With only one team in the organization playing Wednesday, all eyes were on El Paso. The game did not disappoint. El Paso came back from a 6-1 deficit to take a 9-7 lead. They would hold on for a tough 9-8 win to regain first place.
Brandon Dixon continues to punish the ball in El Paso. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Chihuahuas 9, Oklahoma City Dodgers 8
Key Statistics: RHP Reiss Knehr 2.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; RHP Nabil Crismatt (W, 1-0) IP, K; 3B Matthew Batten 1-for-5, HR (11), 3 RBI; DH Brandon Dixon 1-for-4, HR (11), RBI, BB; RF Taylor Kohlwey 2-for-3, R, RBI, BB; SS CJ Hinojosa 2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI, SB (8); LF Jarryd Dale 1-for-2, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, 2B
Prospect Watch: All eyes were on El Paso as they were the only Padres affiliate playing. The game started with a first-inning home run from red-hot Brandon Dixon. The home run was Dixon’s 11th with El Paso and 21st in 48 games this season. It was his first home run in five days which matched his longest gap between home runs since joining El Paso. … The game looked like it would be a pitcher’s duel for the first few innings until the Dodgers broke through in the third.
Matthew Batten’s three-run homer got El Paso back in the game. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Seven straight Dodgers reached base safely to start the third and end starter Reiss Knehr‘s afternoon ended early. After back-to-back scoreless outings in his last two appearances, Knehr was roughed up badly in this one. … The offense came roaring back. In the fourth inning, El Paso loaded the bases with two outs. After a balk scored the first run, third baseman Matthew Batten scored the rest with one swing. While it was Batten’s 11th home run of the season, it was his first since June 22. Since being sent down from the big league club at the end of August, Batten is hitting a pedestrian .267/.338/.317. He found a great time to find his power. …
Angel Felipe picked up the save with two scoreless innings. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
El Paso would score four more in the fifth on extra-base hits from Taylor Kohlwey, CJ Hinojosa, Jarryd Dale, and Thomas Milone. Dale, who is by far the youngest of the group, had the go-ahead double. The 22-year-old spent the entire year with Fort Wayne posting a .595 OPS. When the season ended, he was moved to El Paso to help with their playoff push, and in 5 games with El Paso, he is 4-for-15 with two doubles. … The lead would hold thanks to fantastic pitching from the El Paso bullpen. RHP Nabil Crismatt tossed a scoreless fifth and was the pitcher of record after Dale gave El Paso the lead. It was his first outing in 11 days and first with El Paso since being demoted. … Left-hander Aaron Leasher (2 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, K) and RHP Angel Felipe (2 IP, H, 2 BB, 3 K) closed the door on the Dodgers to finish the game. With the win, El Paso regains sole possession of first place with seven games to go – four against Oklahoma City.
Missions Day Off
The Missions and Frisco had the day off to travel back to San Antonio for the second game of their best-of-three playoff series. They’ll square off on Thursday at 5 pm PST with the Missions hoping to force a game 3.
