Albuquerque Isotopes 9, Chihuahuas 7
Key Statistics: CF Brandon Lockridge 2-for-4, R, 2B, 2 BB; RF Yonathan Perlaza 2-for-3, 2 R, HR (8), RBI, 2 BB; 3B Mike Brosseau 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 HR (8), 2 BB, 3 RBI; LHP Jackson Wolf 4.2 IP, 9 H, 7 R (6 ER), 2 BB, 4 K; RHP Manuel Castro 1.1 IP, 2 BB, K; RHP Sean Reynolds (L, 1-1) IP, H, 2 ER, 2 BB, K
Brandon Lockridge didn’t miss a beat in his return to the lineup. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas trailed by five runs at one point but rallied to tie the game at seven in the eighth inning. However, the Isotopes scored a pair in the bottom of the eighth to beat the Chihuahuas in New Mexico. … Brandon Lockridge returned to the lineup and did what a good leadoff man should, reaching base four times with a single, a double, and two walks. The former big leaguer was drilled in the head last week with a fastball, but fortunately suffered no ill effects. He had been away from the team for the birth of his child. … Yonathan Perlaza connected on two hits, including a double and his eighth homer of the season. After a dismal May, Perlaza hit .300/.407/.500 with three homers and 14 RBI in June. The 26-year-old leads the PCL with 28 doubles, and he is tied with current Padres outfielder Trenton Brooks for the team lead with 54 RBI . … Veteran infielder Mike Brosseau connected on a pair of homers in the loss. Neither of Brosseau’s homers were wallscrapers; he launched a 454-foot bomb that left his bat at 104 mph and followed that up with a 421-foot homer with a 103 mph exit velocity. Despite the big night, Brosseau has struggled offensively this year. His .219 batting average is the fifth-lowest among qualifiers in the PCL, and his .683 is the sixth-lowest. … After a solid start with the Chihuahuas, Jackson Wolf has fallen on hard times recently. The left-hander struggled again Tuesday and did not factor in the decision. Wolf tossed 4.2 innings and allowed seven runs (six earned) on nine hits. He walked two and struck out four batters. Over his last 18.2 innings, the former West Virginia hurler has allowed a staggering 30 earned runs on 37 hits. Overall, Wolf has a 7.77 ERA with the Chihuahuas in 2025.
Roster Moves: To make room as Lockridge returned from the temporarily inactive list, utilityman Emil Turbi was sent back to the ACL.
Missions 7, Corpus Christi Hooks 6 (10 innings)
Key Statistics: C Brandon Valenzuela 2-for-5, R, 2B, HR (11), 3 RBI; CF Nerwilian Cedeño 2-for-3, 3 R, 2B, BB, RBI; SS Ripken Reyes 2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI; RHP Henry Baez 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; RHP Stephen Jones 2 IP, H, BB, K; RHP Tyson Neighbors (W, 2-0) 2 IP, H, 1 R (0 ER), BB, K
Brandon Valenzuela unloads on one for the San Antonio Missions. (Photo: Roy Burkhart)
Prospect Watch: The Missions came back after trailing early to defeat the Hooks at home. … The winning hit came off the bat of Brandon Valenzuela, who clubbed a double off the wall to plate the placed runner, sending home a crowd of over 6,000 home happy. Valenzuela also connected on his career-best 11th homer of the year and finished with three RBIs. While the hits were massive, he did strike out three times in his five plate appearances. The 23-year-old catcher carries a solid .792 OPS this season as he makes a case to supplement a big league squad that has gotten very little production out of the catcher spot. …. Ripken Reyes had a pair of hits, including a double, and he drove in a pair of runs. The 27-year-old system veteran has been especially hot over the last three weeks. Between El Paso and San Antonio, the former USD infielder has hit .346/.424/.558 since June 1. In nearly 2,000 career at-bats, Reyes has an impressive .383 on-base percentage. … Righty Henry Baez was a bit inefficient Tuesday, as he needed 86 pitches to get through four innings. He allowed four runs on six hits, walked two and struck out two. Baez worked just 1.2 innings last Thursday thanks to a rainstorm. Overall, the 22-year-old has pitched to a league-leading 2.38 ERA for the Missions this season.
