Padres affiliates went 4-3 on Friday.

Let’s dive right into the games’ events. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Won 4-2 vs Sacramento) (38-47 on the season)

Blake Hunt – 1-for-3, Home Run, RBI

Nick Solak – 1-for-4, Home Run, Two RBI

Evan Fitterer – 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K (84 pitches – 50 strikes)

El Paso rode a quality start from Evan Fitterer to a 4-2 win over the visiting River Cats. The right-hander pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits. While Fitterer only struck out two batters, he picked up an incredible 15 (yes, FIFTEEN) outs via the ground ball. Fitterer has been incredibly serviceable for the Chihuahuas this season as their go-to swingman, making the PCL look easy despite a 44/37 K/BB ratio. Miguel Cienfuegos pitched two scoreless innings, striking out one of eight batters faced. Ethan Routzahn picked up the save with a scoreless ninth inning. 

The Chihuahuas rode the long ball to victory at the plate. Nick Solak opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the first, scoring Will Wagner. Solak’s homer was the first of three by El Paso in the game. Blake Hunt demolished a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, an 108.8 mph blast to left-center. Hunt’s home run was hit so hard that there was no distance recorded for the baseball. Luis Rengifo hit his second home run of the series, a solo shot in the seventh inning. Carlos D. Rodriguez had two hits, including a double, and Nick Schnell walked and stole a base in the win. 

San Antonio Missions (Won 3-0 vs Amarillo) (36-43 on the season)

Jake Cunningham – 1-for-4, RBI Single

Tirso Ornelas – 2-for-2, Double, Walk, Two RBI

Andrew Thurman – 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K (71 pitches – 42 strikes)

San Antonio shut out the visiting Sod Poodles by a 3-0 final score, as three pitchers held the visitors to three hits. Andrew Thurman made the start for the Missions in Miguel Mendez’s spot and pitched four innings of scoreless ball. Thurman struck out four batters in his start, allowing just one hit and one walk. Left-hander Harry Gustin pitched two innings on 24 pitches, recording all six outs on balls in play. The southpaw touched 96 mph against Amarillo and has opened the month with two scoreless outings. Bernard Jose pitched the final three innings on 34 pitches, earning his first career Double-A save. The Missions’ lineup was opportunistic at the plate, taking a lead right from the word go. Carson Tucker opened the Missions’ at-bats with a single, scoring in the first on a sacrifice fly from Tirso Ornelas. Ornelas drove in two runs for the Missions, going 2-for-2 at the plate with a double and a sacrifice fly. Jake Cunningham went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the win, and Chris Sargent had a double in the game. Ethan Salas drew a pinch-hit walk, playing the final two innings behind the plate. 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won 8-5 vs Great Lakes) (33-46 on the season)

Carlos E. Rodriguez – 3-for-4, Two RBI

Ryan Wideman – 1-for-5, Go-Ahead Two-RBI Single

Kash Mayfield – 4 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 K (54 pitches – 37 strikes)

Fort Wayne picked up a series-high eight runs to earn their first win of the six-game set. Zach Evans got the TinCaps on the board with an RBI single in the second inning, scoring Carlos E. Rodriguez. Rodriguez then erased a 2-1 deficit with an RBI single, tying the game at two in the fourth. Ryan Wideman put the TinCaps ahead with a two-run single in the fourth, giving the team a 4-2 lead. Wideman also stole two bases in the game, raising his season total to 49. Jack Costello picked up two hits, including his eighth home run of the season. Justin DeCriscio hit his seventh home run with the TinCaps in the seventh inning, and Carlos E. Rodriguez hit his third single of the game to score two runs. Alex McCoy doubled in the game, his league-leading 22nd of the season. 

Kash Mayfield pitched four innings on 54 pitches against the Loons, striking out five batters. The left-hander picked up just seven swings and misses, but generated weak contact from a potent Loons lineup. Mayfield only allowed two runs, as the Loons picked up two RBI hits against him in the fourth. The Padres’ No. 3 prospect could have gone out for the fifth, but with a rested Abraham Parra ready and waiting, the TinCaps played it safe with their ace. The aforementioned Parra struck out five in 2.2 innings of one-run baseball, but also walked five batters. Parra only threw 34 of his 71 pitches for strikes, but picked up 12 swings and misses nonetheless. Right-hander Will Varmette pitched the final 2.1 innings in relief, throwing 25 of 34 pitches for strikes and striking out two. Varmette has now gone four appearances without issuing a base on balls and picked up his second save of the season. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost 14-10 vs Stockton) (42-37 on the season)

Yimy Tovar – 2-for-6, Two Doubles, Two RBI

Dylan Grego – 2-for-4, Two Doubles, Four RBI

Kruz Schoolcraft – 4.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 4 K (74 pitches – 45 strikes)

