Padres affiliates went 4-4 on Saturday. 

Here is a recap of the games played. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Won 12-3 vs Albuquerque) (46-40 on the season)

Rodolfo Duran – 2-for-5. Home Run, Three RBI

Clay Dungan – 2-for-4, Double, Triple, Two RBI

Omar Cruz – 4.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K (79 pitches – 51 strikes)

Left-hander Omar Cruz delivered yet another solid start for the Chihuahuas, firing 4.1 innings of one-run baseball. Leaning heavily on his fastball and changeup was a successful strategy for Cruz, as he got 16 whiffs on 39 swings, which adds up to a season-high 41% whiff rate. With all those whiffs, Cruz was able to strike out seven batters. Cruz has been an integral part of the El Paso rotation and could be back on the MLB team soon. Raul Brito earned the win with two scoreless innings, and Jose Espada delivered two innings of two-run baseball, striking out three. Jason Blanchard recorded the final two outs, striking out one. 

The Chihuahuas’ offense continues to have plenty of bite, as the team scored a dozen runs. Rodolfo Duran continues to make the most of his playing time, as the Chihuahuas catcher went 2-for-5 with a home run, driving in three runs in the game. Clay Dungan’s recent hot hitting remained, as the former Royals draftee had a double and triple in the game, netting him two RBI. The team scored nine runs in the eighth inning to put the game away; Yonathan Perlaza, Tim Locastro, and Forrest Wall all had RBIs in the frame. 

San Antonio Missions (Lost 8-2 vs Corpus Christi) (43-37 on the season)

Ripken Reyes – 1-for-3, Home Run

Nerwilian Cedeno – 1-for-3, Home Run

Braden Nett – 1.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K (48 pitches – 27 strikes)

The Missions offense only tallied a pair of solo homers against the Corpus Christi pitching staff, falling by an 8-2 final. Ripken Reyes hit his second homer of the season in the game, accounting for one of three hits for San Antonio. Nerwilian Cedeno hit his second home run with the Missions in the seventh inning, and Moises Gomez had the team’s only other hit, a single. Francisco Acuna made his return to the lineup after missing four games due to a back injury and went 0-for-4 as the DH. 

Braden Nett did not escape the second inning, laboring through a 33-pitch second frame in which he recorded only one out. While the ball-strike ratio wasn’t ideal (27 strikes – 21 balls), Hooks’ batters were not biting on stuff outside the zone. A bases-clearing double by Ryan Wrobleski scored three runs off Nett, and a single by John Garcia scored the fourth and final run off the Missions’ starter. J.B. Wendelken worked 1.2 innings of two-run baseball and has struggled to an 11.12 ERA with the Missions in 5.2 innings. Jared Kollar, whose appearance on July 3 was one out due to the rain postponement, worked two innings on one day’s rest, throwing 20 of 28 pitches for strikes. Andrew Moore allowed one run in 1.1 innings of relief towards the end of the game. 

Zach Cole is him.

7 home runs in 6 games. Zach Cole is on fire! pic.twitter.com/ADJ0k1fWPA

— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) July 6, 2025

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 5-1 vs Lansing) (40-39 on the season)

Brandon Butterworth – 2-for-4, Home Run

Kai Roberts – 1-for-4, Single

Eric Yost – 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 3 K (81 pitches – 49 strikes)

Fort Wayne got one run of offense all game, and the dependable Eric Yost allowed three runs in five innings of work as the TinCaps fell 5-1. Yost threw five innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Yost struck out three batters and walked two, while also getting 33% of outs recorded via the groundball. The right-hander posted a 52.2% ground ball rate this season entering his start on Saturday, and he continues to get weak contact to supplement his already impressive sweeper. Nick Wissman’s month-long scoreless streak came to an end, as the Lugnuts got two runs off the sidearming right-hander in two innings of work. Luis German struck out one in a scoreless eighth inning of relief. 

Offensively, the TinCaps were held to only four hits all game. Brandon Butterworth accounted for half of them, as the former 420th overall pick hit his seventh homer of the season. Ryan Jackson and Kai Roberts both hit singles of their own, each finishing 1-for-4. Rosman Verdugo was one of three ‘Caps to draw a walk, and continues to reach base (yes, he did it again). Jack Costello and Oswaldo Linares each drew a walk as well, but the ‘Caps finished 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Leo De Vries did not play in the game due to a scheduled rest day, with Jackson taking over at shortstop. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost 4-3 vs Inland Empire) (36-44 on the season)

Victor Figueroa – 3-for-4, RBI Double

Kavares Tears – 1-for-3, RBI Double, Walk

Tanner Musgrove – 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K (36 pitches – 27 strikes)

Get ready to learn, Tanner Musgrove! The right-handed Musgrove started for the Storm on the road and was simply dominant in his three innings of work. Musgrove threw three frames and allowed only one hit (a solo homer in the second). The right-hander was aggressive in the zone, with 75% of his pitches going for strikes. Furthermore, he got whiffs on a staggering 50% of swings against him, and the whiffs were clearly on display, as he struck out five batters. Carson Swilling fired off two scoreless innings and has now struck out 30.1% of batters against him while walking only 4.7% in his time with the Storm. Vicarte Domingo took the loss in the game, allowing two runs on three hits in an inning of relief. Domingo picked up a strikeout in the inning and is coming off a strong June, where he posted a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings of relief.

