Down on the Farm: Renfroe Struggles in Return, Leasher Deals in Win
San Diego Padres’ affiliates were 1-3 on Thursday.
Here’s a look at Thursday’s action down on the farm:
El Paso Chihuahuas (20-21) Lost 9-7
Hunter Renfroe did not have the most promising start to begin his rehab stint. Renfroe struck out in both the second and the fourth. In the sixth, Renfroe hit an RBI double on a 3-0 pitch to cut the deficit to 6-3. The Chihuahuas would score three more times to tie the game, after Shane Peterson hit an RBI double and Allen Craig followed with a two-run home run.
Renfroe struck out again in the seventh with two runners on to end a threat, and hit a weak groundout in the ninth as the go-ahead runner to end the game. All-in-all, Renfroe looked like his timing was off and did not have a good feel at the plate tonight and didn’t come through when the Chihuahuas needed him.
Luis Urias (1-4) 1 2B, 1 R, 2 K
Shane Peterson (2-4) 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R
Allen Craig (1-2) 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
Dusty Coleman (1-4) 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R, 2 K
Hunter Renfroe (1-5) 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 3 K
9th inning double from Luis Urías, impressive at-bat, took a 1-2 slider away, smoked the next pitch. @EVT_News pic.twitter.com/06eYaI2cxp
— Patrick Cusick (@TheProfessorPQ) May 18, 2018
San Antonio Missions (25-15) Lost 4-0
Lake Bachar made his second start for the Missions and pitched well until the sixth inning, when he allowed three runs with two outs.
The Missions offense was off-balance all night against the Corpus Christi Hooks’ starting pitcher Ryan Hartman, who struck out 11 batters. The Hooks’ bullpen did not allow a hit in 2.2 innings pitched. Jason Jester, the Missions reliever, lowered his ERA to 1.74 tonight pitching a scoreless eighth inning, where he struck out two.
Fernando Tatis Jr. (1-4) 2 K, 1 SB
Josh Naylor (1-4)
Kyle Overstreet (1-4) 2B, 1 K
Jason Jester 1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
Lake Elsinore Storm (17-24) Lost 7-4
Michel Baez was on the hill for the Storm tonight. He did not have the best start, facing six batters, but only allowing one run in the first. In the second, Baez struck out two while allowing one hit. The third and fourth were mirror innings, facing only three batters, striking out one in each. In the fifth, Baez got the first out on a groundout, then allowed three straight singles before he was relieved by Austin Smith. Smith came in and struck out Jared Walsh before a Luis Torrens’ throwing error on a stolen base allowed one run to score. Jack Kruger of the Inland Empire 66ers then singled in another run, taking a 4-2 lead.
Trailing 7-2 in the bottom of the eighth, after a walk to Buddy Reed, Luis Torrens hit an RBI triple. Following a Hudson Potts strikeout, Jorge Ona hit a sacrifice fly to center field cutting the deficit to 7-4. Unfortunately, that is where the offense stopped as the Storm went one-two-three in the ninth.
Luis Torrens (3-4) 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 K
Hudson Potts (1-4) 1 RBI 1 K
Eguy Rosario (1-3) 1 2B, 1 R, 1 K
Michel Baez 4.1, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Fort Wayne TinCaps (17-22) Won 7-3
Aaron Leasher pitched very well in his seventh start of the season with a season high of eight strikeouts. The TinCaps took the lead over the Western Michigan Whitecaps in the first inning after a pair of Carlos Belen and Jack Suwinski RBI singles. The Whitecaps answered back in the fourth after an RBI groundout from Dylan Rosa. In the fifth, the Whitecaps would re-take the lead after a throwing error from third baseman Luis Almanzar. In the bottom of the inning, the TinCaps would re-take the lead, scoring five runs, putting them ahead for good. Ken Bugajski was at the game for EVT. Here is his game recap with photos.
VIDEO: @TinCaps starter Aaron Leasher (@aaronleasher) was filthy tonight with 5 IP, 1 ER, and 8 strikeouts! @Padres @PadresProspects @EVT_News @madfriars pic.twitter.com/5yfBPNNVGY
— Glenn Marini (@GlennMariniWANE) May 18, 2018
Every TinCap starter had a hit on Thursday.
Esteury Ruiz (2-4) 2B, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Tirso Ornelas (2-4) 2 RBI, 1 R
Luis Campusano (2-4) 2 RBI, 1 R
Aaron Leasher 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
Friday’s Probables
El Paso – Jesse Scholtens
San Antonio – Cal Quantrill
Lake Elsinore – TBD
Fort Wayne – Nick Margevicius
Since he was a little kid he wanted to be one of those guys at the game who had the headset on, listening to the Colonel and Uncle Teddy, he has grown out of that, but the love is still there. Padres’ coverage will be biased at times, but mostly an honest dissection of the team he loves.