Padres affiliates secured a 3-3 split in a six-game slate on Thursday.

Let’s waste no more time and jump right into the games played. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 6-4 vs Reno) (44-66 on the season)

Nick Pratto – 1-for-4, Home Run, Two RBI

Carlos D. Rodriguez – 1-for-4, Triple, RBI

Andrew Thurman – 4 IP, 5 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 1 K (68 pitches – 39 strikes)

Right-hander Andrew Thurman made his career Triple-A start in the Chihuahuas’ 6-4 loss. The veteran right-hander pitched four innings, allowing five runs (four earned), throwing 68 pitches. Thurman picked up five outs on the ground, striking out just one batter. For the right-hander who spent last season in the independent leagues, this game marked a big milestone. Ethan Routzahn allowed one run on three hits in the fifth inning; the side-arming right-hander has allowed 12 runs in his last seven innings over five appearances. Daison Acosta walked three but stranded all three baserunners, striking out two. Hunter Stratton made his Padres organization debut, striking out one in a scoreless frame. Alek Jacob threw a scoreless eighth inning in the loss. 

Nick Pratto was responsible for two of the team’s four runs, as El Paso’s first baseman launched a two-run home run off left-hander Tommy Henry. Will Wagner drove in the team’s first run on a double play in the second inning. Carlos D. Rodriguez went 1-for-4 with an RBI triple in the fifth inning, bringing El Paso within one run. Mason McCoy drew two walks, scoring one run. Nick Solak and Rodolfo Duran each hit a double, with Duran coming in to score a run. 

San Antonio Missions (Lost 9-2 vs Springfield) (46-59 on the season)

Jack Costello – 2-for-4, Double, Single

Ryan Jackson – 1-for-3, Single, Walk

Fernando Sanchez – 1.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R (5 ER), 3 BB, 3 K (53 pitches – 29 strikes)

Left-hander Fernando Sanchez made his first start since June 6, coming off the 60-day injured list to start for the Missions. The southpaw threw 1.2 innings, allowing six runs on four hits. Sanchez allowed a home run in the game, with two bequeathed runners scoring against Francis Pena. Pena fired 2.1 innings, not allowing any runs of his own. The right-hander struck out three batters while not issuing a walk. Harry Gustin collected three strikeouts in two scoreless innings. Clay Edmondson allowed one run in 1.2 innings, striking out two and walking two. Sadrac Franco allowed two runs in 1.1 innings. The Missions’ lineup was held to four hits in the game, scoring both their runs against top Cardinals pitching prospect Liam Doyle. Jack Costello hit a double in his first plate appearance as a Mission, and later drove in the team’s first run on a double play. Jake Cunningham singled before a Braedon Karpathios walk put two on with no outs in the fourth. A single by Ryan Jackson loaded the bases before Jack Costello hit into a double play, scoring Cunningham. Karpathios then scored on a passed ball, and his run ultimately became San Antonio’s last of the game. 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won 3-0 vs West Michigan) (46-57 on the season)

Lamar King Jr – 1-for-3, Two-Run Home Run

Kerrington Cross – 1-for-3, Solo Home Run

Carson Montgomery – 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K (64 pitches – 35 strikes)

The 19th one-hitter in TinCaps history, a one-hour and fifty-minute contest, and a TinCaps win. Carson Montgomery threw six innings for the first time this season, striking out three batters. The right-hander picked up nine of his outs via the ground ball. It was Montgomery’s first career quality start, and after pitching to an ERA of 8.66 in July, the right-hander’s outing on Thursday appeared to be step one to ending the season on a high note. Carlos Medina pitched the final three innings, striking out six of nine batters faced. Medina picked up nine strikes on swings and misses, striking out the side in the ninth. The TinCaps’ pitching staff did the heavy lifting, but two home runs provided all the offense needed for the win. Lamar King Jr broke up the shutout by Whitecaps starter Lucas Elissalt with a two-run home run. Kerrington Cross chipped in with his fourth home run as a TinCap in the seventh inning. While Bradley Frye went 0-for-3 with a walk, he provided plenty of help defensively, with his barehand play in the third inning making the night’s SportsCenter Top 10 plays. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 5-2 vs Ontario) (55-50 on the season)

Nu’u Contrades – 1-for-3, Solo Home Run

Alex Conover – 1-for-3, Home Run, Two RBI

Lan-Hong Su – 3 IP, 5 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 4 K (52 pitches – 31 strikes)

To beat one of the best slugging teams in the California League, the Storm hit them with their own medicine, outslugging the Tower Buzzers en route to a 5-2 win. The Storm launched two home runs, and their new faces all played pivotal roles in the win. Nu’u Contrades launched his first professional home run in just his second game with the Storm. Contrades’ homer was one of two for new Storm hitters. Alex Conover hit a game-tying blast in the sixth inning, taking a left-on-left 87 mph sinker to left field for a solo home run. Conover was later plunked with the bases loaded, scoring the go-ahead run. Augie Lopez hit a double in the eighth inning for his first career hit. Lopez’s double hit off the right field Ad Monster, scoring two runs. Jesmaylin Arias drew two walks, stealing a base and scoring a run. Jorge Quintana doubled in the game, also walking once. Ty Harvey hit a single in the contest, and the Storm went 3-for-4 on stolen base attempts. 

Starting pitcher Lan-Hong Su pitched three innings of one-run baseball. The right-hander was efficient and effective, as despite allowing five hits, Su allowed just one unearned run. Su also stranded runners on base in every inning he completed. Michael Salina made his Storm debut, tossing a scoreless fourth. Salina returned to the mound for the fifth inning, but was removed during warm-up pitches for what appeared to be concern about an injury. Nothing was announced regarding Salina’s status, but more could be known in the coming days. Yoesmerli Beltre threw a scoreless fifth inning. Zack Qin threw three innings of one-run baseball, and the left-hander struck out five batters. Qin generated five swings and misses, leaning more on his command than overpowering hitters. Jordan Valenzuela picked up his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth. 

DSL Padres Gold (Won 4-3 vs DSL Reds) (34-13 on the season)

Sebastian Nadales – 1-for-3, RBI Single

Yorvin Morla – 2-for-3, Double, Run Scored

Yunny Tovar – 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 2 K

The DSL Padres Gold walked off the DSL Reds on Thursday. Yunny Tovar threw three innings of one-run baseball. The left-hander struck out two while walking four batters. Even with six baserunners in three innings, Tovar was able to allow just one run. Edwyn Hernandez allowed two runs in 1.2 innings, striking out three. Jederson Paez pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, striking out three batters and earning the win. Yorvin Morla had two hits, including a double, and scored one run. Dayquer Alfonzo drove in one run on an RBI groundout. The Padres Gold tied the game in the fourth inning, as Sebastian Pena walked with the bases loaded before Cristian Benavides’ run-scoring double play. The Padres Gold loaded the bases in the seventh, and Sebastian Nadales landed a single to left field to score the game-winning run. 

DSL Padres Brown (Lost 6-0 vs DSL Orioles Orange) (9-36 on the season)

Dawry Guerrero – 0-for-1, Two Walks

Jeanfranco Fernandez – 0-for-2, Walk

Angel Gamarra – 3 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 2 K

The DSL Padres Brown were no-hit by a trio of Orioles Orange pitchers. Dawry Guerrero drew two of four walks issued, with Jeanfranco Fernandez and Gabriel Teran drawing the other two. Angel Gamarra took the loss for the Padres Brown, allowing three runs in three innings. Joiner Mayora threw one scoreless inning, and Heiver Hernandez allowed two runs in 1.1 innings. Deon Tusent recorded two outs, striking out one batter.

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.