Sugar Land Space Cowboys 10, Chihuahuas 8
Key Statistics: DH Bryce Johnson 2-for-4, 2 R, HR (3), 2B, 2 RBI, BB; 1B Matthew Batten 2-for-5, RBI, SB (9); C Brett Sullivan 1-for-5, HR (10); 3B Eguy Rosario 1-for-5, HR (9); LF Tirso Ornelas 3-for-4, 2 R, HR (6), 2 RBI, BB; RF Cal Mitchell, 2-for-4, 2B, SB (7); RHP Glenn Otto (L, 0-1) IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, K; RHP Lake Bachar 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K
Bryce Johnson had another good day. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: The El Paso offense clicked, hitting four homers and scoring eight runs, but the pitching staff struggled and El Paso lost the series opener at home. … Bryce Johnson had a homer and a double, scoring two runs in the loss. The fleet-footed outfielder has been El Paso’s hottest hitter in June. The multi-hit effort raised Johnson’s OPS to 1.062 for the month. … Left fielder Tirso Ornelas had two singles and a walk, and he blasted his sixth homer of the season. Ornelas has picked things up over the last 10 days after starting the month in a 3-for-18 slump. The 24-year-old has hit safely in four of his last five games and carries a solid .279/.404/.465 slash-line this month. … Catcher Brett Sullivan only had one hit, but it left the yard for his 10th homer of 2024 and third in four games. Sullivan has reached double-digits in homers for the fourth time in his professional career, but he hadn’t achieved that feat since 2019. Sullivan’s career high came in 2018 when he blasted 13 bombs for Bowling Green of the Midwest League. Assuming Sullivan stays in El Paso for the foreseeable future, he has a solid chance of eclipsing that mark in short order. … Righty Glenn Otto had his rehab assignment transferred from the complex as he works back from shoulder issues. The former Ranger hurler worked around a leadoff walk in the first, but walked the first two batters of the second inning before giving way. Both of those runners came around to score. The 28-year-old also struggled with command in three rehab appearances in the desert. He’s now walked seven batters in 4.2 innings overall. Otto has worked as a starter throughout his career but has only stretched out to 32 pitches as he builds up.
Amarillo Sod Poodles 16, Missions 4
Key Statistics: CF Clay Dungan 1-for-4, R, BB; LF Cole Cummings 2-for-5, R, 2B, HR (4), 2 RBI; C Brandon Valenzuela, 3-for-5, HR (5); DH Michael De La Cruz 2-for-4; LHP Austin Krob (L, 2-4) 2 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, BB, 2 K; RHP David Morgan, 2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 K
Brandon Valenzuela has been swinging the bat well in June. (Photo: Vashaun Newman)
Prospect Watch: The Missions hit the road to Amarillo for the second time this season. San Antonio easily swept the first series, but the Soddies used a 21-hit attack to blow out the Missions Tuesday. … Left fielder Cole Cummings had two hits, including his fourth homer of the year. The first baseman/outfielder has typically hit in the middle of the Missions order, but he’s struggled to make consistent contact. His 32.1% K-rate is seventh in the Texas League, and his overall offense production is eight points below the league average. Cummings will turn 26 on Thursday. … Catcher Brandon Valenzuela has swung the bat well in June, and Tuesday was no exception. The switch-hitting catcher had three hits including his fifth homer of the year. The 23-year-old has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games, with three multi-hit efforts. Overall, Valenzuela is hitting .318/.426/.545 in June. … Austin Krob turned in one of the worst starts of his career. The lefty completed just two innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits, although only two went for extra bases. He walked one and struck out two. After pitching to a 2.45 ERA in May, Krob has gotten pounded over his last three starts. In 10.1 innings, he’s allowed 21 hits and 16 earned runs – good for a 13.94 ERA. The 2022 12th-rounder has also walked nine this month after walking just four batters in 22 May innings.
Roster Move: Right-handed reliever David Morgan was promoted from Fort Wayne to San Antonio. He pitched in Tuesday’s game for San Antonio and allowed four runs in two innings in the thin air of Amarillo. There was no corresponding move for Fort Wayne.
