Logan Allen dominates deep into yet another game for the San Antonio Missions (Photo: Mark Wagner)
Some west Texas rain postponed the game in El Paso, so the Chihuahuas will play a doubleheader Saturday. The Missions split their own twin-bill Friday, proving to be the only victory for the Padres farm system on the night.
Game 1: Missions 4 – Frisco Roughriders 1 (7 innings)
Key Stats: DH Fernando Tatis Jr. 2-4, R, K, SB (15); LF Josh Naylor 2-2, RBI, 2 BB; SP Logan Allen (W, 9-4) 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K; RP Andres Muñoz (S, 2) 0.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K
Game 2: Frisco Roughriders 2 – Missions 1 (7 innings)
Key Stats: SS Fernando Tatis Jr. 0-4, K; 2B Eguy Rosario 0-4, 2 K; 1B Josh Naylor 1-3, BB; C Austin Allen 1-2, R; SP Chris Paddack (L, 1-1) 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Chris Paddack bears down mid-delivery. (Photo Grant Wickes)
Though they split the doubleheader, both San Antonio starters were sharp. In the first set, Logan Allen won his league-leading ninth game and lowered his league-leading ERA to 2.68. His four strikeouts added to his league-leading total of 106. He had allowed just two singles through the first six innings, but allowed his only walk of the game and a single before giving way with two outs in the seventh. After reaching the seventh only once last season, he’s done it seven times this year. … Chris Paddack was the tough luck loser in game two, as the only hits he allowed the whole game were a pair of triples that came around to score on RBI-groundouts. In his first two Texas League starts, he has nine strikeouts and two walks in 12 innings. … Fernando Tatis Jr. went 2-for-8 on the day with a pair of singles and a stolen base, his 15th of the year. He leaves for the Futures Game in Washington DC with a .289/.359/.509 slash line in 85 Double-A games this season. He leads the Texas League in total bases and runs, and is in the top ten in many other categories. … Eguy Rosario, who doesn’t turn 19 until the end of next month, made his Double-A debut after being called up from Lake Elsinore, and went 0-4 with a pair of strikeouts. It’s likely that he’s just there to keep the infield warm while Tatis is in DC. … Josh Naylor had three singles on the day. While he continues to get on base at an elite rate (.405 OBP), he has just two extra base hits in the month of July (a pair of homers in the same game).
Lancaster JetHawks 6 – Storm 2
Key Stats: CF Edward Olivares 0-3, BB, K; C Luis Torrens 1-4, R; 3B Hudson Potts 2-4, HR (14), 2B (29), 2 RBI, R; SP Nick Margevicius (L, 1-1) 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 11 H, 1 BB, 3 K; RP Carter Capps 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K
After throwing six shutout innings in his High-A debut in Lake Elsinore last week, starter Nick Margevicius was officially welcomed to the California League by being roughed up at the launching pad in Lancaster. He gave up 11 hits, but just two were for extra bases – a double and a 3-run homer. His three strikeouts tied for his lowest total on the year. … Though we’re just halfway through the month, Edward Olivares‘ .286/.345/.531 slash line is his best for any month this year. With the promotion of Buddy Reed to Double-A, the Storm offense will need a catalyst like Olivares to put runs on the board. … Hudson Potts continues to put up some impressive power numbers, as his double (29th) last night put him back into a tie for the league lead. He’s also struck out 13 times in the last six games, so balancing that power with plate discipline will be key for him.
Cedar Rapids Kernels 4 – TinCaps 2
Key Stats: LF Robbie Podorsky 1-3; 3B Kelvin Melean 1-3, 2B; CF Jeisson Rosario 0-3, BB, K; RF Tirso Ornelas 0-3, BB, K; 2B Esteury Ruiz 1-3, R; SS Gabriel Arias 0-4, 2 K; SP Tom Cosgrove (L, 2-4) 6.0 IP, 3 R, 1 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K
The TinCaps had a rough night at the plate as well as in the field, as they managed to match their total of five hits with as many errors. Second baseman Esteury Ruiz committed two, but it was a pair of throwing errors by right fielder Tirso Ornelas and first baseman Nick Feight that led to two Cedar Rapids runs. … Kelvin Melean is now 8-for-17 (.471) since being demoted to Single-A. His .884 OPS in the 15 games before heading to Fort Wayne is impressive for the 19-year-old, though aided by a .429 BABIP. … After a pair of strikeouts Friday, Gabriel Arias is now striking out at a 31% clip and hitting .213 this season.
Hillsboro Hops 5 – Dust Devils 4 (10 innings)
Key Stats: LF Grant Little 2-4, BB, SB, RBI, R; SS Owen Miller 0-2, 2 BB, R; 2B Olivier Basabe 2-5, 2 RBI, K; CF Tre Carter 2-4, SB, K, 2 R; SP Sam Keating 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K
Tri-City dropped the third game of the five game set against Hillsboro (a rare televised series), despite a solid outing by starter Sam Keating. Both Hops runs off of him came on RBI groundouts with the speedy Tra Holmes on third base. Keating, a fourth round pick in 2017, has a 12:12 strikeout-to-walk rate and a 4.09 ERA through 22 innings in five starts. … Olivier Basabe‘s 34 total bases are third on the team, despite being seventh in the team in plate appearances. He has an .872 OPS in 72 PA. … Grant Little has hit safely in all eight of his games with the Dust Devils. … Basabe (15.3%), Little (12.1%), and Owen Miller (11.9%) have all been difficult to strike out early on for the Dust Devils. Given the organizational focus on contact and chase-rates, how the Padres push their development in the coming year. … After taking the game to extra innings, Tri-City failed to move their inherited runner off second base. With two outs, Miller was walked intentionally, and Basabe struck out to end the threat. In the home half of the tenth, the Hops benefited from a trio of intentional walks, when they struck with a non-intentional walk with the bases loaded to walk it off.
