Patrick Kivlehan went deep again for El Paso. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Oklahoma City Dodgers 7, Chihuahuas 3
Key Statistics: RF Patrick Kivlehan, 1-for-3, R, HR (4), 2 RBI, BB; 3B Nick Tanielu, 1-for-4, R; LF Ben Ruta, 1-for-4, 2B, SB (3); LHP Daniel Camarena (L, 1-2) 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K; RHP Evan Miller, 2 IP, H, 3 K; RHP Jordan Guerrero, IP, H, ER, 2 K.
Prospect Watch: El Paso managed just three hits and lost at home to the Dodgers’ Triple-A club. The announced attendance was just over 8,000. … Right fielder Patrick Kivlehan homered for the second straight night and also drew a walk. The 31-year-old outfielder has homered three times since May 18 – his only hits during that stretch. Despite the slow start, the UConn product has generally hit well at the Triple-A level and is a solid organizational player. … RHP Evan Miller entered the game in the seventh inning and tossed a pair of scoreless frames. The 26-year-old was fantastic with the High-A Storm in 2019 but the numbers weren’t quite as strong after a promotion to Amarillo and in a token run with El Paso at the end of the year. It’s been a different story for Miller in 2021, as the former Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne star has been a key part of the El Paso bullpen. Through 14.2 innings, Miller has a 1.84 ERA with 14 strikeouts and three walks. Some of the underlying metrics aren’t as bullish on the reliever but putting up zeros in the still hitter-friendly Triple-A West League is impressive however it’s done. … Former Padres reliever Kevin Quackenbush picked up the save for Oklahoma City.
Reiss Knehr worked six strong innings for San Antonio Friday. (Photo: Joe Alexander)
Missions 3, Northwest Arkansas Naturals 2 (Game one)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6, Missions 0 (game two)
Key Statistics (game one): CF Jose Azocar, 1-for-2, R, BB, 2 RBI; RF Jack Suwinski, 1-for-2, R, HR (5), RBI, BB; RHP Reiss Knehr (W, 3-1) 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K; RHP Jose Quezada (S, 4) IP, H, 2 K.
Key Statistics (game two): C Juan Fernandez, 1-for-2, BB; RHP Adrian Martinez (L, 0-3) 3.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K; RHP Jacob Rheault, 1.2 IP, H, 2 BB, K; RHP Nick Kuzia, IP H, BB.
Prospect Watch: The Missions split a doubleheader on the road against Northwest Arkansas despite managing just three hits across 14 innings. … Another day, another Jack Suwinski homer. The outfielder hit a solo shot and drew a walk in game one. Suwinski has been red-hot this week, giving San Antonio’s offense some much-needed pop with CJ Abrams out of the lineup. The 22-year-old outfielder has homered three times in his last five games. Overall, Suwinski is hitting .233/.333/.583 for the Missions. The slugging percentage is good for fifth in the league despite playing his home games at Wolff Stadium. … RHP Reiss Knehr turned in his best start of the year, working six innings of two-run ball in the first game. The righty hasn’t struck out batters at the rate he did in 2019 with High-A Lake Elsinore but he’s been extremely reliable for the Missions this year. Outside of one poor start on May 9, Knehr has worked at least five innings in each start. The overall results aren’t dominant but he has emerged as a legitimate prospect. … RHP Dylan Rheault made his organizational debut and pitched 1.2 innings without allowing a run. The 29-year-old has been a minor league vagabond since entering professional baseball in 2013. He was drafted by Baltimore and spent three years in their organization before being released. He last saw time in affiliated ball in the Giants organization in 2018, the spent the past few years in independent ball. Rheault pitched for the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the American Association in 2020.
Jawuan Harris in action in center field. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
TinCaps 6, South Bend Cubs 0
Key Statistics: CF Jawuan Harris, 1-for-3, 2 BB, RBI; C Jonny Homza, 1-for-4, R, 2B, BB, RBI; LF Tirso Ornelas, 2-for-5, 2 R, 2B; LHP Ethan Elliott (W, 1-1) 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K; RHP Brandon Komar (S, 1) 4 IP, 2 H, 6 K.
