Reno Aces 8 – Chihuahuas 4
Key Stats: RHP Jared Kollar 5.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; CF Brandon Lockridge 3-for-5, RS; LF Jose Azocar 2-for-5, 2B, RS, RBI; 3B Eguy Rosario 1-for-4, HR (16), RBI; DH Tirso Ornelas 1-for-2, 2 BB
Prospect Watch: After going hitless through his first 13 Triple-A at-bats, Brandon Valenzuela collected his knock for the Chihuahuas with a scorching 109 mph line drive single. He smoked another liner at 108 in his next at-bat, but it was caught. While the 23-year-old backstop hasn’t set the world on fire offensively, he pulled off the rare feat of getting credited with throwing out two baserunners on one play. With runners on the corner, the trail runner broke for second. Valenzuela threw a bullet to second that shortstop Mason McCoy came forward to catch and get the out with a sweep tag. When the ball went through, Matt Beaty broke for home, but McCoy’s return throw nailed him at the plate. Just your everyday 2-6-2 double play. … Eguy Rosario hit a ball 401 feet in his second at-bat for his 16th home run. That home run snapped a 3-for-31 skid in August. It was his second extra-base-hit in nine August games. Despite the slump, Rosario still has a 1.125 OPS against left-handers this season. … After snapping a 1-for-27 skid Tuesday night, Brandon Lockridge added three more singles Wednesday. The 27-year-old was with hitting .295/.405/.382 in Triple-A Columbus before he was acquired for Low-A reliever Thomas Balboni Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos, who the Yankees designated for assignment earlier in the day. … Jared Kollar became the first pitcher in the Padres minor league system to cross the 100 innings mark for the year. The righty came up just short of another quality start, giving up three earned runs over 5.2 innings. He gave way after a flare into no-man’s land between four converging Chihuahuas defenders in short right-center field landed to drive in the final run charged to him. The righty, who turned 26 last month, continues to get strong results working off his cutter, curve, changeup and four-seam fastball.
Amarillo Sod Poodles 5, Missions 3
Key Stats: RHP Henry Baez 6 IP, 7 H, ER, 4 BB, 2 K; 2B Ripken Reyes 2-for-5, 2B, RBI; CF Connor Hollis 2-for-5; 1B Romeo Sanabria 2-for-3, RBI, 2 BB; RF Robert Perez Jr. 1-for-3, HR (7), 2 R, RBI, BB
Henry Baez has continued his strong campaign at Double-A.(Photo: Ray Holguin)
Prospect Watch: In four starts since his promotion, Henry Baez has been masterful in the Missions rotation. While he allowed 11 runners over six innings in what was sloppiest Double-A performance, he allowed just one run. In 23.1 innings in the Texas League, Baez has allowed only five earned runs. He’s only struck out 16, but is holding opponents to a .185 average. With Wednesday’s work, he edged up to 99.2 innings for the year, passing his total from last season with three more turns in the rotation coming. Across two levels, Baez has a 2.71 ERA. … Romeo Sanabria had a pair of singles and walked twice as he collected his fourth multi-hit game in eight contests stretching back to his last night with Fort Wayne. During the latest hot stretch, the first baseman is hitting a robust .387/.472/.645. On the year, the 22-year-old is hitting .299/.407/.460, with 11 home runs and 64 RBI across three levels. … Robert Perez Jr. hit just his second home run since June 11. Perez, who signed a minor league pact with the Padres last off-season, homered 44 times in the last two seasons but has struggled to replicate those numbers with San Antonio. He has stolen a career-best 13 bases this season.
Dayton Dragons 5, TinCaps 2
Key Stats: C Ethan Salas 0-for-3, BB, R; CF Joshua Mears 1-for-4, RBI; RF Kai Murphy 2-for-4, R; 3B Rosman Verdugo 1-for-4, 2B; RHP Eric Yost (L, 0-1) 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, K; RHP Jose Luis Reyes, 4 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Joshua Mears puts a charge into the ball. (Photo: John Nagel)
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps had two hits through the eighth inning before putting up two runs on three hits in the ninth. Joshua Mears singled to drive in the first run of the game and extend his on-base streak to seven games. He also avoided striking out for the third time in 12 games this month. During his on-base streak, the powerful outfielder is hitting .357/.379/.429. He has a .949 OPS and just a 23% strikeout rate in August. … Mears’ RBI single knocked in Kai Murphy who continues his best month of the year. Murphy has reached base safely in nine straight games and has a .270/.357/.432 line in August. … Eric Yost made his second start with the TinCaps and took the loss. The former Northeastern righty pitched five innings and allowed three runs on five hits. he walked four and struck out just one. The 21-year-old is closing in on 100 innings in his first professional season. Between Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne, Yost has a 4.75 ERA on the year.
Transactions: Before the game, the TinCaps activated Tyler Robertson. Robertson was coming off a fantastic 2023, hitting .284/.359/.451 with 31 steals, but struggled early. He finally clicked in June, when he hit .368/.442/.474 before an injured hamate bone put him on the shelf for the last six weeks.
Storm 16, Inland Empire 66ers 4
Key Stats: SS Leodalis De Vries 2-for-5, 2B, 3B, 3 R, RBI, BB; RF Jack Costello 3-for-4, 2 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI; 1B Lamar King Jr 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI; DH Brendan Durfee 3-for-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB
Leo De Vries swings with intent. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: The score was 7-1 after two innings and 10-2 after three innings as the Storm ran away with this one. Elsinore pounded out seven extra-base hits while putting 21 runners on base in the blowout. … Leodalis De Vries doubled, collected his third triple of the year, and drew a walk out of the leadoff spot after he had a seven-game hitting streak snapped Tuesday. The walk was his sixth walk in four games. While the 17-year-old wunderkind has cooled off from his 1.136 OPS in July, he still owns a solid .826 OPS this month. … It’s hard to imagine a better professional start than the one Padres’ 10th-rounder Jack Costello has gotten off to. The University of San Diego product picked up three more hits, including a pair of doubles in the contest. Through his first seven professional games, Costello is hitting .387/.429/.774, with ten runs and 15 RBI. The former Torero made his first start in right after playing first and third in earlier contests. … Lamar King Jr. also had a pair of doubles in the victory. Since joining the Storm after spending the summer working back from shoulder surgery in the desert, King has an .851 OPS with seven of his nine hits going for extra bases.
