Lake Bachar contributed to one of two one-hitters in the system Sunday. (Photo: Rey Holguin)
With three of the system’s top position players in Washington, D.C. to represent at the All-Star Futures Game, it was pitching that shined for Padres affiliates Sunday.
2018 All-Star Futures’ Game US 10 – World 6
Key Statistics (World): 2B Luis Urias 0-2, HBP; SS Fernando Tatis, Jr. 2-5, R, SB
Key Statistics (US): CF Buddy Reed 1-2.
Prospect Watch: Fernando Tatis Jr. was impressive as he usually is when the stage is big. He made a few solid plays defensively in his limited opportunities. In the third inning, he turned around a 102 MPH fastball by Hunter Greene for a single to left, his second hit of the day. … Greene also set Padres’ fans hearts aflutter when he hit Luis Urias with a pitch that luckily hit his elbow pad, not his wrist. Urias struck out twice in the game but in both plate appearances, the umpire provided a few gift strikes to the pitcher. … Buddy Reed had a pair of good plate appearances as the switch-hitter hit from both sides. Reed just missed a home run in his first plate appearance. … The highlight of the day for San Diego fans may have been Reed’s running catch of Tatis’ drive to center field where he tracked down the ball at the warning path. ”I was close to hitting a home run in that first at-bat, so I had to take something away from them,” laughed Reed in the victorious locker room. “I love Tati, but man I did enjoy doing that to him. I was pumped when he stopped between first and second and just looked up and smiled at me.”
Subscribers can read our pre-game interviews with all three of the participants here.
Reno Aces 4, Chihuahuas 1
Key Stats: 3B Cory Spangenberg 2-for-4, 2B Diego Goris 1-for-4, 2B, R; PH Shane Peterson 1-for-1, RBI; RHP Walker Lockett 7IP, 7H, 4ER, 6K, 1BB
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas dropped their fourth straight and got swept for the first time this season. Starter Walker Lockett gave up only four hits through six innings, but after getting two quick outs in the seventh, went single, homer, single before getting his final out of the game. The big righty, who waited through more than 90 minutes of a pre-game rain delay, has given up 13 homers in 98.2 innings of work for El Paso this season. … Once again, infielder Cory Spangenberg has responded well to his demotion. The 27-year-old had a pair of hits Sunday and is 6-for-15 with three extra-base hits since rejoining the Chihuahuas. … Meanwhile, center fielder Matt Szczur went 0-for-4 Sunday and is 2-for-12 since clearing waivers and getting assigned to El Paso.
Missions 4, Midland RockHounds 0
Key Stats: 3B Ty France 1-for-4, HR (13), 3RBI; 2B Eguy Rosario 1-for-3, 2BB, 2R, RBI; RHP Lake Bachar 3IP, 1H, 0R, 3K, 3BB; RHP Miguel Diaz 5IP, 0H, 0R, 4K, 3BB; RHP T.J. Weir 1IP, 0H, 0R, 2K, 0BB
Prospect Watch: Lake Bachar, Miguel Diaz, and TJ Weir combined on a one-hitter and the club’s 10th shutout of the season. Bachar, making his first appearance in 12 days, didn’t have a lot of feel. He walked three and hit two batters over his three innings, but worked out of trouble effectively. Diaz followed with five stellar innings in his first game back after his big league cameo. The 23-year-old hurler continues to walk too many – he allowed three free passes Sunday and has issued 38 in 59.2 innings of work, but his fastball/curveball/change mix has helped him hold Texas League hitters to an anemic .164 average on the year. … Ty France gave the Missions all the offense they’d need with a two-run homer in the first. The corner infielder now has 13 homers, one off the career high he set in 38 more games in 2016. … Eguy Rosario had a hit and walked twice as he continued his brief stint with San Antonio. He also swiped a base – his seventh overall.
