Padres minor league teams went 3-4 on Thursday.

Here is our daily recap of games played. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 4-1 vs Sugar Land) (25-35 on the season)

Marcos Castanon – 2-for-4, Home Run

Nick Solak – 1-for-4, Single

Marco Gonzales – 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 8 K (84 pitches – 57 strikes)

Left-hander Marco Gonzales picked up his 1000th career strikeout in a loss to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Thursday night. The Colorado native pitched 4.2 innings, striking out eight batters. The eight strikeouts was a season high for the left-hander, who missed time earlier in the year due to injury. Despite only maxing out at 91.1 mph, Gonzales picked up 15 swings and misses; three of his offerings had whiff rates north of 33%. Misael Tamarez allowed one run on two hits in one inning of work, though two inherited runners came in to score against the former Sugar Land pitcher. Kyle Hart worked a scoreless 1.1 innings of relief, and Ethan Routzahn continues to lead the Chihuahuas bullpen, working two scoreless innings. Routzahn’s 3.23 ERA is the lowest among Chihuahuas relievers who opened the season with the club.

At the dish, El Paso didn’t have much going for them. Marcos Castanon continues to heat up, as the former UCSB infielder launched his eighth home run of the season. Castanon’s home run came off the bat at 99.3 mph, and both of his base hits came off the bat over 95 mph. Will Wagner hit two singles in four trips to the plate. Clay Dungan and Nick Solak each hit a double for their lone hit of the game. While Pablo Reyes did not have a hit at the dish, the utilityman delivered an outfield assist from left field.  

Trailing 3-0 in the fifth, Marcos Castañon launches a solo shot to right-center for his 8th homer of the season! ? pic.twitter.com/hYfB4zN12U

— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) June 5, 2026

San Antonio Missions (Won 5-1 vs Wichita) (22-32 on the season)

Braedon Karpathios – 2-for-3, Home Run, Two RBI

Romeo Sanabria – 2-for-4, Home Run, Double, Two Runs Scored

Jhony Brito – 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K (58 pitches – 42 strikes)

Braedon Karpathios and Romeo Sanabria brought the power as the Missions took a 5-1 victory over the Wind Surge. Let’s start with Sanabria, who we noted yesterday was finding the “Spring of Sanabria” form. Sanabria went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run, his second consecutive game with a home run. The Padres’ No. 29 prospect has hit safely in his last four games, and reached base safely in four of his last six. Braedon Karpathios hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, driving in two runs in the game. Karpathios drove in another run earlier in the game, as in the fourth inning, he singled to score Sanabria. Ryan Jackson finished 1-for-4 with a single, but his second inning double-play ball scored Tirso Ornelas to get the Missions the first run of the ball game. Both Ornelas and Luis Verdugo finished with a single and a walk, with Ornelas scoring two runs in the game. 

Karp sends one flying out to centerfield in the 6th! pic.twitter.com/qKG7NkwvAD

— San Antonio Missions Baseball (@missionsmilb) June 5, 2026

Jhony Brito made the start for the Missions, tossing five innings of one-run baseball with two strikeouts. The right-hander continues to get success despite an allergy to strikeouts. Brito picked up eight outs via the ground ball, and his sinker continues to show the bowling-ball-esque movement that allows him to generate such results. Brito now has a 3.33 ERA in 24.1 innings on rehab assignment, with 17 strikeouts and a 1.11 WHIP. While most of it has been against lower levels of competition, a healthy Brito could very well be an asset for the Padres’ MLB club. The Missions’ bullpen was lights out in relief of Brito; Clark Candiotti fired off a scoreless inning, striking out one. Despite spending 2025 as a starter, it is likely that the Padres organization views him as a reliever due to the plus nature of his split-fingered fastball. Josh Mallitz struck out three in two innings of work, and fireballer Andrew Moore struck out three in the ninth. Moore, acquired from Cincinnati in the Connor Joe trade, has a 100-to-53 K-to-BB ratio in 57 innings since joining the Padres organization. 

