Michel Baez got his first win with the Storm on Wednesday night. Photo credit: Cherished Memories.
Monday featured five games for the full-season clubs, as El Paso played two. They split a doubleheader in Iowa, while the Missions went down to Corpus Christi. The Storm blew a pair of leads and lost at home. The TinCaps lost as John Conniff continues his tour of Fort Wayne.
Game One: Iowa Cubs 6, Chihuahuas 5
Key Statistics: 2B Carlos Asuaje, 1-for-2, 2 R, BB; 1B Allen Craig, 2-for-3, R, 2B, BB, RBI; C Brett Nicholas, 2-for-4; CF Auston Bousfield, 2-for-3, 2 2B, R, RBI, BB; RHP Luis Perdomo, 4 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; RHP Miguel Diaz (L, 0-3) 1.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
Game Two: Chihuahuas 3, Iowa Cubs 0
Key Statistics: 2B Luis Urias, 1-for-3, 3B; SS Javier Guerra, 1-for-3, HR (7), R, RBI; C A.J. Kennedy, 1-for-3, 2B, R; RHP Seth Simmons, 4 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, K; RHP Colten Brewer, 2 IP, BB, 2 K; RHP Robert Stock (S, 5) IP, BB, K.
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas split a doubleheader in Iowa, as the clubs made up a game that was postponed due to wet grounds Sunday. … Former Major League All-Star Allen Craig had a pair of hits as the veteran continued his run of hot hitting. Craig, 33, hasn’t seen big league action since 2015 but is hitting .302/.378/.583 since May 1st. The first baseman/outfielder has struggled mightily over the last few years in the Boston system and he’s unlikely to get back to the big leagues with the Padres. But if he can keep up the production, he might convert his minor league free agent deal with the Padres into an opportunity with another club next spring. … Luis Urias had a pinch-hit single in game one and went 1-for-3, with a triple in the second game. Urias seems to be picking up steam, as he is 4-for-9 over his last three games. … In the second game, RHP Seth Simmons pitched four shutout innings and earned a no-decision. Simmons, who turns 30 this week, is on the mend from Tommy John surgery. The former 40th-round pick threw 65 pitches and hasn’t thrown more than 79 pitches in any of his six outings. Overall, Simmons is carrying a 1.38 ERA in 26 innings between San Antonio and El Paso.
Corpus Christi Hooks 6, Missions 4
Key Statistics: SS Fernando Tatis Jr., 2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, 2 BB; 3B Ty France, 2-for-3, R, 2B, 2 BB; RHP Lake Bachar (L, 0-3) 3.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, BB, 3 K; RHP Trevor Frank, 1.1 IP, H, ER, BB; RHP Gerardo Reyes, 2 IP, K.
Prospect Watch: The Missions dropped their second straight in Corpus Christi, trimming their division-lead to one game. … After going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts Sunday, Fernando Tatis Jr. bounced back with two hits and two walks out of the leadoff spot. Through 10 June games, Tatis has a .382/.500/.588 slash-line. … Third baseman Ty France had two hits and drew two walks Monday, as the former SDSU Aztec continues his excellent play. France is hitting .317/.370/.463 in June and has struck out just six times in 41 at-bats this month. … RHP Lake Bachar got the start Monday struggled again and ultimately took the loss. The former fifth-round pick gave up four earned runs on five hits in 3.2 innings. The issue with Bachar in Double-A has been the longball. He has allowed seven homers in 24.1 innings, which has led to an ERA over seven.
Roster Note: The Missions placed LHP Logan Allen on the seven-day disabled list, retroactive to June 9th. According to reports, Allen injured his ankle shagging fly balls. As of now, it doesn’t seem too serious and seems more precautionary than anything. With the All-Star break coming up next week and two rehabbing pitchers with the club, the Padres made no corresponding roster move at this time.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 8, Storm 7
Key Statistics: LF Buddy Reed, 3-for-4, SB (29); DH Allen Cordoba, 1-for-5; CF Edward Olivares, 2-for-5, 2 R, 2B; SS Kelvin Melean, 1-for-4, 2B, R; RHP Michel Baez, 5.1 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, BB, 6 K; RHP Colby Blueberg (L, 2-1) 0.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 K.
Prospect Watch: The Storm blew two different three-run lead’s and lost at home to Rancho Cucamonga. … RHP Michel Baez rolled through five innings without giving up a run, but allowed back-to-back singles before giving way in the sixth. Both of those runs came around to score. On the plus side, Baez had six strikeouts and only one walk. While Baez’s 2.91 ERA is quite solid, his strikeouts are down considerably and his fastball is continuing to sit in the low-90s, off from where he was as he took the minors by storm last year. … Outfielder Buddy Reed had three hits, stole his league-leading 29th base and drove in a couple of runs in the loss. While many were skeptical of Reed’s inflated BABIP in April, he has seemingly made both mechanical and approach adjustments at the plate and his success is holding. He has drawn six walks in 43 June plate appearances while striking out just eight times. Overall, Reed is hitting .338/.384/.544 for the year. … Allen Cordoba appeared in a game for the first time all season after a pre-season car accident left him with severe concussion symptoms. The 22-year-old Panamanian is technically on a rehab assignment with Elsinore, but expect to see him stay in the minors once his 20-day window is over.
Storm All-Stars: The Storm had seven players selected to the Cal League All-Star game, which takes place next Tuesday in Lancaster. This is the second year of the Cal League All-Star game, as previously a team of Cal League All-Stars played the Carolina League.
The players chosen were: Outfielders Buddy Reed and Edward Olivares, third baseman Hudson Potts, right-handed pitchers Reggie Lawson, Elliot Ashbeck, and Chris Paddack and lefty Adrian Morejon.
Lansing Lugnuts 4, TinCaps 2
Key Statistics: RF Tirso Ornelas, 2-for-4, RS; DH Nick Feight, 1-for-4; RHP Mason Thompson (L, 4-4) 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; LHP Ben Sheckler, 2 IP, 2 H, BB, K.
Prospect Watch: John is still in Fort Wayne and covered the game for us. Read his game story here.
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