After a slow start, Taylor Kohlwey had a pair of doubles in a three-hit game Sunday. (Photo: Jorge Salgado).
Every level below Triple-A had Sunday off for Easter. The clubs will return to action on Tuesday, when both Fort Wayne and San Antonio will host their home openers. With the spotlight to themselves, El Paso claimed victory to finish their first road series of the year with a split.
Chihuahuas 8, Sacramento River Cats 2
Key Stats: RF Fernando Tatis Jr. 1-for-4, 2B, 2 BB, OF Assist; SS Matt Batten 2-for-5, BB, 2 SB (3); LF Taylor Kohlwey 3-for-6, 2 2B; 1B Alfonso Rivas 3-for-5, HR (2); RHP Julio Teheran 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 2 BB; RHP Angel Sánchez 2 IP, 1 K, 2 BB; RHP Moises Lugo 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 1 BB
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas put up a three spot in the first inning and never looked back as they won to split their series in Sacramento. The club chased top Giants pitching prospect Kyle Harrison in that first frame, drawing four walks and putting up a pair of singles while forcing him to throw 35 pitches to get just two outs. … Fernando Tatis, Jr. drew a pair of walks and connected for a double in six trips to the plate. In right field, he unleashed a strong throw from the edge of the warning track to gun down a hitter trying to stretch a hit into a double. He’ll likely stay with the Chihuahuas through their home stand opening Tuesday.
You’re going to have to be faster than that if you want to run on @tatis_jr!#FearTheEars x #BringTheGold pic.twitter.com/oOZ6GJjD9a
— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) April 10, 2023
San Diego native Alfonso Rivas connected on his second homer in five games for El Paso after signing as a minor league free agent this winter. The two-run blast went in and out of the glove of the right fielder before dropping just over the wall. The 26-year-old, who was a fourth-round pick out of the University of Arizona back in 2018 and has spent parts of the last two seasons in the big leagues with the Cubs, had three hits on the day and is off to a hot .400/.500/1.350 start to the year. … Julio Teheran bounced back from a rough first outing to toss six one-run innings Sunday. The 32-year-old MLB vet went heavy with a fastball/slider combo, working both a sinker and four-seamer effectively all day. Teheran, who signed a minor league contract in February, induced 15 whiffs on 48 swings on his way to eight strikeouts. The long-time Atlanta pitcher last had an effective run in the big leagues in 2019, but earned another shot after working in Mexico and the Atlantic League last year and in the Dominican Republic this winter…. Righty reliever Angel Sánchez turned in his third scoreless outing of the year, working multiple innings for the first time. The 33-year-old, who spent 2018-2021 in Korea and Japan, first saw action in Triple-A back in 2015. Along with Teheran and Rivas, he’s among 15 minor league free agents on the Chihuahuas roster.
