Padres minor league affiliates went 3-4 on Friday. 

Here is the daily recap of the games played. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 17-4 vs Reno) (38-35 on the season)

Clay Dungan – 2-for-5, Two Home Runs, Three RBI

Mason McCoy – 2-for-4, Home Run

Matt Waldron – 2.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 2 K (68 pitches – 47 strikes)

A five-run third inning spelled a deficit that the Chihuahuas would be unable to overcome. The team’s offense, without some of its strongest performers this season, was able to score four runs in the game on three home runs. Mason McCoy hit his fifth home run of the season in the first inning. Clay Dungan continues to hit well in June, hitting two home runs and driving in three runs. Dungan has posted a .948 OPS in June, hitting four homers and driving in 15 in 64 at-bats. McCoy and Dungan accounted for four of the Chihuahuas’ six hits; Forrest Wall and Yonathan Perlaza had a double each in the game. 

El Paso starter Matt Waldron allowed five runs in 2.2 innings of work, striking out two batters. Waldron did not rack up his usual swings and misses on the knuckleball, and Reno batters were tee’ing off against him. While Waldron allowed five runs, it was not the roughest outing for an El Paso pitcher. Jason Blanchard allowed two runs in 1.2 innings, while Raul Brito allowed the same amount of runs in 2.2 innings of relief. Francis Pena tossed a scoreless inning with a walk, topping out at 96.7 mph. Alek Jacob allowed five runs without recording an out, and the Chihuahuas were forced to send backup catcher Jack Mathey to the mound, and he allowed three runs while ending the frame. 

San Antonio Missions (Won 2-1 vs Frisco) (38-29 on the season)

Brandon Valenzuela – 1-for-3, Home Run, Two RBI

Kai Murphy – 1-for-3, Single, Run Scored

Henry Baez – 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K (91 pitches – 60 strikes)

If I had a nickel for every time a Missions starting pitcher struck out 10 batters in 5.2 innings this series, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but seeing it happen twice bodes well for the Padres’ pitching development. Right-hander Henry Baez continues to have a breakout first half, as the right-hander allowed only two singles in 5.2 innings. Baez has seen his stuff remain effective late in games, and his velocity reached 97-98 mph in the game. The Padres’ belief in Baez (by adding him to the 40-man roster) is certainly paying off, and if he continues on this trajectory, he could see Major League time this season. Tyson Neighbors struck out the side in an inning of work, hitting 95 mph on his fastball and getting whiffs on four of seven swings against (57.1%). Manuel Castro earned his tenth save of the season, striking out Sebastian Walcott and Abimelec Ortiz in a scoreless ninth. 

Henry Baez

5.2 IP, 0 ER, 10 Ks, 1 BB, 2 H

Keeps getting results season ERA is at 2.06 pic.twitter.com/JbV1dQQsCZ

— Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) June 21, 2025

Brandon Valenzuela continues to be a force in the heart of the Missions’ lineup, as the catcher drove in both Missions runs. Valenzuela launched his tenth home run of the season off Rangers No. 28 prospect David Davalillo. In 58 games this season, Valenzuela has matched his career high from 99 games in 2022 with Fort Wayne, and continues to deliver in consistent playing time. Kai Murphy singled and scored a run in the game, and three other players each recorded a single; Francisco Acuna, Ripken Reyes, and Anthony Vilar all hit singles. Romeo Sanabria drew two walks in the game as the team finished 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. 

Brandon Valenzuela with his first at-bat in the 1st puts the Flying Chanclas in the lead! ??

End 3
FLYING CHANCLAS 1
ROUGHRIDERS 0 pic.twitter.com/vqWFrysmXa

— San Antonio Missions Baseball (@missionsmilb) June 21, 2025

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won 3-2 vs Dayton) (32-34 on the season)

Rosman Verdugo – 1-for-1, Home Run, Three Walks

Ethan Long – 2-for-3, Home Run, RBI

Isaiah Lowe – 6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K (89 pitches – 56 strikes)

Isaiah Lowe tossed a quality start, his first since last season. Lowe pitched six innings for the first time this season, allowing two runs on seven hits. Lowe was only able to strike out three batters, but used timely pitches to navigate around the baserunners. The right-hander is rebounding after a startlingly rough start to the season, as he has posted a 4.25 ERA in his last eight starts. Harry Gustin struck out four in two innings of relief. Two days after his scheduled start day, the game was cancelled, Gustin continued to flash his plus arsenal, and the former Hawaii southpaw is turning heads. Garrett Hawkins earned his third save of the season, striking out one of three batters faced. 

