Ty France had an extra-inning grand slam for the Missions on Saturday. (Photo: Grant Wickes)
Chihuahuas 5, Round Rock Express 3
Key Statistics: 2B Luis Urias 2-3, BB; C Francisco Mejia 2-4, RBI; DH Raffy Lopez 2-4; RHP Jake Nix (W, 1-0) 6.0 IP 3 K; RHP Rowan Wick (S, 3) 1.0 IP H 2 K
When will Luis Urias go to San Diego? (Photo: Grant Wickes)
Prospect Watch: Jacob Nix’s first appearance with the Chihuahuas came during last year’s championship series, when he allowed just one run over seven innings. Saturday, he picked up where he left off for El Paso, holding Round Rock scoreless for six innings a day after he was promoted to Triple-A. Nix, who was selected in the third round of 2015 after a post-graduate year, needs to be 40-man this winter, and could be in line for a September appearance in San Diego. He also could be part of the Padres’ AFL delegation to increase his total workload for the year. … Luis Urias had a strong night in what has been an up-and-down season. After hitting .307/.416/.440 in April he hasn’t posted an OPS over .800 since. He’s 7-for-16 in the first four games of August. … True to A.J. Preller’s word in his press conference after the trade with the Cleveland Indians, Francisco Mejia has only appeared as a catcher, with one pinch-hitting appearance in his nine games with El Paso. With two more singles Saturday, he has reached base in all nine, posting a .333/.400/.467 slash line in 34 plate appearances.
Missions 9, Midland RockHounds 6
Mountain Man River Stevens came through for San Antonio on Saturday Night. (Photo: Grant Wickes)
Key Statistics: CF-LF Buddy Reed 2-5, RBI, BB, SB (12); LF -1B Josh Naylor 2-5, RBI, BB; 3B Ty France 2-5, 2B, HR(17), 4 RBI, BB; 1B Kyle Overstreet 2-4, RBI, BB; RF Nick Schulz 2-5 2-5; DH Tyler Kohlwey 2-5; RHP Miguel Diaz 3.1 IP 3 H 3 R 3 ER 2 Bb 5 K; LHP Travis Radke 3.0 IP R ER 2 K; RHP T.J. Weir (W, 3-1) 2.0 IP 4 H R 2 K
Prospect Watch: On the road, in danger of losing their sixth straight game, the Missions rallied in the top of the ninth inning when shortstop River Stevens singled with the bases loaded to tie the game. In the tenth inning, San Diego State’s Ty France put the game out of reach with a grand-slam. France is not listed on many top prospect lists, but Missions manager Phillip Wellman raves about his “nose for driving in runs”. He’s second in the league in RBI with 76. He is hitting .260/.348/.450, but with runners in scoring position it jumps to .294/.397/.556. … Buddy Reed, after a slow start in Double-A, now has a minor four-game hitting streak and has stolen 12 bases in 14 attempts in 19 games with San Antonio. On the year he has 44 total stolen bases. … Travis Radke, 25, made an impressive Double-A debut with three solid innings of work. If you haven’t had a chance, make sure you check out Travis Barnett’s interview with him here.
Storm 5, San Jose Giants
Key Statistics: CF Edward Olivares 2-3, HR(9) 2 RBI, BB; 1B Brad Zunica 2-4, HR(15), 3 RBI; RHP Michel Baez 6.0 IP 2 H 2 R 2 ER 2 BB 8 K; RHP Trevor Megill 1.0 IP H R ER 2 K; RHP David Bednar 2.0 IP 3 H 4 K
Prospect Watch: Edward Olivares and Brad Zunica each hit a pair of home runs and drove in all the runs that Michel Baez and the Storm needed on Saturday night. …Olivares’s production has been much better in the second half hitting .297/.333/.462, but his aggressive approach continues to hamper his on-base abilities. … Baez struck out eight batters for the third straight time and is finally beginning to round into the form that he showed last year in Fort Wayne. In seven starts in the second half, he has a 3.05 ERA in 38.1 innings with 43 strikeouts against 12 walks…Another giant pitcher, six-foot-eight righty Trevor Megill, came off of the disabled list and tossed a scoreless inning. It was his first appearance since May 9.
