Padres affiliates went 4-3 on Friday.

Here is our daily recap of games played. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Won 8-1 vs Sugar Land) (36-43 on the season)

Jake Cronenworth – 2-for-4, Home Run, Two RBI

Blake Hunt – 2-for-5, Home Run, Four RBI

Jackson Wolf – 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 8 K (89 pitches – 50 strikes)

El Paso launched three home runs en route to an 8-1 win over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Making his first start on a rehab assignment, Jake Cronenworth got right to work, clearing the fence with a two-run home run to open the scoring. Cronenworth went 2-for-4 in the game, picking up two extra-base hits. Blake Hunt drove in four runs, hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Hunt also hit a two-run double in the seventh inning, driving in two more. Clay Dungan launched his seventh homer of the season, and Mason McCoy singled to score Nick Pratto to wrap up the scoring. Pratto went 2-for-4 with a double in the win. 

Eight runs were more than enough support for El Paso starter Jackson Wolf, as the left-hander threw five innings of one-run baseball. Wolf allowed just three hits, despite issuing four walks. Even so, Sugar Land failed to make the most of its opportunities, as Wolf struck out eight Space Cowboys batters in his five frames of work. It has been an up-and-down season for the left-hander, but he has been a beacon of consistency for an El Paso pitching staff that has had anything but. Ethan Routzahn bounced back from a four-run drubbing to pitch two scoreless innings in relief. Instead of allowing four runs, Routzahn struck out four batters. The sidearming right-hander had been in something of a rut (6 ER allowed in his past 3.1 IP), but a four-strikeout performance in two innings could indicate the winds are changing for the right-hander. Alek Jacob closed out the game with two innings in relief, making his first appearance of the series. Now in year three with El Paso, Jacob has become their most reliable reliever, at least statistically. 

San Antonio Missions (Lost 7-4 vs Arkansas) (32-41 on the season)

Braedon Karpathios – 1-for-4, Home Run, RBI

Wyatt Hoffman – 2-for-4, Double, RBI

Victor Lizarraga – 1.1 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 7 BB, 1 K (56 pitches – 16 strikes)

San Antonio was up for a challenge, facing one of the hottest pitchers in the entire Minor Leagues, Arkansas’ Kade Anderson. An early hole did not do the Missions any favors. Victor Lizarraga endured one of the toughest starts of his professional career, as the right-hander issued seven walks in 1.1 innings of work. Though he allowed only one hit, he allowed three first-inning runs to score without the benefit of a base hit. The seven walks issued by Lizarraga were the most he has ever issued in 115 career games as a professional. Harry Gustin got out of a second-inning disaster situation with only one inherited runner scoring, allowing one run of his own in 1.2 innings. Josh Mallitz played hero for the Missions bullpen, shouldering three innings and allowing only a two-run home run. The Floridian right-hander also struck out five batters, his most strikeouts in an outing this season. Johan Moreno threw two scoreless innings as the Missions crawled back into the game, striking out two. For Moreno, it was his second straight scoreless appearance of the series. 

It would be easy to forget that San Antonio actually took the lead in the top half of the first inning, as Jake Cunningham tripled off Kade Anderson, scoring Tirso Ornelas. Cunningham batted in the cleanup spot in just his third game with the Missions, a notable feat for the former Orioles draftee. Wyatt Hoffman, just activated off the 60-day injured list this week, doubled in a run in the second inning. The Missions’ second baseman picked up two hits in the loss. Chris Sargent Jr, starting for a second straight game with the left-hander Anderson on the mound, delivered with an RBI double in the seventh off reliever Jason Ruffcorn. Braedon Karpathios hit his sixth home run of the season in the eighth inning, taking a 1-0 sinker to the opposite field. Karpathios’ power has often been to the opposite field, and in June, he has an .829 OPS in 20 games. 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won 8-4 vs Lake County) (32-41 on the season)

Justin DeCriscio – 3-for-5, Home Run, Triple, Three RBI

Kerrington Cross – 1-for-4, Two-Run Home Run

Kash Mayfield – 2.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K (48 pitches – 29 strikes)

The TinCaps offense broke out the big lumber, as they mashed their way to an 8-4 win over the hosting Lake County Captains. Justin DeCriscio had quite the individual performance, finishing 3-for-5 and a double shy of the cycle. The TinCaps shortstop hit a two-run home run in the third inning, tying the game at two. Kerrington Cross gave the team a 4-2 lead with a two-run home run of his own, his first as a member of the TinCaps. Kasen Wells hit a double and a single in four at-bats, scoring two runs. Ryan Wideman had two base hits, reaching base three times and scoring one run. Despite this, Wideman was unsuccessful in his lone stolen base attempt. Alex McCoy hit two singles, scoring a run on Cross’s two-run home run. Rosman Verdugo drove in one run with his 11th home run of the season. 

