The San Diego Padres’ minor league affiliates performed entirely differently from their Sunday performance, finishing winless in five regular-season games. 

Here is a recap of the day’s events. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 20-2 vs Las Vegas) (20-20 on the season)

Luis Campusano – 1-for-4, Home Run

Tirso Ornelas – 2-for-3, Two Singles

Wes Benjamin – 0.2 IP, 4 H, 7 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 0 K (36 pitches – 18 strikes)

The Chihuahuas, in their Margaritas uniforms, only wish they had margaritas to forget this game’s outcome. Wes Benjamin started for El Paso and coughed up seven runs in 0.2 innings of work. Benjamin did not do himself any favors either, as with the score at 2-0 and the bases loaded, the Chihuahuas pitcher committed a throwing error to empty the bases. Ethan Routzahn got out of the inning after allowing an inherited runner to score, with the score 8-0 after one. Shoddy defense led to more runs scoring, as Austin Krob allowed four runs (two unearned) in two innings of work. His slider continued to grade out well, posting a 50% whiff rate on swings against. Francis Pena was the only Chihuahuas pitcher to post a scoreless outing, striking out two batters in an inning of work. 

The silver surge continues ⚡️ One swing, one error, three runs. Reyes up big!#AviatorsUp pic.twitter.com/NYjLzITVLm

— Las Vegas Aviators (@AviatorsLV) May 14, 2025

The Chihuahuas’ offense was not its potent self, scoring only two runs on five hits. Luis Campusano was 1-for-4 with his seventh home run of the season. Tirso Ornelas had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with two singles and a walk. Forrest Wall reached base twice on a single and a walk, and Oscar Gonzalez had an RBI single in the loss. 

Campy does it again‼️

He continues to lead the Chihuahuas in HRs with 7 on the season. pic.twitter.com/Nk7NsVxpBL

— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) May 14, 2025

 

San Antonio Missions (Lost 14-6 vs Midland) (17-17 on the season)

Romeo Sanabria – 4-for-5, Two Doubles, Two Runs Scored

Marcos Castanon – 1-for-4, Two-Run Home Run

Enmanuel Pinales – 1.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 2 BB, 1 K (51 pitches – 29 strikes)

The jump to Double-A is not always an easy one coming from High-A, and this was the case again for right-hander Enmanuel Pinales. After a rough start last time out in his Double-A debut (3.1 IP, 4 ER), Pinales allowed a season-high seven runs in 1.1 innings of work. Midland batters worked deep counts early and got to the right-hander for two rus in the first inning and five runs in the second, with a Luke Mann home run chasing Pinales from the game. Carter Loewen finished the frame, having allowed a run of his own. Sam Whiting, in his second appearance of the season, allowed four runs in three innings, and Eduarniel Nunez allowed two runs in two innings. Newly-acquired right-hander Andrew Moore tossed a scoreless inning with a strikeout in his organizational debut. 

The offense was led by Romeo Sanabria, who had himself yet another four-hit day. Sanabria slugged two doubles and two singles, driving in two runs on the day. Sanabria’s consistency at the plate, paired with a newfound aggression in the box, is leading him to build upon his strong 2024 campaign. Devin Ortiz had two hits and an RBI in the game, bringing his season average up to .314. Marcos Castanon and Joshua Mears homered in the game as well. The team finished 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position, squandering a pair of early-inning opportunities in the loss.

Despite the 14-6 loss, Romeo Sanabria recorded his third four-hit game of the season. His consistent hitting makes him today’s @FrostBank Player of the Game! pic.twitter.com/jRmsCtr6TK

— San Antonio Missions Baseball (@missionsmilb) May 13, 2025

 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 3-0 vs West Michigan) (19-15 on the season)

Leo De Vries – 1-for-4, Single

Addison Kopack – 1-for-3, Single

Ian Koenig – 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K (87 pitches – 57 strikes)

Right-hander Ian Koenig finished one out shy of a quality start, pitching 5.2 innings of three-run baseball with five strikeouts. Koenig has shown some consistency in May after a brutal end to his April (7 ER in 2.2 IP), and has posted a 9.9 K/9 in his two starts in May. Tyson Neighbors came on in relief, allowing an inherited runner to score but pitching 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Neighbors continues to be electric in High-A, and if he keeps racking up the strikeouts with minimal damage allowed, he could be a midseason promotion candidate. Josh Mallitz struck out four in two scoreless innings, one of his best outings of the young season. 

