Pedro Avila is stretching back out in El Paso. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Chihuahuas 11, Sugar Land Space Cowboys 10 (F/12)
Key Statistics: DH Aderlin Rodriguez 2-3, 2B, RBI; RF Nomar Mazara 2-5, RBI, BB; LF Brent Rooker 2-2, HR (6), 3 RBI, 2 BB, R; RHP Pedro Avila 3.1 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, BB, 7 K; RHP Jordan Brink (W, 2-0) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Prospect Watch: Brent Rooker capped a wild, 14 pitcher affair with a walkoff single in the bottom of the 12th inning to send El Paso to victory. The 27-year-old former Mississippi State standout, acquired by the Padres in the Taylor Rogers deal, did all of his damage in just six innings. Rooker’s eighth inning home run, a two run blast to left, erased what was a six run deficit. That power potential could be of use to a big league club that has struggled to produce much in the way of slugging this season. … Pedro Avila got the starting nod for the Chihuahuas, and posted uneven results in less-than-hospitable conditions. The former big leaguer pitched through a 20+ MPH wind, surrendering two home runs and six earned runs overall, striking out seven. The strikeout total was the highest mark since last September for the Venezuelan. … Jordan Brink came on in relief to earn his second win of the season, striking out a pair. The 29-year-old is in his first season with the organization after signing as a minor league free agent last November.
Missions rained out in Frisco
Inclement weather in the Dallas metropolitan area forced the Missions and RoughRiders to postpone their scheduled contest. The game will be made up as part of a Wednesday doubleheader.
Jackson Wolf racked up strikeouts on Tuesday. (Photo: Jeff Nycz).
Quad Cities River Bandits 3, TinCaps 1
Key Statistics: C Brandon Valenzuela 2-4, RBI; LHP Jackson Wolf (L, 1-3) 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 K; RHP Brandon Komar 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 7 K
Prospect Watch: After a rocky first inning, TinCaps starter Jackson Wolf rebounded nicely with a career high eight strikeouts, but the damage done was enough to sink Fort Wayne at home. The loss was the third in a row for the TinCaps. … The former West Virginia hurler began the game with back-to-back walks before an error plated the first run for the Bandits. After allowing a single to plate a second run, Wolf retired the next eight batters in a row. All told, the 23-year-old southpaw threw 96 pitches in his 5.2 innings of work. … A struggling Fort Wayne offense was held to just three hits, two of them off the bat of Brandon Valenzuela. The talented backstop has had a tough go of things in his return to the Midwest League, posting just a .607 OPS thus far with the TinCaps. Valenzuela, 21, must be added to the 40-man roster in December or be exposed to the Rule 5 process.. … Righty Brandon Komar was strong in relief of Wolf, striking out seven over 3.1 scoreless frames. The Wisconsin native got hit hard in one spot start this month, but has worked 13.1 straight relief innings without allowing a run with a 16:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
When Max Ferguson get on base, good things happen for the Storm. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Storm 5, Inland Empire 66ers 2
Key Statistics: SS Max Ferguson 1-4, 2B, 3 RBI, SB, R; 2B-3B Lucas Dunn 2-4, 2B, RBI, SB; RHP Kobe Robinson 4 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 9 K; RHP Yerry Landinez (W, 2-1) 2 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, K; RHP Aaron Holiday (S, 1) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K
Prospect Watch: The Storm rode a stellar pitching effort and just enough offense to “86” the 66ers at The Diamond. Max Ferguson continues to be an on-base machine and a force in the running game. The former Tennessee Volunteer has posted a .412 on base percentage in May on the strength of 23 walks, despite hitting just .180 for the month. The 22-year-old cleared the bases in the second inning with a three run double, providing all the support the Storm would need. One batter later, Ferguson swiped third base before scoring on an RBI groundout. The theft was his 33rd of the season, a mark that sits easily atop the California League. … Kobe Robinson produced his best outing as a professional, allowing just one earned run across four innings while striking out nine. The 13th round pick in the 2021 draft out of Chattanooga State Community College lowered his season ERA to 3.57 with the effort. … Aaron Holiday shut the door on the visitors in the ninth to collect his first save of the season. The right-hander, acquired from Oakland in the Sean Manaea trade, is off to a spectacular start with the Padres, allowing just two earned runs in 17 innings with the Storm.
