Round Rock Express 6, Chihuahuas 3
Key Statistics: RHP Adam Mazur 2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; RHP Kevin Kopps 2IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K; DH Brett Sullivan 2-for-4, 3B, R; 3B Eguy Rosario 2-for-4, 2B, R, 2 RB
Eguy Rosario continues to produce in El Paso. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: It’s certainly been an adjustment period for Adam Mazur, who lasted only 49 pitches (26 strikes) in two innings of work to collect his second loss in his young Triple-A career. Mazur, who allowed four runs on three hits while walking two and striking out three, has had a mostly tough go of things in the PCL since his remarkable debut on May 14. The Iowa native owns a 7.11 ERA despite a robust 18:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 19 innings with the Chihuahuas. … On the brighter side, Kevin Kopps tossed a pair of one-hit innings for a strong finish to what had been a rough month. After posting a 3.65 ERA in nine appearances in April, the 27-year-old righty had allowed seven earned runs and walked eight in 10.1 May innings coming into the game. Overall, the Arkansas product is 0-1 with a 4.21 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 25.2 innings in 2024. … Brett Sullivan continues to make a pretty strong case for a left-handed call-up option for the Padres. In the lineup as the designated hitter, Sullivan slugged a triple among a pair of hits. The 30-year-old owns a .342/.410/.624 slash line against right-handed pitching in the 2024 season. … Righty-swinging Eguy Rosario added a pair of hits of his own, including a double. The El Paso third baseman is slashing .288/.420/.606 in 66 at-bats for the Chihuahuas in May. … All of the Chihuahuas offense came late after Johnny Cueto shut them out over six three-hit innings.
Frisco RoughRiders 5, Missions 2
Key Statistics: RHP Victor Lizarraga (L, 1-3), 4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; RHP Ethan Routzahn 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K; 3B Ripken Reyes 2-for-4, 2B, R; DH Juan Zabala 2-for-4, 2B
Ripken Reyes has played six different positions in 2024. (Photo: San Antonio Missions)
Prospect Watch: It was a rare off night for Victor Lizarraga, who allowed five earned runs in four-plus innings of work. One of the more under-the-radar prospects in the system, the 20-year-old righty is still 1-3 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 30.1 innings of work despite tonight’s Thursday’s outing. … Ethan Routzahn kept the Missions in the game by stranding the inherited runner and pitching two-plus scoreless innings of work, striking out a pair of batters in the process. The 26-year-old righty has been a valuable multi-inning reliever for San Antonio, posting a 2.63 ERA in 24 innings of work in 14 appearances in 2024. … At the plate, leadoff hitter Ripken Reyes was the top performer, going 2-for-4 with a double. Despite the success Thursday, the utilityman has mostly struggled out of the leadoff spot this year, batting .182 in 66 at-bats. Overall, the former USD Torero owns a San Diego-esque .619 OPS this season. … Juan Zabala collected a pair of hits for the second night in a row, adding a double while producing in the DH spot. The 24-year-old catcher is batting .214 with a .586 OPS in 56 at-bats for San Antonio in the 2024 season.
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 6, TinCaps 3
Key Statistics: LHP Miguel Cienfuegos 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER; DH Colton Bender 2-for-3; C Ethan Salas 1-for-4, 2B; CF Homer Bush Jr. 1-for-4, 2B
Miguel Cienfuegos continues to provide reliable innings for the TinCaps. (Photo: Fort Wayne TinCaps)
Prospect Watch: Another Thursday, another lengthy start from lefty Miguel Cienfuegos, who has pitched into the sixth inning in all but one of his five May outings and posted a total of 46 innings in nine starts. The 27-year-old native of Laval, Quebec is 3-4 with a 3.91 ERA and 29 strikeouts for Fort Wayne. … Getting some action in the designated hitter role, Colton Bender made sure opposing pitching was pending for a bending as he went 2-for-3 on the evening. Bender, a catcher by trade, is batting .182 with a .482 OPS in 55 at-bats in 2024, his fourth professional season since being selected in the 10th round out of Quinnipiac in 2021. … Speaking of catchers, Ethan Salas went 1-for-4 with a double as he continues to find his stroke at the plate. The 17-year-old is batting .203 with a home run and 18 RBI in 153 at-bats thus far in 2024. … Homer Bush Jr. also doubled and is now slashing .318/.394/.375 in May after a .213/.333/.213 line in April. The 22-year-old Grand Canyon University product has also stolen 26 bases to pace the Midwest League.
Storm 4, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 2
Key Statistics: RHP Sam Whiting (W, 1-0), 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K; RHP Xavier Ruiz (H, 2), 2 IP, 2 K; 2B Chase Valentine 2-for-3, R, RBI; SS Leodalis De Vries, 1-for-2, 2B, R, 2 BB
Leo De Vries is finding his rhythm after a shoulder injury. (Photo: Gail Verderico/Insta @baseball_gail)
Prospect Watch: The Storm played a complete game to secure their third straight win against the rival Quakes and move into a tie at the top of the division. Sam Whiting led the club with a solid start to pick up his first win of the season. The 23-year-old righty, selected in the 16th round out of UC Santa Barbara last year, struck out a career-high 10 batters across five innings and now owns a 3.24 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched between Fort Wayne and Lake Elsinore. … Xavier Ruiz followed and tossed a pair of scoreless innings to pick up a hold, The 21-year-old righty has been a solid multi-inning reliever for Lake Elsinore, going 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA and 21 strikeouts across 22 innings in 14 appearances. … At the plate, Chase Valentine went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a run batted in. The 22-year-old infielder has had a huge series, going 7-for-11 with a 1.000 slugging percentage. He had come into the series with just two singles in his first 19 trips to the plate for Elsinore this year. … Top prospect Leo De Vries went 1-for-2 with a double and a pair of walks while also scoring a run. Since returning from a shoulder injury that cost him two weeks earlier this month, the 17-year-old shortstop is batting .268 with a .723 OPS despite striking out in 36% of his plate appearances.
ACL Mariners 7, ACL Padres 1
Key Statistics: LHP Gabe Morales 1 IP, 1 K; RHP Yerry Landinez 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K, BB, HBP; RHP Jesus Lopez 0.2 IP, 5 H, 7 R (5 ER), 2 BB; LHP Yovannki Pascual 2 IP, 3 H, 2 K, 1 BB; DH Lamar King Jr. 2-for-3, R, HBP; CF Kashon Conliffe 1-for-2, 3B, 2 BB; 2B Connor Hollis 1-for-2
Kashon Conliffe has added physicality to his plus speed. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: In a battle of Peoria roommates, Gabe Morales made his first rehab appearance since shoulder surgery last summer, striking out one and throwing a perfect first inning. The 25-year-old lefty is 11-5 with a 3.70 ERA and 296 strikeouts in 224 innings in his professional career, all with the Padres system, and figures to rejoin the Missions when his assignment concludes. … Lamar King Jr. collected a pair of hits and scored a run, living up to the role of designated hitter. The 20-year-old, selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, is batting .296 with a .827 OPS in 27 at-bats in the desert this season. He has already been hit by five pitches in just nine games to painfully boost his on-base percentage to .457. … The big hit of the evening was a triple off the bat of Kashon Conliffe, who now has a trio of three-baggers on the season. The Bahamas native has posted a .708 OPS in 50 at-bats in 2024. … Infielder Connor Hollis went 1-for-2 in the second game of his rehab assignment. Hollis, the 2022 Texas League batting champion, was hitting .237 for San Antonio when he hit the IL at the end of April.
