Padres Down on the Farm: August 5 (Minaya & Polanco strong in DSL)
Credit: Padres DSL
San Diego Padres farm affiliates went 2-0 on Monday.
Here is a recap of the day’s events.
El Paso Chihuahuas – Off Day
San Antonio Missions – Off Day
Fort Wayne TinCaps – Off Day
Lake Elsinore Storm – Off Day
ACL Padres – No Game
DSL Padres Gold (Won 2-0 vs DSL CLE Mendoza) (20-24 on the season)
Kevin Hacen – 2 for 4
Jason Hernandez – 1 for 5, RBI
Dariel Polanco – 7 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
The formula for a close win is a strong start and timely hitting, and the DSL Padres Gold followed that formula to a tee. Dariel Polanco made his best start of the season, throwing seven shutout frames with three strikeouts. The 18-year-old allowed six hits but recorded nine ground ball outs and a double play to cruise through seven shutout innings.
Kevin Hacen recorded two hits, and Jason Hernandez drove in the go-ahead run on an RBI groundout. Estiven Giron scored the team’s second run on a throwing error on a ball hit by Hacen, providing the Padres with some much-needed insurance. The team only walked three times, but their pitching stepped up, with right-hander Darlin Mendez stranding two baserunners in the ninth to secure a 2-0 win.
DSL Padres Brown (Won 5-1 vs DSL Arizona Red) (12-32 on the season)
Joan Sierra – 2 for 2, RBI, Three Walks
Dayquer Alfonzo – 1 for 4, Sac Fly
Johan Minaya – 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Starter Johan Minaya tossed a gem for the Padres Brown, tossing six shutout innings with three strikeouts. Minaya kept the baseball on the ground, recording seven outs via ground balls. It was Minaya’s second consecutive scoreless start, a scoreless streak that spans twelve innings.
The offense capitalized on ten walks handed out by Arizona Red pitchers; scoring runs on three wild pitches. Joan Sierra drove in a run on a bases-loaded walk and designated hitter Dayquer Alfonzo drove in a run on a sac fly. The team posted a 1 for 14 figure with runners in scoring position but was able to push across five runs with good base running and productive outs. Reliever Jordan Valenzuela escaped a jam in the eighth and closed out the ninth by striking out the side for a 5-1 win.
Tuesday’s Probable Pitchers:
El Paso – TBD
San Antonio – TBD
Fort Wayne – TBD
Lake Elsinore – TBD
ACL – No Game
DSL Gold – TBD
DSL Brown – TBD
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.