Just like the Padres, both El Paso and Lake Elsinore saw every member of their lineup collect a hit and roll to easy victories. San Antonio got a boost as players were reinstated from the COVID IL and those players helped lead the Missions to a big victory as well.  Overall, the system went 3-1 on the day.

Chihuahuas 11, Las Vegas Aviators 4

Key Statistics: CF Esteury Ruiz 2-for-3, HR (13), 3 SB (44), 3 R, BB; SS C.J. Abrams 1-for-5, 2B, R; C Luis Campusano 2-for-4, R, 3 RBI; RF Brent Rooker 3-for-4, 2 HR (11), 3 R, 3 RBI, BB; 1B Taylor Kohlwey 3-for-5, R; RHP Dinelson Lamet 2 IP, H, BB, 2 K; LHP Jose Castillo IP, BB, 3 K

Prospect Watch: Every single Chihuahua had a hit, seven players scored at least one run, and six players had at least one RBI.  There are team wins and then there are team wins. … Every daily feels like a tribute to Esteury Ruiz, and for good reason.  In eight games with El Paso, he has put together a seven-game hitting streak and four straight multi-hit games. After a quiet night in the stolen base department on Tuesday, he stole three more Wednesday to keep the minor-league lead with 44.  The  seven bases he has already stolen for El Paso now put in the top 30 in the Pacfici Coast League. C.J. Abrams, with 9, and Eguy Rosario, with 11 are both in the top 20. … Do you love a lot of homers and a ton of strikeouts? If so, let’s re-introduce you to right fielder Brent Rooker. The other piece of the Taylor Rogers trade hit two more home runs, one a line-drive missile over the right field wall, the other a mammoth 477-foot shot that left the stadium.  Rooker has massive power but has struggled to stay healthy.  Since he was drafted 35th overall by the Twins in 2017 he’s averaged a home run every 18 plate appearances in the minors, but he’s also struck out in 35% of his plate appearances in the upper minors.  … How ridiculous is the Chihuahuas’ offense right now? Taylor Kohlwey and Matthew Batten, both hitting over .300 with an OPS over .900, were in the lineup as the seven and eight hitters. … As much of a hitters park as El Paso has become, good pitching can thrive in the Sun City. … Dinelson Lamet made his first appearance as a reliever in El Paso Wednesday night.  Lamet struggled with command, throwing just 19 of 32 pitches for strikes, but tossed two scoreless innings striking out two. … Jose Castillo cant do much more to prove that he is big-league ready.  He faced four batters and none of them were able to put the ball in play as he struck out the side around a walk.  He now has 12 strikeouts with only one run allowed in 10.2 innings. From a pure stuff standpoint, he is ready.

Missions 7, Amarillo Sod Poodles 2

Key Statistics: RHP Michel Baez IP, K; CF Korry Howell 3-for-4, HR (5), 2B, 3 RS, RBI; 2B Domingo Leyba 3-for-4, RS, 2B, SB (3); LF Tirso Ornelas 2-for-4, RS, RBI;

Prospect Watch: The rag-tag group of Missions became less rag-taggy before the game as five players were reinstated from the COVID IL.  None had a bigger impact on Wednesday’s game than center fielder Korry Howell.  Howell, who was picked up as part of the Victor Caratini trade, was a triple shy of the cycle.  While his overall yearly numbers (.252/.397/.513) are impressive enough, they don’t show the progression Howell has made since an early-season slump. He finished April hitting .173, but has slowly raised his average since then.  Howell, who has spent time this year at all three outfield positions as well as second and short, has been able to contribute offensively, especially in the power department.  Of his 29 hits this year, 16 have gone for extra bases. … Michel Baez tossed another perfect inning with a strikeout.  The Padres have been very cautious with him since he returned from Tommy John surgery, but the Cuban-born righty has only allowed one run this month and hasn’t walked a batter in nearly three weeks.  While he will occasionally miss with control, like many pitchers coming back from injury, Baez has a big dominating presence on the mound and is another option for the San Diego pen.

Robert Hassell III is making plenty of loud contact in his return to action. (Photo: Jeff Nycz).

Lansing Lugnuts 9, TinCaps 5

Key Statistics: CF Robert Hassell III 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, 3B; LF Corey Rosier 2-for-5; 1b/3B Lucas Dunn 3-for-5, HR (6), 2B, 2 RBI;

Prospect Watch: The TinCaps raced out to a 4-0 lead early, but then gave up nine straight runs before getting one back in the ninth. Robert Hassell III continues to be the talk of Fort Wayne. In the three games since he returned from the COVID IL, he has five hits, all of which have gone for extra bases (three doubles, a triple, and a home run). The organization had been focusing on getting Hassell to turn on pitches he can do damage on, and he’s done exactly that on his way to a cool 1.083 SLG since returning. … The rest of the power was supplied by Lucas Dunn, who hit his third home run with Fort Wayne, and sixth overall to give the TinCaps a 4-0 lead. After dominating in Lake Elsinore, Dunn has struggled to make contact since joining the TinCaps, striking out in 32.8% of his plate appearances with Fort Wayne. Even with an incredibly unlucky .240 average on balls in play, his offensive production from a double-digit walk rate and plenty of extra-base hits have his offensive contributions at just almost average in the Midwest League. The multi-hit, no-strikeout game broke him out of a 1-for-24 slump with 13 strikeouts.

Max Ferguson settles in to the box for the Storm. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)

Storm 10, Modesto Nuts 4

Key Stats: SS Max Ferguson 3-for-5, RS, RBI, 2 SB (41); 1B Cole Cummings 1-for-3, 2 RS, 2 BB; LF Albert Fabian 2-for-5, 2B, RS, RBI; DH Carlos Luis 2-for-5, 4 RBI, 2B; CF Justin Farmer 1-for-4, HR (8), RBI; LHP Bodi Rascon (W, 3-2) 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K

Prospect Watch: The Storm once again found a way to win.  Just like El Paso, the Storm collected a hit from every single position in the lineup.  Shortstop Max Ferguson who led all of baseball in stolen bases until Ruiz overtook him joined the 40 stolen base club with two against Modesto. He now has four steals in the last four days after not even attempting a stolen base in over a week.  Ferguson had just his third multi-hit game of the month, which helped raise his batting average in 13 Junes games to .232. … Designated hitter Carlos Luis continues to be the big bat for the Storm.  Luis collected four more RBI to push his season total to 40, double his previous career best. He still is not getting to his significant raw power as often as he’d like – the double was just his 14th extra-base hit in 46 games – but his isolated power rate is up to .131, his best mark since coming stateside in 2017. … Bodi Rascon had his third consecutive start allowing two runs or less.  While his 30 strikeouts in 34.1 innings does not have the same “wow factor” of his rotation-mates, Rascon has managed to stay consistent by inducing a ton of ground balls in a very hitter-friendly league.

The ACL Padres took their customary off-day Wednesday.

Posted by Ben Davey

Writer for MadFriars since 2011. San Diego raised. Grossmont alum. Die hard SD and sports fan. Currently keeping my day job as an AP Chemistry Teacher.

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