Padres Down on Farm: August 31 (Merrill homers twice/Pauley HR, 3 hits in LE/Hollis homer for SA/Dunn 3 hits for FW)
Credit: Lake Elsinore Storm
The San Diego Padres minor league affiliates went 1-3 on Wednesday.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 3-1 to Salt Lake) (66-58 on the season)
Jay Groome: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K (90 pitches, 59 strikes)
Luis Felipe: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (13 pitches, 7 strikes)
Brandon Dixon: (2-for-4), SB, K
C.J. Hinojosa: (1-for-4), 2B, K
The Chihuahuas mustered just three hits in a disappointing loss to Salt Lake. The Chihuahuas pitchers allowed just three runs, but seven of the nine El Paso hitters went hitless in the game. El Paso starter Jay Groome struggled through four innings, surrendering two runs, including a solo home run. Brandon Dixon had a pair of singles and stole a base, while C.J. Hinojosa doubled in the second. El Paso’s only run of the night came in that frame. Kervin Pichardo drew one of three Chihahuas’ walks in the inning, bringing Cam Gallagher home to briefly tie the game.
San Antonio Missions (Lost 7-4 to Corpus Christi) (63-57 on the season)
Grant Gavin: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (32 pitches, 21 strikes)
Connor Hollis: (2-for-4), HR, RBI, 2 R, HBP
Joshua Mears: (1-for-4), HR, RBI, R, 2 K
Domingo Leyba: (1-for-3), 2B, RBI, HBP
San Antonio starter Nolan Watson allowed three runs in the first inning, putting San Antonio behind the eight ball. Joshua Mears homered in the third as the Missions attempted to get themselves back into the game. However, Corpus Christi added two more off Edwuin Bencomo in the fifth, putting the game out of reach. Connor Hollis’ seventh-inning home run did not prove to put San Antonio ahead. Grant Gavin put up 2.2 scoreless innings to give the Missions the best chance he could, but it was not enough to overcome the early deficit.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 6-4 to West Michigan) (47-74 on the season)
Luke Boyd: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K (49 pitches, 30 strikes)
Lucas Dunn: (3-for-4), 2 2B, R, BB
Brandon Valenzuela: (2-for-4), 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB
Justin Farmer: (2-for-5), 3 K
The TinCaps starting pitcher Efrain Contreras surrendered four runs in the first two innings, and that was too big of a hole for the TinCaps to crawl out of. Fort Wayne did take the lead with a pair of runs in the first, as Brandon Valenzuela and Agustin Ruiz each drove in a run. However, West Michigan added two runs off of Danny Denz in the fourth, which put Fort Wayne down four. The TinCaps had 12 hits in the game, with eight of the nine starters having a base hit. Lucas Dunn had three hits, two of which were doubles. Brandon Valenzuela also had two hits, driving in a pair of runs in the process. It wasn’t enough to give Fort Wayne the chance to win.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 12-11 vs. Visalia) (69-53 on the season)
Jackson Merrill: (3-for-5), 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, K
Graham Pauley: (3-for-4), HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB, K
Marcus Castanon: (1-for-4), HR, RBI, 2 R, BB, K
Jakob Marsee: (2-for-4), 3B, 2B, RBI, 2 R
Lake Elsinore’s offense brought the thunder, with 12 runs in the first five innings putting the Storm ahead by nine. However, in the final two innings, the Storm surrendered eight runs, bringing the Storm within the brink of a collapse. However, Justin Lopez got the final two outs to secure the win. Jackson Merrill homered twice in the game, bringing home five runs in the win. Graham Pauley added a home run as part of a three-hit night. Marcus Castanon also smacked his 22nd home run of the season, as Lake Elsinore scored in each of the first five frames. All nine Storm starters reached base, with eight of the nine putting up a hit.
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Thursday’s Probables
El Paso: Pedro Avila (4-2, 5.08 ERA)
San Antonio: Henry Henry (3-0, 5.12 ERA)
Fort Wayne: Ryan Bergert (3-9, 5.92 ERA)
Lake Elsinore: TBD
Sam is a Senior in High School. He has been writing for three years, and started at EVT in June of 2021. He’s headed to Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Communications in the fall of 2023.