San Diego Padres affiliates went 1-2 on Sunday.

Here is a recap of the day’s events.

El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 11-6 vs Reno) (54-84 on the season)
Brett Sullivan – 3-for-5, Home Run
Brandon Valenzuela – 3-for-4, Double, Two RBI
Randy Vasquez – 4 IP, 12 H, 10 R, 0 BB, 5 K (82 pitches – 55 strikes)

The Chihuahuas as a team pushed across 13 hits, including three home runs in the first three innings of their series finale against the Reno Aces. Unfortunately, Randy Vasquez endured his start of the season, be it at the Major League or Triple-A level. The right-hander was shelled for a season-high ten runs on twelve hits, including a whopping four home runs. Vasquez did not walk a batter but only got six swinging strikes all game. Batters made contact on 30 pitches from Vasquez, and ten swings registered as hard-hit balls into fair territory.

Brandon Valenzuela had his best performance at Triple-A in the ballgame, with a double among three hits for the Chihuahuas’ first baseman. Brett Sullivan also had three hits, including a home run. Tirso Ornelas and Clay Dungan each homered off Aces starter Humberto Castellanos, with Ornelas’ homer being his 19th of the season. The left-handed hitting outfielder/first baseman is already on the 40-man roster and could be knocking on the door of a Major League call-up in the season’s final weeks.

San Antonio Missions (Won 6-4 vs Tulsa in 11 innings) (59-71 on the season)
Ripken Reyes – 2-for-4, Two-Run Home Run
Romeo Sanabria – 2-for-4, Double, Run Scored
Miguel Cienfuegos – 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K (85 pitches – 56 strikes)

San Antonio’s offense took advantage of six walks from Drillers pitching to take a 6-2 lead after four innings. The Missions loaded the bases in the third inning and scored twice without the courtesy of a base hit. Cole Cummings was drilled to score the Missions’ first run, and Robbie Tenerowicz worked a five-pitch walk to tie the game. The fourth inning featured four extra-base hits to secore a 6-2 lead, as Romeo Sanabria scored on a ground-rule double off the bat of Juan Zabala. Zabala scored on a double from Lucas Dunn, and Ripken Reyes hit his fourth home run of the season to punctuate the four-run frame.

Miguel Cienfuegos looked to be in for a tough outing after four of the first five batters reached base, with two opposing batters launching home runs against him. However, the left-hander managed to lock in, allowing only two hits the remainder of his outing. Cienfuegos struck out three batters in five innings, holding opposing batters to weak contact in his time on the mound. Jackson Wolf pitched three innings in long relief, allowing one run but striking out three. Bradgley Rodriguez allowed a run in the ninth inning but struck out three batters to earn his fourth save with San Antonio, putting the finishing touches on a 6-4 win.

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 3-1 vs South Bend) (53-79 on the season)
Ethan Salas – 1-for-4, Single
Addison Kopack – 1-for-2, RBI Single
Isaiah Lowe – 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K (54 pitches – 40 strikes)

In their season finale, TinCaps right-hander Isaiah Lowe closed out the season with one more strong start. The right-hander tossed four innings in what was likely a planned abbreviated start, striking out three and allowing one run on three hits. While Lowe hasn’t quite racked up the strikeouts as he did in Single-A, he has managed to hold his own while being almost two years younger than the average High-A pitcher. If this was his final start of the season (regardless of level), it marks a strong conclusion for the right-hander’s first full professional season. Four of five relievers used in the game tossed scoreless innings, with Will Varmette striking out two batters. Will Geerdes allowed two runs in the seventh on three hits and a walk.

Those runs allowed were more impactful than at first thought. The TinCaps’ offense had been silenced by Cubs starter Erian Rodriguez and reliever Angel Hernandez. Fort Wayne scratched across a run in the seventh inning off reliever Angel Gonzalez on an RBI single off the bat of Addison Kopack. Ethan Salas and Devin Ortiz also recorded singles in the loss. Kopack reached base twice, once via the walk, and Nick Vogt also walked in the game. Fort Wayne had chances to score, but Kopack’s base hit was their lone hit with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-7 in all other opportunities.

Lake Elsinore Storm – Game Canceled Due to Wet Grounds
The Lake Elsinore Storm’s regular-season finale was canceled due to wet grounds in Inland Empire.

There will be no reschedule, and the Storm’s next game will come as they open the Division Series in Visalia on September 10.

No Games on Monday

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.