Chihuahuas 5, Sugar Land Space Cowboys 3 (10 innings)
Key Statistics: SS-1B Matthew Batten 1-for-4, 2B, RBI; 2B Clay Dungan 0-for-1, 3 BB, SB (12); LF Brandon Lockridge 1-for-4, HR (1), 2 RBI; C Brett Sullivan 1-for-4, 3B; RHP Gabe Mosser 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, BB, 6 K; LHP Tom Cosgrove 1 IP, 3 K; RHP Francis Pena 1 IP; LHP Austin Davis (W, 3-3) 1.2 IP 5 K; RHP Alek Jacob (S,2) 1 IP, BB, 2 K
Alek Jacob continues to pitch well. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: In the Houston suburbs, the Chihuahuas took on rehabbing future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander and came out ahead. Verlander threw three innings and gave up a run. After the game was tied at three in regulation, the Chihuahuas put two runs on the board in the first extra inning to pull ahead before Alek Jacob closed out the victory for his first save since the opening night on March 29. … After Gabe Mosser‘s start, the Chihuahuas bullpen shined, allowing just one hit and striking out 10 over the game’s last 4.2 innings. … Tom Cosgrove, who struggled badly early in the year, continued a strong surge since coming off the big league IL and heading back to the minors. In 7.1 innings with El Paso, he has allowed only one run with 10 strikeouts and two walks. … Big lefty Austin Davis, recently removed from the 40-man roster and sent back to Triple-A, delivered the day’s most impressive outing, striking out all five batters he faced. … After claiming their second win in five games at the Space Cowboys, El Paso will attempt to split the series Sunday.
Romeo Sanabria has been raking since being promoted to Double-A. (Photo: San Antonio Missions)
Springfield Cardinals 7, Missions 3
Key Statistics: LF Ripken Reyes 3-for-5; 1B Romeo Sanabria 2-for-5, RBI; C Anthony Vilar 1-for-3, BB; SS Ray-Patrick Didder 1-for-3, 2B, RBI; RHP Sam Whiting (L, 0-1) 2.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 2 K; RHP Bradgley Rodriguez 1.0 IP, 3 K
Prospect Watch: In an ugly game on the road, the Missions made six errors as they dropped their third loss in five games at the St. Louis Cardinals affiliate. … The good news is Romeo Sanabria, 22, who started the year in Low-A, continues to hit after his second promotion of the season. The big first baseman had two more hits Saturday to give him six hits including a home run in his first 16 at-bats in Double-A. The left-handed hitting Miami native honed very good his strong strike zone recognition and bat-to-ball skills as a child with his father tossing beans, bottle tops, and pennies for him to hit with a broomstick. … While Sam Whiting‘s Double-A debut didn’t go well, fellow recent promotee Bradgley Rodriguez was impressive, striking out the side on 14 pitches. It was Rodriguez’s second appearance in Double-A, and he has struck out four of the five batters he has faced with the Missions. … The Missions will attempt to split the series on Sunday.
South Bend Cubs 5, TinCaps 1
Key Statistics: RF Joshua Mears 1-for-4, SB (8); 1B Ethan Long 1-for-3, RBI; RHP Enmanuel Pinales (L, 3-9) 5 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, BB, 6 K, HR; RHP Joan Gonzalez 1 IP, 2 K
Enmanuel Pinales has had a solid season. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps’ four-game winning streak ended as the home team could only generate two hits in a 5-1 loss at Parkview Field. As with all of the Padres’ minor league affiliates, the team has had quite a bit of turnover. Among the new arrivals Ethan Long, 23, an undrafted free agent signee out of Arizona State last summer, has gotten off to a good start with five hits in his first 19 plate appearances, including three doubles. A 6-foot-3, 225 pound first baseman, the organization has also been playing him at third base and both outfield corners. A former pitcher, Long might be joining a list of successes the Padres have had in finding undrafted players. … Enmanuel Pinales, 23, took his ninth loss of the season but still leads the team with 89 innings pitched in 17 starts. He’s faded in the second half after throwing just 60.1 innings between Lake Elsinore and the ACL last year, posting a 5.01 ERA since the start of June, even as he’s cut his walk rate significantly.
Storm 14, Stockton Ports 10
Key Statistics: SS Leodalis De Vries 3-for-4, 2 BB; CF Kai Roberts 4-for-5, RBI, BB, SB (4); 1B Jack Costello 3-for-6, HR (3), SB (2), 5 RBI; RF Braedon Karpathios 2-for-5, 2B, HR (6), 3 RBI; C Oswaldo Linares 3-for-5, 2 2B; 2B Chase Valentine 2-for-4, RBI; RHP Miguel Mendez (W, 2-4) 5 IP 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 9 K, 2 HR; LHP Zack Qin (S,1) 1.1 IP BB, K
Leo De Vries had three more hits on Saturday. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: On the road, the Storm rushed out to a 10-0 lead after the second inning, then held on for a wild California League win. … If you want to see early returns from the Padres’ efforts in this year’s draft, a trip up I-15 to Lake Elsinore should be on the agenda next week. While the top high school selections remain in the desert, a few college players have quickly made their presence known. Kai Roberts, 23, a seventh-round pick out of the University of Utah, is off to a blazing start with nine hits in his first 20 plate appearances, including four Saturday night. The 6-foot-5 left-handed hitter has also swiped four bags in four attempts. Roberts was one of the Pac-12’s most improved players this season as the senior sign saw his OPS rise from .790 to .992. … Jack Costello, 23, a 10th-round selection from the University of San Diego, is off to an even better start with a 1.318 OPS in his first four games. He played first and third base at USD, along with both outfield corners. … Leo De Vries, after cratering in June with a .174 batting average that dropped him to .196 overall, has come on strong with three more hits in this game. So far in August, he has a .350 on-base percentage while slugging at a .429 clip. Overall, the 17-year-old has an .803 OPS in Low-A as he seeks to become the first player under 18 to post an OPS of at least .800 in Low-A since at least 2006. … Mainland Chinese native Zack Qin made his first appearance for the Storm and picked up the save in a very solid inning and a third, getting the last batter to strike out. The lefty got started late this year because of a minor arm injury, but allowed just one run over 11 innings once he got underway in the ACL. The 19-year-old posted a strong 14:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his second pass at the complex league. … Lake Elsinore has taken four out of five from the Ports.
