MacKenzie Gore threw three shutout innings Saturday night. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
MacKenzie Gore was solid Saturday, as the young lefty bounces back from blister issues that have limited his innings thus far in 2018. In El Paso, the bats broke out, carrying the team to an easy win. San Antonio and Lake Elsinore lost, while the Dust Devils let one slip away late.
Chihuahuas 13, Memphis Redbirds 1
Key Statistics: 2B Luis Urias, 1-for-4, R, BB; 3B Carlos Asuaje, 4-for-5, 3 R, 2B, 3B, HR (1), 5 RBI; 1B Allen Craig, 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B, RBI; LF Shane Peterson, 2-for-4, R, RBI, BB; C Brett Nicholas, 3-for-5, 2 R, 2B, 3B; RHP Luis Perdomo (W, 4-2) 6 IP, 6 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K; RHP Trey Wingenter, IP, H, 2 BB.
Prospect Watch: It was clobberin’ time in El Paso, as the Chihuahuas cruised to an easy win. … Third baseman Carlos Asuaje had a monster game, hitting for the cycle and driving in five runs. Asuaje singled in the first, doubled in the second, homered in the fourth, and tripled in the eighth to complete the cycle. It was the second cycle in Chihuahuas’ history (Taylor Lindsey has the other). Asuaje’s big night raised his average to .325. … RHP Luis Perdomo earned his fourth win, pitching six strong innings Saturday night. The 25-year-old had a poor outing last time out, but has otherwise been quite good since being demoted. The former Rule 5 pick has allowed two earned runs or less in eight of his nine starts and has walked two or less in eight consecutive starts. … Allen Craig last finished a season with an OPS above .800 in 2013 when he was considered an emerging star for the St. Louis Cardinals. Now three years removed from his last big league appearance, Craig is hitting .288/.352/.538 for El Paso. He’s been on fire this month, hitting .395/.438/.698. It’s hard to imagine him getting a chance in the Majors again, but nice to see the 33-year-old finding his feel again.
Frisch RoughRiders 3, Missions 1
Key Statistics: SS Fernando Tatis Jr., 1-for-3, 2 SB (9, 10); C Austin Allen 1-for-4; 2B Peter Van Gansen, 1-for-4, 2B; RHP Lake Bachar (L, 0-4) 3.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K; RHP Miguel Diaz, 4.2 IP, 3 H, BB, 3 K.
Prospect Watch: The Missions managed just three hits and went down in Frisco. … Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. had a hit and a walk in four plate appearances. In addition to a decent night at the plate, Tatis also swiped a pair of bags — his ninth and tenth of the season. Tatis has started to run more as the season has progressed and has five stolen bags this month. … After a rough outing by starter Lake Bachar, righty Miguel Diaz came in and pitched well out of the ‘pen. Diaz has shown electric stuff this season but he has not found a consistency with the command of his fastball. He walked just one batter in 4.2 innings Saturday — his first outing since being demoted from El Paso. With the Chihuahuas, the former big leaguer walked 13 batters in 13.1 innings.
Lancaster JetHawks 15, Storm 5
Key Statistics: LF Buddy Reed, 1-for-5, 2B; 2B Eguy Rosario, 4-for-5, 2B, RBI; RF Nate Easley, 1-for-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI; RHP Ronald Bolanos (L, 2-4) 5 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K; RHP Austin Smith, 0.1 IP, H, 3 ER, BB, K.
Prospect Watch: The Storm’s chance to win a first-half title evaporated with a ten-run loss at home. … RHP Ronald Bolanos started and completed five innings, although he was hit fairly hard. The righty was excellent last time out but could not carry that momentum into this start. The Cuban righty sits in the low 90’s but has left his fastball over the plate a bit too much, which has resulted in opposing batters hitting .310 off of him. … Former second-rounder Austin Smith allowed three runs and recorded just one out. His ERA is now at 7.56 and he has seen his velocity dip to 89-91 mph on his heater this year. … Second baseman Eguy Rosario had four hits, as the offensive bright spot Saturday night. Rosario, still just 18, has more than held his own in an aggressive assignment after posting a .206/.296/.278 slash-line in Fort Wayne a season ago, before getting demoted to the AZL. In Elsinore, he has a .721 OPS and has been a roughly league-average bat, hitting .258/.315/.406 overall. … Buddy Reed was back in the starting lineup after being under the weather. He left Wednesday’s game early and didn’t get the start Thursday or Friday, but was able to come off the bench Friday night. He doubled and scored in the third inning.
TinCaps 2, Great Lakes Loons 1
Key Statistics: LF Robbie Podorsky, 1-for-4, R; 1B Nick Feight, 1-for-3, 2B; 2B Esteury Ruiz, 1-for-3, 2B, BB; LHP MacKenzie Gore, 3 IP, H, 5 K; LHP Aaron Leasher, 3 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 3 K; LHP Travis Radke (W, 1-3) IP, 2 H, K.
Prospect Watch: Robbie Podorsky scored the winning run on a walk-off wild pitch. The speedster set up the victory with a leadoff single in the ninth and swiped second. LHP MacKenzie Gore turned in his best outing of the year, flashing command and dominant stuff. The young southpaw only threw three innings as he continues to work back from his blister issues, but he allowed just one hit and struck out five, throwing an efficient 39 pitches. As of now, the Padres have been piggybacking Gore but one would think that he will get a chance to work deeper into games as the second half approaches. … LHP Aaron Leasher came in after Gore and allowed one run in three innings pitched. Leasher has been somewhat under-the-radar this season but the former Morehead State hurler earned a spot in the Midwest League All-Star Game. The 22-year-old has a 2.77 ERA, with 63 strikeouts in 61.2 innings.
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 9, Dust Devils 8
Key Statistics: RF Aldemar Burgos, 1-for-4, HR (1), R, 3 RBI; SS Owen Miller, 1-for-5, HR (1), RBI, R; 2B Olivier Basabe, 1-for-3, 2 R, HR (1), 3 RBI, BB; 3B Kelvin Alarcon, 2-for-4, R; RHP Adrian Martinez, 4.2 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 5 ER, BB, 5 K; LHP Dan Dallas, 2.1 IP, BB, 4 K; RHP Wen-Hua Sung (L, 0-1) IP, 3 H, 2 ER.
Prospect Watch: The Dust Devils lost Saturday night, despite clubbing three homers. … SS Owen Miller, who is the highest 2018 draft pick playing in Tri-City right now, homered for his first professional bomb. He was selected in the third round this month. … Infielder Olivier Basabe slammed a three-run homer, which briefly gave Tri-City the lead. He was drafted in the eighth-round last year and should bounce around the infield for the Dust Devils. … RHP Wen-Hua Sung took the loss in his professional debut, nearly two years after signing with San Diego. The 21-year-old righty from Taiwan was the first amateur from Asia to sign with San Diego but has been delayed with a series of injuries in the organization. He allowed three hits and a pair of earned runs out of the bullpen. … LHP Dan Dallas pitched well out of the bullpen but did not factor in the decision. The 20-year-old was drafted in the seventh round in 2016 and after dealing with a variety of injuries last year has been healthy in 2018. He struck out four in 2.1 innings of work.
