Luis Campusano reached base four times (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Albuquerque Isotopes 6, Chihuahuas 3
Key Statistics: C Luis Campusano 3-for-3, 2B, R, BB; RF Brian O’Grady 1-for-4, HR (8), RBI, R; LHP Jerry Keel (L, 1-2) 5 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K; LHP Daniel Camarena 1.2 IP, H, 2 ER, BB, K; RHP Jordan Guerrero 0.1 IP, H, ER
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas were held off the scoreboard until the seventh inning as they dropped the series opener on the road in Albuquerque. Luis Campusano, coming off a red-hot June that saw him post a slash line of .302/.362/.535 started July in style, reaching base four times. The 22-year-old backstop has seemingly found his footing in El Paso after skipping the Double-A level. … Brian O’Grady connected for his eighth home run of the season to help aid the offensive effort. The 29-year-old Rutgers product holds an OPS of .986 and could figure into the big league club’s plans in the second half of the season. … Jerry Keel took the loss for the Chihuahuas, laboring through five innings. The 27-year-old lefty was tagged for two home runs in his outing and needed 108 pitches to record 15 outs. … Former Cathedral Catholic standout Daniel Camarena relieved Keel and worked a perfect sixth, but ran into trouble in the seventh. After a leadoff walk, Camarena retired the next two batters before a balk and a single plated the fourth run of the game for the Isotopes. Former big leaguer Sam Hilliard followed with a two-run home run off El Paso reliever Jordan Guerrero to put the game out of reach. Camarena, who filled in admirably with the parent club in spot duty, still holds a solid 3.74 ERA on the year.
Corpus Christi Hooks 5, Missions 2 (7 innings)
Key Statistics: CF José Azocar 1-for-3, RBI, BB; C Juan Fernandez 1-for-3, BB; 3B Allen Córdoba 1-for-3, R, BB; RHP Jordan Humphreys 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, 2 K; RHP Brandon Komar (L, 0-1) 2.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (4 ER), 4 K
Prospect Watch: One day after watching offensive catalyst CJ Abrams limp off the field due to a collision in the infield, San Antonio’s offense was held largely in check in game one. No Missions player recorded more than one base hit as San Antonio was held to just five singles. José Azocar reached base twice, recording the lone RBI. Azocar, 25, will likely have to help carry the top half of the lineup with Abrams sidelined. … Jordan Humphreys got the start for the Missions, tossing three shutout innings. The 25-year-old right-hander began the season on the injured list after being claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants but has posted intriguing numbers throughout his minor league tenure. … Brandon Komar came into relieve Humphreys and breezed through two innings before scuffling in the sixth. After retiring the leadoff batter, Komar would allow six consecutive runners to reach, ultimately being charged with four earned runs. The 22-year-old University of Wisconsin product saw his ERA rise to 5.40 with the outing.
Missions 3, Corpus Christi Hooks 0 (7 innings)
Key Statistics: 2B Olivier Basabe 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, R; CF José Azocar 1-for-3, 2 RBI, SB; RHP Reiss Knehr (W, 6-1) 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K; RHP Nick Kuzia (S, 1) 1 IP, H, 2 K
Reiss Knehr. (Photo: Joe Alexander)
Prospect Watch: The Missions rode stellar pitching and generated enough offense to earn a split at Wolff Stadium, ending a nine-game losing streak. Second baseman Olivier Basabe recorded the only multi-hit performance. The 23-year-old from Faulkner University is hitting just .188 in his 2021 campaign. … Azocar put San Antonio in front in the third, hitting a two-run single. That would prove to be all the offense required thanks to the standout pitching of Reiss Knehr. The former Fordham Ram notched his sixth win of the season, tossing five shutout innings. Knehr hasn’t posted gaudy strikeout numbers thus far in his inaugural Double-A season but has only allowed four home runs in his 55.2 innings of work. Opposing hitters are batting just .209 against Knehr in 2021.
