Padres Down on the Farm: August 15 (Schoolcraft returns in Storm shutout win)
Storm
Padres affiliates played (most of) six games on Saturday, going 1-4-1 in the proceedings.
Let’s jump right into the game’s action.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 8-7 vs Salt Lake) (49-69 on the season)
Dustin Harris – 3-for-5, Double, Three RBI
Mason McCoy – 3-for-3, Double, Three Runs Scored
Jhony Brito – 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 0 K (35 pitches – 26 strikes)
El Paso entered the ninth-inning leading 7-4, but a four-run outburst against Hans Crouse took the win away from the Chihuahuas’ grasp. Before that, though, Jhony Brito started for El Paso, pitching three innings of two-run baseball. The right-hander allowed five hits and two runs, with seven outs against him coming via the ground ball. Concerningly (or not depending on who you ask), Brito was unable to generate any whiffs, ending the outing with zero swings and misses. Logan Gillaspie pitched three innings of one-run baseball in relief, striking out one. Gillaspie, like Brito, was effective without the swings and misses. Alek Jacob threw one inning in relief, allowing a run. Jacob has allowed runs in three of six appearances this month, with just four strikeouts in 6.2 innings. David Morgan threw a scoreless eighth inning, putting up a zero for the third time this series. Hans Crouse entered in the ninth for the save, riding a four-game scoreless streak. Crouse loaded the bases with one out before a single scored two runs. Walks to Pablo Reyes and Niko Kavadas tied the game, as Crouse could not locate his pitches in those two plate appearances (3/11 pitches were strikes). Ethan Routzahn was summoned to escape the jam, and the right-hander struck out Kyren Paris for the second out. Routzahn worked a 3-2 count to Raudi Rodriguez, but misfired a 3-2 sinker to walk in the go-ahead run.
All aboard the Gus bus ? pic.twitter.com/XRGtMHng33
— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) August 16, 2026
On the offensive side of the ball, the bottom of the Chihuahuas’ lineup put in the work, combining to go 7-for-10 with a home run, two doubles, and six runs scored. Marcos Castanon went 2-for-4 with a home run, his 15th of the season. Mason McCoy hit a double and two singles, scoring three runs in the contest. McCoy also hit his 300th career base hit as a Chihuahuas player, making him the seventh player in Chihuahuas franchise history to achieve that mark. Rodolfo Duran went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, scoring one run. Dustin Harris had three more hits, one of which went for extra bases, while driving in three runs.
Milestone for Mason McCoy! His single to left marks his 300th hit as a Chihuahua, making him the seventh player in franchise history to reach the milestone! pic.twitter.com/ionqlh89kh
— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) August 16, 2026
San Antonio Missions (Lost 7-1 vs Frisco) (51-62 on the season)
Tirso Ornelas – 1-for-4, Solo Home Run
Alex McCoy – 1-for-5, Double
Matthew Watson – 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 6 K (83 pitches – 53 strikes)
Right-hander Matthew Watson struck out six batters in 4.1 innings, his highest strikeout total in a game since joining the Missions. Watson allowed four runs on six hits, but made it into the fifth inning for the second consecutive start. The right-hander also generated 12 swings and misses, his highest mark as a Mission. Watson’s Missions tenure has been a struggle so far, as opposing hitters are hitting .398 against the right-hander, but he seemingly found something in this start, at least in the swing-and-miss department. Tucker Musgrove escaped a jam in the fifth inning, allowing one hit and one inherited runner to score. Clay Edmondson pitched a clean sixth but ran into trouble in the seventh, giving up a three-run home run to Dylan Dreilling. Sadrac Franco threw a scoreless eighth inning, allowing just a walk. The Missions offense was unable to get off the mat, proverbially speaking. Tirso Ornelas launched a solo home run in the first inning, but that would be the only time a Missions baserunner crossed home plate in the game. One night removed from an electric debut, Alex McCoy went 1-for-5. In real McCoy fashion, his lone hit of the night was a double. Jack Costello and Romeo Sanabria each hit a single in the game, with Sanabria drawing two walks. Despite drawing eight walks as a team, San Antonio went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the loss, stranding 14.
Dylan Dreiling with his 2nd of the game ?
B7 | FRI 7, SA 1 pic.twitter.com/bBH2UuSidK
— Frisco RoughRiders (@RidersBaseball) August 16, 2026
Fort Wayne TinCaps – Doubleheader vs Quad Cities
TinCaps lost 4-2 in Game 1
Robbie Lavey – 2-for-3, Home Run, RBI
Dylan Grego – 1-for-3, RBI Single
Carlos Medina – 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K (40 pitches – 25 strikes)
Fort Wayne was unable to erase a 4-0 deficit in Game 1 of their doubleheader. Carlos Medina allowed one run in two innings as the starter, striking out two. The right-hander was in the zone, as 62.5% of his offerings went for strikes. Braian Salazar threw a scoreless third inning before turning the ball over to right-hander Maikel Miralles. Miralles cruised through two innings, running into trouble in the sixth. Miralles allowed a solo home run with one out, which seemed to rattle the right-hander. The next three batters faced went single, walk, and reached on an error (by Miralles, no less) before the right-hander was relieved by Javier Chacon. Chacon allowed two inherited runners to score on a hit-by-pitch and a walk before ending the inning. Fort Wayne was held off the board for six innings, rallying in the seventh. Robbie Lavey launched a one-out home run, his second in as many days, to put the TinCaps on the board. Bradley Frye singled with two outs before Yoiber Ocopio walked, bringing the tying run to the plate. Dylan Grego singled up the middle to score Frye, and the tying run was now on base. Luke Cantwell pinch-hit for Conner Westenburg, but popped out to end the game.