TinCaps 7, Lansing Lugnuts 2
Key Statistics: CF Kai Roberts 2-for-2, 2 R, 2B, 3 BB; SS Leo De Vries 2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, RBI; 2B Brandon Butterworth 3-for-4, 3 R, HR (6), 3 RBI; 3B Rosman Verdugo 2-for-4, RBI; RHP Ian Koenig (W, 3-4) 6.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, K; RHP Garrett Hawkins (S, 4) 1.2 IP, 3 K
Garrett Hawkins continues to get results at the back of the bullpen. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps delivered 5 extra-base hits and cruised to a win in the series opener in Fort Wayne. … Center fielder Kai Roberts reached base in all five of his plate appearances as the speedy center fielder singled, doubled, and drew three walks. He also scored a pair of runs in the victory. Roberts, 24, has drawn seven walks over his last three games and has a .354 on-base percentage since joining the TinCaps roster in mid-May. … Shortstop Leo De Vries had a pair of hits in five at-bats, including a booming double to center that hit off the wall. The 18-year-old has been especially streaky as of late. Over his last nine games, De Vries has five multi-hit games and four games where he has gone hitless. Overall, he has a .750 OPS for the TinCaps on the year. … Brandon Butterworth had three hits, including his sixth homer of the season. The former NC State infielder has been solid defensively, while providing offensive production just above the league average in his first full professional campaign. … Righty Ian Koenig didn’t miss many bats Tuesday, but he was quite effective overall. The 24-year-old tossed a season-high 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on just two hits. He walked one and struck out one. The Camarillo, California, native has had an up-and-down season for the TinCaps. He’s shown the ability to thrive in increments but has struggled with command at times. He is tied for second in the Midwest League in hit batters (11). … Righty Garrett Hawkins picked up his fourth save, pitching 1.2 innings without allowing a baserunner, striking out three in the process. The 25-year-old has not allowed a run over his last 19 games. He has baffled Midwest League hitters this year, as they are hitting just .124 against the righty.
Roster Moves: Righty Will Varmette was promoted to Fort Wayne after showing flashes of potential with the Storm. In addition, Albert Fabian rejoined the club after opening the year on the 60-day injured list and rehabbing in the complex league.
Storm 8, Inland Empire 66ers 5
Key Statistics: SS Cobb Hightower 1-for-5, R, HR (1), 3 RBI, BB, SB (2); LF Kaden Hollow 1-for-4, R, BB, RBI; 2B Yendry Rojas 2-for-4, R, BB, 3 RBI, 2B, 2 SB (10, 11); RHP Humberto Cruz 3 IP, H, 4 K; RHP Kannon Kemp 5 IP, 4 H, 5 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 3 K; RHP Carson Swilling (W, 2-0) IP, H, K
Cobb Hightower squares the ball up easily. (Photo: Artur Ivanov)
Prospect Watch: The Storm entered the bottom of the ninth trailing by one. After Yendry Rojas tied the game with a single, Cobb Hightower connected on a three-run, walk-off homer to give the Storm the victory at home. … The home run was Hightower’s first as a professional, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The infielder hasn’t hit much in 22 games for the Storm, but he’s drawn 17 walks. Overall, he is hitting .205/.353/.301. … Rojas finished the day with a pair of hits and he drove in three runs in the victory. The Cuban-born infielder also added a pair of stolen bases. He has looked good defensively at second base this year but has struggled offensively, putting up just a .536 OPS. … Humberto Cruz, who was promoted from the ACL earlier in the day, impressed in his Single-A debut. Cruz tossed three innings, allowing just one hit. He struck out four batters and did not issue a walk. The 18-year-old threw 41 pitches, 26 for strikes. Cruz struggled a bit getting stretched out in the desert, but he looked very sharp Tuesday, adding another prized arm to the Storm rotation. … Kannon Kemp took over for Cruz and tossed five innings. He allowed five runs (four earned), walking four and striking out three. The Texas native has worked at least five innings in all four of his appearances since joining the Storm, posting a 5.31 ERA.
Roster Moves: In addition to Cruz’s promotion, righty Maikel Miralles was returned from the complex league five weeks after he hit the Storm IL. Infielder Yimy Tovar was placed on the injured list as well.
ACL Mariners 7, ACL Padres 2
Key Statistics: C Yoiber Ocopio 1-for-3, R; SS Jose Sanabria 1-for-4, 3B, R, RBI; RHP Dariel Polanco 4 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K; RHP Manuel Davila (L, 0-5) 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 K
Yoiber Ocopio sets up in the box. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: The Padres managed just three hits and lost to the Mariners in the battle for Peoria Sports Complex supremacy. The Padres fell to 10-33 this season. While the two clubs are tied for twelfth in runs scored in the 15-team league, the Padres pitching staff has given up nearly two more runs per game than any other team in the desert. … Catcher Yoiber Ocopio singled in three at-bats and has reached base in nine of his last 11 games. The 20-year-old has been one of the better performers for the ACL squad this season. Overall, the Venezuelan native is hitting .248/.367/.362 in the desert. … Righty Dariel Polanco was solid as he made his first start of the year and turned in a season-high four innings. He allowed only one run on three hits and struck out three batters. The undersized 19-year-old has a 5.90 ERA in 29 innings this season.
