San Diego Padres Daily Farm Report: July 23

The Storm are the hottest team in the system. The club is marching towards a playoff berth in a tight race in the Cal League. The Missions and the TinCaps found the win column as well.

Chihuahuas: El Paso had the night off. They will open a series Tuesday in Colorado Springs.

Missions 2, Corpus Christi Hooks 1

Key Statistics: DH Josh Naylor, 1-for-3, 2B, BB; 2B Peter Van Gansen, 2-for-3, 2B, RBI; RF Michael Gettys, 2-for-3, SB (13); RHP Jacob Nix (W, 2-2) 7 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 8 K.; RHP Andres Munoz, (S, 4) IP, H, BB, K.

Prospect Watch: The Missions won in a pitcher’s duel, as RHP Jacob Nix spun a gem. The former third-rounder pitched seven innings, allowing just four hits and an earned run. Nix dealt with a groin injury out of spring training and missed the first two months of the season but he has been tremendous in San Antonio since being activated. The Fullerton native has a 1.79 ERA in eight starts and has walked fewer than two hitters per nine innings. If there is a negative on Nix’s season, it’s his 6.56 K/9. He did punch out eight Monday night, but his rate has trended down each season. … Michael Gettys had a multi-hit game and stole his 13th bag in the Missions’ win. Gettys has put together a modest five-game hitting streak that has raised his average to .252. The 22-year-old outfielder has also struck out just three times over his last 23 at-bats, i though for the season he’s struck out in 31% of his plate appearances. … Fireballing 19-year-old Andres Muñoz worked a scoreless ninth for his fourth save in as many chances. After getting a late start to his season because of arm soreness, the Sinaloa, Mexico, native has not allowed a run in 13.1 innings of work, allowed a .095 opponents average, and struck out 15 in 13.1 innings of work.

Storm 3, San Jose Giants 2

Key Statistics: CF Edward Olivares, 2-for-4, SB (15); 3B Hudson Potts, 2-for-4, R; C Luis Torrens, 2-for-4, R, 2 2B, RBI; LF Rod Boykin, 2-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI; SS Ruddy Giron, 2-for-3; RHP Pedro Avila, 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K; RHP Elliot Ashbeck (W, 4-2) 2 IP, H, 2 K; RHP Colby Blueberg (S, 1) IP, K.

Prospect Watch: The Storm rallied with three runs in the eighth to win their seventh game in a row and pull their record to an even 51-51 (17-15 in the second half). … Outfielder Rod Boykin had the big hit, as he stroked a two-run triple in the eighth inning to put the Storm ahead for good. Boykin, who was recently demoted to Lake Elsinore Buddy Reed’s promotion to San Antonio, is hitting .222/.263/.278 with the Storm in a very small sample. The outfielder has some power and is a tremendous athlete but he has never been able to make consistent contact. Boykin struck out in over 40% of his plate appearances while with the Missions. … Catcher Luis Torrens had a pair of doubles and is third in the Cal League with 27 doubles; Hudson Potts leads the circuit with 32. After grinding through May and June, Torrens has posted a .394/.416/.521 line in July with just seven strikeouts in 75 plate appearances. … RHP Pedro Avila turned in a quality start but did not factor in the decision. Avila, 21, has done his best work in July, as he has posted a 2.66 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.

TinCaps 4, Clinton LumberKings 2

Key Statistics: LF Robbie Podorsky, 3-for-4, 2B; C Juan Fernandez, 2-for-3, R, BB; SS Kelvin Melean, 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI; 1B Jalen Washington, 2-for-4, SB (4); LHP Ben Sheckler, 3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, K; RHP Austin Smith (W, 1-0) IP, H, K; LHP Travis Radke (S, 12) 2 IP, H, K.

