Aaron Leasher has been stellar in a swing role for Fort Wayne this season. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
The Chihuahuas were rained out
Because El Paso is scheduled to travel out of Iowa Monday afternoon, they’ll be playing a doubleheader starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday. So, once you’re done with the recap of Sunday, you can join Monday already in progress.
Corpus Christi Hooks 8, Missions 2
Key Stats: Fernando Tatis, Jr. 0-for-4, 4K; LF Josh Naylor 1-for-4, HR (10); CF Michael Gettys 1-for-3, 2B; RHP Jake Nix 5.1IP, 2H, 1ER, 4K, 5BB; RHP Jason Jester 1.1IP, 6H, 7ER, 2K, 1BB
Jake Nix deals another scoreless inning for the Missions.
Prospect Watch: Through the first four frames, Jacob Nix allowed just two runners, extending his scoreless innings streak to 13 to start his year. He gave up his first run after a leadoff walk and single in the fifth, then lost the strike zone in the sixth, walking all three hitters he faced before turning over a tie game to the bullpen. The 22-year-old righty, a third-round pick in 2015, had issued only two walks this year prior to that hiccup. While Jason Jester escaped the jam he inherited, the seventh turned into a nightmare for the righty, who nearly doubled his earned run total allowed for the season. By the time the inning was over, the Hooks had pounded out five doubles and put up seven runs to put the game out of reach. … Josh Naylor, who Saturday snapped a nine-game stretch without an extra-base hit, clubbed his first homer in three weeks Sunday. Even during that stretch, the big man has been making consistent contact, and he’s kept his season OPS at .900 … Fernando Tatis had an increasingly rare rough day, striking out in all four of his at-bats to match his total from the previous 38 trips to the plate.
Storm 7, Lancaster JetHawks 1
Key Stats: 3B Hudson Potts 2-for-4, HR (10), HBP; DH Luis Torrens 2-for-5, 2B, HR (4), 3RBI; C Marcus Greene, Jr. 3-for-5, 2B; RHP Ronald Bolanos 7IP, 6H, 1ER, 8K, 0BB
Prospect Watch: The Storm pounded out 14 hits, seven for extra bases, and cruised to a 7-1 victory Sunday as Ronald Bolanos turned in his best performance of the year. The 21-year-old native of Cuba tamed the affiliated minors’ most offense-friendly environment, allowing just one run while striking out eight in seven frames. The six-foot-three righty, who had made it past five innings only once this year, has struggled to find any consistent success with his breaking ball and had allowed opponents to reach base at nearly a .400 clip. His ERA, now at 6.41, is at its lowest level all year. … Every member of the Storm lineup reached base Sunday. Hudson Potts hit his 10th homer of the season and also added a single and hit-by-pitch to nudge his on-base percentage up to .347. The 19-year-old Texan has seen his walk rate jump, his K rate fall and his production spike as the season has gone on. … Luis Torrens doubled and homered out of the designated hitter slot Sunday. After posting just a .373 slugging percentage last month, he has eight extra-base hits in as many games this month and sports a .382/.432/.706 line for the month.
TinCaps 15, Lansing Lugnuts 0
Key Stats: DH Esteury Ruiz 3-for-5, 2B, HR (6), BB; 2B Justin Lopez 3-for-3, 2B; SS Gabriel Arias 3-for-5, 2B; C Juan Fernandez 3-for-5, 2 2B; LHP MacKenzie Gore 2IP, 0H, 0R, 3K, 1BB; LHP Aaron Leasher 6IP, 4H, 0R, 6K, 3BB
Prospect Watch: With John Conniff in the house to bring you his report, MacKenzie Gore came back from the DL again, Aaron Leasher dominated, and the offense exploded to down the Lugnuts.
If you missed Sunday’s new interview about the Padres’ draft with Keith Law, check it out. Some interesting reflections on AJ Preller’s changing priorities.
