Padres Pitching Prospect MacKenzie Gore bears down in his delivery. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Mother Nature wreaked havoc on the system Monday, as three games were postponed due to rain. There was still plenty of action, including another MacKenzie Gore start in Fort Wayne.
Chihuahuas: El Paso has reached the All-Star break. Luis Urias and Brett Kennedy will represent El Paso in the Triple-A All-Star game on Wednesday.
Missions: The Missions game against Arkansas was cancelled due to rain. San Antonio is off tomorrow and will play at Frisco on Wednesday.
Inland Empire 66’ers 6, Storm 3
Key Statistics: C Luis Torrens, 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B; 1B Brad Zunica, 2-for-3, R, HR (11), 2 RBI; RHP Michel Baez (L, 2-6) 3.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; RHP David Bednar, 2 IP, H, K.
Prospect Watch: The Storm lost at home, as they opened a four-game set with Inland Empire. … Catcher Luis Torrens had a pair of doubles and scored two runs in the Storm loss. The former big leaguer is off to a hot start in July, hitting .385/.393/.538 in eight games. Overall, Torrens has shown some gap power and the ability to make contact. Behind the plate, he has struggled with passed balls and his receiving in general, although he has thrown out 34% of runners. … RHP Michel Baez looked good through two innings, then allowed an inside-the-park homer in the third, before he completely unraveled in the fourth. Baez gave up four consecutive hits to start the frame, with the big blow coming from Angels’ top prospect Jo Adell. Baez left the game with one out in the third. The poor outing added a half-run to his ERA, which currently stands at 3.21.
Bowling Green Hot Rods 6, TinCaps 1
Key Statistics: 2B Kelvin Melean, 2-for-3, R, 2B, RBI; C Luis Campusano, 2-for-4, 2B; LHP MacKenzie Gore (L, 1-3) 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; LHP Osvaldo Hernandez, 4 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 K.
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps lost another at home, as they couldn’t get the bats going. … LHP MacKenzie Gore pitched well again but took the hard-luck loss. The lefty went five innings and allowed just two runs on three hits. While there was some (minor) concern amongst the fanbase about Gore, he showing that he can be dominant after blister issues slowed him down to start the season. Gore has allowed just two earned runs and nine hits over his last 15 innings. Gore’s 4.06 ERA has been inflated, due to some bad luck with BABIP and his early-season struggle. … LHP Osvaldo Hernandez piggybacked and allowed three runs in four innings of work. The southpaw came into the day leading the Midwest League in ERA and has been one of the breakout stars of the early season. The Cuban was signed to a $2.5 million bonus in the Padres spending spree of 2016. … 19-year-old infielder Kelvin Melean had a pair of hits in the TinCaps’ loss. Melean got the aggressive assignment to Lake Elsinore to start the season and he held his own. He went back a level when Justin Lopez hit the disabled list.
Dust Devils 5, Everett Aquasox 1
Key Statistics: Aldemar Burgos, 1-for-4; SS Owen Miller, 3-for-3, R, 2B, RBI; 2B Luke Becker, 1-for-4, R, 3B; RHP Henry Henry (W, 2-1) 5 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 7 K; RHP Jonathan Guzman, 2 IP, H, 3 K.
Prospect Watch: The Dust Devils won their fourth in a row and moved into first place. … Shortstop Owen Miller had three hits, including a double in the win Monday. Miller, a third-rounder from Illinois State, has hit well in his pro debut. Miller is sixth on the circuit with a .344 average and he is tied for the league lead in hits with 33. … RHP Henry Henry turned in another excellent outing, throwing five stellar innings for Tri-City. The big right-hander was solid for the Dust Devils last season but he struggled with both command and approach in limited action early this season in Fort Wayne. Henry walked just one and struck out seven. His 3.03 ERA is second in the league.
AZL Padres: Both games in the Arizona League were rained out. It’s monsoon in Phoenix.
