Padres Down on the Farm: July 24 (Campusano homers for EP/Martinez and Hernandez pitch well for SA/Valenzuela 2 hits for LE)
Credit: 210 Gameday
San Diego Padres affiliates went 3-5 on Saturday, as the El Paso Chihuahuas and San Antonio Missions both played doubleheaders.
Here is a recap of the day’s events.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 10-6 to Albuquerque) (Won 3-2 vs. Albuquerque) (28-39 on the season)
Game One:
Jerry Keel: 4 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 2 BB, 4 K (89 pitches, 55 strikes)
Tucupita Marcano: (1-for-2), RBI, BB, SB, K
Luis Campusano: (1-for-4), 3B, R, K
Matt Batten: (1-for-3), 2 RBIs, R, 2B, SB, K
El Paso’s pitching let them down in the first game of the doubleheader. As three batters into the game, Albuquerque took a three-run lead. However, El Paso’s offense exploded in the second inning, scoring five runs, mainly thanks to the fact the first five batters of the inning all reached base. The long ball burned Chihuahua’s starter, Jerry Keel, as four home runs were hit off the southpaw. Keel appeared to have settled into a rhythm after his bumpy start, allowing just one run in his next three innings, but he allowed a leadoff home run in the fifth before back-to-back walks ended his day.
It wasn’t a clean game for El Paso, as they committed three errors, but there was only one unearned run for the Isotopes. Matt Strahm made his first rehab appearance, but it didn’t go to plan for the right-hander, allowing a run. El Paso only picked up six hits, but four of them were extra-base hits.
Game Two:
Aaron Leasher: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K (63 pitches, 42 walks)
Nick Tanielu: (2-for-3), 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Luis Campusano: (1-for-3), HR, R, RBI, K
Taylor Kohlwey: (2-for-2), BB
El Paso managed to salvage the second game of the doubleheader, mainly thanks to Nick Tanielu, who homered twice, once to tie the game and then another to take the lead. The other Chihuahua run came from top catching prospect Luis Campusano, who homered to lead off the second inning. There were just three at-bats where El Paso had runners in scoring position, none of which ended in hits, but the three solo shots were enough for El Paso.
Merry Christmas in July to all and to all a good night! #FearTheEars
Nick Tanielu puts the bow on the game in the Bottom of the 6th pic.twitter.com/5OQpVlEEV2
— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) July 25, 2021
Starting pitcher Aaron Leasher scrapped his way through three and two-thirds innings, scattering seven hits over his time on the mound. In the third inning, the bases were loaded with no outs, but thanks to a groundout and two popouts, he allowed just one run in the frame. Leasher didn’t have his best stuff, but he kept El Paso in the game, and the bullpen shut down the Isotopes. The bullpen allowed only one hit over the next three and a third innings, which was enough to give the Chihuahuas a win.
San Antonio Missions (Won 2-0 vs. Springfield) (Won 2-0 vs. Springfield) (35-35 on the season)
Game One:
Adrian Martinez: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K (85 pitches, 54 strikes)
Eguy Rosario: (1-for-3), HR, RBI, R
Kyle Overstreet: (1-for 3), RBI, K
Jack Suwinski: (1-for-2), R, HBP, K
The Missions pitching staff was excellent throughout the entire day, extending their scoreless streak to 23 innings. Adrian Martinez and Jose Quezada scattered three hits, all of which were singles, across the first seven innings of the doubleheader. The only time the Cardinals had anything brewing was in the third inning when a walk and a single gave them the opportunity to level the game, but a strikeout and a groundout ended the danger. Cardinals manager Jose Leger was ejected from the game before the fourth inning, but he resumed his post for the second game.
Eguy Rosario started the game off with a bang, hammering a home run to left-center field to give the Missions an early lead. Later in the frame, Kyle Overstreet singled home Jack Suwinski on a ground ball that second baseman Nick Dunn made contact with. All four of the Missions’ hits came in the first inning, but thanks to the pitching staff’s excellence, two runs held up.