Left-hander Kash Mayfield’s second-half ramp-up continued, as he threw 48 pitches in 2.2 innings against Lake County. Mayfield allowed two runs on six hits, with both runs scoring in the second inning. The left-hander struck out two batters, walking just one. Abraham Parra, entering in long relief, threw 3.2 innings of two-run baseball, striking out five batters. The right-hander walked three, and two of the three hits he allowed saw runs score. Parra will likely remain as the bulk reliever behind Mayfield, as Bryan Balzer will slot in as the TinCaps’ Saturday starter going forward. Braian Salazar picked up five critical outs in relief, striking out one. CJ Widger threw a scoreless ninth inning to close out the win. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost 10-4 vs Fresno) (40-33 on the season)

Bradley Frye – 2-for-5, RBI Double

Yoiber Ocopio – 1-for-4, Two-RBI Single

Kruz Schoolcraft – 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 4 K (75 pitches – 44 strikes)

Left-hander Kruz Schoolcraft threw five innings in the Storm’s 10-4 loss to Fresno. Schoolcraft allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits, striking out four batters. The left-hander has now pitched five innings in four consecutive starts, and will wrap up June with an 18:7 K: BB ratio in 20 innings of work. Carson Swilling allowed two runs in one inning, while Daichi Moriki was charged with three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Jeferson Villabona allowed one run in two innings of relief despite not recording a strikeout. George Bilecki picked up the final out on the mound. 

Bradley Frye had two hits out of the leadoff spot, including an RBI double to put the Storm on the board. Dawson Willis drew two walks in the game, again starting at first base. Alcides Hernandez hit a pinch-hit single in his lone at-bat, scoring a run on an RBI double by Qrey Lott. Yoiber Ocopio had one hit in the game, but his lone hit was a two-RBI single in the eighth inning. 

ACL Padres (Won 9-3 vs ACL D-backs) (22-19 on the season)

Moises Valdez – 1-for-4, Home Run

Santiago Vargas – 2-for-3, Two Singles, Two Walks, Three Runs Scored

Adler Cecil – 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 10 K 

Left-hander Adler Cecil picked up his second career victory with five innings of two-run baseball. Cecil flashed the strikeout potential he has, as the southpaw struck a season-high 10 batters. Cecil walked just one batter, allowing four hits. Landry Jurecka threw three innings in relief, striking out six batters. Jurecka allowed a run on three hits, but was efficient nonetheless. Luis German struck out one in a scoreless ninth to close it out. Moises Valdez launched his first home run of the season in the seventh inning, part of a successful offensive performance for the Padres. Jhoan De La Cruz went 1-for-4 with a double, snapping a four-game hitless streak. Santiago Vargas reached base four times in the win, scoring three runs. Jesmaylin Arias hit an RBI single, and Luis De Leon drove in two runs in the win. 

DSL Padres Gold (Won 9-8 vs DSL Brewers Blue in 8 innings) (15-4 on the season)

Yorvin Morla – 1-for-1, Triple, Two RBI, Three Walks

Dayquer Alfonzo – 1-for-3, Walk-off Two-Run Single

Josias Figuereo – 4.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K 

The Padres Gold and Brewers Blue faced off for a second straight game, with the Padres affiliate pulling the ultimate Uno reverse card. The Padres Gold won 9-8 in eight innings, as Dayquer Alfonzo’s two-run single walked off the game. Yorvin Morla reached base four times, scoring two runs. Darian Castillo scored two runs, and Timothy Mogen drove in a run on a walk. Right-hander Josias Figuereo threw 4.1 innings of two-run baseball. Figuereo struck out four batters while walking two, picking up six ground ball outs. Albieris Polanco threw one inning in relief, allowing three runs. Albert Perez threw 1.2 scoreless innings, and Aneury Sosa pitched one inning of two-run baseball, earning the win. 

DSL Padres Brown (Lost 12-3 vs DSL Rojos) (4-14 on the season)

Sebastian Maldonado – 2-for-4, RBI Single

Pedro Silva – 1-for-3, Double

Yojansy Perez – 1.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 1 K

Left-hander Yojansy Perez allowed seven runs (three earned) in 1.2 innings. The left-hander struck out one, walking one as well. Luis Morales pitched three innings of one-run baseball, striking out one in long relief. Jesus Heredia allowed one run in one-third of an inning, and Dioscaride Sarit pitched 2.2 innings of three-run baseball. Sebastian Maldonado had one of two Padres Brown doubles, driving in one run on an RBI single. Pedro Silva hit a double and scored a run in three at-bats. Jeanfranco Fernandez picked up an RBI on a fielding error, scoring Silva. Endy Rios singled in his lone at-bat of the game.

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.