Padres Down on the Farm: June 24 (Azocar & Witte stay hot for EP/Jose Espada solid for SA/Marsee 2 hits for FW)
Credit: Jorge Salgado
Here is a recap of the day’s events.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Defeated the Tacoma Rainiers 11-9) (32-42 on the season)
Angel Sanchez: 3 IP, 5 H, 5 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 2 K (70 pitches, 35 strikes)
Jantzen Witte: (2-for-2), 2 R, HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB
Jose Azocar: (3-for-5), R, 3 RBI, SB
Taylor Kohlwey: (2-for-3), R, 2 RBI, BB, SB
Cade Marlowe hit a two-run homer in the first inning for Tacoma, his second in as many days. Jose Azocar cut the deficit in half with an RBI single in the bottom of the first. The Rainiers added on three more, including back-to-back solo shots from Taylor Trammell and Zach DeLoach. In the bottom half of the inning, Azocar singled in Eguy Rosario again. Azocar and Alfonso Rivas then made it 5-3 on a successful double steal. Tacoma re-extended their lead in the fifth to 8-3, including a two-run triple from Mason McCoy.
SUGA
Azocar steals 2nd and Rivas takes home!#FearTheEars pic.twitter.com/y8OZGVzAzP
— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) June 25, 2023
Just like the first and third innings, Azocar singled in a run yet again in the fifth. He would come around to score on a double from Tim Lopes. A few batters later, Taylor Kohlwey singled in two. The Chihuahuas appeared to be out of until the eighth. El Paso loaded the bases for Jantzen Witte, who blasted a grand slam for his 11th home run of the season to take a 11-9 lead.
Out of sight, dynomite!!
Witte gives us the lead!@MiLB x #FearTheEars pic.twitter.com/ws1uJn971N— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) June 25, 2023
San Antonio Missions (Lost to the Midland Rockhounds 2-1) (37-31 on the season)
Jose Espada: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K (73 pitches, 49 strikes)
Ripken Reyes: (2-for-4), R
Pedro Castellanos: (2-for-3)
A pitcher’s duel took place between Jose Espada of San Antonio and Midland’s Ryan Cusick. Espada pitched four scoreless innings, striking out seven. He was replaced by Bobby Milacki, who threw three scoreless frames. As good as the pitching was, San Antonio couldn’t get anything going against Cusick. The Rockhounds starter threw seven shutout innings, punching out seven while allowing just two hits.
Carter Kopps was on the mound in the ninth for his second inning of relief. With two on and two out, Drew Swift doubled to right field, scoring two. Swift was thrown out at third on the relay throw, trying to turn it until a triple, ending the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Ripken Reyes and Tirso Ornelas singled. Reyes scored on a wild pitch to cut it to 2-1, but the next three batters all flied out.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost to the South Bend Cubs 4-1) (33-35 on the season)
Victor Lizarraga: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K (89 pitches, 56 strikes)
Jakob Marsee: (2-for-4), R, SB
Marcos Castanon: (2-for-4), RBI
The TinCaps got a run in the first inning, thanks to Jakob Marsee. The centerfielder singled and stole second for the 23rd time this season. He would come around to score on a single from Marcos Castanon. The Cubs would get to Fort Wayne starter Victor Lizarraga in the fourth inning thanks to three straight doubles from Kevin Alcantara, Bryce Ball, and Kevin Made to take a 2-1 lead. A sac fly in the fifth and a solo homer from Made gave the Cubs a 4-1 lead they never surrendered.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 4-1) (31-34 on the season)
Henry Williams: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, HBP, 4 K (65 pitches, 39 strikes)
Graham Pauley: (0-for-3), R, 2 BB, SB
Albert Fabian: (2-for-4), RBI
Graham Pauley and Kai Murphy led off Saturday with back-to-back walks. Pauley would steal third base and steal a batter later when Albert Fabian singled on a line drive to right field. Rayne Doncon took the lead in the fourth, however with a two-run home run to left center. Henry Williams went 4.2 innings, striking out four. Nick Biddison added on with a solo shot in the sixth and an RBI double in the eighth.
DSL Padres Brown (Lost to the DSL Orioles Orange 16-6) (7-7 on the season)
Kleiberson Chavez: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 0 K
Adrian Perez: (3-for-4), 2B, 2 RBI
Luis De Leon: (3-for-4), 2 R, 2 RBI
Yoiber Ocopio: (1-for-2), 2 R, RBI, 2 BB
Kleiberson Chavez only faced four batters on Saturday, walking two and giving up a double. Chavez and the bullpen allowed a whopping 16 runs on 11 hits and 15 walks. The Padres also committed six walks. The Padres did get nine hits, including three each from Luis De Leon and Adrian Perez.
DSL Padres Gold (Lost to the DSL Arizona Black 8-4) (9-5 on the season)
Adan Moreno: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, HBP, 3 K
Hugo Sanchez: (1-for-2), R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
Kashon Conliffe: (2-for-3), 2B, RBI
After going down 1-2-3 in the first inning, the Padres walked twice in the second inning. Kashon Conliffe doubled to left,t scoring one. A wild pitch in the bottom of the third,d however tied the game at 1-1. In the fourth inning, Hugo Sanchez hit a two-run home run. the lead extended to three in the fifth on a failed pickoff attempt.
Jorge Lara doubled to right field in the fifth to end Adan Moreno’s day. Moreno struck out three in 4.1 innings. Arizona would score six runs off the Padres bullpen, all in the sixth inning,g to come back and win it.
ACL Padres (Defeated the ACL Royals 14-9) (7-9 on the season)
Wilton Castillo: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 5 K
Oswaldo Linares: (1-for-3), 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, HBP
Tyler Robertson: (2-for-3), R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, SB
Jose Sanabria: (2-for-3), 3 R, RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB
The Padres offense had everything working on Saturday. Jose Sanabria singled in a run in the second. He would steal second,d, and a run scored on the throw. Sanabria proceeded to steal third, forcing another bad throw and scoring to make it 3-0. Tyler Robertson doubled in a run in the third inning and would score on a single by Estuar Suero to make it 5-0. The Royals scored two in the third inning and three in the fourth off of Wilton Castillo to tie the game. Castillo left after 3.2 innings with five strikeouts.
The Padres would rally for nine runs later in the game, including a three-run double from Juan Murillo in the seventh. Murillo scored on an RBI double from Romeo Sanabria to make it 14-5. The Royals would score four in the ninth, but the rally was cut short.
Sunday’s Probables:
El Paso: Ryan Weathers (0-0, 3.65 ERA)
San Antonio: Jackson Wolf (6-6, 3.77 ERA)
Fort Wayne: Jairo Iriarte (3-3, 3.12 ERA)
Lake Elsinore: TBD
DSL Brown: OFF
DSL Gold: OFF
ACL Padres: OFF
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.