Padres Down on the Farm: May 4 (Michael Gettys Homers Twice for Chihuahuas)
Credit: Chihuahuas
El Paso got back to their winning ways thanks to two homers from Michael Gettys.
In four games played, the San Diego Padres’ minor league affiliates went (1-3) on Saturday.
Here is a brief recap of the day’s game action.
El Paso Chihuahuas Won 7-5 (20-9 on the season)
A day after seeing their winning streak came to end, the El Paso Chihuahuas endured a four-run rally from Salt Lake by responding with a three-run rally of their own to avenge the loss of their streak.
Michael Gettys stayed hot by blasting a leadoff home run to start the game right for El Paso. Boog Powell hit a two-out RBI double in the second inning which kept the inning alive. Gettys thanked Powell by driving him home on a two-run homer to left center field, making the game 4-0.
Jerry Keel had been cruising throughout the game until the fifth inning rolled around. Two men got on via a walk and a single, but Keel managed to get an out with a groundball to first base. However, an Esteban Quiroz error allowed a runner to score and was immediately followed by a three-run home run crushed to center field by Jared Walsh. Keel’s day was done after allowing the dinger, going 4.1 innings and striking out four while allowing five runs to cross the plate.
Now down 5-4, the Chihuahuas buckled down in the bottom of the fifth inning. Quiroz, atoning for his error in the previous half-inning, struck an RBI single to score Seth Mejias-Brean to tie the game. Chris Stewart gave El Paso the lead with an RBI single of his own while Powell padded the lead with a run-scoring hit. Three relievers combined to shut out the Bees for the remainder of the game with Gerardo Reyes getting his first save in a two-inning performance.
Michael Gettys: 2-4: 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 Runs scored, BB, K
Boog Powell: 3-4, 2 RBI, Run scored, K
Esteban Quiroz: 1-4, RBI, 2 Runs scored, 2 K, E
Jerry Keel: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R (4 earned), 2 BB, 4 K (83 pitches-49 strikes) No decision
Gerardo Reyes: 2 IP, K (22 pitches-17 strikes) Save
Amarillo Sod Poodles Lost 7-4 (12-17 on the season)
Amarillo scored a run in the first inning to take the lead but wouldn’t score until the eighth inning as Arkansas scored seven innings to defeat the Sod Poodles.
Hudson Potts got the Poodles out on the right foot with an RBI single in the first inning, with the score remaining 1-0 until the fifth inning. Jesse Scholtens, who had been cruising up until that point, unwound as the Travellers scored four runs in the inning. First was an RBI single from Donnie Waltman, then Dom Thompson-Williams cleared the bases with a three-run homer.
It was then the skies in Amarillo decided now was the perfect time to bring down some rain and the game went into a rain delay. The game eventually got back on as did the Arkansas bats. Two more runs crossed in the sixth while an RBI single in the seventh pushed the lead to 7-1.
RBI in the bottom of the eighth inning from Kyle Overstreet and Brad Zunica pushed the Sod Poodle run total to four but, in the end, it wasn’t enough to make a comeback.
Kyle Overstreet: 3-4, 2 RBI, Run Scored, 2B
Hudson Potts: 2-5, RBI, Run scored
Edward Olivares: 3-5, 2 K, SB
Ivan Castillo: 3-4, K
Jesse Scholtens: 5.1 IP,9 h, 6 R (5 earned), BB, 7 K (98 pitches-73 strikes) Loss
Lake Elsinore Storm Lost 6-3 (12-18 on the season)
All the offense the Lake Elsinore got came off one swing of Esteury Ruiz‘ bat in the third inning, but it was all they would get against the Lancaster pitching as they have dropped the first two games of the series.
The JetHawks got their first two runs of the game off a sac fly in the first inning and a double play in the second inning. However, in the top of the third inning, Olivier Basabe and Taylor Kohlwey got on base via a double and a single before Ruiz brought all of them home with a mighty three-run blast to give the Storm the lead.
Said lead lasted for less than a half inning. Tom Cosgrove, the Lake Elsinore starter, sandwiched two outs in between a triple and a walk before Matt McLaughlin retook the lead for Lancaster with a three-run blast of his own. Cosgrove allowed another run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly and exited after pitching five innings, allowing six runs on nine hits while striking out six.
Esteury Ruiz: 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, Run scored
Taylor Kohlwey: 3-4, Run scored
Olivier Basabe: 1-4, Run scored, 2B, 2 K
Tom Cosgrove: 5 IP, 9 H, 6 R (4 earned), 2 BB, 6 K (91 pitches-64 strikes) Loss
Nick Kuzia: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 K (25 pitches-19 strikes)
Fort Wayne TinCaps Lost 10-3 (12-16 on the season)
For the third straight game, the TinCaps struggled to ignite the offense while watching the River Bandits pummel their pitching with a ten-run onslaught.
Angel Acevedo got tagged in every inning he pitched except one. A sacrifice fly in the first inning was a minor speed bump, but the two home runs allowed in the second inning really set both him and Fort Wayne back early. Lee Solomon‘s two-run double split the lead in half and both teams traded runs in the third and fourth inning, but Quad City went on a tear that wouldn’t be stopped. Acevedo was pulled in the fifth inning after allowing two more runs and exited the game allowing seven runs on eight hits while striking out five.
Even after the two runs scored in the fifth inning, the River Bandits weren’t done yet. Insurance runs in the sixth and seventh inning put enough distance for Quad City to take the victory. Despite the TinCaps going 3-10 with runners in scoring position, poor baserunning or untimely double plays prevented more Fort Wayne runners from crossing the plate.
Juan Fernandez: 3-4, Run scored, 2B, E
Lee Solomon: 2-3, 3 RBI, 2B, BB, K
Tucupita Marcano: 2-4, K, E
Angel Acevedo: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R (4 earned), 3 BB, 5 K (72 pitches-41 strikes) Loss
Jonathan Guzman: 2 IP, H, BB, 4 K (50 pitches-33 strikes)
Probable Starters for Sunday’s games
El Paso: Dillon Overton vs. TBD (Salt Lake)
Amarillo: TBD vs. Darren McCaughan (Arkansas)
Lake Elsinore: MacKenzie Gore vs. TBD (Lancaster)
Fort Wayne: Ryan Weathers vs. Brett Daniels
I am currently attending San Diego State University while working on achieving a major in journalism. At SDSU, I write for The Daily Aztec while also hosting the sports radio show “Picked Off”, for KCR Radio. A loyal fan of San Diego sports, I hope to bring content that you will enjoy reading.