El Paso and Fort Wayne both won at home, while San Antonio had another rainout and Lake Elsinore lost an extra-innings thriller.
Taylor Kohlwey has been a key cog in the El Paso offense in 2021. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Chihuahuas 9, Albuquerque Isotopes 4
Key Stats: RHP Caleb Boushley (W, 3-2), 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; LHP Nick Ramirez, 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB; C Luis Campusano, 2-for-3, 2B, R, RBI, BB; LF Tucupita Marcano, 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB; RF Taylor Kohlwey, 3-for-5, 3 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI
Prospect Watch: A six-run third inning was all the cushion Caleb Boushley needed to cruise to a win and a quality start. The Wisconsin-La Crosse product is now 1-1 with a 1.86 ERA in four home starts. … Nick Ramirez tossed an easy, nine-pitch seventh inning as he begins a rehab assignment from the Padres. Ramirez, one of a few arms who have built up frequent flyer miles between El Paso and San Diego, boasts a 0.87 ERA in 20.2 innings for the Chihuahuas. … Luis Campusano continues to swing a hot bat on West Texas nights, as a two-hit evening raises his July slash line to .309/.377/.564. The 2017 2nd round pick is now riding a three-game hitting streak. … With his sixth home run of the year, Tucupita Marcano has now doubled his career total heading into 2021, and blown away his previous season-high of two in 2019. The 21-year-old Marcano has worked both on his offense and his versatility in El Paso, spending much of his time in the outfield to improve his value and pathway to the Padres. … In his first game since turning 27 on July 20th, Taylor Kohlwey bashed a trio of triples off the wall at Southwest University Park. Kohlwey, who is now slashing .358/.402/.547 in 106 at-bats for El Paso, had exactly zero triples before tonight, and now is halfway to his season-high of six, achieved in 2016.
San Antonio Missions
Thursday’s game between the San Antonio Missions and Springfield Cardinals has been postponed due to rain. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday. The Missions have now surpassed 40 tarp pulls in a very wet 2021 season.
Anderson Espinoza put together his second straight positive outing. (Photo: Jeff Nycz).
TinCaps 3, Dayton Dragons 1
Key Stats: RHP Anderson Espinoza, 2.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K; RHP Edwuin Bencomo (W, 4-3), 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K; RHP Wen-Hua Sung (S, 2), 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K; CF Augustin Ruiz, 1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI; LF Grant Little, 1-for-3, 2B, R
Grant Little has hit .270 in July. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Prospect Watch: It was an evening of mostly positives for Anderson Espinoza, who struck out six batters and showed comfortable mid-90s velocity on the fastball. Espinoza hit 95 on the gun routinely and took batters off balance with the breaking ball. He had to work hard for outs, however, as he continues to shake the rust off, tossing 69 pitches in two and two-thirds innings. … Swingman Edwuin Bencomo picked up his first win of July with two and a third innings of hitless relief. Bencomo, a 2016 signing by the Padres from Rio Chico, Venezuela, is in his second tour of duty with the TinCaps, having pitched for them at Low-A in 2019. … Wen-Hua Sung picked up his second save of the year, both having come since returning from the IL on July 10th. Sung, a 24-year-old native of Taifung, Taiwan, signed with the Padres in the summer of 2016. … Augustin Ruiz continues to lead Fort Wayne in home runs and is now tied for seventh in the High-A Central with his 12th shot of the year. Ruiz, a 21-year-old outfielder from Mexico, has hit nine of his home runs at home. … Grant Little doubled, scored on Ruiz’s homer, and took a great route to a ball to prevent a run from scoring. Little, the 74th overall pick in 2018, is batting .270 in July.
All 6-foot7 of Connor Lehmann. (Photo:Mike Wilson)
Inland Empire 66ers, Storm 7 F/12
Key Stats: CF Robert Hassell III, 2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB; RHP Connor Lehmann, 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 10 K; 1B Brandon Valenzuela, 2-for-6, 3B, R; SS Jordy Barley, 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI;
Prospect Watch: It was the ninth multi-hit game of July for Robert Hassell III, who continues to fill box scores with hits and walks. In 74 at-bats this month, the 2020 first-rounder is slashing .419/.533/.541. … Six-foot-seven Connor Lehmann came into the game with 21 strikeouts, and added an even 10 to that total. Lehmann, a former Saint Louis University Billiken, was drafted in the seventh round in 2019. … Getting the start at first base, Brandon Valenzuela hit his third triple of the season, and raised his average to .297. The Storm’s regular catcher, Valenzuela entered the season with a good reputation for defense, and has been bolstering his offensive numbers so far in 2021. … Jordy Barley had a three-hit night and added a pair of RBI to boot. The 21-year-old infielder from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, is now batting .275 in July, his highest average in any month this season.
Promotion: The Storm added infielder Bryan Torres to the roster from the ACL Padres. Torres, a 21-year-old from Maracay, Venezuela, was batting .357 with 2 RBI in 14 at-bats in the ACL before his promotion. He entered the game in the bottom of the 11th as a defensive substitute, replacing Jordy Barley in the lineup and playing second base. He walked in his lone plate appearance.
Victor Lizarraga is the Padres’ youngest player in the ACL. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
ACL Royals Gold 6, ACL Padres 1
Key Stats: RHP Victor Lizarraga (L, 0-2). 3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K; SS Charlis Aquino, 1-for-2, BB; RF Willmert Paula, 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
Prospect Watch: It was a tough one in Surprise, as Victor Lizarraga took the loss after giving up a pair of home runs. Lizarraga, a highly-touted signee from Mexico, is still only 17 and has a 1.23 WHIP and 12 strikeouts in 13 innings of work in the Arizona Complex League. … Charlis Aquino is now on a three-game hitting streak. The 19-year-old infielder signed with the Padres in the summer of 2018. … Willmert Paula hit an RBI double, and threw out a runner trying for second base. Paula, another member of the 2018 signing class, bats left-handed and throws right-handed, fitting a mold of versatility the Padres seek out.