BIG LEAGUE SWING?
Jamie Ferrer goes yard for his first Double-A homer, taking rehabbing major leaguer Jhony Brito deep! pic.twitter.com/iG7nxVUQUX

— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) June 5, 2026

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 10-4 vs Lake County) (24-30 on the season)

Kavares Tears – 2-for-4, Home Run, Triple, Two RBI

Carlos E. Rodriguez – 1-for-4, RBI Single, Walk

Carson Montgomery – 5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 6 K (87 pitches – 50 strikes)

TinCaps starting pitcher Carson Montgomery had quite a unique stat line, but pitched better than the line indicated. The right-hander threw five innings of three-run baseball, striking out six batters. Montgomery did issue five walks in his start, and all three runners who scored against him reached base on walks. Despite limiting opposing batters to a .181 average this season, Montgomery has walked 23 batters in 41.1 innings, which comes out to a 13.1% walk rate this season. Will Varmette allowed a go-ahead home run to Maick Collado on a 3-1 fastball, giving the Captains a 5-4 lead. For the right-hander, it was his first time allowing a home run in over a month. Braian Salazar allowed three runs in 1.2 innings, striking out three. Tucker Musgrove threw a scoreless frame between the sixth and seventh innings, striking out two without issuing a walk. Javier Chacon allowed a two-run home run in 1.2 innings of relief, picking up two strikeouts. Opponents have hit .205 against Chacon since he arrived in Fort Wayne, but 10 walks in 11.2 innings have contributed to some struggles.  

Collado CRUSHES it! ?

Maick Collado gives the Captains the lead with a 2-run home run to DEEEEEP right field! ? pic.twitter.com/B5uXjByJsJ

— Lake County Captains (@LCCaptains) June 5, 2026

Kavares Tears continues to find his swing, as he posted seven total bases in the TinCaps’ loss. Tears launched a then go-ahead home run in the fourth inning, his fifth of the season. San Diego’s No. 13 prospect, Tears has hit safely in six of his last seven games, hitting .269 in that span. Alex McCoy hit an RBI single in the third inning, scoring Rosman Verdugo. Jake Cunningham was 1-for-4 with a double, and Zach Evans finished 1-for-4 with a single and a run scored. Carlos E. Rodriguez was 1-for-4 with an RBI single, also drawing a walk in the loss. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 10-4 vs Fresno) (31-23 on the season)

George Bilecki – 2-for-2, Double, Three RBI, Two Walks

Jose Verdugo – 1-for-3, Double, Sac Fly, Three RBI

Bryan Balzer – 5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K (93 pitches – 56 strikes)

Lake Elsinore avenged the walk-off losses by hanging a ten-spot on the second-place Grizzlies. Starting pitcher Bryan Balzer led the way on the mound, holding Fresno to two runs on seven hits. Balzer struck out five batters, picking up seven outs via the ground ball. The right-hander continues to pitch competitively and keep his offense in games, and his 49.1 innings leads the Storm pitching staff. Even so, he is two outs away from his innings total from the 2025 season. Brandon Langley struck out one batter in 1.2 innings, pitching a fourth straight scoreless appearance. Sean Barnett has harnessed his 99 mph fastball as of late, and he struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning. The right-hander has allowed one run in his last 9.1 innings over seven games, striking out 12 to seven walks. Daichi Moriki allowed two runs in the ninth inning, but sealed the Storm’s win. 

The Storm drew seven walks en route to victory, also benefitting from five Fresno errors. George Bilecki had two hits, including a double, and drove in three runs for Lake Elsinore. Bilecki also drew two walks, and has a .399 on-base percentage in 105 at-bats this season. Kerrington Cross drew two walks in the game, scoring two runs. Jose Verdugo hit a two-run double and a sacrifice fly in the game; the 5-foot-6 infielder is now hitting .280 on the season. Yoiber Ocopio singled and walked, scoring two runs. Ocopio had one of five successful stolen bases for the Storm, with Conner Westenburg, Bradley Frye, and George Bilecki joining him in that department. Ryan Wideman did not appear in the game for just the second time all season. 

ACL Padres (Won 13-4 vs ACL Royals) (12-12 on the season)

Cardell Thibodeaux – 3-for-5, Double, Three RBI

Santiago Vargas – 4-for-4, Four Singles, RBI, Two Runs Scored

Zack Qin – 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K

The ACL Padres got back to .500 with a dominating win over the ACL Royals. Zack Qin headlined the pitching staff’s performance, as the Padres starter went four shutout innings. Qin struck out six batters, issuing just two walks and allowing only one hit. Qin has been nearly untouchable down in the ACL, and is cementing himself as yet another potential starting pitching prospect in the long term. Yoesmerli Beltre picked up the win, throwing 1.1 innings of two-hit baseball. Beltre was charged with an unearned run, but struck out two batters. Dariel Polanco struck out four in two innings of one-run baseball, and his 3.54 ERA is among the best in the ACL Padres’ bullpen. Jordan Valenzuela struck out three in 1.2 innings, allowing two runs. 