Robbie Lavey cannot be stopped!
The Padres’ 2026 fourth-rounder has homered twice in as many days, this time against a right-hander.
His selective approach at the dish has seen him do some real damage to open his pro career. @EVT_News pic.twitter.com/td0E35KDVk
— Diego Garcia (@StatNerd_Base) August 16, 2026
Game 2 was suspended – TinCaps and River Bandits tied 2-2 in the 8th inning
Bryan Balzer dominated the River Bandits through five innings of work, setting a career-high for strikeouts in a single game. The right-hander struck out ten batters in five innings, allowing just one base hit. Balzer walked four, generating three ground ball outs. None of the outs Balzer recorded came on hard-hit fly balls. Will Koger pitched two innings, throwing a scoreless sixth before allowing a game-tying two-run home run with two outs in the seventh inning. Fort Wayne took their 2-0 lead in the fifth inning, as with runners on the corners, Dylan Grego singled to right field to score Carlos Rodriguez. Kasen Wells hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning, scoring Bradley Frye.
@TinCaps right-hander Bryan Balzer struck out 10 batters in five innings at Quad Cities.
Balzer’s line – 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 10 K
94 pitches – 53 strikes
13 whiffsHe’s my new No. 4 prospect in the Padres’ system. @EVT_News pic.twitter.com/hDwpuFtg5y
— Diego Garcia (@StatNerd_Base) August 16, 2026
Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 6-0 vs Inland Empire) (61-52 on the season)
Ty Harvey – 3-for-5, Home Run, RBI
Alex Conover – 1-for-5, Home Run, RBI
Kruz Schoolcraft – 3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (48 pitches – 30 strikes)
Padres 2025 first-round pick Kruz Schoolcraft was back in action on Saturday, pitching three innings of scoreless baseball. Schoolcraft generated nine swings and misses, striking out four batters. The left-hander stranded all four baserunners that reached base against him. Throwing only 48 pitches in three innings, Schoolcraft will likely remain around the three-inning mark as the season rounds to a close. In his last five starts, the left-hander has pitched to a 1.24 ERA despite a 21-to-16 K-to-BB ratio. Tyler Schmitt took over in relief, pitching five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. The right-hander generated 16 swings and misses from Inland Empire batters, allowing three hits and two walks. Schmitt has faced the 66ers three times this season, twice on their home turf, and in those three starts combined has thrown 17 innings without allowing an earned run. The Storm’s right-hander has fanned 22 while walking eight in those three starts. Brandon Langley threw a scoreless inning to close out the shutout.
Ty Harvey was one of four Storm batters who had multiple hits in the win. Harvey went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, his second as a member of the Storm. Harvey now has four home runs this season, and broke out of a 2-for-17 stretch. Joe Tiroly had three singles in the game, finishing 3-for-5. Jose Verdugo went 2-for-5 with a triple and an RBI, and Qrey Lott went 1-for-4 with an RBI triple. Nu’u Contrades singled in two runs for the Storm, making his lone hit of the game count. Alex Conover went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in the game, his second as a professional.
DSL Padres Gold (Won 9-2 vs DSL Rays) (40-14 on the season)
Endy Rios – 2-for-4, Two Singles, RBI
Cristian Benavides – 1-for-3, Double, RBI
Wilfred Paca – 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K
Right-hander Wilfred Paca threw three innings as the Padres Gold capitalized on three Rays errors to win 9-2. Starting with the offense, Cristian Benavides scored on a wild pitch to open the scoring, and Sebastian Nadales hit a sac fly to score Endy Rios. Dayquer Alfonzo scored on an error from Rays infielder Matias Palacio to put the Padres Gold up 3-0 after one. The Padres Gold scored twice more in the second, with both runs scoring on errors. Darian Castillo and Cristian Benavides scored on bases-loaded walks in the third. Yorvin Morla’s sac fly and an RBI single from Endy Rios added two more, giving the Padres Gold a big nine in the run column.
On the mound, Wilfred Paca threw three innings, allowing two runs (one earned). The right-hander struck out three while walking just one. Joseph Uzeta earned the win in relief, pitching two scoreless innings. Uzeta struck out three while allowing just one hit. Yoel Duarte threw two innings to close out the game, not allowing a run to seal the team’s 40th win of the season.
DSL Padres Brown – No Game
Sunday’s Projected Starters
El Paso – RHP Andrew Thurman (0-1, 8.64 ERA)
San Antonio – RHP Ian Koenig (4-9, 4.78 ERA)
Fort Wayne – RHP Abraham Parra (5-6, 6.17 ERA)
Lake Elsinore – RHP Luis Maracara (2-2, 8.24 ERA)
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.