Lansing Lugnuts 5, TinCaps 3
Key Statistics: CF Robbie Podorsky 2-4, RBI; LHP Aaron Leasher 6.0 IP 3 H 2 R ER 3 BB 7 K; RHP Reiss Knehr (BS, 1)(L,0-1) 1.0 IP 2 H 3 R 3 ER 2 BB 2 K
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps were up by one until in the seventh inning, when Reiss Knehr gave up three runs in his Midwest League debut in the seventh inning. Knehr, a 20th-round selection by the Padres in this year’s draft out of Fordham, had had held AZL hitters to a .167 average over 19 innings. … Sooner or later, someone needs to find some room for Robbie Podorsky at the next level. After two more singles Saturday, he is hitting .368/.423/.468 in 213 plate appearances with 23 stolen bases in 28 attempts. … Lefty Aaron Leasher gave up just one earned run over six innings. The 22-year-old lefty carried a sub-3.00 ERA into July, then struggled over a few outings. He’s bounced back nicely with two straight quality starts.
Spokane Volcanoes 15, Dust Devils 3
Key Statistics: LF Michael Curry 2-4; 2B Luke Becker 2-4, 2B; RHP Adrian Martinez (L, 2-4) 4.1 IP 9 H 7 R 5 ER BB 5 K; RHP Jonathan Guzman 0.2 IP 5 H 4 R 3 ER K
Prospect Watch: When the home team goes down 15-0 in the seventh inning, there aren’t many notes to write. Tre Carter, who has spent much of the year at the bottom of the Dust Devils’ lineup, made his first start in the leadoff spot and collected a triple and sacrifice fly in four trips to the plate. He’s significantly cut down on his strikeouts over the last two weeks. … Joe Galindo worked another scoreless frame in mop-up duties. The big righty from El Paso has held opponents to a .190 average and struck out 22 in 17 Northwest League innings, but has walked nine. If he can keep his feel for the strike zone, he has the chance to join the long list of relievers in the organization with a chance to dominate.
AZL Reds 8, AZL Padres-1 7 (resumed game)
Key Statistics: DH Nick Gatewood 4-5, 2 HR(4), 4 RBI; LF Jaquez Williams 2-5; 1B Carlos Luis 2-4; CF Jawuan Harris 3-5; C Michael Cantu 3-4; RHP Efrain Contreras 7.0 IP 8 H 5 R 5 ER 2 BB 10 K.
AZL Padres-1 4, AZL Reds 3 (F/7)
AZL Padres-2, 6, AZL Diamondbacks 0
Key Statistics: CF Angel Solarte 2-4, 2B; LF Mason House 2-3, 2 HR(2), 3 RBI; LHP Joey Cantillo (W, 2-1) 5.0 IP H BB 5 K.
Prospect Watch: Mason House had a pair of homers and a walk in four trips to the plate Saturday. San Diego’s third-round selection in 2017 struggled badly going up to Tri-City, batting just .121 in 70 plate appearances. Back in the desert, the left-handed hitter from Texas continues to work to find a more consistent swing. While the 19-year-old is having some success with a .292/.393/.667 slash line in his first nine games, he continues to struggle with bat control. He’s struck out in 11 of 28 plate appearances, which is, astonishingly, a step in the right direction after the Northwest League. … Joey Cantillo has been among the Padres’ best pitchers in the AZL, posting a 2.23 ERA innings and 42 strikeouts against 10 walks in 32.1 innings. After a strong extended spring training, he was held back from going up to Tri-City to focus on command within the zone, an issue which looks to be in the rearview mirror.