Lancaster JetHawks 3, Storm 2
Key Stats: 1B Hudson Potts 2-for-4, 2B, HR (15); RF Rod Boykin 3-for-4; RHP Michel Baez 7IP, 7H, 3ER, 6K, 1BB
Prospect Watch: With typical early-evening game-time weather at The Hangar – the temperature at 100 and winds out at almost 20 MPH – the clubs played a very untypical low-scoring affair. Michel Baez struck out six over seven innings of work, allowing three runs along the way to bounce back from a rough outing his last time out. The big righty has now exceeded his innings total from 2017 and given his back issues this winter, will be watched closely down the stretch in the season. … Hudson Potts is thoroughly enjoying his weekend in Lancaster. He added a double and homer to his tally Sunday and has six hits – five for extra bases – in his first three games of the series. His production has improved each month of the season and the 19-year-old Texan is now sitting on a .327/.375/.558 line for July.
Peoria Chiefs 2, TinCaps 1
Key Stats: RF Tirso Ornelas 3-for-4, 2B, RBI; SS Gabriel Arias 1-for-4, 2B; LHP MacKenzie Gore 5IP, 3H, 2ER, 10K, 3BB, 2WP
Prospect Watch: MacKenzie Gore struck out 10 as he tossed a career-high 93 pitches, but the TinCaps offense continued to sputter on the road Sunday and the club dropped their fourth straight. Gore was wild throughout his outing, walking three and unleashing a pair of wild pitches. The 19-year-old finished with a flourish as he struck out four of the last five batters he faced. … Tirso Ornelas continued his impressive full-season debut with a three-hit performance. Ornelas smashed a deep RBI double to center for the TinCaps’ lone rune.
Dust Devils 6, Hillsboro Hops 2
Key Stats: SS Owen Miller 2-for-5, 2B; DH Luis Asuncion 3-for-4, 2B, 2RBI; 1B Justin Paulsen 1-for-3, HR (1), BB, 2RBI; RHP Angel Acevedo 5.2IP, 4H, 0R, 4K, 3BB, 2HBP
Prospect Watch: Angel Acevedo delivered another strong performance for the Dust Devils to stop the club’s four-game losing streak. The 19-year-old Venezuelan has worked two straight outings without allowing a run to drop his Northwest League ERA to 1.99. While he doesn’t show big velocity, the righty has outperformed opponents with a strong pitch mix and solid approach. Opponents are hitting just .205 against him. … After snapping an 0-for-26 slump Saturday night, Luis Asuncion had a big day Sunday. The big man went 3-for-4 as the designated hitter, including his team-leading ninth double. … Olivier Basabe was hit by a pitch in the first inning and left the game. We’ll get an update as soon as one is available.
AZL Indians-2 3, AZL Padres-1 2
Key Stats: CF Augustin Ruiz 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, RBI; RF Greg Lambert 1-for-3, BB; RHP Frank Lopez 2.2IP, 4H, 2ER, 1K, 4BB, WP, HBP
Prospect Watch: While he gets lost behind his J2 classmates who are already out at Fort Wayne, Augustin Ruiz is an exciting prospect in his own right. The 19-year-old from southern Mexico has a whippy swing from the left side and moves well in the outfield. He’s added 70 points to his OPS over the last three games while going 5-for-11. … Frank Lopez continues to struggle with command but is responding well to the challenge of beginning his professional career stateside. The long-limbed Venezuelan has walked 15 in 15.2 innings of work but has as many strikeouts.
AZL Padres-2 2, AZL Cubs-1 0
Key Stats: 2B/3B Sean Guilbe 3-for-5, 2B; C Alison Quintero 2-for-4, 2B; LF Blinger Perez 1-for-4, 2B; RHP Manny Guzman 6IP, 1H, 0R, 7K, 2BB
Prospect Watch: Manny Guzman gave up just one single as he teamed up with Dominic Taccolini and Felix Minjarez to twirl a one-hitter at Sloan Park. The big Dominican has easy velocity when he gets through his delivery, but has been too hittable at times since coming stateside for his professional debut last season. He’s struck out 28 in 21 innings of work this year while also cutting walk rate to a respectable 3 BB/9. … Sean Guilbe had three hits including a double and avoided a strikeout for the first time in his seven games since signing. The right-handed hitting infielder has had four of his seven hits go for extra-bases.
