaldo Hernandez had an odd outing. The 20-year-old, who came in among league-leaders with a 2.50 ERA, retired the first six batters and faced just one over the minimum in the third inning. But he opened the fourth walk, error, walk, single, balk, single and gave way without recording another out at just 55 pitches. … Evan Miller continued his stellar results for the TinCaps. Entering with the bases loaded, he induced a double play and groundout to keep the Lugnuts from any more damage. The 23-year-old Indiana native has given up only one earned run on eight hits in 20.2 innings this year and has allowed just one unintentional walk. … Luis Campusano had two more hits and now has his average up over .300 for May. The Padres’ second-round pick has a 13 percent strikeout rate on the year. … Luis Almanzar was an early favorite to break with the TinCaps, but an unimpressive showing in spring training meant he stayed back in extended to open the year. The 18-year-old infielder finally joined the team the middle of this month, but hit .179 with no extra-base hits through his first nine contests. With a double Sunday, he now has four two-baggers in as many games.