Great Lakes Loons 6, TinCaps 3 (10 innings)
Key Statistics: 2B Justin Lopez 1-for-4, HR (5), 2 RBI, 3 K; SS Kelvin Melean 2-for-5, CS (3); RHP Anderson Espinoza 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, BB, 3 K; LHP Erik Sabrowski 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 9 K; RHP Felix Minjarez (BS, 1) 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K; RHP Jose Geraldo (L, 1-1) 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), BB, 2 K
Prospect Watch: The Fort Wayne bullpen could not hold a late one-run lead as the Loons would score three times in extras to win at Parkview Field. The major storyline of the contest was the ejection of Anderson Espinoza after just one inning. After allowing an earned run while striking out the side, a foreign substance was determined to be in Espinoza’s glove and he was promptly sent to an early exit. … Espinoza’s departure indirectly allowed Erik Sabrowski to emerge in a dominant fashion. The 2018 draftee out of Cloud County Community College (Kansas) is quickly making up for lost time after injuries have derailed the start of his minor league career. The 23-year-old struck out six consecutive hitters at one point, ultimately allowing just a bunt single across four innings of work. Sabrowski has 21 strikeouts in just 10 innings this season. … Jose Geraldo took the loss as he was unable to navigate the tenth inning. The Azua, Dominican Republic native, recently promoted from Lake Elsinore, holds a 2.57 ERA across seven frames in the Summit City. … Justin Lopez blasted his fifth home run of the season in the fifth inning, knotting the contest at 2-2. The 2016 international signee is still just 21 years old but has struggled to produce enough quality contact to supplement his standout defense. … Kelvin Melean was the lone TinCaps player with a multi-hit performance, connecting on a pair of singles. Melean, 22, is coming off a solid month of June where he slashed .278/.353/.422.
Euribiel Angeles’s home run led the Storm Thursday. (Photo: Antonio Gonzalez)
Inland Empire 66ers 4, Storm 3
Key Statistics: 2B Euribiel Angeles 1-for-4, HR (3), 2 RBI, R; C Gilberto Vizcarra 3-for-4, 2B, R; 3B Zack Mathis 1-for-4, 2B, RBI; SS Jordy Barley 1-for-4, 2 SB (29); RHP Nick Thwaits (L, 0-5) 4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, BB, 4 K; RHP Keegan Collett 1 IP, 0 ER, BB, 3 K
Prospect Watch: The Storm failed to capitalize on a plethora of chances and fell to 24-27 on the season. Fresh off Player of the Week honors, Euribiel Angeles continued his torrid stretch, launching his third home run of the season. In his first season stateside, the 19-year-old Dominican is hitting .330/.371/.435 and has added 11 stolen bases for good measure. … Speaking of stolen bases, Jordy Barley swiped a pair, giving him 29 on the season. The toolsy shortstop out of San Pedro de Macoris still possesses a 30.3% strikeout rate, but was able to post 22 walks in June, good for a .383 OBP. … Gilberto Vizcarra enjoyed a three-hit night, boosting his average to .279. The 22-year-old undersized backstop from Mexicali has never produced much power but has shown a solid ability to generate contact at the plate. … Nick Thwaits struggled through four innings of work on the mound. The 22-year-old Ohioan has a 6.27 ERA thus far and opposing hitters are batting .270 against Thwaits in 2021.
ACL Padres 4, Royals Gold 3
Key Statistics: C Victor Duarte 2-for-4, 3B, RBI; 3B Vladimir Echavarria 1-for-3, HR (1), RBI, R; CF Edwin Rojas 2-for-4, CS (1), SS Charlis Aquino 1-for-3, 2B, 2 K; 1B-LF Albert Fabian 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BB; RHP Brayan Medina 3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K; RHP Joshua Paulina (W, 1-0) 3 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 BB, 4 K; RHP Alan Mundo (S, 2) 1 IP, H, BB, K
Prospect Watch: The ACL Padres won their second straight contest on a balmy 107-degree evening to remain undefeated on the young season. Victor Duarte led the offensive charge with two hits, including a triple. The 20-year-old Tucupita, Venezuela native signed with the Padres as part of their 2018 international class. Albert Fabian reached base three times, twice via free passes. The 19-year-old Dominican posted a .361 OBP in his DSL campaign. … Highly regarded right-hander Brayan Medina made his professional debut, striking out five batters across three innings while sitting 92-94 with his fastball. The 18-year-old Venezuelan surrendered two solo home runs but otherwise limited the damage. Medina’s projectable 6-foot-1 frame figures to allow him to add velocity, making him a name to watch for in Peoria. … Pennsylvania native Joshua Paulina made his debut a year after making the unusual decision to sign as an undrafted free agent out of high school. The righty worked with a fastball in the upper 80s, but mixed in an effective change as he struck out four over three one-run innings. … Alan Mundo collected his second save in as many opportunities, working around a hit and a walk to preserve the win. Between surgery and COVID, the 21-year-old right-hander out of Delicias, Mexico hasn’t pitched since 2018 after signing with the Padres in July of 2017.
