Padres Down on the Farm: May 26 (Cummings 3 hits, HR for LE/Kerner homers for FW/Abrams 2 hits for EP)
Credit: MiLB
The San Diego Padres affiliates went 3-2 on Thursday, as the Fort Wayne TinCaps played a doubleheader.
Here is a recap of the day’s events.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 7-0 to Sugar Land) (24-20 on the season)
Aaron Leasher: 3 IP, 6 H, 4 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 3 K (71 pitches, 39 strikes)
Nomar Mazara: (1-for-3), 2B, K
C.J. Abrams: (2-for-4), CS
Eguy Rosario: (1-for-2), BB, K
El Paso was shut down by Sugar Land starter Hunter Brown, who worked seven scoreless frames, scattering five hits while striking out ten. Eguy Rosario’s eighth inning walk was the only other time that El Paso reached base. C.J. Abrams picked up a pair of hits, and Nomar Mazara hit the only extra-base hit for the Chihuahuas. Worryingly, Matt Beaty went hitless and struck out twice as he continues his rehab assignment. Sugar Land tagged Aaron Leasher for a run in the first inning before a home run from Lewis Bronson extended the lead to three. The Chihuahuas weren’t able to get anything going offensively, so it was a comfortable win for Sugar Land.
San Antonio Missions (Won 7-3 vs. Frisco in 10 innings) (22-20 on the season)
Thomas Eshelmann: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 4 K (70 pitches, 50 strikes)
Juan Fernandez: (2-for-5), 2 RBI
Thomas Milone: (1-for-2), RBI, R, 2 BB, HBP, SB
Connor Hollis: (2-for-5), RBI, R, K
The Missions scored four times in the top of the tenth inning, picking up a win. San Antonio scored twice in the first inning, as Connor Hollis scored Esteury Ruiz before Hollis came around on Thomas Milone’s single. Thomas Eshelman was excellent to start for San Antonio, as he did not allow a run in his first four innings. He did give up a run in the fifth before a two-run home run in the sixth put the Missions behind. Connor Kaiser tied the game at three with a seventh-inning single, which stayed the score until the tenth. Adrian Morejon and Angel Felipe were both fantastic, working two hitless frames.
Every pitch from Adrian Morejon’s outing tonight. 2 scoreless innings 3 strikeouts. Going to be a nice addition to the Padres bullpen. pic.twitter.com/atINDLS0Bn
— Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) May 27, 2022
Morejon did not allow a baserunner and struck out three, while Felipe allowed a walk but struck out four. The first two batters for San Antonio were retired in the tenth, but four consecutive Missions reached base, putting the Missions ahead by four runs.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 6-2 to Quad City) (Won 6-2 vs. Quad City) (16-26 on the season)
Game One:
Edwuin Bencomo: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K (55 pitches, 42 strikes)
Danny Denz: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K (56 pitches, 33 strikes)
Adam Kerner: (1-for-4), HR, 2 RBI, R, K
Ripken Reyes: (1-for-2), BB, K
The TinCaps found themselves in an early hole and could not recover. Fort Wayne starter Noel Vela gave up five runs in three innings as he struggled throughout his outing. The TinCaps scored in the second inning, as Adam Kerner’s two-run home run provided the only offense for Fort Wayne. Kerner scored Jack Stronach, but that was it offensively. Fort Wayne picked up just six hits, with Kerner’s home run the only extra-base hit. Edwuin Bencomo and Danny Denz dazzled out of the bullpen. Both pitchers worked three frames, striking out seven apiece. Denz allowed a home run, but that was the only hit he surrendered. Bencomo did not allow a run, allowing just three singles. Fort Wayne’s offense couldn’t take advantage of Bencomo and Denz’s efforts, as they lost their fifth game in six days.
Game Two:
Efrain Contreras: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K (70 pitches, 41 strikes)
Jack Stronach: (1-for-2), 2B, RBI, R, BB, K
Olivier Basabe: (1-for-3), RBI, 2 R, 2 SB
Corey Rosier: (1-for-2), 2 R, BB, 2 SB
The TinCaps finally found some offense, as they scored five runs in the first three innings. Jack Stronach pushed Olivier Basabe across in the second to start the scoring before Ripken Reyes scored Stronach and Justin Lopez to put the TinCaps ahead by three. Basabe singled home Corey Rosier in the fourth before scoring his second run of the game on a throwing error. Fort Wayne terrorized the base paths, swiping six bases, setting them up for scoring opportunities. Efrain Contreras had baserunners throughout his four innings, but he allowed two runs, keeping the TinCaps ahead. Fort Wayne’s bullpen worked another scoreless game, pushing the TinCaps to a rare win.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 9-1 vs. Inland Empire) (25-16 on the season)
Bodi Rascon: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K (79 pitches, 53 strikes)
Cole Cummings: (3-for-5), HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R
Justin Farmer: (1-for-2), 2B, R, 2 BB
Lucas Dunn: (2-for-4), RBI, 2 R, BB, SB, CS
Lake Elsinore relied on fantastic pitching from Bodi Rascon and a big third inning to pick up a comfortable win over Inland Empire. Tyler Malone grounded out, but it scored Justin Farmer to start the scoring. While Inland Empire did tie the game in the top of the third, Lake Elsinore answered quickly.
In the 3rd inning, we went all the way
Storm: 5
66ers: 1 pic.twitter.com/yngOaEs6S7— Lake Elsinore Storm Baseball (@Storm_Baseball) May 27, 2022
The Storm scored four runs, as Cole Cummings started the scoring off with a single that brought home two runs. Albert Fabian hit a double to extend the lead further. Cummings homered in the fifth before driving home an insurance run in the eighth. Bodi Rascon was stellar in 5.2 innings, earning a win, allowing just one run, and walking none. Lake Elsinore dominated all phases of the game, earning a comfortable win.
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Friday’s Probables
El Paso: Ryan Weathers (1-3, 6.93 ERA)
San Antonio: TBD
Fort Wayne: Robert Gasser (1-5, 3.96 ERA)
Lake Elsinore: TBD
Sam is a Senior in High School. He has been writing for three years, and started at EVT in June of 2021. He’s headed to Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Communications in the fall of 2023.