Prospect Watch: The TinCaps scored three in the first and never looked back as they finished off their home series against Clinton with a victory. … If Robbie Podorksy had enough at-bats to qualify for the Midwest League batting title, he’d have a 30-point lead in the race for the crown. The diminutive outfielder had three hits, including a double, to raise his average to .362. Podorsky also has 21 stolen bases in 50 Midwest League games. … The TinCaps used the bullpen to grind out nine innings, with LHP Ben Sheckler getting the start and pitching three innings. Sheckler, 23, has been better as of late out of the Fort Wayne bullpen, after a slow start. The giant lefty has a 2.21 ERA since May 1. … RHP Austin Smith pitched a scoreless inning and also took a line drive to the chest, although there seemed to be no ill effect. Smith, who was the first draft pick of the A.J. Preller era, struggled mightily in Lake Elsinore but has fared better in his third stint in Fort Wayne. The righty is a full-blown reliever now and he has pitched a 2.08 ERA in 17.1 innings for the TinCaps. With a 14:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, the 22-year-old has a chance to post his best career mark at any level if he can continue this trend.

Roster News: Outfielder Tirso Ornelas is headed towards the disabled list with a wrist/hand injury. As of press time, there is no update on the severity of his injury.

Eugene Emeralds 9, Dust Devils 1

Key Statistics: CF Grant Little, 1-for-3, BB; SS Olivier Basabe, 2-for-4; 1B Luis Asuncion, 1-for-3, BB; RHP Adrian Martinez (L, 1-3) 0.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, K; RHP Spencer Kulman, 3.2 IP, H, 3 K; RHP Korey Anderson, IP, 2 K.

Prospect Watch: The Dust Devils gave up five in the first inning and lost to Eugene at home. … SS Olivier Basabe had a multi-hit game, which raised his average to .320. Basabe, 21, has been the breakout star for the Dust Devils this season, as he shown the ability to make contact and hit for some power. David Jay was recently in Washington and had some notes on Basabe for our subscribers. The former Faulkner University star is hitting .320/.385/.505 on the year. … Starter Adrian Martinez struggled and was only able to get one out before exiting. The 21-year-old out of Mexicali has shown decent stuff, but has left way too many pitches over the plate. Between Fort Wayne and Tri-City, opposing hitters are batting .369 off of him. It was the second time this month he was unable to get out of the first.

AZL Dodgers 10, AZL Padres-1 1

Key Statistics: DH Xavier Edwards, 1-for-4; 1B Carlos Luis, 1-for-4, 2B, RBI; 2B Jarryd Dale, 1-for-4, 2B; LHP Adrian Morejon (L, 0-1) 2.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 K; LHP Dillon Overton, 3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

AZL Rangers 9, AZL Padres-2 7

Key Statistics: SS Jordy Barley, 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI; LF Mason House, 3-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI; 2B Sean Guilbe, 1-for-3, 2B, 2 BB; LHP Trent Shelton, 2.2 IP, BB, 5 K; LHP Noel Vela (L, 1-1) 3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K.

Prospect Watch: Both AZL Padres squads went down in the brutal heat of Phoenix. Gametime temperatures in the West Valley were 113. … Shortstop Jordy Barley had a pair of hits, including a double for the AZL Padres-2. Barley hasn’t hit much this year but he continues to show good pop at the plate and is a tremendous athlete. He came into the game in a 3-for-25 slide. … Outfielder Mason House had three hits, including a triple Monday night.  After a rough start in Tri-City, the 19-year-old Texan was sent back for a second stint in the AZL. House has some power in his bat, but he has struck out in roughly half of his plate appearances this season as the organization works with him to improve his ability to control the barrel of the bat. … LHP Adrian Morejon made a rehab start and took the loss after his 2.2 innings of work. Morejon may get one more rehab start and looks prime to join the Storm for the season’s final month. … 12th-rounder Sean Guilbe had a hit and drew a pair of walks Monday night. The infielder out of high school in Pennsylvania has been scorching hot to start the season, with his slash-line sitting at a robust .311/.456/.556 in 56 plate appearances. … Dillon Overton made his second rehab appearance Tuesday as well, working three innings. He’ll likely report back to El Paso this week.