Oklahoma City Comets 11, Chihuahuas 3
Key Statistics: 3B Will Wagner 2-for-4, HR (1), 2 RBI; LF Trenton Brooks 1-for-3, 2B, BB; C Cody Roberts 0-for-2, 2 BB; RF Clay Dungan 2-for-3, BB; 2B Nate Mondou 1-for-3, BB; SS Mason McCoy 1-for-3, BB, SB (15); RHP Matt Waldron (L, 6-4) 1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; RHP Manuel Castro 2 IP, H, 2 K, 3 BB; RHP Ron Marinaccio 1 IP, 2 K
Will Wagner in action earlier in the week. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: After winning the first three games of the series, the Chihuahuas have dropped the last two to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate. Matt Waldron got the start, and former Padres Esteury Ruiz greeted him with a leadoff double. A single, passed ball, walk, and single put the Comets up 2-0 before the home team had recorded an out. OKC put two more runs on the board as Waldron labored through a 36-pitch first inning that led to an early night for the Nebraska native. … Except for Ron Marinaccio’s perfect top of the ninth, it wasn’t a great night for the El Paso staff, which allowed a season-high 12 walks. … Will Wagner hit his first home run in the Padres organization with a 431 foot blast to right-center field. Wagner was an 18th-round draft pick out of Liberty University in 2021 by his father Billy’s Houston Astros. He spent most of 2025 with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate with a .792 OPS before coming over in a trade for Brandon Valenzuela. The left-handed hitter, who just turned 27, has played all the infield positions except for shortstop.
Jared Kollar pitching in one of the uniforms the Missions wore to honor and raise funds for Kerr County flood victims. (Photo: Rey Holguin)
Springfield Cardinals 6, Missions 2
Key Statistics: DH Marcos Castañon 1-for-3, BB, RBI; RF Moises Gomez 1-for-4, 2B, RBI; SS Francisco Acuña 1-for-4, R; RHP Jared Kollar (L, 1-6) 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 2 K; RHP Garrett Hawkins 1 IP, BB, K
Marcos Castañon reached base twice on Saturday. (Photo: Rey Holguin)
Prospect Watch: The Springfield Cardinals have used their lone visit to the Alamo City this year to show why they have the best record in the Texas League. After dropping the opener, they have taken four straight, holding San Antonio to just four runs over the last three games. The Missions offense managed just six hits Saturday, and only Moises Gomez’s RBI double went for extra bases. It was the big outfielder’s first extra-base hit in nine games as he has posted a sub-.600 OPS since the middle of June. … Marcos Castañon reached base twice to extend a fast start to the month. In 33 August plate appearances, he has a slash line of .385/.515/.615 to boost his OPS for the year to .763. … Coming off his best start of the year, Jared Kollar once again looked strong to open the game, tossing four shutout innings. But then the Cardinals strung together five hits for four runs in the fifth to hand him a loss. The righty, who relies on playing his fastball and cutter off each other to generate poor contact, is still looking regain the form he showed in 2024 when he posted a 3.04 ERA for the Missions. He struggled badly in El Paso to open the year, and since his demotion back to San Antonio, has limped to a 5.79 ERA as opponents have hit .294 against him. … Another appearance by Garrett Hawkins, another zero on the board. The righty allowed a walk in the ninth inning, but promptly got a double play to end the inning. Hawkins, whose scoreless innings streak is now up to 38 innings, last allowed a run on April 23 to Lansing in the Midwest League. … On Saturday, the Missions wore an assortment of high school uniforms from the Texas Hill Country that was devastated by severe flooding last month. After the game, the uniforms were auctioned off with proceeds going to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.
South Ben Cubs 4, TinCaps 1
Key Statistics: SS Ryan Jackson 1-for-3, BB, RBI; LF Kasen Wells 2-for-3, BB; RF Braedon Karpathios 1-for-3, SB (7); RHP Will Varmette (L, 1-3) 3.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 K, HR; RHP Luis Germán H, 3 K
Luis Germán had another solid outing in August. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps dropped their fourth out of five games with their intrastate rival as they were held to five singles on the evening. Will Varmette turned in what has become a typical start for him in the Midwest League as he allowed three runs and went three innings. He has yet to make it through four innings in seven starts since joining the TinCaps, and has allowed three or more runs in all but one outing. … Kasen Wells, 22, delivered his first multi-hit game in six contests since joining Fort Wayne and reached base three times. The former Weatherford College Coyote, who was drafted in the 16th round last year, has had a solid debut season, putting together a slash line of .275/.381/.368 in 193 plate appearances with Lake Elsinore. Defensively, he’s seen time at both left and center for the TinCaps, after being exclusively in center for the Storm. … Hard-throwing righty reliever Luis Germán has steadily improved through the season. After posting a 17.47 ERA in May, he delivered a 3.27 in 11 innings last month, and has made three scoreless and hitless appearances while striking out five since stepping into the closer role this month. The 23-year-old has struck out 102 but walked 99 in 88 innings since coming stateside for the 2023 season.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 4, Storm 1
Key Statistics: C Carlos Rodriguez 0-for-1, 3 BB; 3B Dylan Grego 1-for-4; 1B Kale Fountain 1-for-4, RBI; RHP Bryan Balzer 3.2 IP, 2 H, R, 3 BB, 4 K, HR; LHP Igor Gil, (L, 3-1) 0.2 IP, H, 3 R (1 ER), 3 BB; RHP Vicarte Domingo 1.1 IP, 2 K
Carlos Rodriguez unloads on one in the ACL. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: Dylan Grego singled and came around on an RBI single by Kale Fountain in the first, but the Storm didn’t manage another hit for the rest of the game. … With the game tied in the seventh, the Quakes got a leadoff single and drew two walks before Fountain missed a throw, which allowed two runs to score. The tall righty, who has been adjusting to first base while recovering from Tommy John surgery, has committed four errors in 26 starts at the position this year. … Despite being held hitless, Carlos Rodriguez, 22, reached base three times on three walks. After struggling to a .588 OPS for Lake Elsinore in 2024, he’s produced a solid .276/.409/.434 line this year. He will get the majority of the starts behind the plate down the stretch after the promotion of Lamar King, Jr. … Righty Bryan Balzer showed both his upside and growing edges in Saturday night’s start. The 20-year-old got through the first three innings without allowing a run, striking out four and allowing just one hit. After getting the first two outs in the fourth, he gave up a home run on a 2-0 fastball then issued a four-pitch walk before giving way. The Japanese native’s two-seam fastball sits in the mid-90s and he can flash a sweeper and changeup with good movement.