The Storm and Ports dueled in a high-scoring affair that saw the Ports score eleven runs in the middle innings to ultimately win 14-10. Yimy Tovar and Dylan Grego were at the heart of the Storm’s surge, combining for six runs batted in. Tovar went 2-for-6 with two doubles, driving in two runs. Grego, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 with two doubles, four RBI, and a run scored. Jose Verdugo went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases, and Conner Westenburg went 2-for-4 with two singles and a run scored. Qrey Lott scored two runs, while Bradley Frye went 1-for-3 with a walk, single, and stolen base. Truitt Madonna entered the game as a pinch-hitter, going 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. The Storm loaded the bases in the ninth inning, and Yoiber Ocopio stepped up as the tying run, barreling a line drive into play. However, he did not get a high enough launch angle to have the ball land in the gap, lining out to short as the tying run to end the game. 

Kruz Schoolcraft pitched 4.2 innings, allowing four runs when he was on the mound. The left-hander struck out four batters while walking three, throwing 45 of 74 pitches for strikes. Schoolcraft picked up eight ground ball outs, with no outs coming on fly balls. The left-hander has now thrown four or more innings in his last five starts, with a 22/10 K/BB ratio in 24.2 innings. Carson Swilling struggled in relief, allowing two inherited runners to score while giving up seven runs (six earned). Swilling only recorded two outs, allowing nine baserunners. Isaiah Lowe struck out six in 2.2 innings, picking up 14 swings and misses. Lowe allowed two inherited runners to score, with one more run of his own scoring. 

ACL Padres (Lost 7-3 vs ACL Rangers) (25-20 on the season)

Eddson Martinez – 2-for-4, Two Singles, Sac Fly

Santiago Vargas – 2-for-4, Double, RBI

Jose Leclerc – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (14 pitches – 12 strikes)

Adler Cecil – 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 3 K (57 pitches – 32 strikes)

Right-hander Jose Leclerc opened a rehab assignment with the ACL Padres, pitching one inning as the opener. Leclerc struck out two of three batters faced, averaging 93-94 mph on his fastball. Adler Cecil threw three innings in relief, allowing four runs (three earned). The left-hander struck out three against two walks, allowing four hits. Miguel Alvarez allowed two runs in two innings, and Marco Eluscat struck out four in two innings. Eddson Martinez picked up two of the Padres’ eight hits, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly. Abraham Bastidas had two singles as well, though he did not score a run. Santiago Vargas hit an RBI double in the eighth inning, and Luis De Leon singled in a run in the same frame. Jhojan Downer went 1-for-4 with a run scored. 

DSL Padres Gold (Won 6-5 vs DSL Tampa Bay) (20-4 on the season)

Yorvin Morla – 1-for-5, Double, Three RBI

Darian Castillo – 2-for-3, Two Doubles, Two Runs Scored

Josias Figuereo – 3.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K 

The Padres Gold scored five times in the bottom of the ninth to walk off the game. Sebastian Pena scored the first run for the Padres on an RBI single in the third. Timothy Mogen drove in a run with a forceout in the bottom of the ninth, which would be the final out the Padres made. Gabriel Teran drew a bases-loaded walk to score the team’s third run, putting the winning run on first base. Yorvin Morla then doubled to left field, clearing the bases and giving the Padres Gold the win. On the mound, Josias Figuereo threw 3.1 innings of two-run baseball. The right-hander struck out four batters, walking three. Jose Blanco allowed three runs in 2.1 innings, and Joseph Uzeta pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Julio Dilone threw a scoreless ninth to earn the win. 

DSL Padres Brown (Lost 10-5 vs DSL Astros Blue) (5-18 on the season)

Yonnaiker Hernandez – 1-for-4, Home Run, RBI

Jeanfranco Fernandez – 1-for-2, Two Walks, Run Scored

Yojansy Perez – 4.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 0 K

Left-hander Yojansy Perez allowed five runs (four earned) in 4.2 innings, finishing one out shy of his season-high in innings pitched. Perez picked up eight outs via the ground ball despite not recording a strikeout. Nathanael Jacinto failed to record an out, with all three runners he allowed scoring against Yohn Melendez. Melendez has two runs of his own in three innings. Jeanfranco Fernandez reached base three times in the game, scoring two runs. Yonnaiker Hernandez hit his first home run of the season in the loss. Ronnier Heras and Jhostin Fuentes reached base twice safely, with Fuentes and Pedro Silva picking up the team’s two stolen bases.

Diego Garcia

A born and raised San Diegan, Diego Garcia is a lifetime Padres fan and self-proclaimed baseball nerd. Diego wrote about baseball on his own site between 2021-22 before joining the East Village Times team in 2024. He also posts baseball content on his YouTube channel “Stat Nerd Baseball”, creating content around trades, hypotheticals, player analyses, the San Diego Padres, and MLB as a whole.

A 2024 graduate of San Diego State, Diego aims to grow as a writer and content creator in the baseball community.