The Padres’ minor league affiliates returned to action on Wednesday, and much like the TV series of the day’s name, the games were full of twists and turns. 

Padres affiliates went 3-1 on Wednesday. Here is a recap of the day’s events. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Won 9-6 vs Albuquerque) (7-10 on the season)

Mason McCoy – 3-for-3, Double, Two Singles, Two RBI

Luis Campusano – 2-for-5, Double, Triple, RBI

Jared Kollar – 4 IP, 8 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 0 K (79 pitches – 45 strikes)

El Paso brought out the big bats, carving out seven extra base hits against the Albuquerque pitching staff, scoring nine runs in a victory. El Paso’s offensive effort was led by shortstop Mason McCoy and designated hitter Luis Campusano. McCoy was a perfect 3-for-3 on the day, with two singles, a double, and a run-scoring sacrifice bunt. Campusano, one night removed from questionable defensive decision-making on a wild pitch, scorched two base hits, including a broken-bat RBI double. Yonathan Perlaza scored two runs in the game, while adding a run to the score with an RBI bloop single. Eguy Rosario, at his natural position of second base, went 1-for-5 with an RBI single. The team as a whole was running wild against the Isotopes catcher (and former Padre) Austin Nola, going 6-for-7 in stolen base attempts. 

Firewood for Campy, but he’s still HOT pic.twitter.com/a0zTCF8nMq

— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) April 17, 2025

We got insurance runs in the 6th.

?’s put up 3 pic.twitter.com/rQBhajFqxs

— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) April 17, 2025

El Paso starter Jared Kollar pitched four innings of three-run baseball, while only two of the runs he allowed were earned. The 2024 breakout right-hander had an unfathomably tough start to the season, but he has gone four innings in each of his last two starts, pitching to a 5.62 ERA in that span (vs a 14.85 ERA in his first two starts. It was an interesting outing for the right-hander when diving into the numbers, as Kollar appeared to take a page out of the Mariano Rivera playbook – “screw it, throw the cutter”. 82.3% of his offerings were cutters against Albuquerque, and this appears to have been by design, considering the altitude. This approach worked, as 10 of 14 balls in play did not register as hard-hit, and batters whiffed on 22.2% of swings against.

@epchihuahuas starter Jared Kollar had one of his better starts this season in Albuquerque, allowing two earned runs in four innings.

The Mariano playbook seems to have worked at 5,312 feet above sea level! pic.twitter.com/nk4qFTj43z

— Diego Garcia (@StatNerd_Base) April 17, 2025

Left-hander Jason Blanchard threw two innings with four strikeouts, earning the win in the game. Harold Chirino had another tough outing, allowing three runs in two innings of work with no strikeouts, raising his season ERA to 6.97 after a solid start. Right-hander Reiss Knehr was called on for the ninth, and tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning on fourteen pitches, striking out Jordan Beck and getting the final two outs on groundballs, earning his first save in three years. 

The Chihuahuas continue their series on Thursday, with Stephen Kolek set to take the mound. 

San Antonio Missions (Won 4-1 vs Northwest Arkansas) (7-4 on the season)

Moises Gomez – 1-for-3, Three-Run Home Run

Francisco Acuna – 2-for-5, Two Singles, RBI

Jagger Haynes – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 2 K (71 pitches – 42 strikes)

A mammoth three-run home run from Moises Gomez in the first inning provided Missions starter Jagger Haynes with plenty of breathing room, as San Antonio rode the left-hander’s best start of the season to a 4-1 win. While Haynes did not post the gaudy strikeout numbers that he did last season in this start, he was able to be economical with his pitches, pitching into the sixth inning and allowing just one unearned run. Northwest Arkansas batters didn’t get no satisfaction at the plate, with Haynes picking off the first baserunner of the game to set the tone. Quick outs, double plays, and any way one could get out of an inning efficiently were the ways Haynes worked out of trouble in his 5.2 innings of work. 

