Robby Podorsky keeps grinding for the TinCaps. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
The Missions lose a tough one, while Brett Kennedy keeps on rolling for El Paso. The Storm’s defense lets down Reggie Lawson; Robbie Podorsky keeps putting up numbers for the TinCaps, and the Dust Devils lose their first game at home in 2018.
Chihuahuas 7, Alburquerque Isotopes 1
Key Statistics: 2B Luis Urias 3-4, BB RBI; CF Forrestt Allday 2-5, RBI; LF Shane Peterson 2-4, 2 RBI; 1B Allen Craig 2-3, RBI, BB; RHP Brett Kennedy (W, 6-0) 6.1 IP 7H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, HR; RHP Phil Maton 1.2 IP 1 H, 3 K.
Brett Kennedy pitches for the Chihuahuas (Photo: Ivan Pierre Aguirre)
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas put three on the board in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back as the victory moved them one game behind Salt Lake in the PCL South Division….Luis Urias added three singles and a walk to finish the month with a slash line of .280/.381/.400 after hitting .239/.357/.389 in May. … In four starts after coming off the disabled list in June, Brett Kennedy went 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in 22.1 innings with 21 strikeouts against only four walks. The PCL hit just .226 against him for the month. The Padres are going to have to put Kennedy, an eleventh round pick from Fordham in 2015 draft on the 40-man roster this winter or risk losing him to the Rule 5 draft. If you are looking for the next two pitchers the Padres could call up from the minors, Kennedy and Luis Perdomo, who also had a strong June with a 3-0 record and 3.54 ERA are the two prime candidates.
Northwest Naturals 4, Missions 3
Key Statistics: Fernando Tatis Jr. 3-4, 2 HR (14), 2 RBI; LHP Logan Allen 7.0 IP 4 H R ER BB 10 K; RHP (BS, 2) (L, 1-1) 0.0 3 H 3 R 2 ER BB.
Prospect Watch: The Missions went into the bottom of the ninth with a 3-1 lead before normally reliable relief pitcher Eric Yardley imploded. He didn’t record an out as the Naturals avoided the sweep with three runs and got the walk-off win. … It was a good night for some key prospects. Logan Allen, 21, finally gave up an earned run in the first after three straight scoreless outings, but that’s all he allowed. He’s given up just the one run on 10 hits over his last 25 innings, with 26 strikeouts. As we and others have noted, the Padres don’t have to put him on the 40-man roster this winter and with the expected roster crunch, it’s unlikely he will get a call-up to the big club this season. … Fernando Tatis, Jr. belted two homers on the night and finished off the month at .330/.413/.527 with nine extra-base hits and eight stolen bases in ten attempts.
Modesto Nuts 9, Storm 5
Key Statistics: CF Edward Olivares 3-4; 2B, SB; Eguy Rosario 2-3; LF Buddy Reed 2-4, 2B; 3B Hudson Potts 2-4, 2 HR (13), 4 RBI; RHP Reggie Lawson (L, 5-3) 4.1 IP 5 H 6 R ER 2 BB 7 K HR
Prospect Watch: Reggie Lawson gave up six runs, but three errors behind him meant only one of them was earned. The righty labored on the night, throwing 99 pitches before he gave way in the fifth. Overall, Lawson, 20, posted a strong June with a 3.09 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 23.1 innings. … Hudson Potts, 19, hit two-run homers in each of his first two trips to the plate and finished his best month of the season with a slash line of .270/.365/.551. His on-base percentage has climbed every month and he has 13 home runs on the season. Last year he hit 20 for the TinCaps, the third highest in franchise history. … Buddy Reed continued to rake in June with at .311/.382/.500 line. His 33 steals in 39 attempts leads the entire organization.
TinCaps 6, Lake County Captains 4
Key Statistics: LF Robbie Podorsky 4-5, 2B, RBI, SB; 1B Nick Feight 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; RHP Mason Thompson (W, 6-4) 5.0 IP 3 H 2 R 2 ER BB 9 K; RHP Austin Smith 1.2 IP 0 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 0 K.
Prospect Watch: It’s really difficult to maintain any type of journalistic objectivity when it comes to discussing Robbie Podorsky, 23. He’s maybe about five-foot-seven when he has on his extra long spikes, was a 25th-round draft pick, and didn’t make a full-season club at the beginning despite being our player of the year for Tri-City. He was briefly with the Storm for five games this season, before he was sent to the TinCaps in mid-May. In 33 games with Fort Wayne, he is hitting .353/.395/.474 with 17 stolen bases in 21 attempts. In June he hit .378/.414/.500 and tonight was his third game this month with four or more hits. It’s tough not to be a fan of what he has accomplished so far. … Austin Smith, 21, has been effective since his demotion from Lake Elsinore. For the third straight game, he went more than one frame and the 2016 second-rounder has yet to give up a run while striking out six in 5.2 innings.
Boise Hawks 6, Dust Devils 2
Key Statistics: SS Owen Miller 3-4; DH Blake Hunt 2-4, SB; RHP Sam Keating (L, 1-2) 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K.
Blake Hunt (Photo: Judy Simpson)
Prospect Watch: The Dust Devils dropped their first game at home in 2018 as starter Sam Keating threw 63 pitches, but only 31 for strikes. Last year’s fourth-round pick out of high school in Florida has as many walks as strikeouts in the early going for Tri-City. … Owen Miller, a third-round pick in this year’s draft, is off to a solid start with a .328/.377/.469 line in his first 66 plate appearances. Padres Director of Player Development Sam Geaney described him as a very advanced player. If he gets promoted, High-A Lake Elsinore – which has struggled to find a shortstop in 2018 – may be a more likely destination for him than Fort Wayne, which has multiple options at shortstop. … The organization has to be extremely pleased with the hot start that Blake Hunt is off to at .333/.491/.333. Selected as a defense-first receiver, the Southern California native has hit in eight of nine for the Dust Devils.
Dust Devil Notes: Padres Competitive Balance Pick B, outfielder Grant Little of Texas Tech, was assigned to Tri-City and should make his pro debut during the series.
AZL Mariners 4, AZL Padres-1, 2
Key Statistics: CF Jawuan Harris 1-4; DH Ruddy Giron 1-3
AZL Royals 5, AZL Padres-2, 4
Key Statistics: CF Angel Solarte 2-5, 3B; 2B Tucupita Marcano 1-4, 2B; DH Alison Quintero 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Prospect Watch: A fairly uneventful night as both the Padres AZL teams lost. … Keep an eye on catcher Alison Quintero,18, who was one of the Padres J2 signings in 2016 and is hitting .346/.452/.346 in 29 plate appearances. The Padres are building some solid catching depth in the lower minors with Luis Campusano at Fort Wayne and Hunt at Tri-Cities. Next year this position could be one of the strengths of the organization…Tucupita Marcano, a left-handed hitting middle infielder, will turn 18 in September, is also off to a fast start hitting, .400/.522/.457 in 44 plate appearances.
