Ronald Bolanos has quietly put together a strong 2019 campaign. (Photo: Cherished Memories)
Chihuahuas 5 Tacoma Rainiers 3
Key Stats: CF Franchy Cordero 0-for-3, BB 2 K; SS Luis Urías 1-for-4, 2 K; 1B Jason Vosler 2-for-4, LHP Dietrich Enns 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 K, 1 BB; RHP Andres Muñoz (S, 1) 1IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 0 BB
Prospect Watch: Tacoma outhit the Chihuahuas, but El Paso made the most of their opportunities and got a pair of homers to extend their PCL team lead as they won the final game of their homestand. … Franchy Cordero and Luis Urias combined for a 1-for-7 line with a walk, and each struck out twice in the game. … The bottom two hitters in the lineup, Pete Van Gansen and A.J. Kennedy each had big homers in the contest. Kennedy, 25, went deep for the third time this year, pushing his OPS up to .631 – his highest mark since the Northwest League. … Andres Muñoz picked up his first Triple-A save despite giving up a solo homer. The hard-throwing young righty followed Robert Stock, who bounced back after allowing runs in each of his last two outings. … After getting kneed in the head Saturday, Jose Pirela was, unsurprisingly, not in the lineup Sunday. No word yet on whether he will be recalled from his rehab assignment.
Roster Notes: For the second time this week, the Padres activated a player from the disabled list and immediately optioned him to El Paso. In this instance, Alex Dickerson, returns to El Paso. At the same time, RHRP Fernando Rodriguez, an El Paso native who signed as a minor league free agent last winter, was released.
Sod Poodles 4 Midland RockHounds 2
Key Stats: RF Edward Olivares 4-for-4, 2B, CS (2); 2B Ivan Castillo 2-for-5, R; RHP Miguel Diaz 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0BB; LHP Travis Radke 3IP, 0 H, 0 R, 5 K, 0 BB
Prospect Watch: Amarillo rallied to plate two runs in the top of the ninth and rode Travis Radke‘s stellar pitching line to victory Sunday afternoon. Radke, 26, worked three perfect innings out of the bullpen, giving the offense time to put together a rally. In 13 outings since joining Amarillo, the lefty sports a 1.74 ERA and a 26:6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 20.2 innings of relief. … Miguel Diaz, who must come off his rehab assignment this week, worked two scoreless innings in an opener role, striking out three. The 24-year-old had worked on a starter’s schedule through most of his recovery window in Amarillo, but looks likely to slot into a bullpen role when he comes off the 60-day Injured List. … Edward Olivares was 4-for-4 at the plate, including a double for Amarillo’s only extra-base hit for the night. He’s 5-for-14 on the current road trip, starting to close the gap between his home and road splits.
Roster Notes: Hudson Potts hit the Injured List with an undisclosed issue. The highly-regarded 20-year-old prospect has struggled in the Texas League last year and this. To fill his spot, the Padres sent Ruddy Giron out to Amarillo. The 22-year-old burst onto the scene back in 2015, but has largely struggled over the last three years. He did not make a roster out of spring training. The Padres also announced they had released T.J. Weir, who had been working in Amarillo’s rotation. His release leaves only nine non-40-man players, including Giron, who were in the organization when A.J. Preller arrived.
Storm 9 San Jose Giants 2
Key Stats: DH Allen Córdoba 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI; CF Jeisson Rosario 3-for-4, 3-for-4, 2B; LF Jack Suwinski 2-for-4, 2 3B; RHP Ronald Bolaños 5 IP, 1 H, 2 R (0 ER), 8 K, 2 BB; RHP Steven Wilson 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB
Prospect Watch: Ronald Bolaños turned in another stellar outing for Elsinore, allowing just two unearned runs on one hit over five innings while striking out eight. The 22-year-old righty has allowed more than two runs in only one of his 10 starts this year and has struck out one batter per inning. While he’s still issuing too many walks, his 2.85 ERA is good for fifth in the league as opponents have hit just .193 against him. … On the start of draft day (our guide on what to expect is here), Steven Wilson serves as a fantastic that selection round, signing bonus and upside professionally are not all equivalent. The 24-year-old righty got a $5,000 signing bonus as an old college senior in the eighth round, freeing up money the Padres spent on Xavier Edwards. But the Santa Clara product has been stellar in relief for Lake Elsinore this year. After 1.2 scoreless innings Sunday, he sports a 1.04 ERA and absurd 40:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 26 innings and has been an anchor of a valuable bullpen. … After a strong start to the year, Jack Suwinski scuffled to a brutal .143/.270/.190 line in May. The 20-year-old outfielder’s six total bases Sunday mean he’s halfway to last month’s total output after one game.
Great Lakes Loons 7 TinCaps 4
Key Stats: RF Agustin Ruiz 2-for-4; 3B Luis Roman 1-for-4, HR (1), E; RHP Efraín Contreras 4.2 IP, 5H, 4 R (3 ER), 7K, 3BB
Prospect Watch: John Conniff was in town with coverage of the Loons’ sweep of the TinCaps. He probably wasn’t a factor in the outcome.