Congrats to Jagger Haynes on his first Double-A win! He is tonight’s @FrostBank Player of the Game. pic.twitter.com/LxlVCSZISO

— San Antonio Missions Baseball (@missionsmilb) April 17, 2025

Moises Gomez slugged his third home run of the young season in the first inning off Naturals starter Hunter Owen. Gomez has started the season on fire, posting a .951 OPS and 132 OPS+ while showcasing strong exit velocities on balls in play. Francisco Acuna, who had been mired in a 2-for-24 since April 8, had his first multi-hit game since the Amarillo series, singling twice and driving in a run. San Antonio’s offense drew eight walks on the day, with Devin Ortiz and Kai Murphy both drawing two walks apiece. Romeo Sanabria singled in the ballgame, and this game was his first game with only one hit, as the left-handed hitting first baseman has five multi-hit games thus far on the campaign. 

Moisés Gómez es ese hombre ?

After 4: SAM 4-0 NWA pic.twitter.com/mozt38Cpys

— San Antonio Missions Baseball (@missionsmilb) April 17, 2025

The Missions’ bullpen was strong in its own regard. Manuel Castro tossed 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts, his fourth consecutive scoreless appearance of the season. David Morgan did his thing once again, striking out three batters in one inning of work. Morgan has struck out 11 of 15 batters faced this season in 4.2 innings. For those not near a calculator, that is a 21.2 K/9. Speaking of K’s and nine, Bradgley Rodriguez entered the ballgame for the ninth inning and struck out the side, getting whiffs on 75% of swings against. Rodriguez and Morgan continue to anchor a Missions bullpen that could be one of the Texas League’s strongest this season. 

Bradgley Rodriguez striking out the side. Funny how many demons the Padres have on the way. pic.twitter.com/w3x3e2dZkA

— Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) April 17, 2025

San Antonio returns to play Thursday against Northwest Arkansas, with right-hander Henry Baez announced as the starting pitcher. 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won 4-3 vs Lake County) (6-5 on the season)

Rosman Verdugo – 3-for-4, Home Run, Double

Brandon Butterworth – 2-for-3, Walk-off Single

Clark Candiotti – 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K (65 pitches – 38 strikes)

Fort Wayne used a three-run ninth inning to defeat the visiting Lake County Captains on Wednesday. Right-hander Clark Candiotti took the mound for the TinCaps to start the game, making his first start at home. The right-hander and second-generation pitcher struck out eight in 3.2 dominant innings of work, allowing only one hit. Candiotti was visibly sharp, generating 11 whiffs on 23 swings (47.8% whiff rate) and locating his arsenal with near pinpoint accuracy despite some battling from the Captains’ lineup. The former Arizona standout could be one of the Padres’ most unsung pitching prospects as the season goes on, should his performances continue to be as solid (or even close to) his performance against Lake County. 

Rosman Verdugo was the star of the show for the TinCaps offense. The young infielder has been off to a slow start this season, but this game may be his coming-out party. Verdugo had three hits, including a seventh-inning game-tying home run. Jacob Campbell had a single and a walk in the game, reaching base twice and driving in a run. 

Rosman Verdugo with the first homer of the season! ? pic.twitter.com/3KHvkloYwb

— Fort Wayne TinCaps (@TinCaps) April 17, 2025

Josh Mallitz allowed three runs in the eighth inning, his third inning of relief, exiting the game after 2.2 innings. Mallitz struck out four in his outing, but allowed five hits and three runs. TinCaps closer Tyson Neighbors entered in the eighth with two outs, and kept the Captains’ offense to no runs in the eighth and ninth innings, striking out three batters faced. His fastball topped out at 97 mph, and his secondaries produced some uncomfortable-looking swings from opposing batters. While it wasn’t the same Herculean effort as his outing in the 2024 Fayetteville Regional, the right-hander’s effort kept his team in the game. 

