Padres Down on the Farm: September 19 (Batten 3 Hits in EP/Ruiz 2 Hits in SA/Valenzuela HR in FW/Jones Grand Slam in LE)
Credit: Missions
San Diego Padres affiliates went 2-2 on Sunday, as the El Paso Chihuahuas, San Antonio Missions, Fort Wayne TinCaps, and Lake Elsinore Storm finished their seasons.
Here is a recap of the day’s events.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Won 7-3 vs. Tacoma) (45-73 on the season)
Adrian Martinez: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 K (96 pitches, 58 strikes)
Matt Batten: (3-for-4), HR, RBI, R
Gosuke Katoh: (1-for-4), HR, 2 RBI, R, 2 K
José Azocar: (2-for-4), RBI, 2 R, SB
The El Paso Chihuahuas relied on a pair of third-inning home runs from Matt Batten and Gosuke Katoh, as well as 4 1/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen, picking up a win in their final game of the season. The game started well for the Chihuahuas, as back-to-back singles from Brian O’Grady and Batten, followed by a José Azocar RBI groundout, gave El Paso the lead.
Starting pitcher Adrian Martinez gave up a run in the third, but the aforementioned home runs from Batten and Katoh gave El Paso a three-run lead. Tacoma cut into the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth, forcing Martinez from the game. With the game still close, Taylor Kohlwey hit a two-out, bases-loaded double that gave the Chihuahuas a four-run lead.
Matt is Batten .300 on the season with this Solo HR! pic.twitter.com/xo1QVQFenV
— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) September 20, 2021
San Antonio Missions (Lost 9-1 to Corpus Christi) (57-63 on the season)
Henry Henry: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (32 pitches, 18 strikes)
Olivier Basabe: (1-for-3), 2B, RBI, BB
Esteury Ruiz: (2-for-4)
Agustin Ruiz: (1-for-4), 2B, R
Matt Waldron allowed five runs without recording an out, and the Missions found themselves in a nine-run hole after just an inning and a half. The Missions bullpen did not allow any runs in the final seven innings of the game, as Sam McWilliams, Mason Fox, James Reeves, and Henry Henry all did their jobs. The Missions had opportunities, loading the bases with one out in the third and back to back doubles in the fourth, which scored the Missions only run. However, the Missions picked up just one hit outside of those two innings, leading to a rout.
The last Frost Bank Player of the Game for the 2021 season goes to….Mason Fox! The Missions reliever tossed 2.1 scoreless innings while striking out five batters. pic.twitter.com/RANTcw0XAW
— San Antonio Missions Baseball (@missionsmilb) September 20, 2021
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 5-3 to Dayton) (54-66 on the season)
Connor Lehmann: 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 1 K (78 pitches, 52 strikes)
Brandon Valenzuela: (1-for-4), HR, RBI, R, 2 K
Reinaldo Ilarraza: (2-for-3), 2B, 2 RBI, K
Zack Mathis: (2-for-4), 2B, R
A backbreaking three-run home run in starter Connor Lehmann’s final inning ruined both his outing and the TinCaps’ afternoon. Dayton started as an inside-the-park home run to the game’s second batter gave the Dragons a two-run lead.
The TinCaps instantly answered back, scoring a pair of runs after a Brandon Valenzuela home run and a Reinaldo Ilarraza single. Ilarraza hit a two-out double in the seventh, cutting the TinCaps gap to two. Despite two scoreless innings from the Fort Wayne bullpen, the TinCaps offense could not score, leading to the loss.
TinCaps lose in Dayton. They finish the season 54-66 following a 6 game sweep.
— Fort Wayne Baseball (@tincaps_wizards) September 19, 2021
Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 8-4 vs. Inland Empire) (55-65 on the season)
Levi Thomas: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K (64 pitches, 40 strikes)
Pierce Jones: (2-for-4), HR, 4 RBI, R, 2 SB
Cole Cummings: (1-for-4), 3B, R
Bryan Torres: (1-for-4), RBI, R, BB, 3 K
The Storm’s offense exploded for six runs in the bottom of the eighth, thanks to Pierce Jones’ first home run in Lake Elsinore, a grand slam that came at the absolute best possible time. Levi Thomas bounced back from a first-inning run, as he didn’t allow a run in his final three innings.
The Storm took the lead in the third with a pair of two-out RBI singles. Second baseman Bryan Torres made what appeared to be a critical error, putting the Storm down a run in the eighth inning, but the heroics from Torres gave the Storm a sweet ending to their season.
Pierce Jones making sure the final game of the season is grand 😎 pic.twitter.com/GVxrFQrCyF
— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) September 20, 2021
DSL Padres-OFF
ACL Padres- Season Over
Monday’s Probables
DSL Padres: 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.