Down on the Farm: April 5 (Sod Poodles Win First Game in Franchise History)
Credit: Sod Poodles
Opening Day for Minor League Baseball is over, but that doesn’t mean games still aren’t being played.
San Diego Padres’ affiliates went 2-2 on Friday, with the Sod Poodles getting their first win in franchise history.
El Paso Chihuahuas (0-2) Lost 12-4
The quest to the Major Leagues for Logan Allen started on the wrong foot. The 9th ranked prospect in the system, lasted only two innings against the Las Vegas Aviators, getting hit hard for seven runs (six earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out only two. However, three of those seven runs were inherited runners that came around to score against Carlos Torres, who signed with the Padres on a minor league deal and is now spending his days with the Chihuahuas.
Following the eight-run second innings, the Chihuahuas were able to get some of those runs back by way of a two-run homer by Esteban Quiroz, his second home run of the season, and an RBI ground-rule double hit to center field by Ty France. The Aviators scored four more runs in the ninth inning off of Eric Yardley, capitalized by a three-run home run hit by Mark Payton. In their final inning, the only offense El Paso got was an RBI single by Jose Pirela.
Luis Perdomo and Gerardo Reyes both pitched scoreless innings of relief in the losing effort while Alex Dickerson and Luis Urias had two hits each.
Logan Allen: 2 IP, 4 H, 7 R (6 earned), 4 BB, 2 K (59 pitches-31 strikes) Loss
Luis Urias: 2-5
Esteban Quiroz: 2-4 HR, 2 RBI, 2 Runs,
Ty France: 2-4, RBI, 2B
Jose Pirela, 2-4, RBI, BB
Amarillo Sod Poodles (1-1) Won 7-5
For the first time in team history, the Amarillo Sod Poodles took home a victory. “It’s big to get the first one of the year,” says Blake Rogers, who got the victory by firing two innings of scoreless ball and striking out three. “I was just trying to be the best at doing my job to put us in a position to win.”
Rogers came on in relief of starter Jesse Scholtens, who allowed four runs on five hits through three innings. Scholtens allowed all four runs to score in the third inning. The Sod Poodles struck in the top half of the inning, with Luis Torrens kicking off the rally with a two-run double. An RBI single by Jorge Ona and an RBI double by Brad Zunica capped off the five-run inning, while Zunica iced the game with his second home run in as many days in the ninth inning. “Good team win. Overcame some adversity but overall it was a good first win of the season,” said Zunica after the game, “First win in Sod Poodle history too is just a plus.”
Andrez Munoz closed out the game by striking out two batters while consistently hitting triple digits to earn the save.
Andres Munoz with the save tonight (101 mph K) which is the first victory in the history of the @sodpoodles #Padres pic.twitter.com/JERKIC79I4
— James E. Clark 3 (@EVT_JClark) April 6, 2019
Jesse Scholtens: 3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (72 pitches-41 strikes) No Decision
Blake Rogers: 2 IP, H, 3 K (31 pitches-21 strikes) Win
Brad Zunica: 3-4, HR, 2 RBI, Run, 2B, K
Luis Torrens: 1-4, 2 RBI, Run, 2B,
Buddy Reed: 1-4, RBI, Run, 2 K, E
Lake Elsinore Storm (2-0) Won 4-0
The much-awaited debut of MacKenzie Gore came today, and it did not disappoint. Gore sliced through the Inland Empire 66er’s, pitching five shutout innings and striking out eight batters. After suffering through blister issues all of last year in Fort Wayne, Gore is ready to put those behind him and excel in Lake Elsinore. “If you look at the numbers, you are going to say Gore didn’t get a lot better last year. But I am so much better than I was a year ago. It is not even close,” Gore told EVT in an interview with James Clark, “I want to dominate every day and take it one day at a time.”
MacKenzie Gore with his first strikeout in the California League @Storm_Baseball #Padres pic.twitter.com/82j0PbAtIU
— James E. Clark 3 (@EVT_JClark) April 6, 2019
The offense also picked up the top prospect in his debut. The Storm picked up 13 total hits and saw four men cross the plate in the winning effort, with the first of four runs scoring in the second inning on a Gabriel Arias single that scored Luis Campusano. Robbie Podorsky knocked in Esteury Ruiz with a sacrifice fly to score the Storm’s second run of the inning.
Two runs were all the team needed to win, but Lake Elsinore picked up insurance runs in the form of an Eguy Rosario solo home run in the seventh inning and another Arias RBI single, this time in the ninth inning. Travis Radke and Caleb Boushley pitched the final four innings to complete the shutout.
MacKenzie Gore: 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 8 K (90 pitches-54 strikes) Win
Eguy Rosario: 1-5, HR, RBI, Run, K
Luis Campusano: 3-4, Run, BB, K
Gabriel Arias: 3-5, 2 RBI, 2 K
Jack Suwinski: 2-4, BB, K, SB
Fort Wayne TinCaps (1-1) Lost 7-3
The offense just couldn’t get into gear soon enough as, after winning on Opening Day, the TinCaps couldn’t repeat the success they had yesterday. Xavier Edwards started the game off right with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the second inning, but the Lansing Lugnuts jumped on Trent Shelton for a run in the sixth inning and Tom Colletti for four runs in the seventh and eighth inning.
By the time Dan Dallas pitched an inning and a third of scoreless ball, the scoreboard already read 7-2. An error by the Lugnuts’ right fielder allowed Edwards to score on a Grant Little single, but it was much too late by then. Starter Efrain Contreras made his first start after making two appearances in Short Season Tri-City and looked good, allowing two runs in four innings and striking out four Lugnuts in his Fort Wayne debut.
Efrain Contreras: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (76 pitches-50 strikes) No Decision
Trent Shelton: 2 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, K (41 pitches-22 strikes) Loss
Xavier Edwards: 2-5, 2 RBI, Run, SB,
Grant Little: 1-2, 3 BB, K, SB
Agustin Ruiz: 2-4, K
Tomorrow’s Pitching Matchups
El Paso: Cal Quantrill vs. Paul Blackburn
Amarillo: Pedro Avilla vs. Brandon Bailey
Lake Elsinore: Mason Thompson vs. Chris Rodriguez
Fort Wayne: Joey Cantillo vs. TBD
I am currently attending San Diego State University while working on achieving a major in journalism. At SDSU, I write for The Daily Aztec while also hosting the sports radio show “Picked Off”, for KCR Radio. A loyal fan of San Diego sports, I hope to bring content that you will enjoy reading.