Cardell Thibodeaux had three hits in the win, including his second double of the season. Thibodeaux cleared the bases in the sixth inning as part of a seven-run inning. Colton Vincent had two hits, including a home run, while also drawing a bases-loaded walk. Jake Bold, freshly assigned to the ACL, hit two singles, driving in three runs. Santiago Vargas finished a perfect 4-for-4 with four singles, scoring two runs. Santiago Contreras hit an RBI single as part of a 2-for-3 day, and Dawson Willis hit a double as part of a two-hit, two-run performance. 

DSL Padres Gold (Lost 12-11 vs DSL Tampa Bay) (1-2 on the season)

Joniel Hernandez – 2-for-5, Double, Three RBI

Eddson Martinez – 3-for-5, Three Singles, RBI, Two Runs Scored

Yunny Tovar – 2.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R (4 ER), 5 BB, 4 K 

Miguel Alvarez – 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K

A back-and-forth certified classic took place in the DSL, as the Padres Gold and the Tampa Bay (yes, that’s the team name) battled to a 12-11 finish. Padres Gold starter Yunny Tovar made his professional debut, pitching 2.2 innings of four-earned-run baseball, striking out five. The left-hander’s first game was interrupted by rain delay, but he was removed in the first inning having allowed four runs. Since the DSL has a variation of the “pitcher removal and return” rule from Spring Training, Tovar pitched the second and third innings as well, only giving up one run across those frames. A major shoutout for right-hander Miguel Alvarez, who came in relief and fired four innings of one-run baseball. Alvarez struck out five batters in just his second appearance of the season. Alvarez pitched well in 2025, and if he performs as he did on Thursday morning, he very well could receive an opportunity at the ACL level. Guillermo Romero gave up three runs in 1.1 innings, and Albert Perez allowed the game-deciding runs in 1.2 innings of relief. Only one of three runs given up by Perez was earned, but the errors preceding the runs loomed large. 

2026 international signee Joniel Hernandez shined in the Padres Gold’s loss. Hernandez hit a double as part of a 2-for-5 day, driving in three of 11 runs. Eddson Martinez hit three singles and scored two runs. The Padres Gold leadoff man reached base four times. First baseman Abraham Bastidas drew three walks, finishing 1-for-2 with a single and a run scored. Timothy Mogen finished with one hit in five at-bats, driving in a run. Sebastian Pena hit a two-run double in the fourth inning, a hit which put the Padres Gold on the board. Despite going 6-for-18 with runners in scoring position, the Padres Gold stranded nine runners in the loss. 

DSL Padres Brown (Lost 7-5 vs DSL Orioles Black) (0-3 on the season)

Pedro Silva – 1-for-1, RBI Double, Three Walks

Osmy Osorio – 1-for-4, Single, Two RBI

Rafael Torres – 2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R (1 ER), 5 BB, 4 K 

Osmy Osorio drove in two runs as the Padres Brown dropped a third straight game. Osorio had two run-scoring plays in the late innings, reaching on an error to score a run in the fifth inning and hitting a more traditional RBI single in the sixth. Pedro Silva reached base four times in the loss, hitting an RBI double in the fifth inning and drawing three walks. Endy Rios reached base twice in the game, reaching via single and via walk. Eliander Primera went 1-for-3 with a single, two walks, and two runs scored. Sebastian Nadales drew three walks, scoring one run. 

Starter Rafael Torres, in his Padres Brown debut, pitched into the third inning, allowing one earned run. The right-hander was able to strike out four batters, but five walks issued were behind the O’s scoring chances. Torres allowed just one hit, getting two outs via the groundball. Raudi Perez struggled in his second outing, allowing five runs (all earned) in 1.2 innings. The bulk of that damage came on a three-run home run by Pedro Gomez in the fourth. Ariel Dilone pitched 1.2 scoreless innings despite five walks, and Yohn Melendez pitched 1.1 innings with one strikeout. 

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.