Luis Patino made his Double-A debut on Tuesday night. Photo: John Moore.
Chihuahuas 14 San Antonio Missions 9
Key Stats: SS Esteban Quiroz 3-4, 2 2B,2 RS, 3 RBI, BB; 1B Aderlin Rodriguez 2-4, HR (13), 3 R, 3 RBI; C Austin Allen 2-5, 2B, R, RBI; LF Rodrigo Orozco 1-2, 2B, R, 3 RBI, 2 BB
Prospect Watch: What kind of night was it for El Paso? Esteban Quiroz, batting second in the lineup, hit a bases-loaded double in the first inning. His line-drive to center capped an eight-run first inning, and the Chihuahuas coasted to a series sweep of the PCL’s winningest team from there. Those eight runs were scored on only four hits. … “Pony” now has three consecutive multi-hit games, and raised his season average to .272/.385/.548. The Padres acquired Quiroz in the offseason from the Red Sox, and in the pre-Machado era, there was some thought he might get some look at third base for the big club this season. … Catcher Austin Allen also continues to hit. His fourth multi-hit game of the week brings his line up to .303/.363/.585 for the season. While his .645 OPS in limited big league action earlier this summer didn’t show it especially well, the left-handed power threat is the rare catcher who has been an above-average offensive performer at every stop in the minors.
Sod Poodles 3 Midland RockHounds 2 (11 innings)
Key Stats: LHP Kyle Lloyd 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K; CF Buddy Reed 0-2, 2 BB, SB (19); C Luis Torrens 2-4, R; RF Edward Olivares 2-5, RBI
Sod Poodles 5 Midland Rockhounds 4
Key Stats: RHP Luis Patiño 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R (1 ER), 4 BB, 7 K; CF Taylor Trammell 1-3, R, BB; C Luis Torrens 2-4, R, RBI; LF Tyler Kohlwey 1-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB, SB; 1B Peter Van Gansen 2-3, 2 RBI
Prospect Watch: RHP Luis Patiño made his much-anticipated Double-A debut. The game showed both his ability to dominate and where he still needs to develop. Patiño struck out seven in 4.2 innings, but walked four, never had a one-two-three inning, and needed 102 pitches to get through. After walking 12 in his first three Cal League games in April, Patiño had walked more than two batters only once in his final 15 outings for the Storm. In the fifth inning Tuesday, the 19-year-old righty got two quick outs, then loaded the bases with two walks and a single before giving way. A fielding error and single plated all three runs, though they didn’t impact Patiño’s ERA. … Before Patiño’s debut, the Soddies had to finish off Monday night’s game, which resumed tied in the bottom of the sixth. That took five more innings until Edward Olivares singled home Ivan Castillo for the walk-off. After a blistering 50 game stretch when he posted a .950 OPS with 8 HR, 25 RBI, and 12 SB, Olivares has slumped this month. Since he was bumped off of CF, the 23-year-old has just a .489 OPS although his strikeout rate has stayed in check. … Between the two contests, Amarillo’s bullpen combined for 9.1 scoreless frames. With the victories, the Sod Poodles remain tied with Arkansas for the league’s best second-half record.
Lancaster JetHawks 9 Storm 4
Key Stats: RHP Jacob Nix 4.1 IP, 8 H, 9 R (3 ER), 2 BB,4 K; RHP Javy Guerra IP; DH Eguy Rosario 1-4, R, 2 RBI, BB; SS Gabriel Arias 1-4, RBI; 3B Allen Córdoba 1-3, HR (5), RBI, BB; RF Tirso Ornelas 2-4, R
Prospect Watch: Jacob Nix drew the unenviable task of making his second Cal League rehab start in Lancaster. Nix threw 77 pitches (53 strikes) over 4.1 innings but he and his defense committed five errors to yield six unearned runs. Still, Nix went from 65 pitches in his last start to 77 in this one as he works back from a UCL strain. He has time to make two more starts during his 30-day assignment. … RHP Javy Guerra threw another scoreless inning sitting consistently from 97-99 on the gun. Over his last nine games, Guerra has allowed one run on five hits, with one walk and ten strikeouts.
Roster News: After almost six weeks back in the AZL retooling his swing, Tirso Ornelas returned to the Storm Tuesday. While he hit just .205 in rookie ball, he finished on a 6-for-12 stretch. Ornelas had two hits and scored a run in his return to the Cal League. To make room for the 19-year-old, the Padres released outfielder Aldemar Burgos. … In disappointing news, RHP Mason Thompson returned to the IL after just two outings with the Storm. The talented righty, who has been waylaid by a variety of injuries since the Padres drafted him in 2016, has managed just 27.1 bumpy innings on the year, struggling with command when he has been on the mound. The Padres promoted 23-year-old Deivy Mendez from Tri-City to fill his roster. The hard-throwing righty signed as a minor league free agent after he was released by the Pirates at the end of spring training.
The TinCaps had the night off.
Dust Devils 4 Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 1
Key Stats: RHP Connor Lehmann 3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K; RHP Jason Reynolds 3 IP, H, BB, 5 K; SS Jordy Barley 1-3, 2 R, 2B, BB; CF Reinaldo Ilarraza 2-4, 3B, 2 R, RBI; C Logan Driscoll 0-3, 3 RBI
Prospect Watch: The Dust Devils won their fourth straight and remain tied for the division lead. Tall righthander Connor Lehmann continued a solid professional debut season with three scoreless frames. The seventh-rounder out of Saint Louis University who has been working three-inning stints got eight days of rest before Tuesday’s appearance after a long college season. The 6-foot-7 righty from New Jersey is holding opponents to a .198 average but has walked 13 in 22.1 innings of work. … Jordy Barley broke up a 1-for-17 post-all-star game slump with a hit and a walk. The club will hope this gets the 19-year-old, who struck out 11 times in that stretch, back on track. … While it might feel like he’s been in the organization forever, Reinaldo Ilarraza is only a year older than Barley. The 20-year-old Venezuelan has finally been adjusting both at the plate and in the field this year. After playing exclusively on the infield in his first three seasons, Ilarraza has played five different positions this year and has largely settled in center for the Dust Devils over the last month. Thanks to a more patient approach, the switch-hitter is having easily his best year at the plate, with an OPS 150 points higher than last year.
AZL Rangers 8 AZL Padres-1 5
Key Stats: CF Hudson Head 1-4, R; RF Joshua Mears 1-3, R, BB; DH Chris Givin 1-4, 3B, R, RBI, RHP Frank Lopez 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB; LHP Noel Vela 1.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 K, 0 BB
AZL Indians-Blue 2 AZL Padres-2 1
Key Stats: RHP Robert Stock IP, 3 K; LHP Jose Garcia 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB, 4 K; LF Taylor Lomack 1-4, RBI
Prospect Watch: Robert Stock struck out the side in a scoreless inning as he made his second rehab appearance on the way back from a bicep strain. Between struggles and the injury, it’s been a rough year for the hard-throwing righty, whose command evaporated this spring after he emerged as a great comeback story last year. Second-round pick Joshua Mears singled and walked, reaching base twice for the first time in a week. The big right-handed slugger is hitting .221/.331/.369 in the desert as he adjusts to professional pitching. … Yerry Landinez got off to a brutal 4-for-51 start to the year but has gotten on track recently. After two more hits Tuesday, the 18-year-old corner bat is hitting .313 for August, though he continues to strike out in a third of his plate appearances. … Frank Lopez turned in another strong outing, striking out four over four scoreless frames. The 18-year-old righty has given up just one earned run over his last 10 frames while posting a strong 16:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
