Chihuahuas 1, Round Rock Express 1 (Suspended)
Key Stats: RF Jase Bowen 1-for-1; 3B Jose Miranda 1-for-1; RHP Triston McKenzie 2 IP, 2 H, ER, 2K, 3 BB
Prospect Watch: Each club plated a run through the first two innings, but then the rain and hail arrived in the Texas Hill Country, causing this one to be suspended. It will be resumed Sunday morning before the regularly-scheduled game, which will be a seven inning contest.
Midland RockHounds 8, Missions 2
Luis Gutierrez has emerged as one of the Padres’ top pitching prospects. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Key Stats: DH Leandro Cedeño 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI; C Ethan Salas 1-for-4, SB (3); SS Francisco Acuña 1-for-2, 2 BB; LHP Luis Gutierrez 3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 K, 2 BB, HBP, Balk; RHP Johan Moreno 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER; RHP Andrew Moore 2 IP, H, 3 K, 2 BB
Prospect Watch: Starter Luis Gutierrez had his first rough outing of the year and the Missions offense went just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position as they fell into a tie for last place at 4-10. Gutierrez, 22, looked off from the outset, hitting former teammate Leo De Vries with a pitch as the second batter he faced, balking him to second, and allowing him to steal third base. While De Vries was ultimately cut down on a fielder’s choice, that set up a two-run first inning. After a clean second inning, Gutierrez again labored through the third, allowing two more runs to come across and end his day at 59 pitches. The lefty walked a pair in addition to the hit batter, while only striking out two. … Hard-throwing reliever Andrew Moore worked a pair of scoreless innings in the middle innings, striking out three while allowing as many runners to reach base. After a minor injury held him back in Peoria to start the year, the 26-year-old has surrendered only one hit in four innings, but has issued four walks. His command has been his biggest area of concern since the Mariners drafted him in 2021. … Designated hitter Leandro Cedeño drove in the Missions’ only runs of the game with a loud double to right in the eighth inning. The plus-sized 27-year-old has four hits in his first 13 at-bats since joining San Antonio on their road trip, but has punched out seven times.
Lake County Captains 16, TinCaps 9
Key Stats: 2B Rosman Verdugo 2-for-4, HR (2), BB; DH Alex McCoy 2-for-5, 2 2B, SB (2), 2K; LF Jake Cunningham 2-for-4; LHP Jamie Hitt 2.1 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 K, 2 BB; RHP Luis Germán 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 K, 2 BB; RHP Clark Candiotti 1.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 K, 3 BB; LHP Igor Gil IP, H, K
Rosman Verdugo is looking to get to his power more consistently in 2026. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Prospect Watch: After leaving two men on base in each of the first two innings, the TinCaps plated eight runs in the third, but it wasn’t close to enough as the club gave up a season-high 16 runs. They’ve now surrendered double-digit run totals in five of their first 14 games and have the Midwest League’s worst ERA. Lefty Jamie Hitt, who opened the year in Lake Elsinore before injuries hit the TinCaps rotation, made his second start with Fort Wayne, but couldn’t get through three innings. He ultimately was charged with six earned runs in just 2.2 innings. Luis Germán and Clark Candiotti, both repeating the Midwest League, each struggled, allowing five combined runs over two innings, before things got completely out of control as Lake County put up five more against Bernard Jose. Only lefty Igor Gil, who tossed a scoreless ninth, avoided allowing a run. The 25-year-old has given up only one earned run over six innings in his first five outings, striking out 8 along the way. … Rosman Verdugo collected his second homer of the series and was gifted a single knocked down by swirling winds. After starting the year 0-for-10 and collecting only three singles in his first 29 at-bats, he has now hit in four straight. … Alex McCoy smacked two more doubles, including one that hit off the wall in right-center field to get the scoring started in the third inning. The big man has hit in 10 straight games and now has a .326/.360/.630 line. He also picked up his second stolen base of the year and now has 16 in 21 attempts in his career.
Stockton Ports 10, Storm 1
Key Stats: 3B Bradley Frye 1-for-3, BB, SB (3); SS Jorge Quintana 1-for-4, 2B; C Yoiber Ocopio 1-for-4, 2B; RHP Tyler Schmitt 3 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 2 K, 2 BB; RHP Nick Falter 2 IP, 3 H, 4 K, BB
Prospect Watch: The Ports pushed across six runs in the fourth inning and never looked back as Lake Elsinore came up short in their effort to put together their first three-game winning streak of the young season. Starter Tyler Schmitt faced just one batter over the minimum through the first three innings, punching out two, but the wheels came off in the fourth as each of the first six Stockton batters reached base before he exited without recording another out. Schmitt, 21, the Padres’ 17th-round pick last summer out of the University of Illinois, has given up four homers through his first nine professional innings this spring while striking out 14 and walking nine. …. With the pitching staff getting knocked around early, first baseman Luke Cantwell made his third mop-up appearance of the year on the mound. He kept Stockton off the board for the final frame. … Shortstop Jose Quintana picked up his first extra-base hit of the year with a double and came around to score the club’s only run of the day. The 19-year-old switch-hitter is batting just .159 with 15 strikeouts through his first 52 plate appearances. … Infielder Bradley Frye, continued his torrid start to the year, collecting a hit and a walk in four trips to the plate and stealing his third base of the year. He’s now hitting .405/.465/.595 on the year. While his success is being fueled by an unsustainable .519 average on balls in play, the 23-year-old also has a stellar 32% line drive rate in the early going.
