Padres affiliates went 4-1 on Thursday.

Now, let’s dive into the day’s action. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 5-4 vs Round Rock in 10 innings) (22-26 on the season)

Samad Taylor – 4-for-6, Four Singles, Run Scored

Jase Bowen – 1-for-5, Single, RBI 

Jackson Wolf – 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K (81 pitches – 46 strikes)

The Chihuahuas’ lineup drew seven walks, but finished 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position in what became an extra-inning loss. Samad Taylor hit four singles out of the leadoff spot, scoring one run. Jase Bowen drove in a run on a groundout, finishing with one base hit in the game. Anthony Vilar hit the team’s lone double, scoring a run. Mason McCoy hit two singles and stole two bases, coming in to score on a base hit by Marcos Castanon. Clay Dungan drew three walks, scoring one run. Pablo Reyes also drew three walks, and when he was able to put the ball in play, he hit a game-tying sacrifice fly. 

Jackson Wolf pitched into the fourth inning, allowing four runs. The tall left-hander struck out four batters in 3.2 innings. Wolf issued two walks, but allowed three doubles in his outing. Logan Gillaspie threw 3.1 innings in long relief, striking out four batters and allowing no runs. Ethan Routzahn threw two innings in relief, striking out one batter and allowing no runs. David Morgan threw the tenth inning, allowing the automatic runner to score while averaging 98.9 mph on his fastball. 

San Antonio Missions (Won 5-1 vs Frisco) (16-26 on the season)

Romeo Sanabria – 2-for-5, RBI Single

Ethan Salas – 1-for-5, RBI Single

Ian Koenig – 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K (91 pitches – 61 strikes)

Ian Koenig, take a bow! The Missions’ starting pitcher matched a career-high with seven innings pitched, allowing no runs on five hits. Koenig was focused from the outset, determined to bounce back from his last start (4.2 IP, 5 ER), and he managed to deliver his best outing of the season. Koenig struck out six while issuing no walks, and his fastball topped out at 96-97 mph. The right-hander out of San Jose has pitched to a 3.38 ERA in 21.1 innings this month, with 16 strikeouts to just two walks. 

@missionsmilb SP Ian Koenig threw a gem vs Frisco tonight:

7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
91 pitches – 61 strikes

What a job by the 25-year old from San Jose!@EVT_News pic.twitter.com/4e36KyYnfx

— Diego Garcia (@StatNerd_Base) May 22, 2026

The strong start from Koenig was exactly what the Missions needed, and the lineup had time to get going. The offense came to life in the fourth inning. Kai Roberts led off with a single, and Braedon Karpathios singled to put runners on the corners one out later. Romeo Sanabria then grounded a single to right field to score Roberts. Karpathios scored on a passed ball by catcher Julian Brock, and Luis Verdugo singled to score Sanabria, who had moved up to second on the passed ball. The “death by a million singles” formula again paid off for the Missions, Ethan Salas, who had been held hitless through the seventh, cashed in on an opportunity with runners on, hitting a line drive single to left field to score Francisco Acuna. Salas’ RBI hit came off a left-hander, which is notable as left-handed pitchers have held the lefty-swinging Salas to a .237 average and .674 OPS, albeit in a small sample of 38 at-bats. A walk later, Tirso Ornelas reached base on a botched play at first base, allowing Kai Murphy to score. 

Salas RBI single pic.twitter.com/qCnH6IPgvY

— Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) May 22, 2026

Josh Mallitz allowed one run in the eighth inning after two hits and a sacrifice fly. With one on and one out, Mallitz was able to strand the lone baserunner at third, striking out Arturo Disla and Keith Jones II. Johan Moreno pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out Marcus Lee Yang to end the ballgame. 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won 5-4 vs Dayton) (20-22 on the season)

Alex McCoy – 1-for-3, Game-Tying Double, Two Runs Scored

Jake Cunningham – 2-for-2, Home Run, RBI, Two Walks

Carson Montgomery – 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K (68 pitches – 44 strikes)

On Throwback Thursday, the TinCaps paid homage to their past identity as the Wizards, and conjured up some late-inning magic to win 5-4 over Dayton. While the uniforms on the field carried team identities more indicative of a game of Dungeons and Dragons, Fort Wayne’s starting pitcher, Carson Montgomery, made light work of the visiting Dragons. Montgomery threw five innings on 68 pitches, striking out a season-high seven batters. The right-hander walked only two batters, picking up four ground ball outs in the outing. May has been a strong month for the former FSU arm, as Montgomery has allowed one earned run in 15 innings. 

