Jorge Oña is off to his best start since coming over from Cuba. (Photo: John Moore)
Chihuahuas 12, Reno Aces 1
Key Statistics: CF Michael Gettys 3-5, HR (4), RBI; 3B Matt Batten 3-6, 3B, SB, RBI; LF Josh Naylor 2-4, HR (5), RBI; 2B Ty France 3-5, 3B, HR (7), 4 RBI; RF Alex Dickerson 3-4, BB, 2 RBI; P Logan Allen 2-3; LHP Logan Allen (W, 1-1) 6.0 IP 3 H R ER 4 K; RHP Robert Stock 1.0 IP K.
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas collected a season-high 19 hits, posted their largest margin of victory of the season, and multiple players who might be in line for a trip to Petco sooner than later led the charge. The club has now won eight of their past nine games. … Logan Allen looked like the Logan Allen that we have seen since he came into the organization in 2016, working deep into the game and stymieing opposing hitters. Most importantly, he threw strikes, getting through a game without issuing a walk for the first time since last July. After a rough first two outings, his third and fourth have been moving back up to where he ended last season. … Ty France extended his hitting streak to 13 games and came up a double short of the cycle. He has a slash line of .431/.500/.847 and has multiple hits in four of his last five games. He also started at second base once again as the big league club looks for options while the offense struggles. … Since April 11, Michael Gettys has moved his batting average up 100 points and hit four home runs. He still has 15 strikeouts in 10 games, but is also has a batting average of .341 with four home runs.
Andres Munoz struck out three in his inning of work. [Photo by John Moore/Amarillo Sod Poodles]
Key Statistics: LF Jorge Oña 3-4, 2 HR (5), 4 RBI; C Luis Torrens 2-2, 2B; CF Rodrigo Orozco 1-3, BB; 3B Hudson Potts 2-4 RHP Reggie Lawson (W, 1-1) 5.0 IP 4 H R ER 2 BB 7 K; RHP Andres Muñoz 1.0 IP BB 3 K; RHP Emmanuel Ramirez 3.0 IP H 2 R 2 ER 3 BB 4 K.
Prospect Watch: The Sod Poodles rode big nights by Reggie Lawson and Jorge Oña to a series win. Oña blasted a pair of homers and now has five on the year, a total he didn’t reach until late July last year. He’s also cut his strikeout rate over his last 10 games as he’s pushed his slash line to .345/.431/.618. This is by far the best stretch Oña has put together since he received the second–biggest signing bonus of the Padres’ heralded 2016 international signing class. … Lawson got his first win of the year on Saturday night, working off a mid-90s fastball all evening. After struggling to minimize damage with runners on in earlier starts, Lawson worked himself out of trouble in the second inning, then allowed only one more runner over his final three frames. The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder from Victorville, California, continues to look for pitch-by-pitch consistency to get the most out of his immense talent. When Reggie puts the ball where he wants it, he can get anyone out. … Before Emmanuel Ramirez threw the last three innings, Andres Muñoz had a nice cameo in the sixth inning starting. He opened the frame with a 97 MPH fastball and ended it consistently sitting in triple digits. While he walked one and allowed a double, he got his last strikeout on a truly nasty slider.
Storm 7, Inland Empire 66ers 2
Key Statistics: CF Jeisson Rosario 3-4, RBI, 2B, BB; 1B Olivier Basabe 1-4, 3B, RBI, BB; SS Gabriel Arias 2-4; LF Jack Suwinski 1-4, HR (4), 2 RBI; RHP Ronald Bolaños (W, 3-0) 7.1 IP 4 H 2 R 2 ER 3 BB 6 K.
Jack Suwinski has carried over his success at the end of last season in Fort Wayne to the Cal League. Photo: Jerry Espinoza
Prospect Watch: The Storm wrapped up a good night in the Padres system with a victory on the road at Inland Empire. … Jeisson Rosario had his best night at the plate in the California League with three hits. Because of his patience, even though he’s hitting .229, Rosario still has an on-base percentage of .408 because he’s drawn 16 walks in 15 games. A concern is that, with a .291 slugging percentage, more advanced pitchers will simply force him to beat them, neutralizing his biggest strength. … Jack Suwinski had a monster August in Fort Wayne last year which turned his season around. He continues to ride that wave in the Cal League with a .310/.406/.603 slash line. Suwinski has nine extra-base hits in 16 games. … Ronald Bolaños picked up his third win in as many starts, working into the eighth inning for the second time in his U.S. career. He has posted identical lines of four hits, two earned runs, three walks, and six strikeouts in all three of his starts. Bolaños is another member of the talented Cuban contingent from the 2016 international class. It’s his second year with the Storm, so the 22-year old should be a candidate to move up to Amarillo by mid-season.
TinCaps rained out
The TinCaps’ home game with the West Michigan Whitecaps was postponed for the second game in three days. The game will be made up in the second half of the season at West Michigan. Justin Lopez came off the disabled list for the club and, after missing a few days with a minor leg injury, Xavier Edwards was in the starting lineup before the game was scratched.
For the box scores of all the games please go to the MiLB.com scoreboards.
