Padres Down on the Farm: July 23 (Verdugo leads LE to series win/Rascon solid for FW/EP runs wild on the bases)
Here is a recap of the day’s events.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost to Oklahoma City Dodgers 5-3) (39-57 on the season)
Matt Waldron: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 2 K (46 pitches, 28 pitches)
Nolan Watson: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (60 pitches, 37 strikes)
Brett Sullivan: (2-for-5), 2B, 2 RBI
Jose Azocar: (1-for-3), R, BB, 2 SB
Oklahoma City matched its Saturday run total in the first inning on Saturday, thanks to a two-run home run from Michael Busch. Luis Liberato tripled in the third inning; he scored two batters later on a double from Brett Sullivan. Busch homered again in the third inning, again of the two-run variety. The blast ended Matt Waldron’s night.
Jose Azocar singled in the fourth inning and advanced to second on an error from Busch. Oscar Mercado rolled over to short but reached, thanks to another error from the Dodgers. Mercado took off for second, allowing Azocar to run home in a successful double-steal. The following inning, Sullivan singled in another run making it 4-3. The Dodgers added on an insurance run in the eighth. El Paso was limited to just five hits. The Chihuahuas did steal five bases, adding up to 22 in the series.
San Antonio Missions (Lost to Frisco Roughriders 4-2) (45-45 on the season)
Ryan Bergert: 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 3 K (65 pitches, 40 strikes)
Daniel Johnson: (3-for-4), R, 3B, RBI, SB
Marcos Castanon: (1-for-2), 2 BB
Frisco and San Antonio wrapped up their six-game series on Sunday evening in Texas. After a leadoff single from Daniel Johnson, Marcos Castanon followed with a walk. Michael De La Cruz singled to right field, scoring Johnson to get on the scoreboard. In the third inning, Ripken Reyes and Jackson Merrill ripped off back-to-back singles but were both left stranded.
In the bottom half of the inning, Frisco scored twice, thanks to a catcher’s interference and two singles. Bergert went four innings in his second start since being promoted to Double-A. The former West Virginia product struck out two and allowed two unearned runs.
San Antonio tied the game in the sixth inning with an RBI triple from Daniel Johnson. Frisco retook the lead in the bottom half, however, on an RBI single from Liam Hicks. Hicks scored in the eighth inning on an RBI single from Kellen Strahm to make it 4-2. With two outs in the ninth, Reyes laid down a bunt down the third base line. The shortstop advanced all the way to third on a pair of defensive indifferences. A flyout ended the night, however.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost to Lake County Captains 2-1) (46-44 on the season)
Bodi Rascon: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 6 K (91 pitches, 60 strikes)
Nathan Martorella: (1-for-3), R, BB
Lucas Dunn: (0-for-1), RBI, BB, HBP
A back-and-forth pitcher’s duel, Bodi Rascon struck out six while mowing down the Captains lineup. Lake County finally got to the Fort Wayne left in the fifth inning. A two-out walk to Joe Donavan extended the frame for Jake Fox to double to center field. Donovan came all the way around from first the Captains the lead. Lake County scored again in the seventh on a wild pitch from TinCaps reliever Jose Geraldo.
Despite a bullpen game, the TinCaps didn’t record a hit until the seventh inning. Nathan Martorella pulled a ball into shallow right field. A walk two batters later in the inning put a runner in scoring position, but Fort Wayne was unable to capitalize. Martorella got on again in the ninth via a one-out walk. Graham Pauley followed with a single to right field. Lucas Dunn flied out to right field, allowing Martorella to score. A strikeout ended the comeback attempt there.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Defeated Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 9-8) (43-44 on the season)
Miguel Mendez: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 6 K (73 pitches, 45 strikes)
Rosman Verdugo: (2-for-3), 3 R, 3B, 2 RBI, BB, SB
Victor Duarte: (1-for-2), 2 R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, SB
Nick Vogt: (1-for-5), RBI, SB
After getting outscored 40-11 in the previous three games, Rancho Cucamonga wasted no time scoring on early Sunday afternoon. After a leadoff single from Jose Izarra. Two batters later, Thayron Liranzo doubled down the right-field line, scoring Izarra. Nick Vogt tied the game in the bottom of the third with a ground ball through the left side, scoring Victor Duarte.
Nick Vogt sends one through the 5.5 hole and ties the score at one!#StormTheLake pic.twitter.com/YjO1Ja3CsN
— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) July 23, 2023
Storm starter Miguel Mendez had mixed results on the day. The right-hander walked one and struck out a batter before being pulled in the fourth inning at 73 pitches. The Quakes scored three in the inning, taking a 4-1 lead.
Lake Elsinore loaded the bases in the fifth inning. A pair of RBI groundouts cut the lead to 4-3. The Quakes doubled its lead with a two-run double from Simon Reid in the sixth inning. Fast forward to the eighth inning, the Storm scored four runs, including a two-run triple off the center field wall from Rosman Verdugo. Lake Elsinore outscored the Quakes 60-34 in the series, taking four games.
As easy as 3, 2, 1
Rosman Verdugo triples in two runs to cut the Quakes' lead to one!! pic.twitter.com/kZWKY93TCX
— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) July 23, 2023
DSL Padres Brown (Off today) (12-22 on the season)
Play DSL Padres Gold at 8:00 am PST.
DSL Padres Gold (Off today) (21-13 on the season)
Play DSL Padres Brown at 8:00 am PST.
ACL Padres (Off today) (19-15 on the season)
Play ACL Mariners at 6:00 pm PST.
Monday’s Probables:
El Paso: OFF
San Antonio: OFF
Fort Wayne: OFF
Lake Elsinore: OFF
DSL Brown: TBD
DSL Gold: TBD
ACL Padres: TBD
Al was born in Fresno, California with a passion for talking and writing about sports. The lifelong Padres fan is currently attending Fresno State as he pursues a degree in broadcast journalism. In addition to being a student, he does public address announcing at both the high school and collegiate levels.