Eguy Rosario is heating up for the Missions. (Photo: Joe Alexander)
Chihuahuas 9, Oklahoma City Dodgers 4
Key Statistics: CF John Andreoli 1-for-3, 3B, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB; LF Ben Ruta 2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R; 1B Patrick Kivlehan 2-for-4, HR (7), RBI, 2 R, BB; LHP Jerry Keel 3.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K; RHP Parker Markel (W, 1-0) 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 2 K; RHP Mason Thompson 1 IP, H, 3 K
Mason Thompson is an intriguing relief arm on the Padres’ 40-man roster. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: El Paso got contributions up and down the lineup to win at home. After spotting the visitors a run in the top half of the first, the Chihuahas used a two out rally to push across three runs on their way to building an early 7-1 cushion. … John Andreoli reached base three times, including a triple, to help pace the offense out of the leadoff spot. The University of Connecticut product has enjoyed hitting at Southwest University Park, boasting a .333 average at home. … Patrick Kivlehan launched his seventh home run of the season in the sixth inning, part of a multi-hit performance. Kivlehan’s OPS now stands at a solid .895 on the season, despite some nagging issues making consistent contact. … Jerry Keel got the start for El Paso, laboring through three plus innings while striking out eight batters. Keel, 27, pitched around traffic on the basepaths, tossing 89 pitches to record eight outs. … Parker Markel picked up the win in relief, tossing 2 1/3 innings, allowing a pair of earned runs. The well-traveled Markel signed as a minor league free agent after being waived by the Angels last November. … Mason Thompson pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out the side. The 6-foot-7 Texan has struggled to find consistency in Triple-A, but still possesses intriguing raw stuff that could find him on the big league radar this season.
Springfield Cardinals 10, Missions 3
Key Statistics: 2B Eguy Rosario 2-for-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, R, 2 K; LF Esteury Ruiz 1-for-4, R, SB (8); LHP Aaron Leasher (L, 1-2) 0.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (4 ER), BB, K; RHP Nick Kuzia 2.2 IP, 0 H, BB, K
Prospect Watch: The Missions plated a run in the first, but were routed by the Cardinals on the road. With CJ Abrams out of the lineup once again, the offense was held largely in check by a trio of Springfield hurlers. Eguy Rosario was the lone bright spot offensively, hitting his second home run in as many games. The 21-year-old Dominican got off to an ice-cold start in Double-A, but is hitting .355 over his last nine games, collecting four of his five extra-base hits in that time. The versatile infielder still has a K rate above 30%, but that has been moving in the right direction as well. … Aaron Leasher took the mound for San Antonio and could not escape the first inning, recording just one out while being charged with four earned runs. The former Morehead State lefthander saw his ERA spike from 2.93 to 5.17 on the season as a result of the abbreviated outing. … Nick Kuzia helped rescue the bullpen, working 2 2/3 shutout innings. Kuzia, 25, has yet to be scored upon in four appearances this season, despite striking out only a single batter.
Jonny Homza, the TinCaps’ regular catcher, started the night at shortstop. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Cedar Rapids Kernels 7, TinCaps 4
Key Statistics: 1B Seamus Curran 2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R; SS Jonny 1-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB, 3 K; RHP Moises Lugo 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K; RHP Sam Keating (L, 0-4) 1 IP, H, 3 ER, BB, HBP
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps fell to 10-14 with the loss at Parkview Field. Organizational newcomer Seamus Curran led the Fort Wayne offense with a pair of hits, including a double, out of the cleanup spot. Curran, 23, was released late last month by the Baltimore Orioles and signed with the Padres on May 28th. The 6-foot-6 Curran has 40 home runs in his minor league career and should see plenty of time at first base with his new organization. … Jonny Homza‘s defensive tour took him to shortstop Tuesday, a position he last played in the Arizona Rookie League in 2017. He’s now seen time at five different spots on the diamond this year. The Alaskan went 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, striking out three times. … Righty Moises Lugo started or Fort Wayne, going four innings. The 22-year-old from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic struggled with his command, pitching into deep counts, but was largely able to limit the damage. Opponents are hitting just .184 against him on the year. … Sam Keating, tasked with preserving a 4-4 tie in the ninth, allowed a three run home run that would prove to be the decisive margin. Keating, a fourth-round pick in 2018, has struggled mightily in 2021, with a WHIP of 2.38 and an ERA north of 15.00.
Stockton Ports 6, Storm 1
Key Statistics: CF Robert Hassell 2-for-4, HR (3), R, RBI, K; LHP Gabe Morales (L, 0-1) 3.1 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 BB, 3 K; RHP Miguel Rondon 2.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, BB, 3 K
Prospect Watch: The Storm offense was held to just four hits on the evening, succumbing to the Ports on a warm evening in Stockton. All four hits went for extra bases. … Half of those hits came courtesy of Robert Hassell III, who launched his third home run of the season to account for the lone Storm run. Hassell, 19, has shown a proclivity for using the opposite field, atypical of a young hitter in his first full professional season. His slash line on the season now sits at .275/.387/.495. … Lefty Gabe Morales took the loss for Lake Elsinore, tossing a season-high 3 1/3 innings. The Venezuelan has been a bright spot for the Storm pitching staff, posting a 2.08 ERA with 25 strikeouts in just 17 1/3 innings of work, though his walk totals continue to mount. … Miguel Rondon replaced Morales with two runners on base, allowing an inherited runner to score before escaping a bases loaded jam, but that was the end of Rondon’s good fortune Former Padre farmhand Junior Perez opened the fifth with a home run and the Ports added four more runs in the sixth. Rondon, 20, has shown swing and miss stuff, but has also surrendered 20 hits in just 10 innings of work.