Unlike the first two games of the series, Fort Wayne’s lineup held a lead going into the middle innings. With the bases loaded in the second inning, Zach Evans hit a sharp grounder to third base. The Dragons’ defense traded two for one, as they turned a 5-4-3 double play, allowing Alex McCoy to score. The fifth inning saw the TinCaps take the lead, as a pair of leadoff walks led Justin DeCriscio to bunt. DeCriscio had the throw beat to first base, but Alfredo Alcantara rushed a throw to first, missing the first baseman and going past. In the chaos, Jonathan Vastine sped home, giving his team a 2-1 lead. While the TinCaps were unable to add on, they now led for the first time in this series. Igor Gil struggled with his command in the sixth, walking two and throwing a wild pitch. Gil was charged with three runs in one inning of work. Braian Salazar worked a quick seventh inning, despite one walk allowed. While Salazar does not possess overwhelming velocity, his ability to locate his breaking pitches allows him to get chases on a fastball that sits 90-92. 

Jake Cunningham led off the sixth inning with his sixth home run of the season, bringing the TinCaps within a run. Jack Costello and Jonathan Vastine reached base on walks, but were left on base. The walks were critical come the seventh, as Fort Wayne was set to send the heart of the order to the dish. Rosman Verdugo led off the seventh with a walk, but was retired on a forceout by Lamar King Jr. King then swiped second base, allowing Alex McCoy to tie the game on a bloop double to shallow right field. McCoy’s base hit landed within a foot of the line, but a fair ball is a fair ball,l and the game was tied. Cunningham then hit a comebacker to the mound, but reliever Trent Hodgdon attempted to barehand the ball. The ball came off his hand and bounced to short, allowing Cunningham to reach. The play became a pivotal point, as after a strikeout, new Dragons reliever Cody Adcock (no relation to Ty) threw a pitch that got past the catcher, allowing McCoy to score the go-ahead run. 

When there’s a will , there’s a way!

Alex McCoy’s 14th double of the season ties this game pic.twitter.com/082EaGii5b

— Fort Wayne TinCaps (@TinCaps) May 22, 2026

We got the lead back ?

5-4 ‘Caps pic.twitter.com/7VQb5aE1AF

— Fort Wayne TinCaps (@TinCaps) May 22, 2026

Tucker Musgrove came on for the first time in eight days and threw a scoreless eighth inning. The Padres’ No. 17 prospect has allowed one run in his last six outings, striking out 12 to six walks in 6.1 innings. Clay Edmondson worked a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts, picking up his ninth save of the season in the process. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 9-3 vs Visalia) (24-18 on the season)

Kerrington Cross – 1-for-3, Three-Run Home Run

Truitt Madonna – 3-for-5, Three Singles, Two RBI

Bryan Balzer – 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 6 K (85 pitches – 57 strikes)

The Storm’s lineup powered up on Thursday night, putting up 16 hits on the Visalia pitching staff. Bradley Frye and Jose Verdugo reached with one out and pulled off a double steal to score the team’s first run. Verdugo stole third base and scored on a single by Truitt Madonna. Yoiber Ocopio launched his second home run of the season, a two-run home run in the third inning. Jose Verdugo and Truitt Madonna each hit an RBI single in the fourth inning, extending the lead to 6-1 before Kerrington Cross drilled a three-run home run just over the wall in right field. Ryan Wideman hit a double in six at-bats, and Qrey Lott hit three singles in four at-bats. 

Bryan Balzer allowed just three hits in five innings, striking out six. The right-hander was back to being a ground-ball machine, inducing nine groundouts. Balzer only walked two batters, and his sinker proved to be a challenge for the Visalia lineup. Outside of a seven-run blowup versus Rancho Cucamonga, Balzer has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of seven starts this season. The Padres organization is unlikely to be too aggressive with Balzer given his age and upside, especially as he only threw 50 innings last season (he is at 37.2 innings through the publication of this article). Brandon Langley threw two scoreless innings, and the duo of Sean Barnett and Will Koger fired off a scoreless inning each. None of the three Storm relievers allowed a base hit the rest of the way. 

ACL Padres (Won 7-3 vs ACL Angels) (7-7 on the season)

Brendan Durfee – 1-for-4, Double, Three RBI

Luis De Leon – 3-for-4, Three Singles, RBI

Adler Cecil – 3 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K (44 pitches – 27 strikes)

The ACL Padres’ pitching staff struck out 14 batters en route to a 7-3 win over the ACL Angels. Left-hander Adler Cecil started the game, picking up four strikeouts in three innings. Cecil allowed one run on a walk and a wild pitch in the game, but was dominant throughout. Landry Jurecka threw a scoreless inning, striking out one. Zack Qin was again strong in three innings; the left-hander out of Nanjing, China, struck out seven batters. Qin allowed two runs on five hits, but was up to 56 pitches in the outing. The left-hander is halfway through the 30-day rehab assignment window and has struck out 16 with no walks in eight innings. Florangel Vasquez struck out two in one inning, and Bernard Jose threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning to end the game. 

Blake Hunt picked up two hits on a rehab assignment, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI. Hunt also scored two of the team’s seven runs, playing all nine innings behind the dish. Brendan Durfee hit a double and drove in three runs as the team’s DH. Durfee and Hunt have split catching duties since both were sent on rehab assignments, with Durfee sent by Double-A San Antonio and Hunt by Triple-A El Paso. Luis De Leon hit three singles and drove in a run, while Dawson Willis hit a double and scored a run.

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.