San Diego Padres Daily Farm Report: July 21

Robert Hassell continues to reach base at a torrid pace, while knuckle-baller Matt Waldron has a sparkling Double-A debut.

Chihuahuas (26-38): El Paso had a rough week winning only one game while dropping five.  They will try to rebound tomorrow against the Isotopes.

Missions 10, Springfield Cardinals 5 (completion of yesterday’s game)

Key Stats LHP Ethan Elliott 3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K; LHP Joe Beimel (W, 1-1) 2 IP, 2 K; SS Eguy Rosario 3-for-4, 2 RS, SB (19), 2B; CF Jose Azocar 2-for-4, 2 RS, 4 RBI, HR (7), 2 SB (15); RF Jack Suwinski 2-for-4, 2 RS, BB, 2B, SB (6); 2B Kelvin Melean 2-for-4, RS, RBI, SB

Springfield Cardinals 10; Missions 3 (7 innings)

Key Stats: RHP Matt Waldron 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; DH Jack Suwinski 1-for-3, RS, SB (7); 3B Allen Cordoba 2-for-3, 2 RBI

Prospect Watch: Making his first Double-A start RHP Matt Waldron continued his knuckleball domination tour.  Through his first five innings, Waldron had allowed just two singles.  He was able to consistently through both his knuckleballs for strikes, leading to one of his best ball-strike ratios of the year.  Of the 102 pitches he threw, 71 of them were strikes. … The game got away from San Antonio in the top of the seventh. Carlos Belen allowed eight runs but only three were earned, thanks to a pair of errors. … The first game was a continuation of last night’s game that was stopped due to rain. Joe Beimel earned his first professional win since July 26^th, 2015.  In his nine total innings this year, Beimel has only allowed one hit to lefties and has shown the ability to be a LOOGY if the Padres called him up. …Jack Suwinski collected three hits and two stolen bases in the two games.  If he can continue his recent production at the plate, it will make up for an abysmal start to his July.  By July 15, he had an OPS of close to .400.  While it is still not close to the production he showed in May and June, he is at least raised his July OPS back to .730, and his overall OPS to .925.

TinCaps 9, Dayton Dragons 3

Key Stats: RHP Michell Miliano IP, K; LF Grant Little 2-for-5, RS, 2 RBI, 2 2B; DH Jonny Homza 2-for-4, BB, 2B; SS Justin Lopez 2-for-4, RS, BB, 2B; 1B Luis Almanzar 1-for-5, HR (2), 2 RBI; 3B Kelvin Alarcon 3-for-4, 2 RS, 2B, 3B; CF Reinaldo Illaraza 2-for-4, 2 RS, RBI

Prospect Watch: On May 8^th, Luis Almanzar hit his first home run of the year.  It was a promising sign from the player who received the biggest signing bonus of any non-Cuban during the historic 2016 international class.  After 38 games he has hit his second home run of the season.  With half the season still to play, he is now just two home runs away from his career-high. … Another member of that 2016 J-2 class, Justin Lopez, collected two more hits and has now reached base safely in 15 of 17 games this month.  In his three seasons in Fort Wayne, he has never had a month OPS over .800.  With a little over a week to go in July, it is currently .917.  … Jonny Homza collected his first multi-hit game in over two weeks.  Homza had been leading the team in batting average and hits before his recent slump.  Over that time he has gone 3-for-30 with no walks, no extra-base hits, and eight strikeouts.  … Always keep an eye out for Michell Miliano.  He has tremendous pure stuff that could make him a top prospect.  He has 56 strikeouts in only 29 innings this year for a 17.4 K/9.  Batters are also only hitting .158 off of him.  However, he is also walking nearly a batter an inning and has multiple outings this year where he just could not find the strike zone.  This is his first outing without allowing a baserunner since June 11^th and is hopefully a sign of things to come.

Inland Empire 66ers 7, Storm 6

Key Stats: CF Robert Hassell III 3-for-4, 2 RS, RBI, BB, 2 SB (24); DH Euribiel Angeles 0-for-5, RBI; C Brandon Valenzuela 2-for-4, 2B, RS, BB; 3B Carlos Luis 1-for-3, RS, 2B, RBI, BB; RHP Ruben Galindo 4 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 3 K

Prospect Watch: Here is your daily Hassell watch.  Hassell reached base another four times tonight.  He has reached base multiple times in nine straight games, including nine walks in his last four games.  In July, he has 29 hits and 15 walks in 18 games with a .408/.512/.521 stat line. … Right fielder Joshua Mears was removed from the game in the third inning with an apparent injury.  No word at this time on his status but hopefully it is nothing serious.  Mears had been crushing the ball in July to the tune of .389/.476/.870 with seven home runs.  His 13 home runs on the season place him third in the league. … When Mears went out, C Brandon Valenzuela moved over to first.  Similar to Austin Nola, he is a bat-first catcher, which will move around the diamond to keep his bat in the lineup.  He had another multi-hit game today, and is now hitting .354/.426/.479 in July. … Ruben Galindo got the start for Elsinore and turned in his second consecutive solid start. The 20-year-old Colombian righty worked four innings and allowed just one earned run and two hits but did not factor in the decision. Galindo struck out a career-high 10 in his last outing. He has a 3.77 ERA in four July outings (two starts). … Righty Levi Thomas relieved Galindo and ended up wearing the loss. Thomas, 23, allowed four earned runs and five hits in just 1.2 innings. The former fourth-rounder has struggled in his first professional season. Through 47.1 innings, the former Troy University hurler has a 6.85 ERA.

The ACL Padres had the day off.