Padres Down on the Farm: September 7 (Dixon 2 HR, walk-off blast for EP/Henry & Missions flirt with no-no/Contreras 6 scoreless in FW)
Credit: Missions
The San Diego Padres farm affiliates went 4-1 on Wednesday, as the El Paso Chihuahuas played a doubleheader.
Here is a recap of the day’s events.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Won 6-2 vs. Albuquerque) (Won 7-6 vs. Albuquerque) (72-59 on the season)
Game One:
Pedro Avila: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K (75 pitches, 51 strikes)
Cam Gallagher: (3-for-3), 2B, RBI, R, BB
Luis Liberato: (2-for-4), RBI, R
Kyle Martin: (1-for-3), R
The Chihuahuas scored four times in the second inning, which was plenty of offense thanks to a strong pitching performance from Pedro Avila. Avila worked five solid innings, surrendering two runs in the process. Ray Kerr and Moises Lugo each worked a scoreless frame, securing the win in the first seven-inning game of the doubleheader. Trade deadline acquisition Cam Gallagher recorded three hits and a walk, as he proved to be the standout player in the game for El Paso. Luis Liberato added a pair of hits and an RBI, with six different Chihuahuas driving in a run.
Game Two:
Aaron Leasher: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (22 pitches, 15 strikes)
Brandon Dixon: (3-for-4), 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
C.J. Hinojosa: (2-for-4), 2 2B, RBI, R
Kyle Martin: (2-for-3), 2B, RBI, R
A wild seventh and final inning ended on a walk-off home run from Brandon Dixon, who blasted a pair of homers in the game. Dixon’s first home run tied the game at three entering the seventh, but the game did not stay tied for long. Jose Quezada surrendered three runs in the top of the frame, putting the Chihuahuas in an incredibly difficult position. The first four El Paso hitters of the ninth reached, loading the bases with no outs. However, Luis Liberato grounded into a double play, as the Chihuahuas appeared to have squandered their chance to win. However, Dixon took a 2-0 pitch over the center field wall, securing a sweep of the doubleheader.
San Antonio Missions (Won 7-0 vs. Springfield) (66-60 on the season)
Henry Henry: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 3 K (92 pitches, 46 strikes)
Joshua Mears: (1-for-4), HR, 4 RBI, R, 2 K
Connor Hollis: (2-for-4), 2B, 2 RBI
Webster Rivas: (2-for-4), RBI, R, SB
San Antonio got a wonderful pitching performance from their staff, dealing a two-hit shutout as a squad. Henry Henry worked five no-hit innings, earning the win in the process. Henry did walk five batters, but the Cardinals batted balls seemed to be magnetically attracted to the Missions’ gloves. The Cardinals were unable to record a hit until the seventh when Justin Toerner slapped a single off Alek Jacob. Joshua Mears blasted a second-inning grand slam, giving the Missions an early cushion. Connor Hollis added a pair of RBIs on a seventh-inning double, adding some insurance to the San Antonio lead.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 3-2 to Lake County) (49-78 on the season)
Efraín Contreras: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K (78 pitches, 53 strikes)
Josttin Diaz: (2-for-3), HR, 2 RBI, R
Jarryd Dale: (2-for-4), 2B
Charlis Aquino: (1-for-3), 2 K
Fort Wayne got a great pitching performance from starter Efraín Contreras, but a collapse from their bullpen proved costly. Contreras worked six innings, striking out six, allowing just four hits and zero runs. Josttin Diaz broke open a scoreless tie with a seventh-inning two-run home run. It was Diaz’s second consecutive game with a home run, and it appeared to be enough to give Fort Wayne the win. However, Lake County scored three times in the eighth inning, and the TinCaps fell to a frustrating defeat. One of the runs was charged to Miguel Mendez, while the other two were given to Luke Boyd, who picked up the loss.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 4-1 vs. Rancho Cucamonga) (73-55 on the season)
Hector Lizarraga: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K (72 pitches, 50 strikes)
Nerwilian Cedeno: (1-for-3), HR, RBI, R, 2 K
Samuel Zavala: (1-for-4), HR, 2 RBI, R, 2 K
Jakob Marsee: (1-for-4), HR, RBI, R, 2 K
The Storm used a trio of home runs and a strong pitching performance to pick up a win on Wednesday night. Hector Lizarraga worked 5.1 innings, allowing six hits and one run while striking out six batters. Nerwilian Cedeno, Samuel Zavala, and Jakob Marsee all homered. Zavala’s homer was a two-run blast in the seventh, which proved to be crucial insurance. The Storm had just five hits, but with three of them being home runs, that was all that Lake Elsinore needed.
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Thursday’s Probables
El Paso: TBD
San Antonio: Kevin Kopps (1-1, 3.91 ERA)
Fort Wayne: Ryan Bergert (3-10, 5.95 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.