The team’s lineup produced three solo home runs to win a close game. Rosman Verdugo had a perfect day at the plate, finishing 1-for-1 with a home run and three walks in the game. Ethan Long had two hits, including a solo home run to tie the game. Long and Kai Roberts went back-to-back to make the score 3-2; it was Roberts’ first homer with the TinCaps. Leo De Vries finished 0-for-3 and is mired amid a 1-for-27 slump over his last eight games, although he has five walks in that span. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost 10-7 vs Rancho Cucamonga) (29-38 on the season)

Yimy Tovar – 3-for-4, Two Doubles, RBI

Lamar King Jr – 2-for-5, Two Doubles, Two RBI

Kleiber Olmedo – 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K (32 pitches – 16 strikes)

The Storm and Quakes faced off in a tense game that finished with a 10-7 final. Lake Elsinore took a 3-0 lead after the first inning, as Zach Evans launched a two-run home run and Lamar King Jr doubled in Kavares Tears. Storm right-hander Kleiber Olmedo allowed two runs in the bottom of the first, only recording two outs in the start. Olmedo had a 50/50 ball-to-strike ratio and was not commanding his stuff as efficiently as he or the team may have wanted. Kavares Tears picked up his pitching staff with an RBI single in the top of the second inning. 

Unfortunately for the Storm, the 4-2 lead did not last, as Ruben Salinas allowed three runs in the bottom of the second. A single and two-RBI triple gave the Quakes a 5-4 lead after two, but that lead didn’t last. Yimy Tovar doubled to score Victor Figueroa and tie the game at five. Salinas could not hold it at 5-5, as catcher Angel Diaz took the southpaw deep for a three-run home run. Johan Moreno allowed a two-run home run to Diaz in the fourth, but that would be all the scoring the Storm would allow, as Bernard Jose pitched a scoreless three innings. The Storm clawed back in the game, with Victor Figueroa’s fifth home run with Lake Elsinore bringing the team within a slam range. Lamar King Jr hit his second double-double game to score Kavares Tears, and while the Storm got the tying run to the plate in the seventh, they’d be unable to cash in. The Storm were retired 1-2-3 in the final two innings, unable to make the comeback happen. 

ACL Padres (Lost 10-8 vs ACL Giants) (10-26 on the season)

Albert Fabian – 3-for-5, Home Run

Jose Sanabria – 2-for-4, RBI Double, RBI Single

J.B. Wendelken – 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

The ACL Padres lost a high-scoring game by a 10-8 final score. J.B. Wendelken started as one of two arms who threw on rehab assignment, and allowed one run in two innings. Carson Swilling was the other, and the former South Alabama Jaguar allowed two runs in his first rehab appearance, striking out two. Luis Maracara took the loss despite throwing 2.1 innings of three-run baseball, striking out three. The 17-year-old Maracara has struck out 27% of opposing batters and induced ground balls on 48.7% of batted balls against. 

The team’s lineup performed admirably and came close in their comeback attempt. Albert Fabian finished with three hits, including a home run, while returning to the field at first base. Jose Sanabria, just assigned to the ACL Padres, went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and an RBI double. Luis De Leon and Kale Fountain each had two hits, with De Leon scoring the first run of the game. Fountain scored two runs in the game, with two singles of his own. Emil Turbi hit a triple and scored a run, and Ismael Javier singled in one run in five at-bats.

DSL Padres Gold (Won 13-7 vs DSL LAD Mega) (8-5 on the season)

Deivid Coronil – 1-for-3, Double, Three RBI, Three Walks

Jhoan De La Cruz – 1-for-4, Single, Three RBI

Raymel Belliard – 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 6 BB, 2 K

The Padres Gold used an offensive outburst to win over the DSL LAD Mega. Deivid Coronil and Jhoan De La Cruz combined to drive in six runs, with each having a two-RBI base hit and an RBI walk. Fabian Alcantara hit his second home run of the season in the second inning. Jhojan Downer had a multi-hit effort, driving in two runs, and Jose Verdugo was 3-for-3 in hits and runs scored. 

Raymel Belliard tossed three innings of two-run baseball, but he was a real magician, working his way around six walks. He induced one double play and kept the baseball on the ground to limit the damage. Edwyn Hernandez walked five in 2.2 innings, which played a role in the right-hander being knocked around for five runs. Johan Minaya had a scoreless outing, tossing 2.1 innings with three strikeouts. Florangel Vasquez closed out the win with a scoreless ninth, striking out one. 

DSL Padres Brown (Lost 7-2 vs DSL Astros Blue) (6-6 on the season)

Yonaiker Hernandez – 2-for-2, RBI Single

Cristian Benavides – 1-for-3, Double

Double Marte – 4 IP, 6 H, 6 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K

The DSL Padres Brown fell behind early and were unable to make up the deficit, losing 7-2 to the DSL Astros Blue. Kelvin Marte started for the Padres Brown but allowed six runs in four innings. Four errors did not help his case at all, as all but one of the runs he allowed were unearned. Daniel Burciaga allowed no runs in two innings of relief. The Padres’ lineup was led by Yonaiker Hernandez, who had two hits and an RBI single. Cristian Benavides had a double, and Dayquer Alfonzo had a single in three at-bats.

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.