Joey Cantillo continues to dominate the Midwest League in 2019. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Chihuahuas 10 Tacoma Rainiers 4
Key Statistics: CF Michael Gettys, 1-for-5, R, HR (16), RBI; SS Luis Urias, 4-for-5, 2 R, HR (17), 2 RBI; 1B Aderlin Rodriguez, 3-for-4, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI; C Webster Rivas, 2-for-4, R; RHP Robert Stock, 2 IP, H, R, 2 BB, 3 K; LHP Dillon Overton, 4 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, K; LHP Robbie Erlin, 2 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K.
Prospect Watch: El Paso jumped out early then cruised to the victory in Tacoma. … Shortstop Luis Urías had a big night, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Urías’s four hits, including his 17th homer, raised his OPS to 1.105, good for third in the PCL. He was hitting just .186 over his last ten games coming into Thursday night’s game, so the timing was good for a big night. … First baseman Aderlin Rodriguez had his best game of the season, as the former Oriole farmhand had two doubles and a single in the El Paso victory. The power is plentiful with Rodriguez — he has eight doubles and a pair of homers in 44 plate appearances. He has at least 20 homers in three consecutive seasons, but will have to turn it on to get there this year after missing the first to months on the IL. … The Chihuahuas deployed RHP Robert Stock as an opener and he was able to get through two innings allowing one unearned run on a hit and two walks. Stock’s velocity hasn’t abandoned him but his command in the PCL has not been sharp. Stock’s WHIP has stayed over two and opposing hitters are hitting .314 off of him. He has notched 36 strikeouts in 24.1 innings despite all of the baserunners. … Robbie Erlin, who like Stock will be eligible to rejoin the big league club next week, also allowed one run over two frames.
Tulsa Drillers 2 Sod Poodles 1
Key Statistics: C Luis Torrens, 1-for-3, 2B; SS Ruddy Giron, 2-for-3; PH Peter Van Gansen, 1-for-1, HR (1), RBI; RHP Emmanuel Ramirez, 7 IP, 5 H, R, BB, 5 K; RHP Michel Baez (L, 2-1) 1.2 IP, H, ER, BB, 2 K.
Prospect Watch: Amarillo’s bats were quiet in a loss on the road at Tulsa. … Way back in 2015, infielder Ruddy Giron burst onto the scene with a five-hit game in his Fort Wayne debut. Since then, Giron hasn’t had a lot of success but he did have a pair of hits Thursday night. Giron didn’t make a full-season squad out of spring training this year after struggling in the Cal League a season ago. The 22-year-old is hitting .231/.259/.346 in 27 plate appearances for the Sod Poodles. … RHP Emmanuel Ramirez turned in a great outing Thursday, earning a no-decision for his efforts. The 24-year-old allowed an unearned run in seven innings, giving up just five hits and a walk while striking out five. The Dominican righty has had a solid year for the Sod Poodles, pitching to a 4.11 ERA while averaging a strikeout per inning in 2019. The righty earned a berth in the Texas League All-Star Game to be played next week. When his split-finger fastball is working, he is an especially tough matchup. … RHP Michel Báez took the loss but pitched well. The big righty hit 98 mph with his fastball and sat in the mid-90’s. For now, it seems like Báez will stay in the bullpen and could be a guy to watch as an intriguing addition to the relief corps if the Padres stay in contention.
Storm 7 Inland Empire 66ers 4
Key Statistics: LF Allen Córdoba, 1-for-4, R; C Luis Campusano, 2-for-4, RBI; 1B Olivier Basabe, 2-for-4, RBI; 3B Eguy Rosario, 2-for-4, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI; LHP MacKenzie Gore (W, 6-1) 6 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 9 K; RHP Jordan Guerrero, 1.2 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
MacKenzie Gore gets remarkable extension in his delivery. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: The Storm opened up their second half with a win at home against Inland Empire. … Catcher Luis Campusano picked up where he left off, as the backstop had two more hits. The 20-year-old backstop is hitting .340/.403/.434 in June, although he hasn’t homered this month. The former second-round pick has shown outstanding plate discipline and continues to make strides defensively. … LHP MacKenzie Gore allowed a leadoff homer … and that was it. Gore cruised from there, allowing just two hits the rest of the way over six innings to earn his sixth win of the year. Gore struck out nine and walked two. The outing actually increased his ERA to a still ridiculous 1.23. Gore has made 13 starts and seemingly has very little to prove in the Cal League at this point. … Jeisson Rosario was activated from the IL and went 1-for-4 in his first game back. The speedy centerfielder was down for the minimum seven days.
