Brandon Dixon hit for the cycle in the first five innings as the Missions scored 20 against Northwest Arkansas. Overall, the farm went 3-1 on a night that two of the Padres’ best prospects homered.
Chihuahuas 7, Round Rock Express 5
Ryan Weathers earned the win on Wednesday night. (Photo: Jorge Salgado/El Paso Chihuahuas
Key Statistics: LHP Ryan Weathers (W, 6-7) 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K; RHP Reiss Knehr 3 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K; C Luis Campusano 2-for-4, HR (12), 3 RBI; CF Jose Azocar 2-for-5, SB (3), RS; LF Taylor Kohlwey 2-for-4, 2B, 3 B, 2 RS, RBI; RF Luis Liberato 1-for-3, HR (17), 2 RBI, BB; 3B Kervin Pichardo 1-for-2, HR (3), RBI
Prospect Watch: The night started with a bang as catcher Luis Campusano hit a two-run home run in the first inning. The blast was his 12th of the year and his fourth home run of August – the most he has hit in any month since August of 2021. After a quiet few months in June and July, Campusano is hitting .373/.458/.765 in August. … Working with a lead, Ryan Weathers steamrolled Round Rock the first time through the lineup. The lefty retired eight of the first nine batters, only giving up a chopper that found a hole for a single. In their second time through the order, the Express drew three walks and collected a single, and a home run, but the sequencing only yielded one run. When they turned the lineup over again, five of the seven batters who got a third pass reached base, and Weathers yielded three more runs. While he picked up his sixth win of the year, Weathers now has an 8.64 ERA across three starts this month and opponents are hitting .326 against him in a disappointing season. … Left fielder Taylor Kohlwey got halfway to the cycle picking up a double and triple. The triple was just his third all season. After being El Paso’s player of the month for June (1.167 OPS) he slowed down in July (.739 OPS) and now seems to be flying high again in August (.964 OPS). With a .322/.415/.492 slash-line this season, Kohlwey has done everything the team could ask at Triple-A.
Missions 20, Northwest Arkansas Naturals 15
Brandon Dixon hit for the cycle on Wednesday night. (Photo: Rey Holguin)
Key Stats: 1B Brandon Dixon 5-for-6 (hit for cycle), 2B, 3B, HR (9), 9 RBI, BB; 2B Domingo Leyba 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB; LF Tirso Ornelas 3-for-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB; SS Connor Kaiser 2-for-5, 4 R, RBI, BB, 2B; 3B/C/2B Juan Fernandez 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, 3B
Prospect Watch: After falling behind 5-0 in the first, the Missions scored 16 times over the next four innings to run away with the win. They finished with 17 hits and 13 walks in the game, so for all the scoring, they also stranded 14. … First baseman Brandon Dixon had a month’s worth of action in the first few innings. Dixon doubled in the first, hit a grand slam in the second and walked in the third. He came up again in the fourth and hit a bases-clearing triple, then with the bases loaded again in the fifth, he singled to complete the cycle. He later added one more RBI single to tie the franchise record with nine RBIs and finish the game 5-for-6. He’s homered in each of his four games since coming off the IL and is hitting a cool .600/.611/1.667 in his return to action. … One reason Dixon had so many RBI opportunities was Tirso Ornelas, batting in front of him, reached base six times. That matched his total for the previous six games as the 22-year-old left fielder had been in a slump for much of the month. With three singles and three walks, Ornelas pushed his on-base percentage up to .338 for August. … Speaking of having a great week in one night, shortstop Connor Kaiser scored four runs. He had scored just three runs in his previous 12 games. … Juan Fernandez gave a whole new meaning to versatile. After Webster Rivas was ejected from the game in the second, Fernandez moved from third and strapped on the catchers’ gear. After six innings of catching, and with a ten-run lead, he shifted to second. Meanwhile, at the plate, he added a triple and reached base three times.
Dayton Dragons 10, TinCaps 2
Key Stats: SS Jarryd Dale 2-for-4, HBP; C Adam Kerner 1-for-3, 2B, 2 BB, RS; DH Carlos Luis 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
Prospect Watch: Dwayne Matos struggled in his third start of the month and didn’t get any help from his defense, as three early errors and a passed ball contributed to a Dayton win. Matos gave up nine hits including a pair of homers as he was charged with eight runs – five earned – over just 3.1 frames. After a great July, Matos has now allowed 12 earned runs in 12.2 August innings. … Lead-off hitter Jarryd Dale had a pair of hits and was hit by a pitch and now has reached base safely seven times in the last three games. The hot stretch is a welcome change after an 0-for-17 stretch earlier in the month. … Designated hitter Carlos Luis has reached base in all 11 games since his promotion to High-A. Luis is hitting .273 with a .368 OBP with Fort Wayne. While his double today was just his second extra-base-hit since joining the club, both have come in the last week.
Storm 7, Stockton Ports 4
Jackson Merrill is finding his power stroke again for Lake Elsinore. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Key Stats: SS Jackson Merrill 2-for-5, HR (2), 4 RBI; C Juan Zabala 2-for-5, HR (3) RBI; 3B Marcos Castanon 2-for-5, HR (18), RBI; CF Sammy Zavala 2-for-5; LF Angel Solarte 3-for-4, 2B, RBI; LHP Ryan Och (S, 3), 2 IP, BB, 4 K
Prospect Watch: The Storm raced out to a 7-0 lead and then held on for the victory. Third baseman Marcos Castañon started the scoring with a solo home run in the second, his team-best 18th of the year. The 23-year-old infielder has moved into the Cal League top 10 for both on-base percentage and slugging and is in the midst of his second straight month with an OPS over 1.000. Last year, Castañon hit just .137/.196/.333 in limited ACL action, a good reminder that stats in the desert can be especially deceiving. … An inning later, shortstop Jackson Merrill hit his second home run for the Storm. In his first 12 games of action after returning from wrist and hamstring injuries, Merrill had one extra-base-hit. In the seven games since then, he has four. It doesn’t mean that the is completely back, but at least the power is starting to return. … Left-hander Ryan Och emerged as name to watch after averaging nearly 12 strikeouts per nine innings pitched between the ACL and Lake Elsinore after signing as a seventh-rounder last year. He started this year with 26 strikeouts – and 15 walks – in 13.2 innings for Fort Wayne before missing two months on the injured list. Since returning to action back in Elsinore, Och has has been in the strike zone more consistently. In six August innings, Och has allowed two hits and struck out 11. He is also 3-for-3 in save opportunities this month.
ACL Padres did not play on Wednesday