Offensively, the big bats of Victor Figueroa and Kavares Tears did lots of heavy lifting. Figueroa had three hits in the game, including an RBI double. Despite a low .259 BABIP with the Storm, if Figueroa can keep hitting with authority as he did in June (.928 OPS, 14-to-14 K-to-BB ratio), he could be one of the system’s faster risers. Kavares Tears hit an RBI double in the game, finishing 1-for-3. Tears has hit in his last two games after an ice-cold June (.155 BA, .530 OPS), and when the power is there, he has the potential to go on a tear. Yendry Rojas and Zach Evans each finished 1-for-4, with Evans scoring a run in the game. 

ACL Padres (Lost 2-1 vs ACL Giants) (10-36 on the season)

Luis De Leon – 1-for-4, RBI Single

Gustavo Marquez – 3-for-3, Double, Run Scored

Erick Batista – 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K 

Outfielder Gustavo Marquez had one of the best games of his season, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 and scoring the Padres’ lone run in the sixth inning. Marquez was also stellar defensively, recording two outfield assists in the game. Luis De Leon had the team’s only RBI hit with an RBI single in the sixth to score Marquez. Kale Fountain finished 1-for-3 with a single and a walk, but struck out two times. Interestingly, the Padres were left DH-less when catcher Jack Mathey was pulled from the game, prompting the team to move DH Yoiber Ocopio behind the plate. This resulted in pitcher Manuel Davila having to take an at-bat; he struck out. 

1st career at bat for Manuel Davila (58) RHP ACL Padres IFA 2024 MEX @DiablosRojosMX #padres #friarfaithful #forthefaithful #sandiegopadres #sdpadres #letsgopadres #MiLBPadres #lospadres@Friarsonthefarm @EVT_News@Padres_Farm @PadresProspects#ACL #ArizonaComplexLeague pic.twitter.com/4ip1utTjPl

— Phrake Photography (@phrakephoto) July 6, 2025

Erick Batista started for the Padres and threw two scoreless innings. Batista’s command was somewhat off, as he walked three batters, but he also struck out three batters in the process. The aforementioned Manuel Davila threw two innings of relief, inducing a double play and getting three ground balls that resulted in outs. Langston Burkett threw a scoreless inning in relief, and right-hander Rordy Mejia made his ACL debut in relief. Mejia was aided by one of Marquez’s outfield assists to cut down Austin Barnes at home plate for an inning-ending double play in the sixth, but the seventh was a different story. With runners on second and third with one out, Mejia allowed a two-RBI single to give the Giants a 2-1 lead, but did not allow any further damage. Roberto Burgos threw a scoreless eighth with a strikeout. 

Rordy Mejia (49) RHP ACL Padres IFA 2023 DR #padres #friarfaithful #forthefaithful #sandiegopadres #sdpadres #letsgopadres #MiLBPadres #lospadres@Friarsonthefarm @EVT_News@Padres_Farm @PadresProspects#ACL #ArizonaComplexLeague pic.twitter.com/q4xH9iHbyR

— Phrake Photography (@phrakephoto) July 6, 2025

DSL Padres Gold – Swept Doubleheader vs DSL CLE Mendoza

Padres Gold won 3-0 in Game 1

Deivid Coronil – 1-for-3, Double, Run Scored

Eduarlin Tejeda – 1-for-3, RBI Single

Miguel Alvarez – 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Yet another quality start by a Padres DSL prospect! Miguel Alvarez threw six shutout innings for the Padres Gold in Game 1, striking out three batters. Alvarez got a blend of flyouts and groundouts, but succeeded at limiting opposing baserunners. Jose Blanco pitched a scoreless seventh to secure the save. The lineup got to Cleveland starter Victor De Jesus early, as two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases with no outs. Moises Valdez scored on a wild pitch before Eduarlin Tejeda’s single scored the Padres Gold’s second run. The sixth inning saw Deivid Coronil double and score when Kevin Tamburini reached base on an error. Alexander Garcia and Fabian Alcantara finished 1-for-3 in the win, and Moises Valdez finished with two hits. 

Padres Gold won 1-0 in Game 2

Jose Verdugo – 1-for-2, Single, Sac Fly

Kevin Tamburini – 1-for-3, Single

Jeronimo Palmeros – 4 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K

Jeronimo Palmeros threw four shutout innings as the Padres Gold rode Jose Verdugo’s sixth-inning sac fly to victory. Palmeros struck out five batters in four innings of work, pitching his first scoreless start of the season. Jose Montijo earned the win with two scoreless relief innings, and Jeferson Villabona picked up his fifth save of the season with a scoreless seventh inning. In the lineup, Kevin Tamburini and Jose Verdugo had the only two hits in the game for the Padres Gold. Verdugo’s biggest contribution would not be a base hit, as in the sixth inning, Eduarlin Tejeda walked and reached third base on a bunt plus an error. With one out and Tejeda on third, Verdugo lifted a sac fly to left field, scoring Tejeda and giving the Padres Gold a 1-0 lead that would not be relinquished. 

DSL Padres Brown (Won 6-4 in 8 innings vs DSL Orioles Black) (14-10 on the season)

Tom Guerrero – 2-for-4, Two-RBI Double

Abraham Bastidas – 1-for-4, Two-RBI Single

Josias Figuereo – 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K

Josias Figuereo made an impressive start for the Padres Gold, tossing five innings of two-run baseball with five strikeouts. The right-hander has emerged out of nowhere to be one of the team’s most impressive arms so far in the season, as he has a 2.35 ERA in his first five professional starts. Daniel Burciaga picked up the decision in relief, allowing one earned run in two innings of relief and striking out four. Tom Guerrero and Abraham Bastidas each had two RBIs in the game. Guerrero hit a two-RBI double in the eighth inning, and Bastidas hit a two-RBI single in the same frame, as the two put the DSL Padres Brown up 6-2. Andres Garza drove in the Padres’ first run of the game with an RBI single, and Darian Castillo drove in another run with an RBI double.

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.