Game Two:
Osvaldo Hernandez: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K (89 pitches, 61 strikes)
Jack Suwinski: (2-for-2), HR, RBI, 2 R, BB
Allen Córdoba: (1-for-2), 2B, RBI, K
Pedro Avila: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R (11 pitches, 7 strikes)
The Missions pitching excellence continued in the second game, scattering three hits and just one walk across the seven innings. Osvaldo Hernandez showed great command, striking out five Cardinals, and walking just a single batter. There were just five at-bats with a Springfield runner in scoring position, none of which were hits. Jack Suwinski scored both of San Antonio’s runs, one of which came on a line drive second-inning home run. The Missions gave away opportunities to add on, as Ben Ruta, José Azocar, and Jack Suwinski were all picked off on the base paths. They did manage to take advantage of the opportunities they didn’t throw away, leaving just three runners.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 4-3 to Dayton) (33-38 on the season)
Erik Sabrowski: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K (75 pitches, 47 strikes)
Luis Almanzar: (1-for-3), 2B, R, BB, 2 K
Agustin Ruiz: (1-for-4), 2B, RBI, BB, 2 K
Reinaldo Ilazarra: (1-for-2), 2B, 2 BB, K
Fort Wayne struggled at the plate, striking out 16 times, and went one for thirteen with runners in scoring position, costing them a win against Dayton. The TinCaps picked up just four hits throughout the game, so they were relatively fortunate to pick up three runs in the game. It was a frustrating game for Fort Wayne, as due to eight walks, they had runners in scoring position all night long but just couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity.
Starting pitcher Erik Sabrowski pitched very well, but he did benefit from a successful relay play gunning down Francisco Urbaez at the plate to limit Dayton to just one run while he pitched. The game fell apart in the seventh, as Dayton scored three runs off reliever Felix Minjarez, who gave up four hits and a walk in the frame. Thanks to an RBI groundout and a wild pitch, Fort Wayne got within a run but was unable to draw level.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost 9-4 to Inland Empire) (32-39 on the season)
Nick Thwaits: 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, BB, 5 K (66 pitches, 45 strikes)
Angel Solarte: (2-for-4), 2B, R
Brandon Valenzuela: (2-for-4), R
Sean Guilbe: (1-for-4), 2 RBI, R
A five-run seventh inning doomed the Storm, as their offense was unable to keep up with Inland Empire on Saturday night. Nick Thwaits went into the fifth inning, having allowed just a single run, but a leadoff home run, followed by a single and a walk, ended his night. Eight Storm players came to the plate in the sixth inning, and the Storm scored four runs, putting them into the lead. A throwing error by 66ers’ first baseman Spencer Brown turned a possible inning-ending double play into a first and second situation for Lake Elsinore. They didn’t need a second invitation.
However, the game fell apart for the Storm in the seventh inning, where Gabe Morales gave up five runs to swing Inland Empire back into the lead. The Storm’s offense didn’t have any answers late, stranding a runner in each of the final two innings.
DSL Padres (Lost 7-4 to DSL Blue Jays) (8-2 on the season)
Brayan Medina: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
Victor Acosta: (2-for-4), 2B, RBI, K, CS
Jose Sanabria: (2-for-4), RBI, R, K
Eddy Beltre: (2-for-4), 2 RBI, SB, K
The Padres were stung by errors in the fourth and fifth innings, as the Blue Jays scored six runs in those two innings, four of which were unearned. Brayan Medina started for the Padres, and he didn’t allow a hit in his three innings of work. Most of the damage occurred while Henry Baez pitched, but as mentioned, he wasn’t to blame. Jonney Rosario pitched the final four innings of the game, allowing only one run, and striking out four batters in the process. The Padres jumped out to a two-run lead in the second, with Eddy Beltre singling home Carlos Rodriguez and Jose Cordero, but the lead didn’t last. The Padres were stung by the Blue Jays’ ability to pick up hits with runners in scoring position, as they went five for seven in those situations. The Padres offense didn’t have enough firepower to answer back, and they dropped their first game since July 12.
ACL Padres (Lost 5-2 to ACL Mariners) (5-12 on the season)
Joshua Paulina: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Justin Lange: 3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 5 K
Edwin Rojas: (1-for-2), RBI, 2 BB, K
Anthony Nunez: (1-for-3), R, BB, K
The Padres picked up just two hits in the game against the Mariners, and after falling four runs behind in the second inning, they never got back into the game. Justin Lange started the game for the Padres, and he let eight batters come to the plate, four of which scored in the second. Joshua Paulina was the only bright spot for the Padres, allowing his only run in his final inning of work, an inside-the-park home run for AJ Bumpass. Edwin Rojas and Pierce Jones drove in the runs for the Padres, but they had just five at-bats with runners in scoring position, and it’s always tough to win when just two hits fall in.
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Sunday’s Probables
El Paso: TBD
San Antonio: Ethan Elliot (0-0, 3.12 ERA)
Fort Wayne: Carlos Guarate (0-1, 3.60 ERA)
Lake Elsinore: TBD
DSL Padres: Off Day
ACL Padres: Off Day
Sam is a Senior in High School. He has been writing for three years, and started at EVT in June of 2021. He’s headed to Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Communications in the fall of 2023.