Albuquerque Isotopes 6, Chihuahuas 5
Key Statistics: 2B Clay Dungan 2-for-4, 2B, RBI; RF Cal Mitchell 2-for-3, HR (1), BB; 1B Nate Mondou 1-for-4, 2B; LHP Jay Groome 2 IP, 2 BB, 3 K; LHP Paul Fry (L, 0-1) 1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB; LHP Daniel Camarena 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K; LHP Adrián Morejón 1 IP, H, 2 K; RHP Jeremiah Estrada 1 IP, 2 K
Adrián Morejón in action with El Paso in 2023. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas’ rally in the ninth inning fell short on the road, as Friday’s hero Brett Sullivan grounded out with the tying run on board. .. Jay Groome got the start and worked two scoreless innings, but still needed 37 pitches to get through his assignment. The former top prospect averaged just 90.5 mph on his two-seam fastball, but also landed the sweeper for which he is using a new grip this year in the zone several times. .. Former Rancho Bernardo High School star Cal Mitchell, 25, hit his first home run in the Padres organization with a shot over the right-center field bleachers. Mitchell was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ second-round draft pick in 2017. He spent seven seasons with the Pirates, his best year coming in 2022 with their Triple-A affiliate, where he hit .339/.391/.547. The left-handed outfielder fell off last year in Triple-A with a .748 OPS but still got a brief call-up with two games with the big club. .. A bright spot in the loss was an electric performance by Adrián Morejón out of the bullpen in the eighth inning. The lefty recorded a pair of strikeouts in a clean frame, sitting 96-98 with his fastball. He faced four batters, gave up a hit, and struck out two on 13 pitches, 11 for strikes. Throughout his career, Morejón has usually been more effective as a starter, mainly because he has more of a feel for his slider. If he replicates the slider he has as a starter coming out of the bullpen, he won’t be in Triple-A for long.