TinCaps 6 Great Lakes Loons 0
Key Statistics: CF Grant Little, 2-for-5; C Blake Hunt, 2-for-5; DH Luis Almanzar, 2-for-4, R; LF Michael Curry, 1-for-2, R, 2 BB; LHP Joey Cantillo, 6 IP, 2 H, 10 K; LHP Cody Tyler (W, 1-0) IP, 2 K.
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps scored six runs in the ninth inning to earn the victory. The TinCaps opened up the ninth with a single and a walk. Justin Lopez bunted the runners over but a pair of throwing errors let all three runners score. … Outfielder Grant Little had a double and a single in five at-bats Thursday. Little spent two weeks on the injured list and was activated just before the all-star break. Little, the Padres’ Comp B pick last year, has a very good .356 on-base percentage for Fort Wayne but has just nine exra-base hits through 198 plate appearances this season. … LHP Joey Cantillo had another excellent outing Thursday, tossing six shutout frames in the victory. Castillo struck out a career-high ten batters without walking one. The 20-year-old out of Hawaii was sitting high-80s with his fastball, but he places it and his devastating change-up to all quadrants of the strike zone. He also snapped off a few curveballs that kept hitters off-balance all game long. The southpaw has racked up 73 strikeouts in 55 innings for the TinCaps this season.
Dust Devils 6 Hillsboro Hops 5
Key Statistics: 2B Reinaldo Ilarraza, 1-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB, SB (3); LF Matthew Acosta, 1-for-4, R, 3B, 3 RBI; C Jonny Homza, 1-for-4, 2 RBI; CF Tre Carter, 1-for-2, R, BB; RHP Nick Thwaits, 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K; RHP Jake Sims (W, 1-0) 1.1 IP, H, BB, 3 K.
Prospect Watch: The Dust Devils won at home against Hillsboro. … Infielder Reinaldo Ilarraza singled, drew two walks and stole his third base of the young season. The 20-year-old has struggled the past two years after making the Fort Wayne as an 18-year-old in 2017. Ilarraza has walked 10 times in 25 plate appearances and thanks to all the free passes, he is carrying an odd .267/.560/.267 slash-line. … Outfielder Matt Acosta tripled and drove in three runs in Thursday’s win. The USC product is hitting .391/.422/.522 through six games with Tri-City. … RHP Nick Thwaits ran into some trouble in the first inning but looked good after. The 19-year-old signed an over-slot deal a season ago and pitched well in the Arizona League. Through two starts with the Dust Devils, the Fort Recovery, Ohio product has 11 strikeouts and two walks in 8.1 innings.
AZL Padres-1 3 AZL Brewers Gold 2
Key Statistics: C.J. Abrams, 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, 3B; 1B Chris Givin, 1-for-3, 2 RBI, SB (1); 3B Yerry Landinez, 2-for-4; LHP Osvaldo Hernandez, 2 IP, H, BB, 2 K; RHP Edgar Martinez (W, 1-0) 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, ER, 7 K.
AZL Athletics Green 5, AZL Padres-2 3
Key Statistics: 2B Ripken Reyes, 2-for-5, R; RF Cristian Heredia, 2-for-4; C Gilberto Vizcarra, 2-for-3, BB; DH Taylor Lomack, 1-for-3, BB, RBI; LHP Gabriel Morales, 3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K; RHP Jose Geraldo, 2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K; LHP Jose Garcia, 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K.
Prospect Watch: The AZL teams split a pair of decisions in the desert. … C.J. Abrams had two more hits – which represents a new career-low in his three games. He doubled and tripled in four trips to the plate. Abrams also notched his first career strikeout Thursday night. Abrams is 9-for-14 to start his pro career. … LHP Osvaldo Hernandez made his first outing of the season, working a pair of scoreless frames in a rehab outing. The southpaw missed the first half of the season with a non-arm injury. He had worked part-way through a rehab progression once before having to shut down in May, so he will likely work a full build-up in the Arizona League before heading to Lake Elsinore. … RHP Edgar Martinez relieved his Cuban countryman Hernandez and earned the victory. The righty, 18, signed for $300,000 in July of 2017 and posted a 2.01 ERA in 49.1 innings for the DSL Padres a season ago. … Second baseman Ripken Reyes had two hits Thursday night for the AZL-2 squad. The 30th-rounder out of USD is off to a 5-for-14 start in the desert.
