Padres affiliates went 1-4 on Wednesday.

Let’s jump right into the games played. 

El Paso Chihuahuas – Split Doubleheader vs Oklahoma City (52-76 on the season)

El Paso won Game 1 5-4 in 8 innings

Samad Taylor – 2-for-4, Double, Two RBI

Ethan Salas – 1-for-4, RBI Single

Jhony Brito – 5 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K (59 pitches – 42 strikes)

El Paso took an extra-inning win over the Comets in the first game of a doubleheader. Right-hander Jhony Brito pitched five innings of two-run baseball, striking out two batters. Brito picked up seven of 15 outs via the ground ball, allowing just two extra-base hits. Hunter Stratton pitched the sixth inning, allowing his first run as a member of the Padres organization. Ethan Routzahn earned the win, tossing two scoreless innings. 

The Chihuahuas’ offense saw big days from Samad Taylor and Carlos Rodriguez in the contest. Taylor had two hits, including a double, and he drove in two runs. Taylor’s eighth-inning double gave the Chihuahuas a lead. Ethan Salas drove in a run with an RBI single, and Carlos Rodriguez hit an RBI single in the sixth inning as part of an El Paso three-run rally. Bryce Johnson scored two runs in the game, also stealing a base. 

El Paso lost 6-0 in Game 2

Carlos Rodriguez – 2-for-3, Two Singles

Marcos Castanon – 1-for-3, Single

Evan Fitterer – 2.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 2 K (45 pitches – 25 strikes)

The Chihuahuas were shut out in the second half of the doubleheader, as they picked up singles but stranded five baserunners in the loss. Carlos Rodriguez had two singles, and Marcos Castanon was one of four Chihuahuas who picked up one hit. Will Wagner and Gage Workman each went 1-for-3 with a single. 

Right-hander Evan Fitterer pitched into the third inning, allowing four runs. Only one run allowed by the right-hander was an earned run, as a fielding error from Nick Pratto led to three runs scoring on ensuing plays. A fielder’s choice off the bat of Matt Gorski scored two runs, and an RBI double by Alex Freeland made the score 3-0 in favor of OKC. Fitterer’s final run allowed came in the third, as Zach Ehrhard scored on a Ryan Fitzgerald home run off Logan Gillaspie. Gillaspie threw 2.2 innings, allowing two runs and striking out two. Jose Leclerc threw a scoreless inning with a walk, his first scoreless outing as a member of the Chihuahuas. 

San Antonio Missions (Lost 14-4 vs Springfield) (54-68 on the season)

Alex McCoy – 2-for-4, Two Singles, RBI

Tirso Ornelas – 1-for-4, Home Run, RBI

Luis Gutierrez – 1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K (52 pitches – 34 strikes)

The Missions’ pitching staff was knocked around yet again by a potent Springfield lineup, dropping the team to seven games out of a playoff spot. Alex McCoy had two hits and an RBI in the contest, scoring Kai Roberts in the fifth inning. Brendan Durfee drove in a run in the second inning with a sacrifice fly. Luis Verdugo scored in the seventh inning, coming in on a wild pitch. Tirso Ornelas’ eighth-inning home run was the final run-scoring hit for the Missions, his 14th home run of the season. Ryan Jackson and Justin DeCriscio each hit a single in the contest, with DeCriscio reaching base twice in the game. 

Left-hander Luis Gutierrez labored through 1.2 innings, allowing two runs. The left-hander struck out two batters, issuing two walks. Gutierrez threw 25 pitches in the first inning and 27 in the second, which did not allow him to pitch deeper into the contest. It was an abbreviated start due to the pitch count, and Igor Gil threw 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. Jamie Hitt threw 2.1 innings in relief, allowing six runs. Hitt allowed two home runs and five hits total, while striking out just one batter. Clay Edmondson allowed two hits, both home runs, and four earned runs in 1.2 innings. Position player Wyatt Hoffman pitched the final inning, striking out one batter and allowing two runs. 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 2-1 vs Dayton) (50-70 on the season)

Conner Westenburg – 2-for-4, Triple, Run Scored

Kasen Wells – 1-for-3, Double, Walk

Carson Montgomery – 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K (78 pitches – 49 strikes)

Fort Wayne’s offense went silent in a loss to Dayton on the final Pufferbellies night of the season. Conner Westenburg scored the team’s lone run after hitting a third-inning triple. With Westenburg on his way to third, Dayton shortstop Justin Lebron’s relay to third was low, getting past third baseman Tyson Lewis. Westenburg scored on the play, giving the TinCaps their only run of the game. Kasen Wells, one day removed from his first traditional home run of the season, doubled and walked in the contest. Yoiber Ocopio hit two singles in the game, with both Yimy Tovar and Dylan Grego picking up a base hit in the game. 

Carson Montgomery made his first start on a Wednesday this season, pitching four innings of two-run baseball. The right-hander struck out six batters while walking just two. Montgomery allowed three hits for the sixth time this season, and he has allowed four hits or fewer in 18 of 21 outings this season. Montgomery generated 14 swings and misses on 49 strikes from the Dragons’ lineup, though all three hits he allowed went for extra bases (two doubles and one home run). Isaiah Lowe threw two scoreless innings, and Bernard Jose matched him with two scoreless innings. Each right-hander struck out two batters. Jeferson Villabona threw a scoreless ninth, striking out two batters. 

Fort Wayne ended the Pufferbellies uniforms’ first run with a 2-6 record in their new identity (for those who are curious).  

Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost 14-1 vs Inland Empire) (61-61 on the season)

Augie Lopez – 1-for-3, Home Run, RBI

Ty Harvey – 1-for-4, Single

Cameron Nohos – 1.1 IP, 8 H, 8 R (7 ER), 0 BB, 1 K (38 pitches – 26 strikes)

Cameron Nohos had a nightmarish start against Inland Empire on Wednesday. One week removed from allowing eight runs in 3.1 innings against San Jose, the 6-foot-8 right-hander allowed eight runs (seven earned) in just 1.1 innings. 26 of his 38 pitches went for strikes, but three home runs were the culprit behind his struggles. After allowing six home runs between May and August 12, Nohos has now surrendered six home runs in his last two starts. Yoesmerli Beltre threw 1.2 innings of scoreless relief before turning the game over to the Lake Elsinore bullpen. Michael Salina threw two innings, allowing one run on three hits. Salina struck out one batter, walking none. Ryan Reed allowed four runs in one-plus innings of work, with two scoring once he departed. Miguel Alvarez made his Storm debut, allowing one run in two innings. On the offensive side of the ball, Augie Lopez launched his first home run as a professional, a solo home run in the eighth inning. Ty Harvey also hit a single in the game, finishing 1-for-4 as the team’s DH. Elliot Lascelles was held hitless in the game, while Truitt Madonna and Dawson Willis each walked once in the loss. 

DSL Padres Gold – No Game

Thursday’s Probable Pitchers

El Paso – LHP JP Sears (4-4, 8.45 ERA)

San Antonio – RHP Victor Lizarraga (3-8, 6.69 ERA)

Fort Wayne – RHP Matthew Watson (1-4, 5.69 ERA)

Lake Elsinore – RHP Lan-Hong Su (0-3, 6.66 ERA)

DSL Padres Gold – LHP Carlos Alvarez (2-1, 3.25 ERA)

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.