Sacramento River Cats 4, Chihuahuas 0
Key Stats: LF Graham Pauley 2-for-4, CS (2); 2B Clay Dungan 1-for-3, BB; RHP Nolan Watson 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB; LHP Daniel Camarena 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 K; LHP Paul Fry 2 IP, 1 BB; RHP Alek Jacob 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, K
Prospect Watch: El Paso dropped their fifth consecutive game in Sacramento Sunday, getting shut out for the first time since the 2022 season. The club managed just seven singles on the day and got only three runners into scoring position. Graham Pauley was the only Chihuahua hitter with multiple hits, collecting a pair of singles. He’s now hit in four of five games since getting sent down from the big league club to get regular action. The 23-year-old was in left field for the second time and has logged starts at both third base and right field. For the second time in as many attempts, Pauley was thrown out trying to steal after his second hit. … Starter Nolan Watson got a visit from the trainer after just one batter. While he stayed in the game then, he didn’t return for the second inning. The 27-year-old, who went into the organization as a minor league free agent before the 2022 season, had seen a spike in his strikeout rate this year, recording 17 in 16.2 innings. Throughout his career, the former first-rounder has averaged less than seven strikeouts per nine innings.
Carter Loewen got his first win of the year. (Photo: Vashaun Newman)
Missions 2, Northwest Arkansas 1
Key Stats: LF Jakob Marsee 0-for-3, BB, SB (5); DH Nathan Martorella 2-for-3, BB; RF Robert Perez, Jr. 2-for-3, 2B, BB, OF Assist; 1B Cole Cummings 1-for-4, 3B; RHP Victor Lizarraga 2 IP, 2 K, 1 BB; RHP Bobby Milacki 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, K; RHP Carter Loewen (W, 1-0) 2 IP, 1 H, 1 K; RHP Woo-Suk Go (S, 1) IP, K
Nathan Martorella is off to a great start in 2024. (Photo: Vashaun Newman)
Prospect Watch: The Missions scored the winning run for the second consecutive game, courtesy of a Naturals wild pitch. After San Antonio walked off with the win Saturday, Sunday’s winning run came with two outs in the bottom of the eighth following a Cole Cummings triple. Robert Perez Jr. followed with his second hit of the game, a single that would have otherwise plated the run. … Victor Lizarraga made his first start of the year, spinning two scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts. The 20-year-old righty had a rough 2023 campaign that included several viruses that sapped him, but he finished the season on a solid run, allowing just three earned runs over his final 23 innings of work. That finish and a strong offseason convinced the organization to push him up to the next level despite unimpressive overall numbers. He was younger than every pitcher on a Double-A roster to open the season except his teammate Robby Snelling, who had him beat by less than three weeks. … Korean righty Woo-Suk Go picked up his first save of the year with a quick inning of work. The 25-year-old, who had to agree to be sent to the minors under the terms of the free agent contract he signed over the winter, has struck out eight over his first five Double-A innings but has also allowed three earned runs on seven hits. … At the plate, Nathan Martorella continued his torrid start to the season, collecting two more hits and a walk. Through 41 plate appearances, he’s hitting .452/.561/.613 with almost twice as many walks as strikeouts. Aside from Sunday’s start at designated hitter, he has appeared exclusively at first base this season.
Braden Nett labored through his first start of the year. (Photo: Dylan Sinn/The Journal Gazette)
TinCaps 8, Lake County Captains 7
Key Stats: LF Kai Murphy 1-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI; RF Tyler Robertson 2-for-4, HR (1); 3B Devin Ortiz 3-for-4, 2 RBI; RHP Braden Nett 1.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 K, 2 BB; RHP Tyler Morgan 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 K; RHP Manuel Castro (W, 1-0) 2 IP
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps went down big early as Braden Nett got hit hard in his first start of the season, but as they have several times already in the young season, the club rallied late to win the game and the series. Fort Wayne trailed 7-2 going to the bottom of the seventh, but they rallied with two outs, getting an RBI double from Kai Murphy before Tyler Robertson connected on his first homer of the year to pull within a run. Robertson is as hot as anyone in the system, going 8 for his last 15 with four doubles and the homer to push his OPS up to .993. In the early going, the 24-year-old is walking more and striking out less than he did in a late-season stint with the TinCaps last year while continuing to make hard contact regularly. … Nett, 21, who spent much of last year in the ACL before breaking out in the Arizona Fall League, gave up four hits and as many runs in just 1.1 innings of work. The 2022 undrafted free agent has big velocity but has struggled with control. Sunday, he struck out three and issued a pair of walks, throwing 25 of his 40 pitches for strikes.
Storm Games Cancelled
For the second straight night, the field in Modesto was too wet to play, costing the Storm a planned double-header. With no other road trips to Modesto in the first half, the games will be canceled and will not be made up.
