MacKenzie Gore – Photo: Jerry Espinoza
Chihuahuas 7, Fresno Grizzlies 6 (10 innings)
Key Statistics: LF Alex Dickerson, 2-for-5, 2 R; C Austin Allen, 2-for-4, R, 2B, BB, RBI; SS Luis Urias, 1-for-5, R, RBI; Seth Mejias-Brean, 1-for-5, HR (3), R, 2 RBI; Matthew Batten, 2-for-5; LHP Jerry Keel, 8 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 4 K; RHP Gerardo Reyes (W, 1-1) 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), K.
Prospect Watch: El Paso rallied with two in the ninth and three-spot in the tenth to notch their tenth straight win. At 17-7, El Paso has the best record in the PCL. … Through 25 games (one is still suspended and pending completion), the Chihuahuas are hitting .320/.393/.594 as a team. … Luis Urías came back down to earth slightly, going 1-for-5 with a triple. Earlier in the day, he became the second consecutive El Paso infielder named PCL Player of the Week for his home run barrage in Sin City over the weekend. Urias homered six times last week, including a team-record three times on Saturday. Since being demoted last week, Urías has struck out five times and walked three times in 37 plate appearances. … Alex Dickerson had two hits and scored a pair of runs Monday night. The Poway native is hitting .351/.463/.597 in his first action since 2016. … LHP Jerry Keel went a season-high eight innings while allowing four earned runs on 11 hits. Keel didn’t walk anyone for the first time all year as well. Walks have been an issue for Keel, as he came in averaging nearly six walks per nine innings pitched. The big lefty doesn’t have big-time stuff but he has been the most consistent starter for the Chihuahuas in 2019 and was our under the radar pick for El Paso in our pre-season previews.
Arkansas Travelers 9, Sod Poodles 6
Key Statistics: DH Rodrigo Orozco, 3-for-5, 2 R; SS Owen Miller, 2-for-5, R, 2 RBI; LF Jorge Oña, 2-for-5, 2 RBI; 1B Kyle Overstreet, 2-for-4; RHP Lake Bachar (L, 0-1) 3 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 3 BB; RHP David Bednar, IP, H, K.
Prospect Watch: Amarillo fell behind early and lost on the road to Arkansas. … The early return from the Socrates Brito deal is looking promising for the Padres organization. Rodrigo Orozco had three more hits and scored two runs. Orozco has been making solid contact and been an on-base machine since joining the Sod Poodles. In 49 plate appearances, Orozco is hitting a blistering .381/.469/.571 with matching 16% walk and strikeout rates. … Jorge Oña continues to be the early-season comeback player in the Padres organization. The Cuban outfielder had two more hits to raise his average to .367. Oña’s .441 on-base percentage is fourth in the Texas League. If there is a negative in Oña’s success, it is his play in the outfield. Oña made a pair of errors Monday that contributed to runs. … RHP Lake Bachar struggled Monday and took the loss. Bachar lasted just three innings and allowed six runs, though only two were earned, thanks to three Sod Poodle errors. Bachar also walked three without notching a strikeout. Despite the poor outing, Bachar is still averaging a strikeout per inning and has an ERA of 3.38 on the young season.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 3, Storm 2 (10 innings)
Key Statistics: RF Tirso Ornelas, 1-for-5, R; LF Jack Suwinski, 1-for-4, RBI; 1B Taylor Kohlwey, 1-for-2, R, 2 BB, SB (1); LHP MacKenzie Gore, 4.1 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 11 K; RHP Caleb Boushley, 2.2 IP, 2 H, ER, 6 K; RHP Evan Miller (L, 0-1) 0.1 IP, 1 R (0ER), BB.
Prospect Watch: The Storm lost in extra innings in Rancho Cucamonga. … First baseman Taylor Kohlwey had a single and drew two walks Monday night. Kohlwey has seen a lot of playing time at first base over the last week and has been one of the few Storm hitters who has swung the bat well. Kohlwey is 6-for-16 with three walks and a homer during a five-game hitting streak. … Jack Suwinski had a single and drove in a run in the Storm loss. Suwinski has flashed some power this year and is slugging .482 in the early part of the season. In case you missed it, Jack talked about his off-season regimen and his improvement last year with David Jay. … MacKenzie Gore dominated the Quakes lineup and struck out 11 batters, but couldn’t get out of the fifth inning. Gore struck out the side in the first (after the lead-off batter reached on an error), two in the second, three in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth before being pulled. Gore needed 86 pitches to get 13 outs, the most since he threw 90 in his first outing of the season, so he lost the opportunity to finish the fifth and get a victory. It’s clear that the 20-year-old southpaw may need a bigger challenge soon. He has a 1.37 ERA and a 38:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 26.1 innings and only 19 batters have reached safely against him.
