Brian O’Grady continues to make plenty of loud contact for El Paso. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Oklahoma City Dodgers 15, Chihuahuas 11
Key Statistics: 1B Austin Nola 2-for-2, BB, RBI, R; 2B-RF Tucupita Marcano 1-for-2, 2 BB, RBI, R; RF Brian O’Grady 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI; CF Taylor Kohlwey 2-for-4, 2B, BB, 2 RBI, 2 R; LHP Luke Westphal 3 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 K; RHP Mason Thompson (L, 2-2) 1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB; RHP Alex Powers 1.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, BB, 2 K
Prospect Watch: A four run ninth was not enough as El Paso fell to the Dodgers in a wild affair at home. The Chihuahuas held a 7-0 lead after two innings before Oklahoma City rallied to take control. … Luke Westphal‘s second outing was not quite the fairy tale story of his system debut last week, as the 32-year-old Wisconsin native lasted just three innings. The 6-foot-3 lefty uncorked three wild pitches, needing 73 pitches to record nine outs. … Mason Thompson took the loss, allowing three earned runs in one inning of work. The 23-year-old Texan has struggled to limit contact in 2021, with opposing hitters batting .273 against him. … Offensively, the main storyline was the return of rehabbing big league catcher Austin Nola. Nola, playing first base, was perfect on the evening, reaching base three times. The 31-year-old figures to have a short stint in Triple-A, with a rumored return shortly after the All-Star break. … Brian O’Grady continues to do what Brian O’Grady does: Hit. The 29-year-old had a single and double in four trips to the plate and has three multi-hit games in July. O’Grady sports a 1.272 OPS for the month. … Taylor Kohlwey got into the act with his own two hit night, including a two run double in the ninth. Kohlwey, 26, is hitting .311 across two levels on the season with an on base percentage north of .400. … Tucupita Marcano again demonstrated defensive versatility, playing second base and right field. The 21-year-old Venezuelan received a pair of free passes and added a single, scoring twice. Marcano has drawn 24 walks against only 16 strikeouts in 2021 and could be an intriguing trade chip as the trade deadline rapidly approaches.
San Antonio Rained Out
Want to bring an end to the drought across the Western United States? Schedule baseball games in the hardest-hit locations, then send John Conniff to cover them. The Missions will attempt to get in their Saturday contest against Amarillo in spite of our continued plans for coverage.
Lake County Captains 3, TinCaps 1
Key Stats: CF Juwaun Harris 1-for-2, 2B, BB; LF Grant Little 1-for-3, BB, SB; RHP Matt Waldron 7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 5 K, 1 BB
Kevin has the recap from Fort Wayne, where Matt Waldron and his knuckleball weren’t enough for a Friday night win.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 9, Storm 1
Key Statistics: 2B Jordy Barley 1-for-1, 2 SB (32); SS Euribiel Angeles 1-2, 2B, BB; RHP Levi Thomas (L, 1-3) 2 IP, 4 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K; RHP Ruben Galindo 4 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K; RHP Keegan Collett 2 IP, H, 0 ER, 3 K
Jordy Barley’s dynamic play has been a spark for Lake Elsinore’s offense. (Photo:Mike Wilson)
Prospect Watch: The Quakes proved to be rude hosts as they rolled to an easy victory over the Storm. Lake Elsinore has now dropped five in a row to fall to 26-32 on the season. … Jordy Barley led off the second inning with a bunt single and subsequently stole second and third base in short order. Unfortunately, the next three batters struck out, stranding Barley at third. He was replaced defensively in the bottom half of the inning by Zack Mathis, but there’s no update on an injury yet. Barley’s 32 steals lead the Low-A West circuit by a hefty margin. … Storm starter Levi Thomas lasted two innings, getting tagged for a pair of home runs. The former Troy Trojan struggled with his command, throwing just 31 of his 63 pitches for strikes. … Keegan Collett threw a pair of innings in relief, allowing one hit while striking out three. The 22-year-old Florida Gulf Coast alum, a 35th-round pick in 2019, has 19 strikeouts on the season across just 9 innings, but has also walked 11 batters.
ACL Padres 3, ACL Royals Blue 0 (7)
Key Statistics: SS Bryan Torres 1-for-2, BB, RBI, R; 1B Anthony Nunez 1-for-2, 2B, RBI, R; RHP Justin Lange 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, 7 K; LHP Cullen Dana (W, 1-0) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K; LHP Bodi Rascon (S, 1) 1 IP, H, 0 ER, K
Prospect Watch: The ACL Padres made the most of their three hits, riding stellar pitching to a shutout victory. After tossing three innings in a debut that was suspended by Mother Nature, Justin Lange returned with an even better performance, striking out seven batters in four innings. The 34th overall pick out of Llano, Texas last year pairs premium velocity with a quality slider, a combination that will likely be tough to crack in the Complex League. … Bodi Rascon collected his first professional save, striking out one. The projectable 6-foot-5 southpaw has been limited to just seven innings since being drafted in 2019. Cullen Dana, who has been on the shelf all year, worked two frames in his first rehab appearance in the desert. The big lefty, who underwent Tommy John surgery before the Padres drafted him out of Seton Hall on day three in 2018, will likely head out to a Single-A affiliate once he’s gotten a bit more action. … Anthony Nunez generated all the offense that was needed, cranking an RBI double in the fourth inning. The 20-year-old from Miami Springs, Florida is off to a .385/.600/.615 in his first five contests.
