Sacramento River Cats 7, Chihuahuas 4
Key Stats: DH Yonathan Perlaza 1-for-4, HR (2), 2 RBI; 2B Clay Dungan 1-for-4, 3B; LHP Wes Benjamin 5.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R (2 ER), 4 K, 3 BB; RHP Kevin Kopps 1.2 IP, H, K, BB; RHP Andrew Bellatti IP, H, 2 K, 1 BB
Yonathan Perlaza has started the year hot at the plate. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: Lefty Wes Benjamin gave up a two-run homer before he had recorded his second out of the game, but then he settled in and gave up only one more hit over the next five innings as he turned in his strongest start since joining the Padres organization during spring training. The 31-year-old walked three batters on the day and only struck out two, but showed off a five-pitch mix. He got seven whiffs on 13 swings against his cutter and the River Cats only put two balls in play against it. His four-seam fastball, which sat 89-90, continues to be his weakest offering. … El Paso managed only five hits on the day. Yonathan Perlaza, in the lineup as the designated hitter, connected on his second home run of the year in the ninth to close the gap. While the switch-hitter has been very strong from both sides of the plate so far, he’s hitting a stellar .346/.370/.731 from the right side. … After being a late scratch from the Chihuahuas lineup on Wednesday, Luis Campusano was back behind the plate in this contest. He drew a walk in four trips to the plate and has a 1.117 OPS on the year.
Missions 13, Amarillo Sod Poodles 11 (10 innings)
Key Stats: Francisco Acuña 3-for-5, 2B, HR (4); RF Joshua Mears 2-for-4, 2 HR (2); Moisés Gómez 2-for-6, 2 2B; 1B Devin Ortiz 3-for-4, 2B, 2 SB; RHP Braden Nett 4 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 K, 2 BB; LHP Miguel Cienfuegos 3 IP, 4 H, ER, 3 K; Miguel Castro 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 K, BB
Francisco Acuña has gotten off to a hot start for San Antonio. (Photo: Rey Holguin)
Prospect Watch: Playing at the most offense-friendly ballpark outside the Pacific Coast League, the two clubs combined for 31 hits, 13 of which went for extra-bases. San Antonio put up a four spot in the top of the tenth inning, then held on for the win. … Francisco Acuña is thoroughly enjoying being at elevation in the Panhandle. The diminutive infielder connected on a homer for the fourth straight game – three played at Hodgetown – as he came up a triple short of the cycle. The 25-year-old came into the year with 13 round-trippers and a .363 slugging percentage in 347 career games. He’s now batting .284/.324/.507 for the Missions. … Less surprisingly, Joshua Mears connected on a pair of homers. The big outfielder came in batting just 7-for-45 with 17 strikeouts. … Fellow mashing outfielder Moisés Gómez picked up a pair of doubles – and two more strikeouts of his own. The 26-year-old, signed as a minor league free agent this winter, has seen his strikeout right creeping back up over toward 30% after starting the year with a lot of contact. … Braden Nett kept the ball in the park, but still surrendered six earned runs over four frames as the Sod Poodles squared him up for eight hits. The hard-throwing righty landed 53 of his 80 pitches for strikes, but wasn’t able to finish off hitters. He struck out only three batters after coming into the game with a 30% punchout rate.
Lansing Lugnuts 7, TinCaps 3
Key Stats: DH Jack Costello 2-for-4; 3B Jose Sanabria 2-for-4; SS Leo De Vries 0-for-4, 2 K, 2 E (5); RHP Jose Reyes 3.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R (3 ER), 3 K, BB; LHP Fernando Sanchez 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 K, 2 BB
Prospect Watch: It was a rough day for Leo De Vries, who went hitless at the plate and committed two key errors and had a few other misplays at shortstop. It was part of a sloppy game defensively for the entire squad as they were charged with three errors and allowed three unearned runs that gave Lansing a lead they never surrendered. Things weren’t much better at the plate, where the club had seven singles. Jack Costello was the only TinCap to reach base multiple times on the day, collecting two knocks. The University of San Diego product, who was in the lineup at designated hitter Thursday and has also logged time at first base and left field, has continued to put the bat on the ball consistently, striking out at only a 10.8% rate, but he’s been held to a .211/.243/.338 line in the cold start of the year in the Midwest League. … After the defense couldn’t hold up for starter Jose Reyes, Fernando Sanchez had a strong relief appearance to keep the game close and avoid burning through the bullpen. Sanchez, 24, surrendered only one unearned run over 3.2 innings of work even as he allowed six runners. The lefty has held opponents to a .190 average, but has issued eight walks in 11.2 frames this year.
Visalia Rawhide 7, Storm 2
Key Stats: CF Kasen Wells 3-for-5; SS Ryan Jackson 3-for-5, 2B, 2 E (7); 3B Zach Evans 1-for-4, 2B; LHP Boston Bateman 4.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 5 K, 3 BB; LHP Javier Chacon 2.2 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 K, BB; RHP Jimmy Reyes 2 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 2 K, BB
Prospect Watch: Boston Bateman gave up a three-run homer in the first and the Rawhide never looked back. Our Clark Fahrenthold has the story here.