The TinCaps offense, unlike the weather in Fort Wayne, fell into a dry spell. The team recorded three singles all game long, with no extra base hits. Three walks were also taken by the ‘Caps, but nothing came of it. Braedon Karpathios reached third base in the third inning, but with one out, Addison Kopack lined to third base to end the threat on a lineout double play. Leo De Vries was one of three players with a base hit in the game. The team did not have a stolen base on the night, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position in the loss. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost 12-3 vs Fresno) (15-19 on the season)

Cobb Hightower – 3-for-5, Double, Run Scored

Kavares Tears – 3-for-5, RBI Single

Kash Mayfield – 1+ IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (21 pitches – 16 strikes)

Lake Elsinore’s relief corps was torpedoed by Fresno’s offense, allowing twelve runs in eight innings of work. Storm starter Kash Mayfield struck out the side in the first inning, but was removed from the game after one pitch in the second inning. While his removal from the game prompted anxiety from fans and viewers, the team later announced that he had been removed due to shoulder discomfort, although the left-hander called it a precautionary measure after the game. Johan Moreno was saddled with the loss, allowing eight runs (five earned) in 3.2 innings of work. Outside of Mayfield, the only arm to have a scoreless appearance was catcher Colton Vincent, who pitched a scoreless eighth. Bernard Jose allowed two runs in 1.1 innings, and Xavier Ruiz allowed two runs (one unearned) in two innings of work. 

Shoulder discomfort for Kash Mayfield. https://t.co/xpnfMx6Wd9

— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) May 14, 2025

The offense was held off the board for the most part, putting up three runs on eight hits. Cobb Hightower and Kavares Tears had six of the eight hits for Lake Elsinore, with Hightower hitting a double and scoring a run. Tears drove in a run on an RBI single, and Zach Evans drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Kaden Hollow had his “Chris Paul hits a huge three” moment in the seventh inning, driving in the team’s third run on a sacrifice fly. Kasen Wells and Ryan Jackson each walked twice, coming around to score a run each. 

3 hit game for Cobb Hightower pic.twitter.com/jIWeMJTQN3

— Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) May 14, 2025

 

ACL Padres (Lost 7-5 vs ACL Athletics) (1-7 on the season)

Kai Roberts – 2-for-3, Double, Two Runs

Victor Figueroa – 2-for-3, RBI Double

Humberto Cruz – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K

The ACL Padres had a strong offensive showing, but a six-run fifth inning for the Athletics led to a Padres defeat. Right-hander Humberto Cruz started and threw an inning, allowing one run on one hit and a walk, striking out one. The Padres are slow-playing the right-hander’s buildup as he recovers from a delayed start to the season, and Cruz is responding well to the game action. Right-hander Langston Burkett was tagged with the loss, allowing six runs (four unearned runs) in 3.1 innings of work. Burkett walked four but only allowed two hits, while getting seven of eleven outs on the ground. 

Victor Figueroa continued to hit well, finishing 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the game. The big first baseman’s production has significantly outpaced his teammates in the early going, as he has now driven in 10 runs in eight games. Kai Roberts, on rehab assignment, had a multi-hit game, finishing with a double and two runs scored. Yimy Tovar drove in two runs on a sac fly and a base hit, continuing to show a strong contact hitting tool. Catcher Carlos Rodriguez got in on the action with a multi-hit game, driving in the fifth run of the game. Kale Fountain finished hitless as the designated hitter, and Jesmaylin Arias drew a walk and went hitless in four plate appearances.

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.