San Diego Padres Daily Farm Report: April 29

Chihuahuas 7, Albuquerque Isotopes 6

Key Stats: LHP JP Sears 4.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K; RHP Alek Jacob (S, 2) IP, BB, 3 K; LHP Yuki Matsui IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, K; CF Jace Bowen 2-for-4, R, RBI; LF Samad Taylor 3-for-5, 2 HR (6), 3B, 4 RBI; 3B Sung-Mun Song 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RS, RBI, K; DH Jose Miranda 3-for-3, BB, RBI

Prospect Watch: JP Sears was cruising through four innings, allowing only three baserunners, none of whom made it to scoring position. He racked up a season high 14 whiffs, the third-highest total in the PCL on the night and punched out his fifth hitter of the night to open the fifth inning. After that, though, the lefty gave up four straight singles – three of which could have been outs but found a hole to plate one and load the bases. Sterlin Thompson then hit a liner back up the middle that Sears tried to catch, but redirected away from being caught by his shortstop for an inning-ending double play. Instead, two runs scored  and he finished what had been a great night with a pedestrian line. This is the third time in six starts that Sears got through the first three or four innings before being unable to escape the big inning. … Working what is likely his penultimate rehab appearance before the Padres will need to activate him from the IL, Yuki Matsui gave up a pair of runs on two hits, a walk, and a defensive miscue of his own. After a leadoff single, the lefty had a hard-hit grounder kick off himself. He quickly grabbed it, but couldn’t get his back foot planted and threw wildly to second on what was charitably ruled a fielder’s choice. Matsui didn’t give up any hard contact and his splitter got some awkward swings and misses, but his ERA since joining El Paso now sits at 5.05. … Alek Jacob picked up a tough one run save at elevation by working around a walk to strike out the side. Despite a few hiccups since coming back from San Diego, Jacob still has a sparking 2.19 ERA and .200 average against for El Paso this year. … The El Paso once again carried the club to victory, and Samad Taylor once again led the offense.The 27-year-old hit two more home runs and, for the second consecutive game, tripled. His sixth inning home run traveled 435 feet and was the farthest ball hit in Triple-A on the night. After adding 90 points to his slugging percentage in the contest, he now ranks second in the PCL with a .630 mark, and he ranks third with a 1.051 OPS. Over his last three games, Taylor has gone 7-for-14, with a double, two triples, and three home runs while scoring six runs driving in 11. … Sung-Mun Song‘s lack of slug has been one of the key issues keeping him in Triple-A. While Song is hitting .291 on the season and playing above-average defense at multiple infield positions, his double Wednesday was his first since April 10 and just his third on the year. The left-handed hitter is making a bit more consistent contact, as his whiff rate has fallen to 28.6% and he’s striking out less, but the Padres will definitely be looking for him to show he can hit with more authority before considering a promotion.

Tulsa Drillers 4, Missions 3

Key Stats: RHP Victor Lizarraga 5 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; LHP Harry Gustin 1.2 IP, BB, K; RF Tirso Ornelas 1-for-4, HR (3), RBI; 1B Leandro Cedeno 1-for-4, HR (1), RBI; 3B Cole Tucker 2-for-4, 2 2B; CF Kai Murphy 2-for-4, RS, 2B

Prospect Watch: The Missions played one of their better games of the year and still came up short. San Antonio had six extra-base-hits and outhit the Drillers nine to four, but they went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and were punished for every mistake they made as they remain tied for the worst record in the minors at 5-18. … Victor Lizarraga turned in his best overall start of the year, going five innings for the second time this season. He gave up a season low of two hits, but both were home runs as he was charged with three earned runs. He walked a pair and hit another batter as he continues to struggle with command. Through 15.2 innings on the year, he has issued 17 free passes and hit three more batters, contributing to an ERA that is still north of 10. … Leandro Cedeno and Tirso Ornelas homered, giving the Missions back-to-back shots for the first time this season. For Ornelas, his blast moved him into a tie with Ethan Salas for the team lead in home runs. The 26-year-old Ornelas is now hitting .215/.284/.400 on the season.  … Salas had a chance to extend his streak of three consecutive games with a home run in a dramatic way.  The backstop was given the day off, but pinch hit with the tying run 90 feet away with one out in the ninth. Salas ultimately popped out, virtually ending the game for the Missions.  Even with the snap to his hit streak, Salas is still hitting .300 with an .890 OPS.

TinCaps 7, South Bend Cubs 4

Key Stats: RHP Isaiah Lowe 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K; RHP Clay Edmondson (S, 3) IP, H, K; RF Jake Cunningham 2-for-4, HR (5), 2 R, 5 RBI, SB (3); LF Alex McCoy 2-for-4, 2B, 3 R, HBP, 2 SB (5); C Lamar King Jr 2-for-5, R; 2B Rosman Verdugo 2-for-3, R, 2 BB, SB (1); 1B Jack Costello 1-for-2, 2 RBI, BB, 3 SB (3)

Prospect Watch: All Alex McCoy does is rake. The 24-year-old added his third multi-hit game in his last four games with a single and a roped double down the left field line that he got to with a very short swing. He also was hit by a pitch and swiped two bases on the day. On the season, McCoy now has 11 singles, 10 doubles, and five home runs, good for a .654 slugging percentage and 1.023 OPS. … While the majority of TinCaps hitters have had a disappointing stop, Jake Cunningham is having a resurgence with his new organization.  A former fifth-round pick by the Orioles, Cunningham, was released this past offseason after hitting .206 with three home runs in High-A.  In 19 games with Fort Wayne, the 23-year-old now has five home runs, which represent a new career high and is hitting .333/.368/.651 on the season. He also collected a career-best five RBIs in the game. … Rosman Verdugo reached base a career-high tying four times.  The 21-year-old singles twice and walked twice as the infielder, not known for his speed, also stole his first base of the season.  dAfter averaging nearly 140 strikeouts in each of the last three seasons, Verdugo has now tied a career high by not striking out in four consecutive games.  … The TinCaps pen has some ugly ERAs, but the one exception to their struggles has been sidewinder Clay Edmondson, who picked up his third save of the season and lowered his ERA to 0.93, Last year’s 14th-round pick has allowed one earned run all season in 9.2 innings.  He has a stellar 0.83 WHIP and batters are hitting .139 off of him.

Storm 4, Ontario Tower Buzzers 3

Key Stats: CF Ryan Wideman 2-for-5, PO/CS; C Victor Duarte 2-for-4, HR (2), 2 R, 2 RBI; 2B Justin DeCriscio 2-for-4, 2 2B, R; 1B Luke Cantwell 2-for-3, RS, SB (2); RHP Vicarte Domingo (S,2) 2 IP, H, BB, K

Prospect Watch: For the first time in six games, Ryan Wideman failed to steal a base. The Cal League stolen base leader had swiped nine over the last five games, and 17 total on the season. Instead, he was caught for the fifth time and had to settle for his fifth multi-hit game in his last eight games. … The hero of the night was Victor Duarte, whose two-run home run broke a 2-2 tie and put the Storm ahead for good. The career back-up is getting plenty of action with Ty Harvey on the IL with a hamstring issue, and is taking advantage with a blistering .962 OPS through 15 games. … Two weeks into the season, the Padres moved Vicarte Domingo down to Lake Elsinore after he gave up seven runs in four innings for Fort Wayne. Since his return to the Storm on April 16, the 23-year-old Canadian has been unhittable. The single Domingo allowed Wednesday was the first hit allowed in 6.2 innings and Cal League batters are now hitting .050 off him.  Domingo had four saves in 37 games for the Storm last year and already has two in four games this season.