Padres Down on the Farm: July 26 (Salas & Zavala carry LE to win/SA scores 9 in shutout/Gamel leads EP to walk-off victory)
Credit: MiLB
Here is a recap of the day’s events.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Defeated Round Rock Express 7-6) (41-57 on the season)
Ryan Weathers: 5 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 7 K (100 pitches, 66 strikes)
Ben Gamel: (3-for-4), 3 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, SB
Jantzen Witte: (1-for-4), 2 R, 2B, BB
Brandon Dixon: (3-for-5), RBI, SB
Ryan Weathers got the first two outs on Wednesday, but a single from Elier Hernandez and a double from Blaine Crim quickly put El Paso behind. an RBI single from Jordan Procyshen in the second inning made it 2-0. The deficit didn’t last long, however; Ben Gamel went the other way with a two-run home run to tie the game. Hernandez put Round Rock ahead 4-2 with his 16th home run of the year.
El Paso retook the lead in the third with three runs, including a two-run double via Ray-Patrick Didder. Hernandez tied the game in the fourth with an RBI single to center. Crim followed with an RBI single of his own. Hernandez was thrown out at home, though, ending the rally. Brandon Dixon singled in Brandon Dixon in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at six runs apiece.
Weathers was able to hold the Express scoreless in the fifth finally. The lefty struck out seven in five frames on 100 pitches. The Chihuahuas bullpen consisting of Aaron Brooks, Nick Hernandez, Jared Koenig, and Ray Kerr, combined for eight punchouts in four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. With two outs in the bottom of the night, the game seemed to be heading to extra innings when Gamel lifted a 1-1 pitch over the center-field wall to walk it off. El Paso also stole five bases on the evening.
Ben Gamel had 3 hits tonight, and saved the best for last!@MiLB x #FearTheEars pic.twitter.com/UWhwPsf7VX
— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) July 27, 2023
San Antonio Missions (Defeated Corpus Christi Hooks 9-0) (46-46 on the season)
Gabe Mosser: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, K (59 pitches, 39 strikes)
Juan Fernandez: (1-for-2), 3 R, 2B, 3 BB
Marcos Castanon: (2-for-5), 2 R, 3B, 2 RBI
Daniel Johnson: (2-for-5), R, 3B, RBI
Korry Howell: (1-for-4), 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, HBP
Gabe Mosser took the bump on Wednesday for the Missions. The right-hander drew a first-pitch ground out. After walking one, he was able to induce a double play. With one on and two out in the bottom half, Daniel Johnson tripled to center, scoring Juan Fernandez. Marcos Castanon followed with a single to right field, scoring Johnson. Later in the inning, Korry Howell doubled in a pair of runs before scoring on another double, this time from Justin Farmer. Michael De La Cruz made it 6-0 with a sac fly in the second inning.
Jose Espada with San Antonio
🛎️ 58.1 IP (24 GP)
🛎️ 2.62 ERA
🛎️ .210 opp BA
🛎️ 4 HR allowed
🛎️ 79:29 K/BB#PadresOnDeck pic.twitter.com/5sAMoEWh6l— Al Scott (@AlScott1998) July 27, 2023
Mosser pitched four scoreless frames before turning it over to long-reliever Jose Espada and the rest of the bullpen. Espada threw 2.2 shutout innings in the victory, lowering his ERA to 2.62 on the season. Jairo Iriarte also pitched in relief, striking out one in a scoreless inning. The Missions offense added on three runs in the sixth inning, including an RBI triple from Castanon.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Suspended vs. West Michigan Whitecaps) (47-44 on the season)
Miguel Cienfuegos: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K (27 pitches, 19 strikes)
Nathan Martorella: (1-for-1), 2B
Nerwilian Cedeno: (1-for-1), R
Wednesday’s game in West Michigan was suspended due to rain following the second inning. It will resume on Thursday at 2:35 pm PST. Game 2 will follow afterward.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Defeated Stockton Ports 8-6) (45-44 on the season)
Jagger Haynes: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K (25 pitches, 14 strikes)
Samuel Zavala: (3-for-5), 3 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB
Ethan Salas: (4-for-6), 2 R, HR, RBI
Jay Beshears: (2-for-4), R, HBP
Jagger Haynes struck out two in the first inning on Wednesday. The 2020 fifth-rounder was pulled after 1.2 scoreless innings after hitting his pitch count. The bullpen held it down until the fifth inning before Brayan Buelvas singled in a run to left field. Samuel Zavala (Padres #5 prospect) and Ethan Salas (#2 prospect) singled to lead off the sixth. 2023 draftee Jay Beshears got hit to load the bases. Griffin Doersching poked a ball up the middle to score two runs and take the lead.
Buelvas tied the game at 2-2 with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. Later in the inning, Henry Bolte made it 4-2 with a two-run blast. Lake Elsinore stormed back in the in the eighth with a pair of runs, including a solo home run from Salas. Zavala tied the game in the ninth with a two-run home run of his own to send it to extras.
Single-A Lake Elsinore has scored 183 runs in the second half, the most of any Minors club.
At the center of that offensive Storm? 17-year-old #Padres prospect Ethan Salas, who delivered another career first in an extra-inning win: https://t.co/u1zPXl5jrM pic.twitter.com/WleSxgFrF0
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 27, 2023
Both Stockton and Lake Elsinore were unable to score in the tenth inning. With one out in the eleventh, Zavala came through again with an RBI single, deflected off the first baseman’s glove. Back-to-back singles from Salas and Charlis Aquino extended the lead to 8-6. Cole Paplham picked up the save with big help from his defense and a huge double play to open the frame—Zavala, Salas, and Beshears combined to hit 9-for-15.
DSL Padres Brown (Off today) (12-24 on the season)
Play on Thursday vs. DSL Arizona Black at 8:00 am PST.
DSL Padres Gold (Off today) (22-14 on the season)
Play doubleheader on Thursday vs DSL Blue Jays at 7:00 am PST.
ACL Padres (Off today) (21-15 on the season)
Play on Thursday vs. ACL White Sox at 6:00 pm PST.
Thursday’s Probables:
El Paso: Anderson Espinoza (4-4, 6.10 ERA, 71 K)
San Antonio: Bobby Milacki (0-1, 4.50, 22 K)
Fort Wayne: Henry Henry (2-1, 4.85 ERA, 10 K)
Lake Elsinore: TBD
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.