Tyson Neighbors (@Padres‘ 2024 fourth-rounder) through his first 5 outings for the High-A @TinCaps:

? 12 K’s (19.1 K/9)
? 0.00 ERA
? 0 XBH allowed pic.twitter.com/CxWMasPHRb

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 17, 2025

The bottom of the ninth saw the TinCaps capitalize against Captains reliever Robert Wegielnik. A single, walk, and bunt single loaded the bases with no outs, and Wegielnik walked Jacob Campbell with the bases loaded to walk in a run, bringing the score to 3-2. Jake Snider worked back from a 0-2 count to walk, tying the game at three. Addison Kopack struck out swinging for the first out, bringing up Brandon Butterworth out of the nine-hole. Butterworth rolled a pitch sharply towards the 5.5 hole, and Captains’ shortstop Jose Devers was unable to corral the baseball, falling over stopping the baseball. With the ball in play, Rosman Verdugo scampered home to score the winning run, capturing a 4-3 TinCaps win. 

? @SlippinOnButter walk-off pic.twitter.com/IMwBCwSQJ4

— Fort Wayne TinCaps (@TinCaps) April 17, 2025

Jose Luis Reyes takes the mound for the TinCaps on Thursday in Fort Wayne. First pitch is at 4:05 pm Pacific.  

Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost 9-4 vs Fresno) (2-9 on the season)

Sean Barnett – 3-for-5, Two Doubles, Two Runs Scored

Kaden Hollow – 2-for-3, Two-RBI Single

Kleiber Olmedo – 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 5 K (74 pitches – 51 strikes)

Lake Elsinore’s relief corps allowed a crooked number yet again, with a five-run eighth inning from Fresno leading to a Storm loss. Storm starter Kleiber Olmedo had an up-and-down start, striking out five batters in 4.2 innings of work. However, he allowed four runs on four hits and three walks, with three of those runs coming in his final inning of work. Olmedo got plenty of ground balls, with six outs and all four hits coming on grounders. Olmedo was actually removed from the game with the score tied 2-2 with runners on, but reliever Bernard Jose gave up a line drive single to Ryan Fitzer to score two inherited runners. 

Kaden Hollow gave Lake Elsinore a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a two-run single to center field, his eighth and ninth RBI of the year. Hollow finished the game 2-for-3 with two singles. Designated hitter Sean Barnett, who has yet to pitch this season, continued to show his might at the plate, finishing the ballgame 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two doubles. Barnett has posted a .306/.405/.500 slash line so far this season, with a .905 OPS in 36 at-bats.

Kaden Hollow with a two-run single to center field, Lake Elsinore leads Fresno 2-0 pic.twitter.com/cBhGb7tYXe

— Al Scott (@AlScott1998) April 17, 2025

When Lake Elsinore was down by two runs, Barnett and Hollow reached base on a single and double, respectively, before infielder Zach Evans doubled on a fly ball to center field, tying the game at four runs apiece. Kavares Tears then delivered a pinch-hit single three batters later to load the bases, but the Storm’s rally was cut short, with the team stranding the bases loaded.

Zach Evans ties the game with a two-run double

T8 – Lake Elsinore 4, Fresno 4 pic.twitter.com/QXlhvIxSG6

— Al Scott (@AlScott1998) April 17, 2025

Kavares Tears with a base knock in his first professional pinch hit attempt

He’s now 3-for-5 pic.twitter.com/RBe5r8abxx

— Al Scott (@AlScott1998) April 17, 2025

This promptly came back to bite the team, as left-hander Bodi Rascon gave up a leadoff walk and another batter reached on a fielding error. Rascon was pulled in favor of Mario Zabala, who surrendered a bunt base hit to load the bases before a single up the middle by Tommy Hopfe gave Fresno a 6-4 lead. Zabala walked the next two batters to walk in another run, and Roynier Hernandez notched a two-RBI single to left field that Colton Vincent couldn’t handle, which allowed the second run to score. At the end of the frame, the score was 9-4 in favor of Fresno, and that would be how the game ended. 

Lake Elsinore returns to play Thursday night in Fresno, with Boston Bateman scheduled to start.

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.