Prospect Watch: Fort Wayne used a four-run fifth inning to cruise to a win on a cold night in South Bend. … Outfielder Jawuan Harris singled and reached base twice via the walk out of the leadoff spot. Harris has been productive at the top of the order and has a walk rate north of 17% this season. The 24-year-old’s strikeout rate is hovering around 40% so he will need to make more consistent contact to have a chance. He is a premium athlete who also played college football at Rutgers. … Outfielder Tirso Ornelas doubled, singled, and drove in a pair Friday night. Ornelas got off to a very slow start but has started to put things together over the last two weeks. Ornelas’ eight doubles rank second in the league. … LHP Ethan Elliott pitched five shutout innings, as the lanky left-hander continues to carve up hitters in the High-A Central League. Elliott allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out six. The 24-year-old has been the most dominant pitcher in the league through the season’s first month. He leads the circuit in strikeouts and opposing batters are hitting just .131 off of him – the lowest in the league. Elliott doesn’t have impressive velocity but he throws strikes and has two very good off-speed offerings. … Yorman Rodriguez came off the IL and went 1-for-5 in just his second game of the season. Selected from Toronto in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, the 23-year-old offers a patient bat and versatility between catcher and first base.
Roster moves: The TinCaps announced several other roster moves prior to the game Friday. Let’s dive in:
Placed on the 7-day IL: RHP Wen Hua Sung, LHP Mason Feole. … Sung, 24, was placed on the IL with an undisclosed injury. He hasn’t appeared for a game for the TinCaps since May 8th. … Feole is in his first professional season after having Tommy John shortly after being drafted in 2019. He allowed eight earned runs in three innings with the TinCaps this year. As of now, there is no timetable for his return. Like Sung, his injury was not disclosed.
Transferred to the SD Complex League: RHP Edgar Martinez. The 20-year-old began the season in the TinCaps rotation but will return to Peoria for some additional seasoning. He has a 7.36 ERA in three starts this year.
Placed on the Suspended List: LHP Sam Williams, INF Kelvin Melean: Williams and Melean were suspended for their roles in a bench-clearing brawl that took place on Sunday. As of press time, the length of the suspension has not been disclosed. Three South Bend players were also suspended for their roles in the incident.
Added to the Active Roster: INF Kelvin Alarcon (promoted from Lake Elsinore), INF Seamus Curran (promoted from the SD Complex League): The TinCaps got two West Coast reinforcements, receiving Kelvin Alarcon from the Storm and Seamus Curran from the complex league. Alarcon hit .261/.320/.261 in part-time duty with the Storm in 2021. Curran, 23, was signed by the Padres a few days ago after being released from the Orioles organization during the spring. Curran is listed at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds. He hit 17 home runs in Low-A in 2019. He bats from the left side and throws right-handed.
Jordy Barley is one of the most dynamic players in the organization. (Photo: Robert Escalante)
San Jose Giants 1, Storm 0
Key Statistics: SS Jordy Barley, 1-for-4; 3B Sean Guilbe, 1-for-3; CF Robert Hassell III, 0-for-4; RHP Carlos Guarate, 5.1 IP, 3 H, BB, 4 K; RHP Jose Geraldo (L, 2-1) 2.2 IP, H, ER, BB, 2 K.
Prospect Watch: The Storm got an excellent outing from starter Carlos Guarate but played a miserable game otherwise. Lake Elsinore managed just two hits and struck out 18 times, in addition to making four errors in the field. … Guarate worked into the sixth and allowed just three hits and a walk. The 20-year-old had a few rough outings to start the season but his underlying numbers tell a far different story. Guarate has walked just two batters in 21.1 innings while striking out 23. His .396 BABIP coming into Friday’s start indicate he has been incredibly unlikely so far. The Storm have a very young staff and Guarate is one of the best arms on the roster. … Infielder Sean Guilbe singled in his High-A debut. The 21-year-old was one of the better hitters on the 2019 Tri-City roster and it was a bit surprising to see him not make a roster out of spring training. The 21-year-old infielder/outfielder has intriguing power potential but will have to improve his contact rate to convert on it.