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4, TinCaps 1
Key Statistics: C Ethan Salas 1-for-3, BB; 1B Griffin Doersching 1-for-4; LF Joshua Mears 2-for-4, HR (1), SB (4); RHP Enmanuel Pinales (L, 1-5) 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB; RHP Bradgley Rodriguez 2 IP, 5 K
Joshua Mears hit his first home run of the year. (Photo: Fort Wayne TinCaps)
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps managed just five hits and lost their series opener at home to Wisconsin. … Catcher Ethan Salas singled and walked in the loss. The 18-year-old backstop has hit safely in his last three games, going 5-for-12 during the modest hitting streak. The prized prospect has yet to get his slugging percentage above .314 since the first week of the season, but perhaps he’s finally starting to click after scuffling through a rough start to the season. … Joshua Mears connected on his first homer for the TinCaps this year and added a stolen base for good measure. The left fielder has shown immense power throughout his career, but his struggles to make contact have been well documented. Those struggles have continued in 2024, as Mears is in Fort Wayne for a third straight campaign. In 53 plate appearances, Mears has punched out 23 times. … Righty Enmanuel Pinales didn’t have his best stuff Tuesday but still gave Fort Wayne five innings. He allowed four hits on seven hits. He walked three and failed to notch a strikeout. The 23-year-old has pitched well this season, but he’s struck out just eight batters in 18 innings this month. For comparison, Pinales struck out 27 batters in 20.2 innings in May. Despite the decline in strikeouts this month, Pinales is averaging six innings a start in June. … While Pinales couldn’t notch a strikeout, hard-throwing Bradgley Rodriguez had no such issue. Rodriguez faced six hitters and punched out of them in two perfect innings. Rodriguez, 20, got off to a slow start with the TinCaps, but he’s pitched to a 2.01 ERA over his last 22.1 innings.
Storm 5, Visalia Rawhide 3
Romeo Sanabria continues to do damage at the plate. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Key Statistics: LF Wyatt Hoffman 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI; 1B Romeo Sanabria 1-for-4, HR (8), RBI; CF Nick Vogt 2-for-4, 2B, SB (15); 2B Chase Valentine 2-for-4, R, RBI; LHP Luis Gutierrez (W, 1-1) 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 K; RHP Will Varmette 2 IP, 2 K; RHP Thomas Balboni Jr. (S, 2) 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K
Prospect Watch: The Storm won their series opener against Visalia to clinch the first-half division title. The Storm will play in the Cal League playoffs for the first time since 2022 when they won the Cal League championship. … First baseman Romeo Sanabria connected on his eighth homer of the season in the victory. Sanabria is among the league leaders in most offensive categories, including ranking fifth in homers and fourth with 40 RBI. … Center fielder Nick Vogt had two more hits, including a double. He also stole his 15th base of the year. The UC Santa Barbara product is hitting .290/.323/.484 in June. … Chase Valentine had two hits as the organizational infielder continued a run of excellent play. Since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Valentine has filled holes all over the organization, playing for every stateside affiliate, never receiving more than 166 at-bats in any season. However, over the last 30 days, he’s been one of the best players in the Cal League. During that span, Valentine ranks eighth on the circuit with a .416 on-base percentage, a.306 batting average, and 17 RBI. His hot play is a big reason the Storm won the first half. … Lefty Luis Gutierrez made the start and earned his first Cal League win. He tossed five strong innings and allowed an unearned run on five hits, notching two strikeouts. In four appearances (three starts), the 20-year-old has a 5.60 ERA as he gets his first taste of full-season ball after signing out of Venezuela in 2019.
B.Y. Choi has shown surprising speed in his first year in the organization. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
ACL Angels 9, ACL Padres 2 (7 innings)
Key Statistics: 2B B.Y. Choi 1-for-2, R, BB; DH Lamar King Jr. 1-for-3, R, 2B, RBI; RF L.J. Jones, 1-for-2; RHP Zac Addkison, IP, BB, K; RHP Johan Moreno (L, 0-1) 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), K; RHP Jesus Lopez (L, 0-1) 1.2 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, BB, 3K
Prospect Watch: The ACL Padres fell behind early and lost another game in the desert, dropping two games under .500. The club has lost nine of their last 10. … B.Y. Choi doubled, drew a walk, and scored a run in the loss. The young shortstop has been one of the most productive players in the desert this season. He’s walked nine times in June while striking out seven times. He has a .460 on-base percentage in June. … Lamar King had a double in three plate appearances. While returning from shoulder surgery. King has been limited to just designated hitter this season – his third in the desert. The 20-year-old has a .699 OPS with a double and two triples in 2024. .. Righty Zac Addkison pitched a scoreless inning, walking one and striking out one in his first professional start. The righty from Grapevine, Texas, was the Padres’ 15th-round selection out of Marshall University last year. He has a 4.05 ERA in 6.2 innings this year.
Roster Move: Righty Kobe Robinson was moved from Lake Elsinore to the ACL squad after a brutal stretch of outings. Robinson, 23, has allowed 12 earned runs in his last three appearances. The lanky righty has struggled to get back to the stuff he showed before a shoulder injury cost him most of 2022.
